Posts tagged Opponents
What is the Ki in Aikido?
Sep 15th
The basic theory behind Aikido is the use of ki. But what is ki and how can it be used in our lives? Most if not all martial arts depend upon strength, agility, timing, and speed. These are usually channeled through some sort of technique such as punching, kicking, blocking, dodging and so on. But what about Aikido?
In Aikido we initially do some sort of basic training such as taking a fall and reversing directions to meet oncoming attackers. But this all a prelude to developing an almost 6th sense in reading our opponents muscle tense and channeling it in a direction that will not allow them to cause us bodily harm and at the same time stopping the attack.
We learn to read our opponents bodily intentions and can easily intuit when and where they will strike and the best way to defend against it. This mind reading as some call it, is tapping into the bio electric energy of the universe. Once one learns to sense his own and others ki we can easily avoid confrontation.
Although this ki sense was originally developed for fighting one can also use it to heal both physical and mental problems by letting the ki work on our minds and bodies.
This is a very deep subject and may require some form of meditation to understand. The type of meditation here is not head oriented but rather concentrating on the hara which is the region between our navel and our sexual organ. Focusing on this area can give one a very stable grounded feeling. Once we feel the ki in our hara we can then channel it throughout our body and even into other people and things.
Immerse Yourself and Go With the Flow to Leave Your Worries Behind
Sep 2nd
Artists go there, so do athletes of all types. You have probably been there a few times too. It’s what many people call the “zone”. When Tiger Woods play golf, he does not think about the crowds, the opponents and the money at stake, he focuses exclusively on each shot. Flow is a state of total concentration in which you are so intent on what you are doing that you are oblivious to what is going on around you. When you are involved in an activity that produces the flow experience, your worries leave you. Time flies and you lose all awareness of yourself as your body in mind work in harmony.
You may not feel particularly happy during the experience itself, especially if it is an arduous one, such as running or swimming. However, once you have finished you feel a great sense of satisfaction, self-esteem and confidence. Research has also shown that people who report experiencing flow on a regular basis feel that their lives are meaningful. We often experience flow when engaged in sports and creative pursuits, such as painting, crafts and music. However, flow is created by how you go about an activity and so can be found anywhere.
Indeed, you will feel happier if you are able to create flow in a wide variety of pursuits. If you rely exclusively on one activity, such as your job, for your flow experiences, there is a danger that you will become obsessed with that activity and neglect other important areas of your life.
Although the ability to enter the flow lies within you, you cannot force yourself into this state of mind. Rather like attempting to get to sleep, the harder you try, the harder it becomes. However, you can create the conditions to make flow more likely to occur. For example, slow down your thoughts in readiness for the task you are about to undertake, perhaps by meditating or taking deep slow breaths. Embarking on an activity in an agitated mood makes it very hard to immerse yourself in the task at hand.
Choose an activity that presents a realistic challenge to your abilities and allows you to aim for clearly defined goals. If you are faced with too great a challenge, you will feel anxious and demoralised; not enough of a challenge and you will be bored. As you improve in the task, raise your expectations, so that you are always aiming for a goal just above your current skill level. Flow is also likely if you do something that provides immediate feedback. For example, every time they move to a new hand or foot- or foothold, experienced rock climbers can tell immediately if they are making the right moves.
