Balance in practice

Our practice may shape our life, and our life sometimes dictates how we practice.

Some Aikido students, usually younger, who are Uchi Deshi (内弟子:うちでし, live in apprentices), often practice 3-5 hours daily. On my visit to Hombu Dojo (Aikido World Headquarters) in Tokyo, I saw a big group of older people showing up, every morning of the week, to the 6:30 am class with Dōshu (道主, Master of the Way). I met students who used to practice everyday, and due to life changes, only get to practice once a week. I know of many people who choose to train once, twice, or three times a week. So, what is the right amount for practice?

Many teachers, including my teacher, say that Aikido should be a daily practice. Some students say they feel burnt out when practicing daily. Each practitioner walks his/her own path. In O'Sensei's rules of practice, he says: "In daily practice first begin by moving your body and then progress to more intensive practice. Never force anything unnaturally or unreasonably. If this rule is followed, then even elderly people will not hurt themselves and they can train in a pleasant and joyful atmosphere." So, the balance is not just found in the "how much" but in "how" as well.

Practice is "a way of life", and should be an integral part of one's usual routine, whether one chooses to train daily or otherwise, consistency should be kept. This way the practice will ingrain as a discipline. Both the time and the effort invested will determine the rhythm of the study. Our attitude, as well as our "hunger to learn", or lack thereof, may quicken or slow down the pace. On the mat, we practice in accord to our physical condition and ability. We push ourselves, yet we have to remember we are here to polish our spirit as well.

The secret of making the best out of our training may be found in balancing the "how" and "how much", as well as making sure that the practice is harmonizing with the rest of the pieces of our life's mobile.

, Dōs

Finding the balance

About a month ago, I wrote a post about the act of dynamic balancing. I believe that before we start maintaining balance, we actually need to create a balance. Creating a life balance entails making choices about the ingredients we will use in our moment-to-moment balancing.

A good place to start is an examination of the different areas of life. Then, we can start allocating the portions that each area fulfills. Here is a suggested list:

• Career/Work - For most of us, this is our means of living, whether we love it or not, the fruits of this work sustain us. Since it has the most immediate and tangible results, we sometimes are tempted to give it the biggest portion.
  
• Friends & family - Our family and friends can be a great source of comfort and connection, as well being supportive through difficult times. We should be careful not to take them for granted.
  
• Community - The larger scale of giving and sharing comes to play here, whether helping someone across the street, or doing some volunteering work.
  
• Self development - This is where we invest in ourselves. The investment may be on an intellectual level, creative side, through hobbies, practices and study. This is the area that is dedicated to our internal self growth.
• Health - In this area we pay attention to what we eat, drink and take in, through our five senses. We become aware to what creates the most positive settings for our mental and physical health, and what should be given up, when it not in contribution to our well being.
  
• Spirituality - On the more subtle levels, this is where our vision and our outlook stems from. Whether the framework is praying in a congregation, or a solo meditation - we find our inner power and connection in these spaces.
  
• Doing nothing - Lastly, each of us needs time alone, as I mentioned in my last post about Aloneness. This is when we recharge and connect with ourselves, and our purpose. Spending time alone helps us re-enter the world feeling refreshed and connected. This is our "Off time", or the way the Italians call it: "Il Dolce Far Niente" ("sweetness of doing nothing"). This is truly an art, and here are a couples of ways to do it: First, finding a place to relax in. Disconnecting all distractions (cell, computer, PDA and such). Eyes closed. Breathing. Or, simply enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, tasting fresh bread, or sipping soup on a Winter day. If outside in nature, just looking around, listening, smelling and touching. Feeling the wind, the sun, or the rain drops.
  

Now take a close look at each thing on the list, and consider: How does this give my life value? How important is it to me? Is it in line with my life priorities and values? How would it affect my life if I dropped out? Does this further my life goals? Does it make me happy?
This is a partial list for some people, for others it contains too many areas. Choose for yourself; what time will be dedicated to each domain, and go ahead and commit to it. Trying it for a few weeks will provide a good idea of how much balancing is needed in order to keep a commitment to your life of choice. After a while, make your tweaks and adjustments - and as you do the balancing act, remember: Consistency is your friend...

A balancing act

Balance comes to play when more than one influence is present. When our life is in balance, we have a sense of well being. Balance isn't static though - it has a dynamic quality. We act to keep and maintain it. Life offers many influences that may add, reduce, move around, excite and discourage - basically changing and getting us off balance.

I recall the end of my first year of apprenticeship with my teacher - I was presented with a new challenge, a new shift was around the corner. At that time, I was a partner in a printing company in Los Angeles. My partner and I agreed on special arrangements that took place due to my ongoing travels to Northern California, to practice Aikido with Shibata Sensei. I was going back and forth every week, Monday through Thursday in Los Angeles, at my business, and then, off to Berkeley, to train. After one year, my business partner was not happy. He wanted out of this deal, and in fact, out of the partnership altogether. I was confused and thought I will have to choose between the business in LA and the practice in Berkeley. I didn't want to give up neither. I asked for the advise of one of my Sempai (senior student), that offered me a solution that I had no capacity of grasping at that time: "Yes", he said, "you will need to buy him out, and then you will get to work much harder in your business, AND also you will need to practice much harder here...". The option of having it all didn't even cross my mind.

Truth is, this is exactly what I ended up doing. It look a balancing act and some creative logistics to keep everything moving along. I learned that it was about making an effort, to keep the life balance, yet also, the readiness to "drop some balls" and actively and continuously working at it. I was lucky enough to be able to balance it for five more years; juggling, watching the flying balls, and seeing some drop - yet having both my practice and my business in my life.

Sometimes, when a student tells me he or she needs to take some time off from the practice, due to some new influence - I ask: "Do you really have to choose? Unfortunately, in most cases, people think they do have to choose. On the other hand, it is a great joy for me, to see how students who have practiced regularly managed to create and maintain the balance in their lives. Through their consistency of practice they widen their capacity, and seem to be able to blend somewhat easier with life changes. The balancing act is a true wonder.

"Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some." ~Robert Fulghum