Dear teachers, dear students,
Your body, from its ultimate depth to its surface (where your eyes light up your face) and your consciousness, from its most subtle imagination to harsh rationality, permanently exchange information.
They reject each other in order to isolate themselves from each other. Separated, they produce, life-force for the first, thought for the latter. They contain each other to maintain your unity and keep you alive.
If one of them collapses, meaning if the energy level drops too much, it causes the other to fall. Conversely, if the energy level rises in one, it pulls the other up. We have a choice: either they destroy each other or they build each other. The normal conflict between them must be kept in balance. Disruption of this balance, as with any relationship, triggers violence and therefore destruction.
What makes humans, what differentiates them from other species, is not only their ability to adapt, but what they become thanks to their imagination. Imagination is a defining characteristic of man. When we are able to project ourselves into the future, to think about our own evolution and our ability to transform the world, then everything is fine. The mind is full of energy. To function consciousness must be spatio-temporalized. Of course, the restriction of freedom due to confinement is a restriction of living space, but internally it is also experienced as a decrease in the inner space of consciousness. There’s no more space for our consciousness to soar, the horizons are too low. A drop in the mind’s energy level is a very real risk.
Our imagination is the spearhead of our consciousness. It puts everything else into motion.
As a body wrecked by a pathology or an injury can annihilate all hope and all desire, a weakened mind can destroy one’s “being”, including its body.
Fortunately, we have the power to decide and the ability to both contain and encourage growth. As an aikidoka, you have the tools that you require to create the conditions of mutual support. Raise the energy of your body and your mood will improve.
So, for those who are not familiar with the Akamon type suburi kihon, you can adopt this simple and effective program to keep or regain your spirit and good mood:
Start with the kubi no undo kihon and do it three times. This will heighten the sense of awareness of your body and your conscience.
Practice sayo otoshi for five minutes. Your eyes must be directed in the opposite direction of your torso. This will increase the flow of energy towards the emotional sphere.
Kokyu Ho three minutes will bring this energy to the conscious level.
Then it is time to increase the power of our impulses. A wide Ritsuzen with a pumping movement (increase the flexion then release, once every two seconds, without leaving the posture) to create an energy surge. Remember: Kobayashi sensei said, « The energy that comes into our body comes from an inexhaustible source. The more you use it, the more it comes. » Do this for five minutes.
In koshi no undo, do sets of 9 koshi no undo at 30 degrees and 1 full, for five minutes.
Come back to seiza and do sayo otoshi 2 minutes, and finish with kokyu ho 1 minute
With this program, there is no risk of internal collapse.
If some readers do not understand the techniques, ask knowledgeable teachers.