What is the difference between the “relative” and the “absolute”? And how do these 2 perspectives relate to Aikido? Recently I held another “Aiki-Discussion” in the Integral Dojo Community Call series on this very topic. In this call, I was joined by Dan Messisco Sensei and members from our global sangha, as we explored “Aikido & The Absolute Perspective.”
FREE COMMUNITY CALL – Aikido & The Absolute Perspective w/ Dan Messisco (6th dan) & Miles Kessler (6th dan)
| Date: | August 26, 2018 |
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| Time: | 21:00-22:00 |
| Event: | FREE Community Call: w/ Dan Messisco (6th dan) & Miles Kessler (6th dan) |
| Topic: | Aikido & The Absolute Perspective |
| Sponsor: | The Integral Dojo |
| Venue: | Online via Zoom Video Conference Call |
| Public: | Public |
| Registration: | Click here to register. |
The below “Dharma Bite” is an excerpt from a longer dialogue I did with Teja “Fudo Myoo” Bell Roshi for our “Meditation For Aikidoka” online course members. We had such a wonderful dialogue that I decided to share this excerpt here with my blog readers on “From Emptiness To Spontaneity”.
I recently had an “Aiki-Discussion” with Aikido Sensei and Zen Roshi Eran “Junryu” Vardi for my “Meditation For Aikidoka” online course. We had a wide-ranging conversation on Aikido, Meditation, and enlightenment and I was left with the feeling that we had only scratched the surface. I have taken an excerpt from our discussion to share with you here called “Self, Identity, & Flow”.
How aware are you of fear? How does fear feel in your body? How about your mind? Is your experience of fear that fear is in you, or that you are in fear? In the below “Dharma Bite” I continue in my series of Dharma Discussions with Integral Facilitator & Zen Sensei Diane Musho Hamilton on this very topic. In this excerpt, we talk about the competency of containing fear with awareness.
Confession time: my wife Maya and I are fans of “The Good Fight”, a drama series on the life and times of Chicago lawyers, now in its second season on CBS All Access. This series is a spin-off of the popular series “The Good Wife” that ran for 7 seasons (we were also fans). As an Aikido practitioner and teacher for close to 35 years, you can imagine what a wonderful surprise I had a few weeks ago to find Aikido on The Good Fight.
Aikido is unique among martial arts as it is simultaneously “martial” & “spiritual”. This means that even though Aikido engages conflict (as all martial arts do) the intention for doing so is the resolution of conflict and restoration of harmony. How can this be? Engaging conflict (in other words, fighting) is zero-sum, with one winner and one loser. From beginning to end, it perpetuates separation. But “the way of harmony” is none other then a unifying practice. In order to understand this apparent contradiction you need to look at the art from the perspective of “Aikido & Non-Duality.”
How good are you at taking the perspective of others in the middle of a conflict? Is it even something you consider important? After all, isn’t it basic human nature to protect your own point of view (not to mention your own body)? How does your basic survival instinct stack up with the higher intention of Aikido? Is Aikido’s central principle of “awase” (blending with another) still important to you when the chips are down and the conflict is on? What does “Getting The Other’s World Through Aikido” actually mean? Do you even care?
What is the most fundamental practice for you? What single practice informs all other practices that you do? In the below “Darma Bite” I continue in my series of Dharma Discussions with Integral Facilitator & Zen Sensei Diane Musho Hamilton on this very topic. In this excerpt from one of our longer discussions, we explore how we see “Meditation As The Fundamental Practice.”
FREE Community Call with Patrick Cassidy & Miles Kessler
| Date: | April 10, 2018 |
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| Time: | 21:00-22:00 p.m. |
| Event: | "The Dharma Of Aikido" | Community Call w/ Patrick Cassidy & Miles Kessler |
| Topic: | The Dharma Of Aikido |
| Sponsor: | The Integral Dojo |
| Venue: |
Online Via Zoom Video Conference Platform |
| Location: | FREE Online Event |
| Public: | Public |
| Registration: | Click here to register. |