Aikido: Learnings from a fresh white belt

Aikido is the Japanese martial art of peace.

The founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba famously said:

true victory does not come from defeating an enemy, true victory comes from giving love and changing an enemies heart.

I began training in January, and so far it’s been life-changing. These are my major takeaways as a fresh white-belt:

There is no opponent

When I started training I thought I had to learn how to overpower my opponent. But I slowly came to realize that my opponent is actually a mirror to myself. The more I see myself as an enemy, the more I see others as enemies.

Have a beginner’s mind

I’ve had rough days in the dojo, to the point where I was in tears. In order to have the will power to come back the next day I have to psychologically die before I leave the dojo every single time. Not holding on to any pain or shame, I am able to return to the dojo with a fresh mind.

Continue running into yourself

The dojo is really a practice ground for encountering life. Every time I train, I discover something new and interesting about myself. More often than not, the discovery comes through pain and pressure.

Enjoy the process of falling

One of the fundamental aspects of Aikido is “Ukemi” which is the art of falling. Learning the techniques of falling boldly and gracefully made me realize the importance of strategic failure. The more you fall, the more joyfully humble you become.

Being counter-intuitive is intuitive

When you’re being attacked, the instinctual reaction is for your body to tense up and prepare to fight back. But in Aikido, you have to completely relax. The more you relax, the more your opponent will fall into your flow.

Everyone is different

Sometimes I have a great training partner, and other times I do not. Initially, when I encountered a tough partner I thought they didn’t like me. But I was wrong. Not everything is personal. Everyone has different energy, and it’s in your hands to be open and flexible.

Train through hardship

I skipped an entire week of training because I lacked caffeine in my system. With grounded wisdom my sensei said to me: “if everyone were to skip training because they were tired, the dojo would be empty.” Synchronistically, there was a power outage that evening, and yet we trained in the dark. The warrior trains regardless of conditions.

True victory is victory over oneself

Mistakes, lack of attention, physical pain, mental exhaustion. All these things inevitably show up while training. But that’s why you train. Train so you can face yourself. Train so you can overcome your self.