February, 2003
Things You Don't Want To Do
Previous Issues
It's 5:30 AM, Monday morning. On my list of The Top Ten
Things I Don't Feel Like Doing Right Now, here's Number One: Getting up.
I feel like about two more hours of sleep would be adequate, three would
be ideal. But despite the pleadings of my body, I sit up and start trying
to remember the general location of one-point.
I've been getting up for Aikido practice at 5:30—a
couple times a week—for quite a few years. So have a lot of other
people. The first time I did it, I was excited. I practically leaped out
of bed. We finally had our own dojo in which we could set our own hours.
So we did. Seven in the morning, three days a week. I couldn't wait to
get there and practice. Sleeping a minute more would have been hard.
But it didn't take long before my body started telling
me it had other ideas on how to spend the early hours of the day. And
it became darn hard to get up. But I kept at it—at least partly because
the crowd of people waiting for me to unlock the door was growing larger,
and might get ornery.
So as I reach the ten-year mark of getting up unwillingly
at an ungodly hour, here is my report:
It's been great. Each and every day. I've taught, I've
grown, I've learned. I've honed that good feeling inside my body and my
mind. Every day, it's been a little hard to get up. And I hope to do it
for the rest of my life.
It makes me think that there's some sort of relationship
between doing the things you don't want to do and getting something good
in return. Because I notice it in other parts of my life—and other
people's lives—too.
I notice it when I'm lifting weights. The lactic acid
burns, the muscles get tired. But then, a good feeling comes. I notice
it when we go out to walk the dog in the middle of winter. There's the
toil of getting kids snowpants on, facing the cold, but then the fresh
air, the lively talk, the healthy glow on our cheeks.
And we all notice it when we make major changes to our
lives. Like when we search for a new job, get married, have kids, buy
a house. There's the hard work and the pain, but then the reward.
As long as were on the topic, I have a confession to
make. When I first started coming to Aikido, I would often hope that class
would be canceled. The dojo was quite small then, with just one teacher,
and a group of maybe six or eight of us who practiced in the wrestling
room at Monroe Community College.
I was 24 at the time. And I was extremely uncomfortable
with people I didn't know. It was almost debilitating. I knew I wanted
to learn about Aikido, more than anything. But the challenge of being
around this group of new people created a fear in me that was almost too
big to handle. So as I drove to practice those first few months, I would
often hope that something had come up, that for some reason my instructor
Carl wouldn't be there, or the door would be locked and no custodian could
be found.
But it never happened. Those crazy people were always
there. And with no handy excuse to go home, I would have to stay and practice.
And that has changed my life. As I look around the dojo at many of our
most committed members, I know starting and often continuing Aikido practice
hasn't always been the easiest thing. But the payoff has been great.
We're in good company. I know of a man quite close to
us who had to do something he'd didn't want to. And if he hadn't done
it, neither he nor any of us would be quite the same.
It was 1966, I believe, and Maruyama Sensei had been
in the United States about a week when he sent a letter home to his instructor
in Japan. In is, he said that he wanted to come home. The U.S. was not
nearly as hospitable as he had hoped. The people he encountered at the
dojo were big and uncooperative. They didn't care whether Maruyama Sensei
had studied Aikido with O'Sensei, or God himself. They weren't going to
make things easy for him. And despite his training, Sensei found them
nearly impossible to throw. The road ahead of Sensei didn't look pleasant.
He wanted to go back to Japan.
But his instructor said "No". And Sensei was
forced to do what he didn't want to do. What followed were years of financial
struggle, years of trying to find the secrets that would make his Aikido
unbeatable.
And what were the results of his doing what he didn't
want to do? Martial arts enlightenment. An ability to throw people which
inspires not just awe of this man, but love for him. Thousands of lives
that have been changes and enriched. Generations affected in ways we can
only imagine. Because he did something he didn't want to do.
I could write more plenty on this topic—any of us could. But you know, I have to get up early tomorrow morning. At 5:30, to be exact.
Recent testing
Last month, the following people tested for their next
rank: For 6th Kyu, Will Knight. For 5th Kyu, George Dahl and Jaby Thomas.
And for 3rd Kyu, Steve Perino, Phil Plummer, Tim Quinlan, and Tom Robinson.
Everyone did a good job. Those testing for 3rd Kyu should be commended
for fine freestyles against two attackers. Congratulations to all on attaining
your next rank!
Winter Camp
The annual Kokikai Aikido Winter Camp is next month in Lawrenceville, NJ—just outside of Princeton. All students are encouraged to attend this seminar taught by Maruyama Sensei. Applications are due by February 25, but you are encouraged to send them in as soon as possible. Rides will be available with other dojo members. If you're not sure about attending, be sure to ask other dojo members about their experiences at camp. It's fun and invigorating! You will be learning from the best. Plus you'll get the chance to see other dojo members test for higher ranks.
Upcoming Events
Test Prep Class, Wednesday, February 5 at 7 PM.
Test Prep Class,Thursday, February 6 at 8 PM.
Open Mat, Friday, February 7 at 5:45.
Kiatsu Class, Tuesday February 11 at 8 PM.
Beginners' Class, Wednesday, February 12 at 7 PM.
Test Prep Class, Thursday, February 13 at 8 PM.
Test Prep Class, Wednesday, February 19 at 7 PM.
Test Prep Class, Thursday, February 20 at 8 PM.
Open Mat, Friday, February 21 at 5:45 PM.
Brown and Black Belt Open Mat, Sunday, February 23 at 10 AM.
Test Pep Class, Thursday, February 27 at 8 PM.
Video Night, Thursday, February 27 after 8:00 class.
Winter Camp with Maruyama Sensei, March 14-16.
What's too difficult for a man must be worth looking into.
- Kenyan Proverb