A lot is written about spirituality and aikido, more so than
most martial forms I suspect, but it is not inherently more spiritual than any
of the rest of them. We can make it a
spiritual practise, or we can practise on the level of form alone. It’s all good.
We practise Japanese martial arts in a dojo, which
translates I understand as, the place of training in the Way. The Way is a term used in Japanese culture to
describe a practise in which we totally immerse ourselves, and use it to enter
a state of flow, mushin or ‘no mind’. It
is this state that allows complete creativity and responsiveness without the conscious
mind processing everything first and slowing it all down.
Anything can be practised like this. Thich Nhat Hahn speaks of washing the
dishes. When we wash the dishes are we
complaining to ourselves about having to do this, or looking forward to the cup
of tea afterwards? Are we thinking about
work or recalling a past event? We could
try placing our entire attention on the act we are engaged in, feeling the warmth
of the water, the smell of the soap, the glint of sunlight on the clean glass. Washing the dishes this way we pay less
attention to thoughts of future and past and more to the present moment and
perhaps discover that the act of washing the dishes is an enjoyable one.
Obviously the same applies to martial arts. So we pay close attention to the connection
between ourselves and our partner. See everything in the moment, as it is, not
anticipating, not thinking ‘I will move this foot next, then this hand’ but
being in the moment. Practising aikido
one realises that the more we pay attention to the moment, to our partner, to
our surroundings as they currently are at any moment, the better we act as
martial artists, the freer and more creative we become, the less likely to be
hit in the face. Zanshin is used to
describe this state of mind. Know where
everyone is in the dojo at all times.
Know where you are placing your attention. Is it here?
Now? Fully?
We can practise alone like this. We can practise walking
meditation alone. We can sit in meditation alone. In aikido we practise meditation in a group.
We move from person to person throughout the practise and attempt to put aside
our egos to let aikido happen.
