Student | Teacher

"The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called "truth"."
~ Dan Rather

Last night we had our first "Introductory to Aikido" class at our Dojo. The class was open to the public, and was meant to allow people who never practiced to see what Aikido is about, and how does it feel being in a Dojo, and on the mat. There were four guests that joined us.

Having a few people on the mat that are not my students, revealed some new feeling; I could really sense the relationships that are already established with my students. It also brought a strong presence of my relationship with my teacher, Shibata Sensei. This relationship, made of trust, inspiration and great care, has been life defining for me. Not always I understand him, yet I know I want to, and wish I could. "Maybe in another ten years...", I say to myself. Not always I do as expected, I make mistakes. Yet I know he will make sure I learn from them. This connection is not very verbal, but very much renewing and stirring. I am in deep thankfulness to have that in my life.

I see my students as people whom I have much to learn from. The Dojo as a school in which everyone, including myself, are studying. Aikido is a life practice, and as such, we must respect the commitment and openness of all who are attending classes; giving from their time to improve and evolve, and in doing so - sharing their energy with everyone else who is there. We have to respect our Uke who gives us a platform on which we can study techniques, and to Nage, who gives us the opportunity to learn how to blend. We also have to respect Sensei, for always being there for us, every day.

Have you ever heard the Chinese proverb: "Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself."? The teacher cannot teach and make the student learn. It is the student, who has to actively watch, train and embody. Shibata Sensei used to tell us we have to "steal" - that was our job, and he couldn't do it for us. I learned from my teacher much about Aikido and Japanese culture, but most of all I learned from him about the Japanese Heart.

Having a student-teacher relationship is a blessing. It is a constant reminder to remain thirsty, to seek and look deeper and deeper, while we keep our hearts wide open.