For All Of You Who Are In Pain

[aikiducky]

I'm lucky to be able to train hard again, and I realize that can be painful to read about. But tonight's training was dedicated to all of you who cannot do the things they want anymore.

So one of the things I do is aikido. The founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, passed away on April 26th in 1969, and many aikido clubs do a special training session on that day, or in this case a day later because there was no class yesterday. It's called misogi = purification and the idea is to clear all the bad things from the dojo. It's also very hard work.

Picture a big room in a sport center, green and red fake tatami mats on the floor, people in white pyjamas spread over the mat. After warming up, we started with the "rowing exercise" where we stand in a sort of lunge, shift weight from the back leg to the front and back again, doing a rowing motion with the arms and hands in sync with the legs. Imagine the whole group shifting back and forth in unison, shouting Ei! Ho! Ei! Ho! After a while it was like there was only one entity shouting and moving in rythm .

Then we bowed to each other, one partner kneeled down on the mat and led the other one by their hand into a gentle forward roll. We repeated this 15 times, then switched roles, then switched again, and again, and again.

Sit down. Close eyes. Breathe.

Next, we took our wooden practice swords, and each one counting 20 cuts in turn, cut 1000 times. I cut and cut and cut away at the pain and the hurt and the anger that this disease has caused people. The evil spirit of the illness monster is now well and truly dead!

We bowed to each other again and to be honest, the last part of class I didn't think about anything anymore except for breathe in, breathe out...

Afterwards there was sake and soda (and pineapple juice for me). The teachers had a gift for everyone, a beautiful card with a picture of a waterfall through autumn foliage, with a poem by Ueshiba:

Touched by the true heart

Train and deepen your understanding therein.

Resolved in the oneness of this world

and the world to follow.

Aikido, all power brought into motion creating a world of beauty, gentility and tranquillity.

Entrusting all to the flow of divine heavenly consciousness,

the breath of heaven and earth, the true man,

fully utilizing the mind of God.

Standing in this mountain stream,

I wonder why it is that no man can speak as truthfully

as the sound of the water against the rock.

Sending some positive energy all your ways

Pauliina

[Nantzie]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. ((((HUGS))) You've got me crying.

Although my pain ended up being completely cleared up by going gluten-free, the years of not being able to do the simplest things are still painful to think about. I'm so incredibly grateful that my future can include things like walking, running, playing with my kids, martial arts and any sport I want to take part of.

What a great thing to do to dedicate such a wonderful day.

Nancy

[jenvan]

Wow! That sounds like an amazing experience...

[Lollie]

Thanks! That sounds truly incredible!!!!!

Lollie

[tiredofdoctors]

Okay, you've got me in tears! That sounds like the most energizing, yet peaceful experience. What a beautiful thing. Thanks for sharing the experience, and thanks for cutting away for us. That was VERY generous. What a blessing you are . . . . . . Lynne

[aikiducky]

I had just read you post about the job offer, Lynne, before leaving for the dojo, and I just had to do something!

It was a very special evening. I'm a bit sore today, but thankful that I'm sore, you know?

Pauliina

[tiredofdoctors]

Okay, crying again . . . thank you, very much. I really appreciate it. Sorry you're sore, but (selfishly), I am so thankful that you did that for us. I know that good kind of sore feeling. It's invigorating. Thanks for a very selfless effort. Pauliina, you ARE a blessing . . .