When we enter the study of Aikido we embark upon a journey. For some the journey is short. For others it lasts a lifetime. Like all journeys it begins with a single step. With every step we take thereafter our lives take on new meaning. This is the "Do" of Aikido.
When we begin our journey the way appears to be long and strewn with obstacles. As we travel down the path we find that the obstacles that are most treacherous are those that are within ourselves. As we surmount and overcome these challenges we find we are changed and that we are changed for the better.
We also discover that the path may not always be clear. There are no signposts. We know that the trail has been blazed by others before us but there are precious few clues to guide us along the way. It is, after all, our way and our path and the footprints of those who preceded us have all too often become worn and hard to follow.
Fortunately we are not alone on the path. Our fellow travelers include our Senseis, our Sempais and our dojo brothers and sisters. We all traverse the same ground. And even though we share common experience we still must make our own way.
Some of us will get lost along the way. A relatively few, who start the journey through Aikido, will make it a lifelong sojourn. Many will stop along the wayside and cease to follow the path. For them, the journey is over. Like a ship that has found a friendly harbor they cease to set sail for further and more exotic ports.
Some will be enticed away from the path and choose to follow an entirely different course. Often this happens when a person looses sight of the ultimate goal and becomes distracted by what may appear, on the surface, to be a more expedient way.
Of course, these analogies only serve to explain our growth in Aikido in the broadest of terms. Like with all arts, there is no end to the knowledge. We can (and should) keep learning as long as we are alive. Our learning experience will always be personal and closely tied to our individual lives. As we continue to practice and learn, it should become apparent that earning the black belt, the technical prowess gained or any of the many benefits of Aikido are not the most cherished goals. The true joy of Aikido is in the process of learning.
To make yet another analogy, a great adventure is not rewarding in its conclusion. It is the experiences and knowledge learned during the course of the adventure that uplifts and edifies. Following the way is the reward.
I encourage all who choose to follow the path set out by O' Sensei to make the most of the experience. There will be magnificent rewards, lifelong friends, and stories to tell. Take the courage to stay on the path. Though you may start with fear and trembling, as you overcome each challenge presented to you, you will become richer in spirit and more fulfilled in your joy of the art of Aikido.
Yours in Aikido,
Tom Sensei
When we begin our journey the way appears to be long and strewn with obstacles. As we travel down the path we find that the obstacles that are most treacherous are those that are within ourselves. As we surmount and overcome these challenges we find we are changed and that we are changed for the better.
We also discover that the path may not always be clear. There are no signposts. We know that the trail has been blazed by others before us but there are precious few clues to guide us along the way. It is, after all, our way and our path and the footprints of those who preceded us have all too often become worn and hard to follow.
Fortunately we are not alone on the path. Our fellow travelers include our Senseis, our Sempais and our dojo brothers and sisters. We all traverse the same ground. And even though we share common experience we still must make our own way.
Some of us will get lost along the way. A relatively few, who start the journey through Aikido, will make it a lifelong sojourn. Many will stop along the wayside and cease to follow the path. For them, the journey is over. Like a ship that has found a friendly harbor they cease to set sail for further and more exotic ports.
Some will be enticed away from the path and choose to follow an entirely different course. Often this happens when a person looses sight of the ultimate goal and becomes distracted by what may appear, on the surface, to be a more expedient way.
Of course, these analogies only serve to explain our growth in Aikido in the broadest of terms. Like with all arts, there is no end to the knowledge. We can (and should) keep learning as long as we are alive. Our learning experience will always be personal and closely tied to our individual lives. As we continue to practice and learn, it should become apparent that earning the black belt, the technical prowess gained or any of the many benefits of Aikido are not the most cherished goals. The true joy of Aikido is in the process of learning.
To make yet another analogy, a great adventure is not rewarding in its conclusion. It is the experiences and knowledge learned during the course of the adventure that uplifts and edifies. Following the way is the reward.
I encourage all who choose to follow the path set out by O' Sensei to make the most of the experience. There will be magnificent rewards, lifelong friends, and stories to tell. Take the courage to stay on the path. Though you may start with fear and trembling, as you overcome each challenge presented to you, you will become richer in spirit and more fulfilled in your joy of the art of Aikido.
Yours in Aikido,
Tom Sensei
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