About Aikido of Champlain Valley
Thrust without Thrusting: Some thoughts on Weapons Trainingby Benjamin Pincus SenseiChief Instructor, Aikido of Champlain Valley
Writing, like aikido practice, does not always come easily to me. I find it particularly difficult to evoke the spirit of aikido on paper. Aikido is ephemeral in the sense that we throw or cut and then move on, while ink lasts forever. My reluctance to describe my training comes from an attempt to escape my excessive preoccupation with thought. I seek to thrust without thrusting, throwing or striking without any desire to achieve anything beyond the martial urgency of that moment. I want to translate this spontaneity on the mat into learning how to live a focused life, unimpeded by doubts, fear and distractions. I sometimes think that I need to "burn the manuscripts" — stop dwelling on thought — to find this clarity. Zen Buddhists, despite copious amounts of religious manuscripts, often express antipathy towards the written word, which is viewed as a poor analogue for the immediacy of experience. The 13th century Chinese sage Mumon, with the characteristic pithiness of Zen, says it best:
So I approach writing with some trepidation, brush halfway drawn. If I start thinking too much I lose the passion of the moment. I toss the brush. Ink splatters dojo walls. My mind is once again empty of distraction and hesitation. Perhaps this is why I like weapons practice. The thrust of sword allows little time for discursive thought. If the mind stops, you will be hit. It is so simple in its angles and repetition, yet so difficult in its infinite subtlety — the complex interrelationship between timing, distance, tension, and relaxation. |