Vigorous Force

Pondering (the state of) this world
I fall into a lament
Only to be reinvigorated again
When the light of the tumbling clouds
Builds the “vigorous force” inside me.

This is one of my favorite doka’s from the Founder of Aikido Ueshiba Morihei. For me this doka resonates deeply as I see how my aikido practice has become a part of my everyday life. A life that is filled with ups and downs, just like my practice has faced ups and downs.

But each time I have made the choice to get back on the mat, to do Hitori waza or taiso practice, or just wake up and connect with others, I am reminded on why I am grateful to find this practice.

For me that “light of the tumbling clouds” has been my Sensei and the other members of the dojo who are on this patch of Aikido. The sharing, the connection with others and myself, the continual process of refinement and exploration. This is the ever moving, never stagnate part of our practice that keeps me coming back for more.

And that “vigorous force” inside, manifests in ways beyond technique, it shows up in how I interact with others. That has been one of many things I have learned from Shugenkai Aikido. And I continue to look forward to many years of building that vigorous force within myself and others.