Is Bokken training a part of your Aikido practice? If yes, then do you feel that the Bokken is synchronized and integrated into your Bokken forms? Do you feel that your Bokken forms are synchronized and integrated into your empty-handed Aikido? In this latest video in my Aikido Bokken tutorial series, I go into the details of the Aikido Bokken striking dynamics important for creating integration in your Aikido. Check out my latest tutorial on Aikido Bokken Lifting & Striking.
Below is the chat activity archive from the panel discussion & community call on “What Is An Aikido Response To Systemic Racism?” held on June 10th, 2020. To watch the replay of this important community call GO HERE!
Last fall I offered free meditation coaching sessions to a limited number of people in my audience. Those who participated were a varied group of meditators that ranged from novice to experienced that included therapists and leadership trainers, martial artists and dancers, people who follow traditional meditation schools, and people who had an eclectic collection of meditation methods. In the following coaching demo, I work with Celynn Morin who is herself, a wellbeing coach.
With the whole world in lock-down and keeping social distance from each other, it is extremely supportive to get together to practice meditation. Last Sunday, March 29th, 2020 I gathered with our global meditation sangha for a 60 min workshop on how meditation can be an essential resource for you during these challenging times. In this community call we explored how Meditation supports you not only in ordinary times, but especially during the current Coronavirus and COVID-19 crisis. The session was aptly called “meditation in a time of crisis.”
In this second installment of my “Meditation Coaching Demo” series, I’m sharing 2 sessions from meditators who have distinctly different practices. Dave is using a mindfulness-based practice which he also applies in his Aikido practice and interactions at work. Hila has a “mantra” based practice and uses guided meditation and the repetition of a mantra for the basic preparation of her daily Nia routine. I think you will gain a lot from these 2 different meditation approaches in this installment of my Meditation Coaching Demo Series.
How complex is your Aikido? I don’t mean “how complicated” is your Aikido. But rather your ability to perceive, respond and perform with complexity. Every developmental stage of your practice can be described as a progression through levels of complexity. Each level of practice is based on a solid understanding of the previous level and then adding to it more complexity. From beginners to intermediate, to advanced. In the video below I demonstrate one of the most advanced (and interesting) practices, “Kaeshi Waza” – Reversal Techniques In Aikido.
The following post is a supplement to a lager piece on “Aikido & The Culture Wars – Exhibit “A”: The USAF And The Gender Equity Petition.”
What does it mean to have a “balanced mind”, and how can mindfulness meditation help to cultivate it? Mindfulness-based meditation practice has very positive effects on the mind that are experienced as temporary states. A long term committed practice will transform these temporary, positive states into permanent traits… into new a way of being. Buddhism lists these beneficial qualities as “The 7 Factors Of Awakening”, with the culmination in that list of “equanimity”, an exquisitely balanced mind. In the below interview excerpt Vipassana meditation teacher Sayadaw Vivekananda speaks about how “mindfulness cultivates equanimity”.
In this Dharma Bite meditation teacher Miles Kessler answers a question about “How can one visualize oneself?” in meditation. This excerpt is from a talk that was given at SeeTrue Mindfulness center in Maastricht, Holland on June 15th, 2014.
What is your relationship to conflict? Is it something you prefer to avoid? Or do you like to lean into a good fight? Recently, Diane Musho Hamilton and I held our 3rd Community Call in our “Dharma & The Evolution Of Conflict” 3-part series. In this call, together with the global sangha, Diane & I dove into this very topic as we explored “Embracing Conflict As Path.”
