Origins of Aiki Essays

In order to streamline the blog, I am editing the original welcome and explanation of AikiEssays that appears at the top of the page. It is being reposted here, so that I can can keep a record of it.

Welcome

In the spring of 2004, two wonderful things happened in my life. I started training in Yoshinkan Aikido with Mark Lemmon, and I started visiting the Toledo Zen Center with Jay Rinsen Weik. My Aikido training began as a way to enrich my Zen practice. Although Yoshinkan Aikido does not embrace the spiritual aspects of Aikikai that are rooted in the kototama, it is deeply rooted in the principles of Japanese budo. As such, my training was very much focussed on journey of the human spirit. In this way, my experiences in Yoshikan Aikdio were exercises in the spiritual.

As I was beginning my journey in Aikido, Lemmon Sensei's two senior students were beginning to prepare for their Shodan test. Among their many preparations, they had to write a short essay on their understanding of a principle of budo, studied in special kenshu classes. I was intrigued by the concept of having to express one's own personal understanding of budo in an art that many see as a purely physical exercise. When I prepared for my first test, I decided to write my own essay on a topic that seemed very present in my training at that time; shoshin, or beginners mind.

My Sensei and I never discussed the essays that I submitted, but he always accepted them happily, and even published current ones on the dojo website. As time went on, my tests were fewer and further between. (There are 9 test before the Shodan test in this style of Aikido). Eventually, I began writing essays about experiences that arose between testing periods and posting them on the bulletin board outside of the dojo. Again, these were unsolicited but welcome, and some made them onto the dojo website.

I am beginning this blog to share with others the essays that I have written, and will continue to write on the experiences that come into focus during training and then flow out of the dojo, into the rest of my life.

I am just an ordinary person, sharing his imperfect view of a beautiful existence. I hope that at least one essay will provide at least one moment of thought and reflection for one person.

Over the next several months, I will publish the essays that I submitted for each test from 9th Kyu through Shodan, as well as some of my others. I hope you like them. I would love to hear your experiences as well.

This entire process has been an exercise in expression; utilizing expression as a catalyst for deepening my own understanding.

Osu & Gasho.