Aikido at Work

Vince Sensei recently asked about where Aikido principles may apply to my work, molecular genetics. At first I had no ready answer, so, I paid closer attention to my activities and soon saw that several of the lessons we learn at the dojo are in action during my workday.

1. Be in the moment. Whenever I set up a reaction, cast an agarose gel, or extract DNA from a plant sample, being in the moment helps me work smoothly and reduces the chance of a misstep that could ruin an entire process.

2. Take your time. Every process in the lab takes time, something I have learned to live with. Those rare times I have made mistakes (haha) were most often the result of being in a hurry. Come to think of it, being in a hurry is itself not being fully in the moment.

3. Develop good posture. In the lab and at the computer it is easy to develop back pain if your posture isn’t good. I can vouch for that.

4. Blend. This is a very important principle for the publishing end of my job. Before any of my work is accepted it must first pass peer review. Typically an assistant editor and two or three reviewers rigorously dissect my paper and provide numerous criticisms and suggestions for improvement. Peer review is not adversarial at heart but conflicts of opinion or style can arise. Blending comes into play where I must connect with their positions and intents. By carefully listening to what they are saying I can often find the angle I need to take to resolve conflicts and bring us all to a position of agreement.

5. Be aware. Even though I basically run a one-person lab, others work in my unit and in the building it occupies. Awareness of people and activities around oneself and a readiness to respond to change or need fosters a greater sense of community (connectedness) and positive relations.

6. Be centered. In the lab, being centered can involve having what you need at hand, providing for economy of motion and reduction of distractions such as looking for a missing reagent.

Are there more instances of “Aiki” in my workplace? It is likely there are, waiting for my further development to make them apparent.

Michael C. Ashley, Ph.D.

Reigi

Sensei recently reminded us of the importance of Reigi in the practice of Aikido. I am a beginner in Aikido and what is said here must be considered in that light. The literal definition of Reigi indicates manners, courtesy, etiquette. Sensei has told us that Morihiro Saito Sensei, on the subject of Reigi, said that one should be observant of what is correct behavior in a particular setting and that this awareness prevents unnecessary conflict from starting. Someone not familiar with Aikido might then say that the idea of Reigi seems to be a kind of “keep your head down” approach that avoids conflict. That is not what Reigi is about. Instead, correct behavior in a particular setting is a sign of good training leading to the strength and confidence to be humble and appreciative of others. This is not always easy for us because our popular culture emphasizes the elevation of ego over all else. To practice Reigi is to show respect for others and respect for ourselves. It is part of our experience as Aikido students to absorb the etiquette of the dojo. This is a fundamental aspect of the sempai-kohai relationship; it is part of the practice of Aikido.

This does not require, necessarily, learning a set of esoteric rules. It can be the simple exercise of good manners. As Sensei has pointed out, when you have good manners, people don’t mind being around you. Maybe a way we can apply this is to give more attention to Sensei and training partners than to our own needs, ideas and opinions. This means that we listen when we are receiving instruction, express gratitude for what has been shared with us and do our best to apply what we have learned. As a trial lawyer, I am familiar with the idea of etiquette appropriate to the situation. The application of Reigi in my practice has helped me to be a better lawyer. Despite unfavorable stereotypes, good trial lawyers understand the importance of showing sincere respect for the judge, fellow attorneys, parties and all who are involved in the court system. When that respect is absent, or breaks down, disharmony arises, and to use Saito Sensei’s phrase, unnecessary conflict occurs. It is this fundamental disharmony which causes some people to feel, regardless of the outcome of a case, that the system has been emotionally destructive. Properly understood, etiquette provides the structure within which we all interact with each other. The bad conduct of some lawyers are a symptom of the general loss of civility in our society. There is an opportunity to change that with each interaction we have both inside the Aikido dojo and outside in our daily lives. As said by Mahatma Gandhi: “We need to be the change we wish to see in the world.”
Submitted by Ed Lemons // 13 March 2010

Self Defense

One of our members had this to say about a self defense seminar held at the dojo:

The seminar connected training to being attacked; that's useful. The scenarios jolted people to some degree, and we had to act while we were in that "jolted" state. That's useful too. I can't say how the training would affect me if I were actually "woofed on" and attacked, but I'm really glad I took the class. I think it's necessary to focus training at times on the possibility of nasty people confronting and attacking us. In a perfect world we could relax and dance all the time. So, it was a good experience for me. So is regular, positive training with my friends. Our typical classes seem even more valuable now after Peyton's instruction. I look forward to those classes with a fresh enthusiasm.

Joe Calabrese

A Famous Photograph of O Sensei

An old man walking, aware

this moment is being

preserved, 

watering with a practiced hand

green, green plants in black & white

with grace and harmony. 

Another image: at night, at war,

far, far away, after Curtis LeMay’s

incendiaries turn the dojo roof  

to yellow flame.  It falls to the

old man’s son, Kisshomaru, to

water with efficient desperation. 

No photographer, no green,

green plants.  Alone, on a roof, watering

to preserve an old man’s dream. 

© Hal Taylor, April 30, 2008 

[Based on a picture of O Sensei watering plants in Iwama found in Invincible Warrior, page 158, by John Stevens (Shambhala Publications, Inc. 1997) 

My favorite picture of the Founder.  He is wholly centered in his posture, even in the simple act of watering flowers.  This is O Sensei at peace in Iwama, but still very much aware of his surroundings, including the photographer.  The reference to his son, Kisshomaru, fighting flames that threatened to engulf the Tokyo dojo, is from the same book, pages 67-68.]

Aikido To Me

I've been practicing Aikido for about three years now. Maybe it's not a long time, but it's enough time to turn my life around. In the past, I was searching for a way to balance my inner-self, and to find harmony between my body and mind. I was already practicing yoga, meditation, and kung-fu when I became more aware of my health, my energy level, and how it connected with my emotional state. Aikido taught me how to fully be in my body, and to expand my awareness and learning of being here and now. It was not an easy task, but it's the best way for me to connect intuition and inner wisdom.

During training, I learned how to rise above my physical conditions, how to tolerate pain and quiet my mind, how to become more focused and have fun with it. Pain became my best ally, because it showed me where I needed to change, emotionally and physically. I learned to take full responsibility for my health, to find the right knowledge, and then became my best doctor. I'm 51, and I have found my way to feel young, healthy, powerful, and to freely flow with my life.

Guly Erwin    

2^nd Kyu

Haiku

"Genesis"



Verticality

When added to a circle


A spiral is born
 


*************************
 


"Portrait"
 


White, O-Sensei's beard


Broad, his smile, watching practice


Eternal, his chi
 


*************************
 


"Kokyunage"
 


Blending with circle


Spiral up, balance taken


Breath spiraling down
 
 


Michael Ashley

“Trust the process…”

This is something that was explained to me in other classes that I have taken, but it also applies to Aikido. 

In Aikido it is stressed that we leave our worries and concerns about the outside world outside and concentrate on what we are learning and doing while we are in the class.  Unlike activities such as running and yoga, where you can find yourself wandering back to your life’s stresses and worries, Aikido is an activity that can make it very easy to put all of that out of your mind while you are training.  This practice has helped me to come back to work or home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.  My husband also practices Aikido and we both have seen positive impacts on our relationship. 

It is also stressed in Aikido to focus on your physical self – your breathing, your posture, your movements – so that you can feel balanced and grounded and you can get in touch with the power that is within you.  I believe that this aspect will help me as I age (I am now 52) to keep good flexibility and balance, and will help maintain healthy bone density and muscle tone. 

By going through the process of learning the movements and philosophy of Aikido, I believe that my life has been enriched mentally and physically, in addition to the friendships that have resulted from being around others who are caring and treat each other with respect, and who also “trust the process…” 

Laura Klaich