(Continued)
Aikido, literally, the way of harmonious blending
of internal, life energy, provides a framework enabling us to retrain our mind. First, we
turn unrecognized movements into the effective, natural movements that Aikido is
predicated on. Second, we turn cumbersome mental processes into flowing, effortless
thoughts, also known as having a "mind like a mirror." Third, we learn to
integrate or "blend" our natural, flowing movements and thoughts with another
person’s movements and thoughts, in other words, we blend our Ki with theirs.
Fourth, we learn to effectively join the two life energies of the attacker and the
attacked into one inseparable extension of universal energy. Thus, when attacked, an
experienced Aikidoka spontaneously responds to the attack, joining energy into a positive,
peaceful resolution of the initial conflict.The trained
Aikidoka translates his prudent reaction to an attack and blending into an extension of
universal energy to everyday situations, including worldview altering predicaments, such
as learning of a debilitation, degenerative illness. By doing so, he responds to the
attack on his worldview expediently. The trained Aikidoka is aware of his surroundings at
all times, never dumbfounded by unanticipated situations, and while the situation may be
completely unfamiliar, the equanimity of the Aikidoka is omnipresent. Of course, composure
and equanimity is cultivated by many years of intensive training and self-sacrifice. Thus,
over time, the experienced Aikidoka has retrained his mind and no longer thinks
conventionally, i.e., he does not follow the steps outlined above in a worldview altering
predicament. When the trained Aikidoka meets a personal struggle or situational conflict,
he jumps directly to acceptance, and, by doing so, he eliminates struggle, resolves the
issue spontaneously, receives a revivifying charge of self-existence, and carries on with
the positive aspects of our life.
On the other hand, an inexperienced person meets an attack in much
the same way a undisciplined mind greets a worldview changing experience, such as losing a
loved one or contracting a debilitating illness. The untrained individual will struggle
against the attack and use force against force to try to maintain his original position,
similar to the first stage the typical coping mechanism: denial. The untrained
individual will attempt to resist the changing situation, which is a futile endeavor given
the nature of the mutable world and the reaction of an inflexible mind. When resistance
fails to produce a desirable outcome in the confrontation, the inexperienced individual
will experience anger, the second stage in coping. This angered state of the
inflexible mind arises because the inexperienced person is perturbed and confused at how
the situation came to be. So the untrained mind will attempt to change the situation back
to the way it was –an impossible endeavor, given the ever-changing nature of reality.
However, an angered mind acts irrationally; and an irrational mind acts
irrationally, which in turn drives the body to act similarly. The body’s energy
reserves are limited; and when the body acts irrationally its reserved are quickly
consumed. As the body’s reserves dwindle, the perturbed mind attempts to process the
situation. Thus begins the third stage: bargaining. Given that the body can no
longer effectively cope with the situation in its exhausted condition, the mind attempts
to figure a way out of the situation. The untrained person will attempt to attract his
attacker with some kind of offer to resolve the situation, for example, give the attacker
money. This often times fails because the attacker will make his intention known before
the attack; if he wants money, for example, he will ask for money and upon refusal take it
by force. Alternatively, the attacker may not want anything material from the defender, as
is the case with vendetta, and no bargain can be negotiated. Upon realizing the futility
of bargaining, the untrained mind will fall into a state of depression. At this
point, the untrained individual will succumb to the attacker, and the individual gives up
completely. This is the most dangerous time for the untrained person, because he is at the
mercy of the attacker and of the situation. However, the untrained individual may
spontaneously and effortlessly pass to acceptance, at which point the individual
reconstitutes himself and in his situation. Nevertheless, this is not a way out of the
situation; rather, it is the "reframing" of the situation: a new view of the
world through the eyes of a reconstituted individual. At this point, the individual finds
the benefits and fortuitous circumstances of his condition, in other words, harmonious
conflict resolution.
(Continued on Next Page)
© 1999, James
Loeser.
All rights reserved
James Loeser has his M.S.from
Northwestern University, in Biotechnology - Specializing in Medicinal Chemistry /
Bioinformatics. He is a student of Aikido and a dental student at the University of
Illinois at Chicago.
james@aikido-world.com
All photos and literature used are copyrighted materials from their respective
owners and photographers. Permission in writing must be made for any duplication, display,
or reprint.
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