Moving on

"If you find a path with no obstacles,
it probably doesn't lead anywhere" .
~anonymous


I believe that having a student-teacher relationship is essential in the study of Aikido. There may be a variety of occurrences and different reasons for a student to be looking for a new teacher. I remember the first time I saw my teacher. I had a strong gut feeling that I must become his student. For a long time I brushed this idea off, because it didn't make sense logistically. Sensei was teaching in Northern California, while I was running a printing company in Los Angeles. The chances of this to happen did not seem realistic at all.

Sometimes, we need to make a commitment first, and then deal with the logistics and consequences. It took many months of envisioning and debating with my logical side before I made my commitment. Eventually, I joined the Berkeley Dojo in 1995, and all the details (though somewhat complex) fell in place; I took a flight every Thursday to Northern California, and flew back on Mondays. This routine lasted for almost six years, in which I practiced in Berkeley as a Kenshusei (apprentice).

I remember that on the third week of my membership there, one of my classmates asked me: "So, why are you doing this?", I answered: "Because I want to be Sensei's student". He smiled and said he understands. Even though I didn't know what I got myself into at that time, I am glad I followed my heart, and did not listen to my friends who thought I was out of my mind. Nowadays, I look back and it makes me happy that all this was possible for me. This was indeed a profound accord in my life.

If we follow our gut feeling and make a commitment, the clarity brings a relief to the uncertainty of "sitting on the fence". Moving on is not always easy to do, but at the very least, it provides a direction on the path that was not revealed to us before. Moving on, trusting the Way, it is always wiser than we are.

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.