by Hoa Newens

​ 
In the early eighties, the students at the Aikido Institute of Oakland (California) organized multiple fund-raising events to acquire a calligraphy of the kanji 勝速日 (katsu-haya-hi), authored by O Sensei. This calligraphy is displayed as part of the dojo shomen as an exhortation to all students. The more complete phrase is:

正勝 吾勝 勝速日
masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi 

All serious students of Aikido will have studied at some point in their training career the words of O Sensei. They would have identified certain common themes, among them, the concept expressed by Masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi, which can be simply translated as “The correct victory is to overcome the self, in this instant”. As to the deeper meaning of it, several interpretations exist; I offer my humble understanding below.
 
O Sensei often used this phrase in his lectures to describe the principle of Aikido that allows us to become one with the universe. Considering that it was a refrain in his talks and that he authored many calligraphic versions, it must have been a key element of his martial art. He stated that “This supreme principle is symbolized by the Shinto deity Masakatsu katsuhaya hi ame oshihomi no mikoto.” [The Secret Teachings of Aikido, Kodansha 2007, as translated by John Stevens. All subsequent quotes from O Sensei come from this source.]
 
In ancient cultures throughout the world, every important aspect of life is overseen and represented by a divine authority, so it was with Japan through the Shinto religion. In the harsh living conditions of the rugged terrain of medieval Japan people lived at the mercy of Mother Nature and her whims, and naturally worshipped a host of deities and sought their help. Shinto places strong emphasis in purity and in living in harmony with nature, so it is no wonder that self-purification has its place in the Shinto’s hall of divinity.
 
O Sensei explained:
 
Misogi equals budo. . . Purify yourself, purify the world. Our work is like a lotus rising from the mire. . . In order to protect nature, we must cleanse ourselves of defilements. We must not be willful and selfish.
 
As with most oriental languages and concepts, their meanings are derived from contextual information. Focusing on the literal meaning alone often results in incongruencies and confusion. Below is an excerpt of O Sensei’s talk that provides relevant context for the subject phrase:
 
Aiki is activated by the resonance of the spirit of the universe’s grand design. Utilize the cosmic resonance to generate unlimited power, to discern the universe, to return to the heart of the universe, to become the universe. . .
The cosmic resonance of the spirit of the universe enables you to unify mind and body. By extension, that spirit can bring the hearts of all people of the world together. . .
In order to master utilizing the cosmic resonance of the spirit of the universe, you need to set aright your own heart and to establish your true self. For this purpose, we have the misogi techniques of Aikido. Misogi techniques forge the great spirit of love, protect the divine principles, and give purpose to your life. Masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi is the form we must assume. It reveals the inner principles of this great and beautifully functioning universe. That is because all things originate from one source. Perceive the true nature of the universe, incorporate it within you, make it your base, and open your eyes – that is the grand purpose of the practice of Aikido.
 
You may have to read this passage more than once. The meaning of it is backward and can be summarized as follows. The ultimate purpose of Aikido training is to become one with the universe through self-purification using the method embodied in the phrase Masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi. Such self-purification allows us to tune into the cosmic resonance of the spirit of the universe, which brings us to mind-body oneness and ultimately oneness with the universe, since all things originate from one source.
 
Though it is not our purpose here to discuss the cosmic resonance of the spirit of the universe, it would be helpful for our understanding of this passage to hold the image of the heavenly spirit descending on earth and creating life as we know it. Thus, life is viewed as the echo of the descending heavenly spirit bouncing back from earth.
 
From this contextual background we can infer that Masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi is the form of training that we must undertake in Aikido to purify ourselves and become one with the universe. It is not so much an esoteric concept, but rather a formula to guide our training.
 
Instead of analyzing the literal meaning of the kanji, which is: “correct – victory – self – victory – victory – soon – day”, we should examine the practical ramifications of this phrase using the other requisite contextual element, namely training experience. True understanding will not be achieved until we have sufficiently trained our bodies and ingrained therein the Aiki principles. These seeds will be nurtured by the ki of the body and gradually germinate upward through the different layers of our being and finally deliver spiritual blooms that will reveal the secrets of the universe, as O Sensei stated.
 
Based on our five and a half decades of training we arrived at the following principles that we hope will help elucidate further the concept of Masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi. The reader may get a modicum of guidance from this explanation; however, there is nothing that can take the place of diligent mat training in accordance with these principles on the path to understanding Masakatsu. Start from the physical forms, move on to the energetic contents, then explore the intangible essence. O Sensei admonished us thus:
 
The Way cannot be expressed in words or theories but must be found in the resonance that sustains existence.
 
The purpose of Budo training is to purify the self 

The object of Aikido training is not out there but within us. We are not trying to vanquish an evil outside of us. It is our own self that needs to be worked on.
 
The point is not to take another person down. It is not to win a contest. It is not even to apply a technique on an uke. The point is to use our interaction with another person, an object (a jo, bokken, tanren tire, makiwara, etc.) or other training implements to gather feedback on ourselves. Send a message and receive what comes back. Use the counterparty as sounding boards to find out about the self in us, and what it is made of. Sort of testing our mettle. Over time, numerous trials and errors will lead us to find our center and our training partner’s center.
 
For practice, the first order of training is to work directly on our own body using simple tools and exercises to strengthen the basic structure. The initial personal focus prepares us for the next level in which we take on more variables and interact with other persons. After obtaining a wide range of feedback from interpersonal contacts, we finally circle back to the personal focus and jump to the deeper level of mind practices. At this level too, we should strengthen the basics first before delving in more complex practices.
 
The list below illustrates the order of training.
 
Solo practices

• Kamae (Body stances)
• Tai Sabaki (including rolling)
• Ken and Jo Sabaki
• Ken and Jo Suburi, and Jo Katas
• Tanren undo
• Kokyu undo

Partner practices

• Awase Taijutsu
• Taijutsu waza (various levels) including ukemi
• Awase Ken & Jo
• Kumiwaza Ken & Jo
• Riai

Mind practices

• Kokyu ho (Breath practices)
• Chinkon kishin (Meditation)

 
The true self within us is pure and fragile and is protected by several energetic shells enveloping it. The key to opening the doors on these shells is to cleanse each layer thoroughly; once cleaned, the layer can be moved to the side to create an opening to reach the next inner layer. It is like going through many sliding doors in a castle before entering the inner quarters where the lord sits.
 
The self that must be purified is our mind 

The mind directs the development of the body: every decision of the mind results in an effect on the body. What to eat or drink, how much to exercise, how much to cater to the body’s wants, how we respond to impulses, how to hold the body in movement, etc. These are all mental choices.
 
The ordinary mind is ruled by our ego, which is a fragment of consciousness that has detached from the mother source by grabbing on to hooks of this world and now has become a conscious unit. Since it came from a larger whole it always longs for security and for wholeness. For this purpose, it grows by grabbing onto more things of this world. This growth is necessary for our survival and safety, up to a certain point.
 
When unbridled, the mind leads us into various entanglements with the world, which take us further from the spirit. The more outward the mind manifests the more it gets us tangled up and attached to worldly things, creating karmic bonds that defile its original purity.
 
To reconnect with pure spirit, we need to shake off this mundane detritus from the original mind. We must erase the karma and purify the mind.
 
This is the intent of our training; we do not train our mind in order to make the body stronger so that we gain more control of our external world. Rather, we train our body to cleanse our mind. During mat training, mind activity such as judgment should be kept to the minimum, or even shut off if safe.
 
The mind must be rid of impurities to return to the heart of the universe 

Our mind originated from the universal consciousness; it became a “mind” of its own when it separated from the mother consciousness by being “born” into the physical world and grabbing on to the mundane things of the world. The more it grows the more entrenched it gets and it becomes stuck like a fly is caught on a spider web. To extricate itself the mind-fly must dissolve the silk fibers trapping it in place one by one; it must undo its own doing.
 
Once the mind burns the chains and lets go of the worldly attachments such as greed and pride it can free itself and begin the journey home. Letting go gets us home, whereas acquiring more stuff weighs us down and shackles our energies. Therefore, a simple lifestyle and an orderly environment are most helpful to our training.
 
Drop the illusion of the mind at once to achieve liberation 

To be able to let go the mind must realize that its worldly possessions are its own creations and have no substance. They are like a story in a movie that can be turned off instantly by switching off the projector. We all know that it is not easy to turn off a movie when the mind is fully engaged in it; but when it is off, we often relish the realization that it was just a movie.
 
To achieve liberation all it takes is the realization that this world is an illusion created by our mind. This realization can occur in this instant. It works similarly to door locks that are based on magnets; when you scan your key card and demagnetize the lock the door instantly opens.
 
Although the opening happens instantly, we have to work hard to create the key card that causes all the rubbish to drop off our mind and release the unpolluted consciousness within. In training, we must use tanren (spirit forging) practices, or engage in shugyo (ascetic practices) and build the discipline and courage that are needed to effect letting go.
 
The body serves the mind, and the mind serves the spirit 

The key tools that we have been provided with to liberate ourselves are our body and the mind-to-be consciousness that came with it. They both had a strong connection to the universal consciousness at our birth. The body was to be used as a projection of the mind into the world, and the mind was to help keep the body in shape and in contact with the mother ship.
 
The mind was to listen to the voice of the universal spirit and direct the body. The body serves the mind and the mind serves the spirit. Not the other way around. We should periodically examine our lifestyle and training to ensure that this living order is maintained.
 
We are given a body so that it can be controlled by the mind and steered toward the salvation of our soul. We would go against Nature’s law if we were to let the body dictate its ways and have our mind cater to the needs of the five senses. Similarly, if we were to let the egoistic mind usurp spiritual power, it would appropriate all resources at its disposal to aggrandize itself while denying the existence of the spirit.
 
 
It is unfortunate that most modern societies in our world do not presently reflect the principles explained above. The primacy of consciousness is being buried under misguided scientific institutions that are dominated by mind logic and dedicated to pampering the senses and growing egos. Our socio-political systems are becoming slaves to egos and are operating in ignorance of the laws of Nature. Even religious institutions and systems are altering their teachings and practices to aggrandize their flocks and power.
 
This is a crucial time to heed O Sensei’s exhortation:
 
Masakatsu Agatsu Katsuhayabi.
In Budo the true work is to overcome the self; make it happen!

by Hoa Newens

In an interaction with another sentient being, how we treat each other is of the utmost importance. Even if we are about to take each other’s life there is a proper way to do it. In a duel to the death, warriors of old would state each other’s names and the reason for the fight. Other unspoken rules include respecting your opponent by doing one’s best during the match and not pulling punches, leaving an honorable way out for a desperate opponent, honoring the opponent’s last wishes, and taking proper care of the dead body. Nowadays, we see this stuff only in movies and other fictional accounts.
 
History tells that warriors of old understood well that the meaning of life is anchored in proper interaction with fellow human beings. The code of behavior is paramount in a warrior’s training. Only half-baked warriors would focus exclusively on technical excellence and only assassins would concentrate on killing methods.
 
The Joy of Training

Recall your most recent interaction with a training partner on the mat. Were you fully engaged and focused during the entire interaction? Afterwards, was the engagement fulfilling? In my experience, most serious Aikido encounters are fulfilling, and most participants part ways with feelings of buoyant lightness, inner satisfaction, and aliveness. How do we ensure that it always ends up this way or better?

​Let’s ponder briefly about the purpose of our training, whether it be in Aikido or similar arts. Why do we come to the dojo and train? Perhaps, to get physically fit; to gain self-defense skills; to learn mind-body coordination; to experience the power of ki; or to immerse oneself in Budo and its soul-enthralling aspects. Any or all of these could be our motivators; however, I suspect that a sense of inner satisfaction is at their core and is what makes us return often to the training hall. Aikido keiko makes us feel good. A need that lies deep within our being is fulfilled every time we return from class.
 
After your next class or seminar, sit down quietly, close your eyes, and note what you feel; allow it to bubble up and let it linger on. Relish on feeling the afterglow inside you. This simple introspection, when repeated regularly, will allow the sense of inner fulfillment to expand and take roots. It is like a small light from your depths has been switched on by the training and you are allowing it to shine on and grow, shily at first but firmly. What is most important during this time of looking in is to not give in to any form of thinking. Do not let the mind grab on anything that might have happened during the training. Indulge only in the present feelings.
 
There are two possible sources for this post training ecstasy.
 
The first comes from the enhanced circulation of energy within the body resulting from the opening and closing of the joints and energy gates when Aikido techniques are done correctly. The heightened ki flow makes us feel more alive.
 
The second is the result of our consciousness being stoked up by its interaction with our training partners’ consciousness, especially if this interaction was sincere and harmonious. This is not unlike the joy that we feel upon reuniting with close family after a long absence. Fragments of consciousness always long for wholeness.
 
The Conditions for Fulfillment 

At this point, it may be appropriate to elucidate the meaning of fulfillment. In the most general sense, a fulfillment is the completion of something that is wanting to be completed. In terms of our human life, we came to this world for a purpose, and fulfillment is the achievement of this purpose. Another way to look at it is that we were born as potentialities, and fulfillment is the realization of these potentialities. From a cosmic vantage, fulfillment is the reunion of things that were originally together but were separated. Concurrently with my birth, my destiny was predetermined in the celestial records; when I finally meet my destiny in this world, I am (my destiny is) fulfilled. Back on the mat, my training partner and I are two fragments of the same consciousness that were separated at birth but are continually longing for each other subconsciously. So, when we are able to reconnect, albeit briefly, on the mat through doing Aikido, we experience a sense of fulfillment.
 
There are certain factors that facilitate the inner fulfillment and others that hinder it, as we explain below.
 
As we enter the dojo, change into our keiko gi, bow to the shomen, greet the sensei and other classmates, we begin a process of unraveling that helps us unload extraneous materials that have attached to our being during our preceding interaction with the mundane world outside. We need to unload this mundane dust to preserve the sanctity of the dojo as the place where we practice The Way. For this purpose, the rituals and etiquette just before class must be maintained. Rei must be vigilantly observed, and students must take the appropriate time and care to follow the rules. Entering the dojo in a rush, greeting loudly without the proper bows, or not acknowledging the sempai’s and sensei’s presence, etc. are acts that take away the sanctity of the dojo and do not help in the self-purification process that is a prerequisite for fulfilling training.
 
As we bow to the shomen and begin class, our consciousness has been cleansed from some of the crud that was stuck on us, and now should be turned fully on and sharply focused on rei. Everything that happens on the mat between the bow-in and the bow-out should be crystal clear to our consciousness, allowing it to capture in high definition the interaction between training partners, students and sensei.
 
When we train with our partners, we sincerely dedicate our energy to the betterment of both of us. This mindset is the most crucial factor that determines the harmonious outcome of the training and the resulting sense of fulfillment. If there is any attempt to separate from, stand out from, or dominate, our partners, negative results are certain. Recall the last time you trained with someone who showed little interest in being your uke, perhaps twisting your wrist vigorously in Nikyo then slacking off when it is their turn to receive the technique. Or recall the time when your uchitachi was clearly trying to smother you with their most ferocious strikes just to assert superior strength during kumitachi practice.
 
To dedicate our energy to the betterment of both of us, means that we must be fully alert and focused and giving our partner as much of our energy as it is safe for them at their level, while keeping an unalloyed connection with them throughout the entire engagement. We push each other to our respective safe limits. Implicit in this transaction are the essential elements of mutual respect and trust: each person has to believe that he/she can learn something from the training partner; and the partners are placing all their cards on the table and baring their souls and bodies, trusting that the other will do the right thing for their mutual benefits and not harm each other. This is truly the gist of Aikido training.
 
If any of the training partners has a mind of discord or dominion, it will surely contaminate the interaction and their energies will repel each other, resulting in separation rather than synergy. The aftermath of training may be cordial but not pleasant or fulfilling.
 
Awase Leads to Fulfillment

True awase is a conscious connection of one center to another, which can be hindered by either a misdirection of the consciousness, or shields raised by egos. The consciousness may be misdirected by straying from the true purpose of Aikido training, such as when it is focused solely on a superficial aspect, say fighting effectiveness. This technique won’t “work” unless I move faster than he does, place these atemi here, lock his arms this way and shove his head to the ground swiftly. This concern for “effectiveness”, though justified for a fighting art, will direct our consciousness toward controlling our partner’s body, a one-way only communication, and away from their total being. The totality of the person includes not just the body, but the mind, the ki energy and most importantly the consciousness. In a normal healthy person, these elements are concentrated in energy centers that are aligned along the central axis of the body.  
 
To reach our partner’s center of consciousness we need to keep ours focused on feeling the partner’s totality during the entire interaction and keep other variables constant by drilling the same exact movement over and over. Yes, it is boring; but that’s good because that’s when the mind gives up and let our intention (focused consciousness) shine through, from center to center. Recall the time when you and your lover were fully absorbed in each other, perhaps just sitting at the beach and holding hands; were you not so engrossed in oneness, with no words nor thoughts?
 
The second type of barrier to center-to-center connection occurs when one or both partners put up shields to protect themselves when trust is absent in the interaction. This may happen naturally in seminars where people from different dojos and styles meet and train together for the first time and where the general atmosphere may be more competitive than cooperative. The reluctance to put our body in vulnerable positions hampers our response and interferes with the flow of techniques. Trust is the absence of barriers between two human beings; they accept each other as they are and allow their deeper selves to reach out and connect.
 
Therefore, the more we open ourselves to our partners’ energy while remaining centered and the more focused energy we send their way the more fruitful the engagement, and fulfillment is the inevitable result.
 

​ 
Whatever each of us does to find our center outside of mat training will help us connect better with our uke on the mat. When we are centered, we have no vulnerability to be afraid of, and we open up more. This is where stance training and meditation can help immensely. A second-best alternative is to work diligently on suburi and kata in an unhurried manner, with full awareness of our central axis. Students who are firmly grounded in suburi and kata always have strong taijutsu techniques and remain centered during awase.
 
When we practice awase on the mat we desire to give up one’s individuality and attempt to merge with the other. This is the true meaning of Ai in Aikido. Aiki training is the manifestation of the soul’s struggle to regain oneness in a world of duality. Each soul wants to break out of the shackles of duality and embrace each other on the mat. If you want to call it love, you’d also be correct, because in the higher sense, true love is the struggle of two to become one, especially when the two were previously one.
 
Since our implicit purpose in Aiki training is to “come together”, it follows that how we treat each other is of paramount importance. In the dojo, respect and trust are the lubricants of this reconciliation, whereas competition and egocentric thinking are the monkey wrenches.
 
When we focus our training on how we treat each other on the mat, the meaning of these oft-quoted words of O Sensei will finally sink in:
 
“Aiki is not a technique to fight with or defeat an enemy. It is the way to reconcile the world and make human beings one family”.
 

by Hoa Newens

 
Proper breathing can significantly improve physical health as well as performance in sports and martial arts. Within the martial arts that encompass spiritual paths such as Aikido and Tai Chi, breathing takes on a special role which goes beyond the health aspect and deeper into the energetic and psychic realms. In these arts, breathing is an exchange of both information and energy between an organism and its environment which allows them to communicate with, and support, each other, thrive and co-exist harmoniously. With this context in mind, we explain below the relevant principles for breathing that help us achieve this symbiotic harmony and offer a simple yet effective breath practice.
 
Principle No. 1 - The breath connects consciousness with energy, and energy with the body.
This is a fundamental principle of energy (qi) work: the intent (i.e., focused consciousness) directs the qi and the qi moves the body. There is no need to understand the concept of qi in order to apply this principle, since our daily life and vernacular are replete with reference to the connection between breath and energy. Everyone understands the meaning of “breathe new life into a project” or “she lives and breathes Aikido”.  The breath is one way for us to affect our energy, therefore, let’s take every opportunity to strengthen this connection so that we can have some degree of control over our energy. For this purpose, it is helpful to practice extending qi out on the exhale and drawing qi in on the inhale when you train in Aikido or Tai Chi.
 
This connection works in the opposite direction as well: we can use the body to effect a particular breath that in turn engages and affects consciousness. For example, when our mind is overwhelmed by stimuli, such as after a long day of meetings at work, we can practice a rhythmic movement (or just walk) slowly while keeping the breath even and smooth in order to calm the mind.
 
Similarly, in many qigong exercises, we use the breath to guide the qi flow, e.g., draw qi in as we breathe in and extend qi out as we breathe out. In Budo as well as in qigong, qi and breath are often intertwined, such as in the concept of Kokyū (呼吸, breath). In Aikido we use Kokyū to move the qi and generate power for such techniques as Kokyūnage. With regular practice over time, we will be able to drop the mediation of the breath and move the qi directly at will.
 
Principle No. 2 – The breath is delicate: we should breathe naturally and practice softly.
By natural, we mean compatible with normal daily life, as well as in accordance with the laws of Nature. The breath is our continuous partner for the duration of our human life; it should be in harmony with our activities. In other words, we need to breathe the way we want to live. If my regular job requires frequent aerobic activities, I need to be able to change breathing pace quickly. If I spend a lot of time under water, I need the ability to hold my breath for long duration. A particular body physique is compatible with a particular way of breathing; if your body can take only shallow breaths, do no force deep breath.
 
However, if we need to change the way we breathe, we’ll have to “practice” breathing, which means consciously change our breath, then it is no longer natural for the duration of the practice. The breath is a very delicate and crucial physiological function which affects body metabolism, among other things. Together with an organ known as the Triple Warmer in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the breath affects internal pressure and maintains a subtle equilibrium in the body, known as homeostasis. Therefore, any breath practice should be done gingerly.
 
The breath is second only to the mind, in terms of our ability (or difficulty) to control it and produce desired outcomes. We have to handle it as a delicate and complex being, in a gentle manner, if we are going to achieve long term benefits. If we try to take frequent deep and forceful breaths to increase lung capacity for example, we may not achieve the desired results due to the change in balance of gas composition. In this case, we may unintentionally reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the breath, which in turn results in lesser level of oxygen being released to the cells, thus garnering the opposite of what was intended.
 
Therefore, we must practice softly, cajoling the breath gently and aiming for incremental changes. In the lingo of qi gong, we must use the water method, rather than the fire method. The fire method must only be undertaken under the tutelage of an expert teacher.
 
Principle No. 3 – The entire being should be breathing, deeply and quietly.
As pointed out above, breath is a natural phenomenon of life. All sentient beings breathe to live, including the largest one in our world, our planet Earth. If as human beings, we are to live in harmony with other sentient beings, our breath must be symbiotically synchronized to that of the mother being, planet Earth.

At the individual level, the movement of the mind, heart, body, and breath should occur together in sync. With respect to the body, the act of breathing is a series of compression and expansion that are accomplished best by the synergistic coordination of body, mind, and spirit. The body should be relaxed and remain elastic to allow optimal participation by all body parts that can move. As soon as we shine our consciousness on specific parts of the body, they are energized and become alive, or they wake up if they have been dormant. Thanks to the interconnection provided by the fascial matrix, the body fluids, as well as the crisscrossing qi meridians, these awakened parts join the symphony of the breath that started in the abdomen.
 
Breathing from the abdomen is commonly known as deep breathing. However, the deep breathing that we need goes beyond the walls of the abdomen into the fascial tissues and the cellular environment. The rhythm of opening and closing should penetrate the deepest nooks and crannies of the physical body: this is how the breath frees up the tissue layers and unifies the body, keeping the whole and the parts alive and healthy.
 
In addition, the mind and the heart should be quiet so that not to interfere with the rhythm; a thought or an emotion is a wave that may disturb the rhythm of the breath unless it is intentionally synchronized with the breath to achieve a specific objective. In this regard, the best way to re-train our breath is during a meditative state, when the mental and emotional variables are under control.
 
When the breath has penetrated deeply in the innermost cavities of the body, it will become smooth and quiet, and barely perceptible. From this point on, the yogic and Taoist traditions teach that the breath begins to merge with the qi and the adept lives in a superconscious state independent of physical ties to the world. No alarm needed; we are still quite a way.
 
Principle No. 4 – Breath is life: keep it continuous, smooth, and slow.
During our lifetime, the breath never stops; when it does, life stops. Breath is a sign of life because it signifies movement of energy. It is a rhythmic movement that creates the basic rhythm of life. When it stops, movement ceases, energy freezes and life is on hold. So, unless we want to stop living, we should not stop breathing. Occasionally we may need to recalibrate our life rhythm, then stopping the breath momentarily to engage in a new rhythm may be warranted (just like changing driving gear by passing through neutral), such as taking a deep breath, then pausing a few seconds to focus the mind before launching into a downhill slope.
 
In certain advanced breath practices, such as in the yogic or qigong traditions, the breath may need to be suspended at certain intervals to achieve specific physiological or mental changes for purposes of correcting an existing imbalance. However, the practice of holding the breath should be undertaken only under expert supervision since it carries high risk of unintended consequences.
 
Principle No. 5 – As we listen to the breath, we understand life.
When we shine our consciousness onto the breath, one cycle after another, over a long time, we gradually become tuned in with its rhythm, the rhythm of our life: the rise and fall; the in and out; the ebb and flow; the opening and closing. Then, as we go through life experience with our awareness turned on, a spontaneous phenomenon occurs: our consciousness discerns a rhythm in life events which is not unlike that of our breath. Then suddenly, one perceives the circularity of life as illustrated by the Tai Chi symbol of the intertwining Yin and Yang elements. This wisdom takes place without us trying to learn or understand anything, merely being the result of pairing consciousness with the breath. Thus, in the awareness of breath, we understand life.
 
A Simple Breathing Practice
A “practice” is not natural, because it needs a goal, it requires managing time, and it needs to be sustained. We noted that, when we have an imbalance, we have to “practice” or “train” to restore balance. For purpose of training a delicate creature such as the breath, we need to modify our training approach by allowing spontaneity and playfulness; the Taoists would call this the non-doing of breath training. Below, we describe such a modified approach to breath training that leads to a desirable state of balance.
 
This is a simple and safe breathing practice:

• Sit or stand still.
• Do nothing, think nothing.
• Feel the breath in the belly.

​That’s all that’s needed. In the beginning you may need to restructure your life and commit to a disciplined schedule of practice. With time, ease off the schedule. When you remember, drop the breath in the lower abdomen and become aware of the movement of the breath. Feel the breath in the front and the back, below and above, and on the sides of the abdomen.
 
A complementary practice is a regular stretching routine that engages the total body. Refer to the ten guiding principles of stretching for further details (https://aikidodavis.com/blog/stretching-for-health-and-beyond). As the body softens up because of the gentle stretching, you will feel that more parts of the body around the abdomen are participating in the breath movement, and that the breath is spreading slowly to a larger area of the torso, noticeably upward. Throughout this activity, stay relaxed, enjoy each moment, and feel what goes on.
 
Over time, depending on your nature, you will feel the urge to be with your breath more often. When it happens, do spend more time with it until you feel your entire body breathing, including the extremities, palms of hands and soles of feet.
 
From here on, take clues from your breath and it will take you on a journey of profound internal change toward harmony, while at the same time making you feel more alive.

by Hoa Newens.
[This essay was originally published on December 2, 2011 in newsletter format; then included in the compilation titled "Aikido Discoveries" published in 2015. It is re-posted here due to its special relevance to solo training during pandemic times.]

​Suburi (素振り, is a Japanese term which refers to the repetitive practice swings in sports (golf) or strikes in martial arts (kendo). In my earlier writings I have established the fact that regular practice of suburi strengthens basic skills in Aikido. Now I will explain how to practice suburi correctly.

Since suburi is part of Aikido bukiwaza (weapon techniques), let us first review the various levels of bukiwaza to put suburi practice in perspective.

There are generally four levels of bukiwaza training. At the beginning level, the student’s main goal is to learn the physical form, including how to hold the weapon so that it becomes an extension of the body and how the different parts of the body move in relation to each other to optimize alignment. At this level, Suburi practice is the focus of training. The correct way to practice is at low speed, with no power and with emphasis on the general accuracy of the form.

Next, at the intermediate level, the student’s learning goal is to make the movement more effective by injecting some speed and power and adding target practice. For this purpose the student practices at moderate speed, and learns how to move from the hips and use kokyu (breath power; focused extension of ki). A partner will serve as the target, sometime stationary, sometime moving; thus, timing and alignment with target become important aspects of practice at this stage. Suburi practice is still a mainstay.

At the advanced level of bukiwaza, the student further refines the form to capture the energetic footprint and begins to use intent to direct the form. To these ends the practice should be at slow speed with meticulous attention to the detail of the form and to the direction of energy. Suburi practice is still done regularly in the background. The practice also includes resistance training to elicit the use of intent in creating and directing the ki (life force). In paired practice, the focus is on receiving the uke’s (training partner) energy and neutralizing it.

Ultimately, after decades of assiduous practice, the student will reach a point at which handling the weapon feels like handling a bar of energy and much of the practice can be done at the mental-feeling level, with or without an uke, including suburi.

Suburi is a core practice throughout these four levels, with special emphasis on the first two levels. I elaborate below on suburi practice at the advanced level of bukiwaza.

Advanced Suburi Practice

​Five phases of movement can be discerned in any suburi: beginning stance; collecting; discharging; grounding; and ending stance.

1 - Beginning stance. We often refer to this stance as kamae (stance). This is an important and integral part of the suburi which is often neglected. In the beginning stance one should check the proper horizontal alignment of body and weapon, and the vertical alignment of the body with the centerline. The centerline is the line that goes from the center point between the two feet, through the tanden (center of energy in the abdomen) and the crown of the head. After this check, one should hold the stance for about five seconds, in full alertness, and feel the readiness to move in any direction, at any speed and power. This state of mind is called zanshin. This should be done with minimum tension. One should imagine being like a cat ready to jump on its prey or an eagle poised to fight with a cobra.

2 - Collecting. In this phase the body gathers energy by either opening (stretching) or closing (compressing) the joints. For example, in katate toma uchi (the 12th jo suburi) this is done by drawing the jo with the right hand a few inches past the left ear while the left hand is keeping the other end of the jo in front. The feeling is similar to that of pulling a bow. In a different example, the collecting phase occurs in the compression of the hips when one prepares for a tsuki (straight forward thrust) with a ken. This is similar to crouching to prepare for a jump.

​To optimize this phase, it is important to position the body parts to create maximum tension (through either extension or compression) while aiming at the target, and while retaining the integrity of body. In katate toma uchi, this means keeping the left side of the body anchored in the front while pulling the right side to the rear to create tension. It is important to not overdo this movement because one could lose focus of the target in the front, or impair balance or centerline. It should be noted that maximum leverage is achieved when the right hand is holding the jo at the tip and is positioned no further than five or six inches behind the head.

During the drawing of the jo, one should feel the tension as if pulling on a string of a bow. Although there is no physical resistance other than the elasticity of the tendons and ligaments the student should feel the mental exertion during the move. This is the secret to using intent to gather the ki.

3 - Discharging. In this phase the body releases the tension/energy that was collected earlier to propel the weapon toward the target. Here it is important to make sure that the weapon path is continually aimed at the target and that the body is continually supporting the weapon.

In suburi practice, although there is no impact, one should time the release such that the payload is preserved during motion and maximum energy is released at the notional impact point. To this end the weapon should be aligned such that the released energy is delivered to the target with minimum leakage. In katate toma uchi, this means not releasing the jo too early so that some of the energy is dispersed toward the right, while the target is located in the front.
​
During the forward move, the student should feel as if hitting a target at every point along the way, similar to hitting a series of standing targets in one move. In other words, although the physical resistance may not exist, the student should feel the exertion as if moving against strong headwinds. This is how we use intent to extend ki.

The extension of energy should be sustained beyond the point of impact, real or imagined. That is, although the impact may cause the weapon to deviate from its course, stop or break, the energy should continue to penetrate the target, guided by the intent of the student. This is a crucial understanding for effective suburi practice: the extension of ki continues although the weapon has physically stopped.

4 - Grounding or return. This is an important phase that is often glossed over. After the discharge, the weapon needs to be brought back under the control of the user and recharged. This is accomplished by retrieving any residual energy after the impact and bringing it to the centerline to ground it so that it helps to reinforce the stance instead of destabilizing it. In most instances, this grounding is physically effected by bringing the centerline back to the center of the stance and by either slightly sinking the hips or tilting the forward hips downward. This grounding begins at the feet, is reinforced at the hips then spreads through the arms and hands, which bring the weapon to a halt. If grounding does not occur, physical balance will be upset by the momentum of the discharge.

In katate toma uchi, immediately after the jo hits the target (imagined or real), close the forward joints (right shoulder, arm and hip) and sink the hips slightly and restore the centerline immediately (do not let the front foot be weighted) to absorb the returning energy and direct it downward into the ground. This should feel like the jo is attached to the centerline via a retractable cord; the cord pulls the weapon back and stores the potential energy for the next extension.

5 - Ending stance. At the end of the return movement the student should maintain the ending posture for about five seconds, in a state of zanshin, to allow the excess energy to completely drain downward. At the end of this phase the student should feel ready to move again, in any direction.
Those are the five phases of a suburi movement that allows the student to put into practice the four principles of bukiwaza – which are stated below for reference.

Bukiwaza principles:
No. 1 – Hold the weapon as if it is an extension of the body
No. 2 – Align the body with the weapon and the target
No. 3 – Move from the hips, that is, generate motion from center
No. 4 – Use intent to extend ki through the weapon and through the target

The approach explained above is effective irrespective of the type of weapon. It works even without the weapon, since the weapon is regarded only as an extension of the body. The hand can be the weapon, as in karate. It is in fact how kata (pre-arranged forms) should be performed. I suspect that it will work for sports too to a large extent.

The practice described in this essay is an advanced practice that is appropriate for students ranked nidan (black belt 2nd degree) and above or those who have practiced bukiwaza for at least seven years. Advanced students who drill at this level of detail will be able to transcend the form and realize the essence of suburi practice. They will then understand that continuous suburi practice is an essential condition for the refinement of Aikido training.

​Hoa Newens
December 2, 2011

by Hoa Newens

 
“Out of life’s school of war—what doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger”, wrote German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche in 1888. When facing something that goes against me, I have a choice: either I give in and let it swallow me; or I face it squarely and fight it, in which case, the more force it uses against me the more strength I build.
 
To become a good swimmer, I need to practice swimming against the current. To be a good fighter I need to fight and win in many tournaments. I derive strength from pushing back.
 
The universal principle is that resistance validates and affirms my existence, and, contest proves my worth.
 
When I trip over a low bench, the physical contact confirms the existence of the bench. This is how blind people find their way around: checking the presence of obstacles with their canes or by creating sound and receiving feedback. This is echolocation, a technique used by animals and humans to detect the presence of invisible objects: I am here, and you are there.
 
It is the principle for anything to validate itself in this earthly life. I exist because of the background I stand against. A painting is visible because of the canvass it is painted on; where would the painting be without the canvass? Similarly, we can see and touch water because it is contained in a vessel; without the container, how do we know that the water exists? I exist above the surface of the earth because I lean against it; if it weren’t there, I wouldn’t be either. I can extend upward because I push into the ground below me.

 
Sir Isaac Newton codified this principle as the third law of motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In order to move you have to push against something. In order to stand erect every part of my body must stack up against the gravitational pull of the center of the earth.
 
The larger cosmic law is that a form comes into existence because it contrasts against a formless background. In order for a form to materialize in our world it must have a counterpart in the non-material world. In the same way, conscious beings rub against life in order to find their true formless selves. As sentient beings interact, they bump into each other and receive feedback that helps them to discover who they are; thus, they grow.
 
That bumping can sometime be rough and generate intense feedback that we call adversity. Adversity tests us and helps us grows, if it doesn’t kill us.
 
More specific to us martial artists, we interact with other humans, specially through body-to-body contact, bringing to bear our total energy to assert our respective selves: as one pushes, the other either receives or resists. We learn about ourselves through these adjustments. This is the true reason for training in martial arts.
 
If a martial artist is without human company, he can use other natural things to interact with as a sounding board: he can work against gravity and lift weights; he can hit a tire with a wooden sword; he can bump against the mat and work on his ukemi; or he can just stand erect, work against gravity and learn to stack up his body parts to align his energy and maximize flow.
 
When we want to grow something, we need to stimulate it; conversely, anything that doesn’t get used or tended to, atrophies and dies.
 
We have to make the right choice: which to grow and which to let die. Or stated differently, we need to grow everything up to the optimal threshold, and control the growth thereafter.
 
A mind that gets the right kind of simulation at a young age will grow fast. A well-developed mind helps us navigate this world and prosper as a species.
 
Up to a certain level.
 
Our mind is essentially a minuscule part of original formless consciousness that manifested in this world, bumped into things and became aware of itself (in the same way as described above). This process gave birth to our sense of self, as a separate entity from the formerly undivided consciousness: we call this new sense of personal identity “ego”. As it grows stronger, the ego becomes the driver of our mind and controls the faculty to become aware of things.
 
Through awareness, the mind helps us to understand the laws of nature and live in harmony with all things. This is the optimal level of development of the mind, beyond which it becomes over-developed and begins to cause more harm than good, upsetting the harmony of Nature.
 
An over-developed or hyper-active mind tends to continually reinforce itself by looking for conflict and asserting itself. It gradually becomes a separate entity that attempts to dominate our life and cuts off the umbilical cord tying it to the original consciousness.
 
It believes in its omnipotence despite being only a tiny part of human consciousness. Hark back to the time you were teenagers and remember how you felt about parents.
 
In this way, the self in us, which originated from formless consciousness, is now a mind-driven entity that grows by bolstering its identification with the physical body and the thinking mind, therefore further consolidating its position in the world of forms. This identification is the ultimate source of suffering and unhappiness to us human beings, since the world of forms is a world of conflict and impermanence, governed by the law of action and reaction described above.
 
The more our ego rubs into, and reacts to, the world, the more it defines itself, the more labels it acquires (e.g., I am this and this but not that and that, I have this and not that, I do and you don’t, etc.) and the more it grows. The ego loves conflict and thrives in reactivity; to ensure survival it must always resist life and aggrandize itself.
 
For a moment though, imagine that the ego ventures into an unconventional territory in which labels don’t exist. This might be a pristine territory of consciousness where mind has no power, and judgment and labeling are unknown. There is nothing here that the ego can butt against in order to prove its worth, and no label that it can gobble up to grow itself. Such environment may be found for example in a Zen monastery, or similar meditative settings. Or in a traditional martial arts dojo. In that milieu, mushin no shin (無心の心, mind of no mind, or heart of no heart) reigns.
 
Here we need to clarify that the term shin (心) as used in Asian culture means either the (thinking) mind, or the heart (with its emotions and feelings), or consciousness, depending on the context. In the context of Zen Buddhism and traditional Budo, mushin no shin should be understood as consciousness (the original shin) devoid of the thinking mind and the feeling heart (the mundane shin). That is, mushin no shin refers to pure consciousness.

by Hoa Newens

He seems lonely, unattached,
Yet so peaceful.
Surrounded by flowers, birds and bees,
He sits blissfully still on his perch,
Oblivious to the bustle in our yard and nearby roadway.
Amidst life, yet suspended in ethereal space.
With the empty space around him
He’s untouchable by the world.
He is here, yet beyond mundane reach.
Lesson: empty space insulates me from worldly worries.

 
His serene gaze is fixed on me
As I look at him each morning from the breakfast nook.
His venerable presence always facing me,
Though, sometimes I see him, other times I don’t.
I see the Blissful One when I am, here,
I don’t when I’m not.
Lesson: find bliss in being, here.
 
What am I doing?
Daydreaming on a buddha figurine!
Aha!

by Hoa Newens

​During this pandemic period most of us train in Aikido without body contact with a partner and as a result our bodies miss the salutary stretch that comes with taking ukemi. In addition, we train outdoor most of the time and warm-up is minimal. Our bodies are missing the internal massage and are slowly hardening unless we take action to reverse this trend. The need for stretching is becoming critical, especially if we want to maintain our fitness and physical health.
 
After sitting for a while at the desk or watching TV we feel a natural urge to stretch. After stretching we feel more relaxed, and re-invigorated and ready for the next action. It seems like the body’s energy has been recharged.
 
Stretching to relax and warming up for exercises are two quite different activities yet based on the same initial mode of action. In both situations, stretching releases blocked energy and promotes flow of energy and body fluids. To relax, we gently pull apart our body tissues, release the blockage and slow down to allow the excess energy to dissipate. To warm up, we recycle the released energy and fan it up to prepare for more arduous movements. Stretching is a versatile mode of action which can help us to power down or up to engage more efficiently with life.

​To reap the benefit of stretching we need to understand what it does to the body. The discussion below is based on my personal experience and subjective observations during five decades of martial arts training.
 
It has been long established that the human body is structurally designed for movement, not for long-term immobility like a tree. What is lesser known is that the body is also designed for energetic flow. What this means is that there are built-in channels in the body that facilitate energy flow as well as fluid flow when the body is in motion. This flow supports our movement and in return it gets reinforced by the movement. The body needs to move to activate the flows. It is a mutual relationship: movement and energy flow go together. Therefore, when we curtail our movement, we reduce flow and the energy and fluids stop moving. A sedentary lifestyle causes stagnation and sedimentation which lead to decay, disease, and death.
 
Movement is life enhancing and life fuels movement. To encourage movement, we need to facilitate mobility by increasing the types and range of motion at the optimum level for the human body. Here we understand mobility as the ability to voluntarily move the body as one unit in any direction, without restrictions and up to the full limit allowed by the body design constraints. In our experience, there are ten principles of stretching that foster mobility and health.
 
Principle No. 1 – Go slow and move all that can move. That is, anything that was originally designed to move must move. To illustrate this point, conjure up the image of Michael Jackson doing his famous moonwalk next to a robot doing the same. The comparative smoothness of Michael’s movement is due mainly to a larger number of his body parts contributing to the movement than the robot’s.
 
The average person rushes through the activities of daily life to accomplish mundane goals so that the movements occur with the least number of body elements involved. Who cares about walking gracefully or the effect on health, as long as one gets to the destination in minimal time? To increase our awareness of our dormant body parts we need to pace down our movement and let gravity do its work of waking up the inactive muscles and tissues.
 
When body tissues lengthen, they help to pump body fluids, especially those that are not subject to a pump, like the blood being circulated by the heart. The interstitial fluid, the synovial fluid, the cerebro-spinal fluid, the lymph, are all crucial elements of physiological systems within the human body that need to move for optimum functioning of the body. Gentle stretching that generates rhythmic changes in internal pressure is the best way to move these fluids. Fast contractions have less effect on these viscous liquids.
 
Therefore, to stretch properly, go slow and get to know your body. Discover and awaken dormant muscles and create new movement within the body. Going slow will also minimize the risk of harming weak or injured tissues.
 
Principle No. 2 – Pay attention to joints, tendons and ligaments. It is well known among the sports circles that the most common injuries are strains and sprains. Sprains are injuries to ligaments, the bands of tissue connecting bones in a joint. A sudden pull on ligaments past their limits causes tears. Strains are injuries to the tendons, which anchor muscles to bones. Tendons and ligaments are the key connective tissues that allow a powerful body component to come into play, the matrix of fascia. This matrix connects all parts of the body together and makes it possible for the body to function and move as one unit.
 
Strong tendons and ligaments give the body the whip-like power of green bamboo. The best way to strengthen these tissues, beside a good diet, is regular slow stretching, especially the coiling stretches that gently twist these tissues.
 
Principle No. 3 - Feel the stretch and let go. Consciousness empowers the movement. Wherever we direct our consciousness in our body, that part of the body comes to life. To get a sense of this phenomenon we can picture a healthy newborn baby next to a great-grandparent. The newborn body, even in a sleep state, conveys an unmistakable sense of being alive, whereas, the older person’s body would exhibit a sort of waning vitality.
 
Just slowing down is not good enough. To inject life into our body elements we need to shine our consciousness on them. In other words, we must pay close attention to our movement and feel the muscles and tissues that are engaged. When we feel them, we are with them and they come alive, and tell us their complaint, which is most of the time, lack of freedom. When it is focused, our consciousness acts like a laser that shines on the space between the fascia and removes the binding, thus allowing them to glide more freely. Concentrated consciousness dissolves the energetic block that was generated by fear and caused the tissues to freeze. Therefore, to stretch effectively, we must feel the stretch and let go. We must become aware of what wants to move within the body and allow it; let go of any hold-back and set the body free.
 
Principle No. 4 – Release stress regularly. Beware of, and avoid, toxic agents or situations that could cause body parts to freeze or hold back. If unavoidable, let them pass through the body or release them often. These harmful influences are often lumped under the umbrella of “stress” and cause the body to close as a defensive reaction. When this closing is sustained, the tissues that are pulling tight stay stuck together and eventually freeze entire segments that were formerly movable, resulting in hardening and diseases. Deep long breaths will facilitate the release of the stress agents within the body. Therefore, to make stretching more effective, stretch regularly, e.g. daily, and perform deep long breaths during the day, as soon as you become aware of stress accumulation.
 
Principle No. 5 - All body parts must work together under a central command. This way, they all contribute to the common objective. It is the strength of this internal connection that makes the movement efficient, that is achieve the objective with the least expenditure of energy. The unified command initially comes from disciplined mental focus on the objective of the stretch. With practice and increasing internal awareness, the body tissues will connect naturally to a central axis that directs and coordinates all movements of the body.

When stretching, know what part of the body you want to lengthen, and stabilize the rest of the body so that it supports this specific movement. As a simple example, if you want to stretch the underside of the right leg, the left leg must do the work of maintaining balance and anchoring the rest of the body so that the right leg is sufficiently at ease to stretch out. It would be helpful for this purpose if one consults anatomical charts or illustrations of the body structure to help focus on the exact muscle groups that one is working on.

Principle No. 6 – Stretch the whole body, not just the tight spots. Our wonderful body functions as one organism in which each and all parts work for the whole. When one part becomes weakened, all remaining parts come to the rescue and shore up the whole body. For example, when the left hip is hurt, not only does the right one help to compensate for the loss of balance, but tissues all over the body (even from remote areas such as the right shoulder, neck, etc.) adjust to add their support. Therefore, we should adopt a stretching routine that covers the body comprehensively, while focusing on tight areas.
 
Principle No. 7 – Stretch and breathe. In the Yin-Yang cosmology, stretching is the expansive Yin process of letting go, which naturally goes with an expiration. As such, the stretching movement should be accompanied by a long and continuous out breath. Coordinating movement with breath is initially a conscious process. With practice, the body will associate long out-breath with relaxation, and the two shall be so intertwined that one will breathe out naturally when there is a need to relax; this is our automatic de-stress valve that will keep stress at a manageable level.
 
Principle No. 8 – A little bit every day goes a long way. Follow an incremental approach in the stretch routine. Lengthening a muscle up to normal range would only help maintain status quo. On the other hand, over-stretching causes the muscle to either tear or retract and remain tight. The best strategy is to consciously go just past the point of comfort and pause a few seconds to allow neighboring tissues to loosen; repeat this process every day. To express this strategy differently, consciously create a small impetus for change, then allow the body to continue the work at its own pace, rather than push the maximum change through the body at once. Instead of trying too hard, we should keep a relaxed pace and enjoy.
 
Principle No. 9 – Stand straight and breathe deep. Stretching can happen within the body so that there is no visible external movement. We are constantly subject to the force of gravity, such that when we stand on our feet, gravity pulls our body parts toward the center of the earth. We can use this internal stretching to our benefit if we align the body parts (internal organs, bones and fluids) so that they are arranged optimally for the purpose of their functions, with no parts encroaching on the space of the others. The correct stance for this purpose is one that is based on a vertical central axis like the Wu Chi stance in chi kung; this central axis allows the body matrix to hang and keep all organs properly suspended. A simple reminder for this vertical alignment is the phrase: “The feet sink into earth and the crown of the head rises toward heaven”.
 
Breathing is an automatic movement in the respiration physiology of human beings, which causes changes in internal pressure in the body, and thus stretching of tissues. In addition to providing for the exchange of gases, correct breathing has another salubrious effect: it gives an internal massage to the internal organs and help them stay in good clean form. Deep abdominal breathing is best for this purpose.
 
Principle No. 10 – Stretch from the inside out. This approach requires one to prepare for a stretching session. The preparation consists of first stilling the mind through a centering stance, then clearing the energy channels by dissolving energy blockages with consciousness, and finally pulsing the energy to create healthy flow. The body is now awakened and malleable and ready to engage fully in the movements of stretching.
 
Even a few minutes of just sitting or standing quietly before a stretching session will greatly enhance the benefits of stretching.
 
When one follows a stretching routine and practice that are based on the essential principles described above, one gradually introduces more space and consciousness into the body structure. Space leads to freedom, perspective, and health; and consciousness brings life.
 
A direct benefit to anyone who is physically active is the healing aspect of stretching. Most physical injury is caused by body tissues being impacted with no room to absorb the impact. The additional space resulting from stretching is part of the healing process, as well as a defense against further impact. Therefore, serious athletes and martial artists know to incorporate a good dose of stretching in their exercise routine.
 
Beside creating a vibrant and bountiful life, and encouraging healing, a stretching practice prepares the body for the rigors of further transformative training, such as high-level martial arts, internal arts such as nei kung, and meditation. All spiritual transformations are based on, and spring forth from, relevant somatic experiences. A resilient and well-tuned body is a pre-requisite for a spiritual journey. The monk Bodhidharma understood that gentle exercises are necessary to build a strong physique that can sustain the severity of long hours of sitting meditation. Thus, he created the series of Chi Kung exercises and processes recorded in the Tendon Changing Classic (易筋经, Yi Jin Jing), which has become a classic reference manual for nei kung work.
 
Anyone can design their unique personal stretching routine by following the ten principles described above. Those already involved in a physical or martial art can apply the principles to the stretch routine that is available in such art. Otherwise, just listen to the body; that is how horses and cats do it.
 ​~ ~ ~

​Now that we have been quarantined and social distancing for some time, most of you have already been seeking solo practices to supplement your aikido training. In most styles of aikido, solo training is not common. Even for those that practice weapons like aiki-ken and aiki-jo, there’s not much of anything beyond suburi and weapons kata practice. I’d like to proselytize a solo practice that I believe has been instrumental in my recovery from chronic low back pain and has greatly improved my aikido.
 
Last year, I wrote an article about my lower back pain and how changing my posture affected my aikido practice. However, as rehabilitation research has shown, the pure biomechanical approach has failed to improve the lives of patients with chronic low back pain. (1) Reason being, one cannot separate the mind from the body. Therefore, I’d like for the reader to consider this article as an addendum to my previous work.  Since writing it, I have deepened my qigong and tai chi practice to the point I feel comfortable expressing my personal experiences and results of this practice by providing a physical therapist’s spin on the subject. First, I’d like to give you a little background into my process.
 
My first job after graduating physical therapy school was at a neurological rehabilitation facility. At the time, we called it a catastrophic inpatient rehabilitation center. This was due to the fact that our patients were victims of horrible accidents that either resulted in traumatic brain injury and/or spinal cord injury. It was incredibly challenging. As a new graduate, I was expected not only to be the lead physical therapist but also to develop a physical therapy program for these patients. In the two years that I worked there I learned just as much as I did in school.
 
One such learning experience taught me a valuable lesson of the mind-body connection. I had a patient that sustained a right sided brain injury. It was so severe that they suffered from left sided neglect. This is a common condition which occurs either after a stroke or brain injury to the right side of the brain. The patient not only had a hard time seeing the left visual field but also had a difficult time recognizing and identifying the left half of their body. This is due to the fact that the right side of the brain is mostly responsible for spatial awareness.
 
My team would co-treat with this patient daily. We’d be looking into a mirror with the patient providing tactile and verbal cues. We would instruct, “This is your left arm. This is your left leg” in order for this patient to recognize the left half of their body. We did this in hope of eliciting neuroplastic changes in the brain creating new neural pathways that allow the patient to recognize the left side of their body.

This is an extreme example of how our minds can disassociate from our bodies with changes to the brain. According to research by Lorimer Mosely, less drastic cortical changes can occur in those that have chronic lower back pain (CLBP). (2) In a study, he had several students divided into two groups. The first group had a history of CLBP and the control group didn’t. Both groups were asked to draw an outline of their lower torso as they sensed it. No touching or thinking what it might look like but to actually feel it. Surprisingly, the control group had no problem at all drawing a detailed outline of their lower back. The CLBP group not only had difficulty, but all in the group stated they could not even feel it.

This research was further confirmation that cortical changes occur in the brain of CLBP patients similarly to those with phantom limb pain. This change causes a disrupted body image and reduced proprioceptive acuity of the affected body part. Due to the principles of neuroplasticity it is possible to retrain the brain’s representation of the distorted body image in order to reduce CLBP as it has shown to be done with phantom limb pain. (3) All one needs is a practice that can help reintegrate one’s body image back to its normal functioning state.
 
With phantom limb pain there is a biofeedback modality that I’ve used successfully in my practice. It’s called mirror therapy and was created by neuroscientist and all around cool guy V.S. Ramachandran. This method would have patients look at the reflection of the intact limb and perform therapeutic exercises. One simply uses the reflection to trick with the brain that the missing limb is still there. Most patients state they actually feel as though the missing limb is the one performing the exercise.
 
I believe the technique of dissolving your energy gates found in the book, Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body by Bruce Frantzis, provides a crucial practice that can be used similarly to mirror therapy. (4) To summarize, this is a standing practice that uses consciousness to sense the landmarks of the body from head to toe. Once these landmarks are felt then one can learn to release any tension thus dissolving any blockage at the “energy gates”. Instead of using a mirror, in a quiet stance you are using your mind to scan up and down the body feeling the outside and inside of your joints and other landmarks. As explained by eastern medicine, this modality uses conscious awareness to address chi instability and inject life to an area that was once blocked or neglected.

Qigong is often mistaken for only being a standing meditation but there is a specific process in connecting the mind to every aspect of your body. This is a very different intention compared to mindfulness meditation where if a sensation or thought arises you notice it and let it pass. When you dissolve an energy gate you are actively putting your awareness into your body and relaxing it thus initiating a natural biofeedback.
 
When I first started this practice, I could feel my arms and legs with little problem. However, I could not feel my lower back for at least a year just like the subjects above with CLBP. That was a big shock to me! I had practiced aikido and yoga since I was a teenager. At the time, I believed myself to be very connected to my body. So, to realize that I couldn’t really feel my lower back felt defeating. But I kept working at it diligently and after a year I was not only able to feel my lower back but for the first time I can deeply relax it on cue as well.
 
This was a significant breakthrough for me. I was constantly walking around with tension in my lower back and not even realizing it. My lower back was always sore after aikido practice even at the best of times when my pain was minimal. In aikido, it is crucial that one can generate energy from the ground up to perform a technique and conversely absorb energy via ukemi from the upper body down through the feet. Having a relaxed lower back has helped link the kinetic chain between the two halves of my body.
 
Unfortunately, there are no studies to corroborate my personal findings in this specific style of qigong. However, there are studies that may shed light on why this method works. One study demonstrated that people with lower back pain have altered muscle activation patterns of trunk muscles leading to stiffening and poor postural control. This study demonstrated that improved postural awareness was associated with decreased pain intensity. (5)
 
A systematic review and meta-analysis looked at the efficacy of graded motor imagery (GMI) on chronic pain and found moderate effect. (6) There are three levels of graded motor imagery. The first is being shown an image of a limb. This activates the premotor cortex. The second method is imagined movement of that area. These imagined movements activate the motor cortical areas of the brain similarly to actually performing that movement. Lastly, the GMI practice uses mirror therapy which provides a convincing input to the motor cortex telling us that these movements are occurring without pain or difficulty for that affected limb. This then catalyzes brand new neural pathways and connections in the brain. 

​I believe that these studies illustrate why the dissolving energy gates qigong practice could be a valuable tool in one’s training toolbox. In my practice and personal rehabilitation, I’ve learned that becoming cognitively aware of the parts of one’s body that have been neglected, ignored, and avoided is absolutely and objectively important. One must bring his or her consciousness into their body in order to heal and recover from chronic pain.
 
I would love for this qigong method to be as vigorously studied as other classical therapeutic arts like yoga and tai chi. There are well over 500 studies on tai chi and countless studies on yoga. Not much is known about this practice and good studies on qigong in general are few and far between.
 
One of the reasons I wanted to share my personal story is to show how evidence based physical therapy and qigong could complement each other. In fact, I would make the case that the field of physical therapy needs to look seriously into this modality. If anything, my experience in neuro rehab has taught me that principles like biofeedback come in many forms: to name a few there’s electrical stimulation, electromyography, thermal, reflection of a mirror, and now virtual reality. I believe that dissolving the energy gates of your body qigong has a lot of potential to be added to this growing list of essential therapeutic practices.
 
If you want to learn more and start your own qigong practice, then I highly recommend studying this video by Hoa Newens Sensei. He expertly and clearly explains how to get started in this incredible solo practice. I hope this helps you in your daily journey during this challenging time.
 
 
Works Cited

1. Cognitive Functional Therapy: An Integrated Behavioral Approach for the Targeted Management of Disabling Low Back Pain. Peter B. O'Sullivan, J.P. Caneiro, Mary O'Keeffe, Anne Smith, Wim Dankaerts, Kjartan Fersum, Kieran O'Sullivan. s.l. : Oxford University Press, 2018.
2. I can't find it! Distorted body image and tactile dysfunction in patients with chronic back pain. . Moseley, G. Lorimer. s.l. : Elsevier B.V., 2008.
3. Mirror therapy for the alleviation of phantom limb pain following amputation: A literature review. Jason Timms, Catherine Carus. s.l. : International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 2015.
4. Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body . Frantzis, Bruce. Fairfax : Energy Arts, 2006.
5. Postural awareness and its relation to pain: validation of an innovative instrument measuring awareness of body posture in patients with chronic pain . Holger Cramer, Wolf E. Mehling, Felix J. Saha, Gustav Dobos, Romy Lauche. s.l. : BioMed Central, 2018.
6. The effects of graded motor imagery and its components on chronic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. K. Jane Bowering, Neil E. O'Connell, Abbey Tabor, Mark J. Catley, Haley B. Leake, G. Lorimer Moseley, and Tasha R. Stanton. s.l. : American Pain Society, 2013.
 

by Hoa Newens

​[This year we celebrate Tai Sai in the midst of a worldwide pandemic and could not hold class to properly remember O Sensei. Instead, we offer this in-depth examination of his legacy art.]
 
“Is Aikido a martial art?” may sound like a naïve question to many readers but is likely a serious inquiry for those who are on the threshold, about to leave, or enter into, Aikido training. For many other Aikidoka reading this essay, we hope that the question will spawn a deeper inquiry into the nature of their favorite martial art and reveal aspects that they had not considered in their training. This is a complex topic, so please bear with the lengthy discussion and references to other essays to supplement explanations made herein.

What Makes a Martial Art?

Before we dive into an examination of Aikido, let us establish some common ground in our understanding of the meaning of the term “martial art”.
 
Since the beginning of recorded history, humans have always fought each other over limited resources, in one-on-one clashes, or larger scale encounters. These conflicts may be intentional such as competition in sports or unforeseen such as in wars, but they all boil down to humans opposing each other. Over the centuries, this ongoing human activity has produced methods and techniques to end the conflict to one’s advantage. In modern times, these time-tested methods have been further refined and codified into arts.
 
Worldwide, there is a great variety of arts that can be grouped under the umbrella of martial arts, including wrestling, fencing, grappling, archery, boxing, etc. For the purpose of our exploration we will limit ourselves to Asian martial arts originating from China and Japan, Kungfu and Budo respectively, being the types that we have been personally exposed to over more than five decades of training. There are numerous Kungfu styles including Shaolin, Wing Chun, Hun Gar, Praying Mantis among external styles; Pa Kua, Hsing Yi and Tai Chi among the internal styles. Budo is also a generic term that groups together several Japanese martial arts including the popular Karate, Judo, Ju Jitsu, Kendo and Aikido, as well as Kempo, Iaido, and Kyudo. We should note the existence of a multitude of other noteworthy martial arts that are not within the scope of this essay.
 
Furthermore, it is our intent to focus our discussion on arts that yield benefits to humankind in the long-term, especially those that promote the development of the human potential. Therefore, we are excluding the military fighting arts and other killing arts, or similar arts designed explicitly to eliminate life.
 
Within this limited-scope foray into the martial arts, we have observed the following six constitutional characteristics of martial arts and propose that they make up the yardstick against which we measure other would be martial arts.

• Rigorous training of the body and mind.
• Heightened awareness.
• High risk tolerance.
• Adherence to strict code of ethics.
• Potential to resolve conflict or subdue others.
• Potential path to elevate the human spirit.

Below, we elaborate on these characteristics and use them as lenses to view Aikido.
 
Rigorous Training

Martial skills are generally acquired and honed during several years of rigorous physical and mental training involving a strict regimen of drills under often harsh conditions. Overcoming obstacles and constraints during the hard training helps the student garner sufficient energy, endurance and forbearance to break through the ego. This is a critical portal that leads to the transformation of the body and the mind into effective and efficient vessels that carry the techniques through completion. In the Chinese traditions, this is called “kung fu” (功夫), meaning “skill acquired as a result of hard work”.
 
For example, Gichin Funakoshi, the father of modern Karate, was known as a demon of makiwara, striking it hundreds of times a day; he also often practiced katas for more than fifty times in succession. It was said that only one in ten trainees could keep up with this grueling pace for a few months at the Shotokan.
 
This aspect of martial training is de rigueur in traditional Aikido training such as in various uchi deshi programs in which the students live and train daily at the dojo under the close supervision of a teacher, such as Saito Morihiro Sensei at the Ibaraki Dojo. Furthermore, in the Iwama style of Aikido, the disciplined emphasis on kihon waza, with its precise and solid basic techniques, is a serious challenge for beginners. Sadly, in many modern Aikido schools, the rigors of training are nearly non-existent, and students come to class to work out just as going to the gym, whenever convenient.
 
We note that rigorous training in modern times can occur in various forms: committing to a daily training regime for the long-term despite the demands of a busy professional career or family life; or despite physical or mental handicap. Prioritizing training need over all other personal development and social needs is an aspect of hard training.

​Heightened Awareness

In the early days of humankind, the world was a treacherous place filled with dangers. In order to survive, humans developed physical skills to combat other humans as well as predators. The most basic of those skills was, and still is, awareness of the potential dangers lurking around them. Ironically, awareness comes naturally from fear: the fear of being hurt, the fear of loss, the fear of being diminished.  
 
Owing to fear of injury, the hazards of martial training cause the mind to stop its internal chatting temporarily and clear the way for consciousness to emerge and deal with the situation effectively. Such clear-head moments happen during sparring or randori training, for example. The instant the student is pulled back into the mental chatter, he loses touch with the reality of here and now and fails to perceive the oncoming strike that would hit him. After suffering through several hits over time, fear of injury is gradually transformed into awareness.
 
Aikido students have ample opportunities to grow their awareness, for example during ukemi, when they “receive” the techniques, especially the hard techniques in kihon waza mentioned above. A momentary lapse of attention can easily cause a severe sprain or bruise. Ukemi helps the students cultivate their awareness.
 
Ironically, as skills improve and teachers implement safer training environment, the need for heightened awareness diminishes, and the training becomes a rut. The martial edge can wear out and strip the martial badge off Aikido.
 
High Risk Tolerance

Martial artists constantly learn new skills and test their mettle by pushing their limits. When the student’s abilities do not measure up, failures and possible injuries result, and provide the lessons that need to be learned. Any skilled martial artist must have undergone her share of injuries during her training career.
 
Seasoned martial artists understand this “no pain no gain” rule and actually seek danger in their training. These artists are not fear-driven, they have gone beyond fear and are flirting with injury, loss and potential death to sharpen and maintain the edge. It may appear that these individuals are gambling; the reality is that, in their mind, there is no doubt, but certainty that they will find the way to get through the danger unscathed. It’s a sort of self-confidence that eventually rises to the level of trust in a divine benevolence.
 
Due to its nature, Aikido is generally more attractive to the mature and intellectual segment of the population, which consists largely of risk averse individuals. This is not the type of individual who would take ten high falls to wake up instead of the cup of joe; or the type that would decide “No mat? No problem, we’ll demo on the hardwood floor”. The intellectually inclined students should note that the thinking process is useful for problem solving in life, but it can also create problems where none exists; the mind can imagine potential problems and stifle action. Seasoned martial artists are aware of this mental handicap and pursue no-mind (mu-shin) states.

​Adherence to Strict Code of Ethics

Martial artists can fight each other to their death, but they follow strict rules of conduct in doing so. In the Orient, this code is built around the concept of proper behavior that reflects the five cardinal virtues of Confucianism: Compassion; Righteousness; Propriety; Wisdom; and Trustworthiness. (See chapter “First Rei, Then Waza”, in the book Aikido Insights, 2010). Proper behavior is centered in the notion of respect for all things, since each and every thing exists to fulfill a specific role in the universal scheme.
 
The code of conduct delineates the difference between a combat art and a martial art: such is the difference between Bujutsu and Budo.
 
Aikido, as a Budo, includes certain forms of etiquette and codes of behavior that must be taught and practiced and kept alive should it remains a martial art. They are an outward reflection of the heart of the martial art, and their dilution would certainly lead to the demise of the art. To keep the flame alive, we need to reinvigorate this soft aspect of the art and vigilantly practice Rei.
 
Potential to Resolve Conflict

This is by far the most visible and popular aspect of a martial art: how efficiently one can take down an opponent. As mentioned above, martial arts were born from the need to deal with conflict. Martial artists resolve conflict using different approaches. Those who practice arts centered on fighting methods often choose to confront the opposition physically and attempt to subdue them. More experienced martial artists may choose to modify their behavior and give a chance for the conflict to de-escalate first before engaging in physical altercation. Still, more mature martial artists who have realized the essence of their art, may hardly ever encounter a conflict since they live in such a way that pre-empts conflict from occurring around them.
 
Aikido excels in conflict resolution because it gets directly to the gist of the conflict and helps participants work through a resolution, rather than applying the standard approach of defeat-and-subdue at the outset. Aikido adepts understand that when they hit back, they create a pendulum effect that perpetuates the conflict; instead, they reach out to receive the aggression then redirect it to a neutral ground. Furthermore, Aikido operates at the level of energy, beyond forms. The practice of Aikido is centered on sensing the aggressive energy and creating an energy pattern (technique) that leads the aggressor to neutral ground. What confuses students is that teachers use this model without discussing it explicitly. The use of Ki is embedded in the way that Aikido is traditionally practiced, hence there is no need to call it out. For more information, refer to the essays “Aikido as the Ultimate Martial Art” and “The Art of Peace” in the book Aikdo Insights (2010).
 
From another standpoint, this aspect of Aikido is also its weakness: its techniques appear incompatible with the popular view of martial arts in which a fast take-down is all that matters. In other words, a widespread view is that Aikido techniques are not effective in the ring or in the streets. Based on my decades of training in this art, this is a partially correct observation. It is true that Aikido techniques were not designed for fighting purposes, therefore they are not the best ones to use in combat.
​

However, Aikido techniques can be modified to make it a first-class fighting art in which the goal is to subdue an opponent in the most efficient manner. These modifications pertain not to the content, but to the forms and the training method:

1. Streamline the path of techniques to almost linear: condense the circular and flowing motion into linear spirals, such as when an advanced student demonstrates kihon waza.
2. Unleash the atemi: these are often implicit or used to fill the gaps in Uke’s openings during training.
3. Add other forms of attacks. Normal Aikido practice relies on a small group of codified attacks that represent aggressive energy (due to the focus on awase). The training curriculum needs to be supplemented with other attacks from the reality of combat.
4. Add sparring to the training. This would be the most radical modification but is needed to simulate the combat environment. One needs to train for what one wants to do best.
5. Add high impact training. This may include punching bag, makiwara and fall on hard ground. One would need to harden the body to prepare for the potential impact with another hardened body.
6. Minimize escape. This may mean restricting the kokyunage techniques to those that are harder to recover from; we are wanting to take the opponent down rather that allowing them to effect a roll safely. Students may want to focus on joint locks and pins.

 
As can be seen, there are substantial changes that are required should one wants to convert Aikido into a fighting art. A shortcut may be to refer to the precursor form of Aikido, Aikijutsu or its cousins. However, we should understand that once we make Aikido a combat art, the techniques become incongruent with the underlying philosophy and principles as established by the Founder and will cause internal conflict within the martial artist.
 
Another approach is to patiently continue training in the current mode: the strength of Aikido is that long term practice will gradually transform the martial artist into a moving oasis of peace which can quickly pacify unrest brewing in its vicinity.  Aikido essentially transforms the serious student into a human being who can live in harmony with its environment and who can accomplish any task efficiently. (For further reading, refer to the essay “What Aikido Does to You” in Aikido Insights).

Potential Path to Elevate the Human Spirit

Any serious human endeavor will ultimately lead to the question of what we are here for. If Aikido is to be of benefit to humankind, it should help elevate the human consciousness to its potential divine level, or at least point out the path to achieve that potential. We will let these famous Budo teachers elucidate this point further below.
 
Gichin Funakoshi of Karate declared: “The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.”
 
Jigoro Kano of Judo stated: “Judo is the way to the most effective use of both physical and spiritual strength. By training you in attack and defense it refines your body and your soul and helps to make the spiritual essence of Judo a part of your very being. In this way you are able to perfect yourself and contribute something of value to the world. This is the final goal of Judo discipline.”
 
The renowned swordsman Miyamoto Musashi wrote: “There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.”
 
Ip Man of Wing Chun explained: “The ideal in martial arts is humanitarianism. Accomplishment uses diligence as a goal”.
 
Morihei Ueshiba of Aikido professes: “Aikido is the study of the spirit. Aikido is the subtle breath linking the spiritual and material. . .The purpose of training is to tighten up the slack, toughen the body, and polish the spirit”.
 
In our humble view, Aikido training provides feedback for the participants to help them find their true selves and understand each other. Should we misunderstand this purpose and strive to defeat opponents, we are not promoting the art that was created by its founder, O Sensei.
 
When a physical training art does not point the way for its participants to reach their inborn potential, one would be hard-pressed to classify it a martial art. Among the six constitutional dimensions for classifying an art as a martial art, this final one is the most restrictive. Throughout the world, there exist a multitude of disciplines that train the body and the mind in the ways of fighting and winning physical contests, however, in our mind, few qualify as martial arts due to them not meeting this one criterion. It may very well be that our view of martial arts is overly sophisticated; we regard martial arts as arts of living, as worthy lifepaths of men/women on their eternal quest.
 
Throughout this essay we have made a distinction between martial arts and fighting arts not to denigrate or claim superiority of any arts. We hope to point out the differences to help all genuine seekers to understand the specific art that they are pursuing, and also to advise caution when comparing performance.
 
We let the readers categorize Aikido any way they want since this label has no effect on the intrinsic value of O Sensei’s legacy to humanity. We noted though, that this legacy has eroded over the years and hope that the gradual loss that we have noted in our observations above can be shored up by students and teachers of this great art. These are the key areas that deserve our attention:

1. Reintroduce the rigors of training - More traditional uchideshi programs; tanren uchi; kangeiko or training under similar harsh conditions; re-emphasize kihon waza, with emphasis on kokyu and appropriate use of atemi; strengthen attendance requirements; reinforce testing requirements.
2. Relax the focus on safety to introduce a healthy level of risk - Train in confined space, on hard mats, or outdoor on uneven ground; quicken the training pace occasionally; conduct more demos and allow senior instructors to use real blades.
3. Reinforce code of conduct (Rei) - Strictly enforce dojo etiquette and code of conduct; clarify sempai-kohai responsibilities.
4. Strengthen ukemi – Constantly remind ukes to carry out their role with full awareness and be ready to take tobukemi as needed.

 
We conclude with this instruction from Saito Morihiro Shihan in his book Traditional Aikido – Vol. 5 – Training Works Wonders:
 
“In summary, to get to know Aikido is get to know yourself. I want you to consider Aikido your mirror. You should remember that the essence of Aikido lies right at your feet”.
 
Hoa Newens
May 1, 2020

by Hoa Newens

These days most of us are home-bound with spare time to ponder on the fate of the world. More importantly, we have a great opportunity to reflect on the purpose of our life and on the way that we live.

A couple of years back, I had explained how improper use of the mind is harmful to our lives and our world and leads to severe damages to our environment (Mind and Mutiny, July 2018, reposted in October 2019 blog).

In another blog post (The Era of Extremes, June 2019) I had warned that our inclination toward extreme states, such as the biggest, the fastest, the top of everything, was taking us rapidly away from the calming effect of a strong center, and hence, our lives were becoming more imbalanced and vulnerable to destabilizing factors.

Well, our human destiny is unfolding at a swifter rate than I had envisioned at the time. We are now globally off balance and struggling in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the lives of millions of human beings are being disrupted. However, in the same blog post last June, I had pointed out a comforting fact:

“It may appear that the Gods are not watching, and humans are on a path of self-annihilation. One may feel that the current state of the world is deplorable and depressing. Not so fast. Do we really think that tiny humans can truly make a mark in the multi-universe (zillions of worlds) ruled by the Gods? The Gods have designed a built-in control that preserves balance in our universe. Such balancing mechanism reinforces the center of the universe by providing that an extreme state is only a transition to the opposite state. This wonderful balancing system is illustrated by the Yin Yang symbol, also known as Tai Chi symbol.”

Our world has reached an extreme state; with the dizzying “progress” of technology and sciences which are based on over-extension of the mind, the resulting destructive effect to the planet and the universe is now irrefutable: pollution in the ocean that feeds us, in the air that we breathe, in the surface water that we use and drink daily, in the skies that we fly, in the media that inform us, in our bodies and in our minds. These ecosystems are being severely disturbed, and their self-balancing mechanisms are in disarray.

What’s in the forefront today is the spread of a new disease that has surfaced due to a breach in the natural microbiome and is wreaking havoc in the world due to the inability of the weakened immune system to protect our bodies. To resolve this problem, we are jumping to the immediate short-term solution of killing the culprit virus by ingesting more drugs into our already polluted bodies with weakened immune system. Should a new virus appear in time, we will probably concoct another drug to deal with it. Does this sound like a plausible long-term solution?

​​Humankind is clearly heading toward an extraordinary fate and is now at a major crossroad. Fortunately, as suggested earlier, in darkness exists the seed of rebirth: within this dire state, we can catch glimpse of our salvation. The stoppage of our insane pace of life is giving us more time to return to the essentials of life: time to ponder on our purpose in life; increased interaction with our loved ones; renewed focus on health and hygiene; appreciation of human contact; appreciation of a clean environment; appreciation of the simple pleasures of life; necessity of human kindness and love.
 
The forced return to simple life represents an interlude of human excesses that is also giving the environment a needed break: industrialized cities are seeing blue sky and breathable air again; the slowdown of worldwide traffic is also slowing down our insane consumption of energy, and at the same time giving our air and water and oceans the chance to purge toxic materials and refresh themselves.
 
Most significantly, our body and mind are experiencing a salutary downtime. In the beginning of the crisis, many people fret about the stifling of their mental and physical activities. With time, a new understanding takes place: the worldwide stoppage acts like a speed bump which reminds humankind that it was operating at excessive and unsustainable pace heretofore, and that now is time to hit the brakes, or the reset button.
 
Should humankind be so unconscious as to not heed this warning, it can expect a more severe penalty from the divine authority. The prerogative of being human is that each of us possesses the ability to make conscious choices. The choice at hand is the answer to this question: does the current state of affairs in our world represent an extreme that must be reversed? If the answer is yes, then we must follow through with corrective action.  If the answer is no, then the self-balancing mechanism of Tai Chi will continue its operation, that is, the universe will go deeper into an extreme state until there is sufficient momentum to pull it back toward the opposite extreme. If a light skin burn is not enough to keep us off the sun rays, then skin cancer will hopefully wake us up and make us retreat into the shade. In other words, if humans do not claim their rights to make conscious choices, they automatically defer to the universe. Are we sufficiently human? And conscious?
 
So, what are we to do now? Some of you may have made a decision to return to a balanced life already. Otherwise, here is a suggestion.
 
Find stillness; let mundane concerns and worldly worries drop off; create space inside you and allow the consciousness in you to emerge and listen to what it wants to say; keep listening to the inner voice until it inspires you toward a decision; then, re-orient your life in the new-found direction.
 
This is our opportunity to reset our life and choose a new direction. Let’s wake up.
 
Hoa Newens
April 2, 2020