Passing a Test that Wasn’t Meant to be Passed

Question: How do you know you’re Coordinating Mind and Body unless someone tests you?
Answer: Until you know what it feels like to actually coordinate mind and body, umm, you don’t.
Tests are a good thing, ever since grade school started giving tests I’ve loved them–I know, I’m one of those nerdy, scholastic wackos.  Tests are moments [...]

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Avoiding Collision

Thursday night is normally Maxon sensei’s night to teach, but he’s away in Japan, so Hess sensei taught.
During Ki class he focused on Ki meditation.  I’d like to think I’m getting it.  I don’t coordinate mind and body all the time, but when I think about it I do it.  I work through a simple [...]

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Aikido’s Attractiveness Examined

It should be obvious, I like Aikido, specifically Shin-shin Toitsu Aikido. Yeah, it’s am mouth full and I cheat by cut and pasting the that really long name into my posts. But why do I like it?
Spiritual Things Come First
Ki moves the Mind which moves the Body
Or, as I know it better from [...]

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Look at Your Opponent

I laugh throughout Maxson Sensei’s Thursday night classes.
I realize, while he teaches that I shouldn’t look constipated or goofy while I’m “coordinating mind and body”. If mind and body coordination is truly a natural state of being then it shouldn’t matter what I’m doing.
I watch sensei continue the lesson while two students [...]

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Two Classes

Twice a week I ride a bus to the dojo in Southeast Portland. This gives me roughly an hour to contemplate what’s going to happen.
Each evening is broken up into two classes.

Ki Training
Aikido

There’s a short break in between and socializing with very friendly people.
Ki Training
To quote the Oregon Ki Society website,
The purpose of Ki development [...]

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