Changes as a Result of Aikido
(Extracted from Aikido-L)
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002
09:51:33 -0400
From: Lee Darke
Subject: Re: OT footprint
I was wondering how many people have
made changes to their daily lives/habits
as a result of Aikido.
I recently decided to go vegetarian as a
result of my Aikido training/philosophy.
Lee
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Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 14:53:02 +0000
From: Mike
Subject: Not OT anymore Re: OT footprint
>From: Lee Darke
>I was wondering how many people have
>made changes to their daily lives/habits
>as a result of Aikido.
>
>I recently decided to go vegetarian as a
>result of my Aikido training/philosophy.
Well, not sure if this is the same thing, but I started Aikido as a result
of my philosophy/moral views, so kind of the other way around.
I've been vegetarian for about 6 years, and I've got a degree in ecology,
but one isn't enough so I'm off to do another one in September :o)
I'd like to note at this point that I'm not a vegetarian for silly green
minded environmentalist reasons, nor should an ecologist be confused with an
environmentalist. It happens to be an unfortunate coincidence that I'm a
vegetarian ecologist who practises ki-aikido.
But an amusing coincidence as well :o)
Basically, for me Aikido fitted in really quite nicely with the sort of
things I was doing in my life anyway.
I do find it a bit difficult reconciling my scientific thinking mode, with
my Aiki thinking mode sometimes. I think that in Aikido you need to have a
calm and relaxed mind and body. I find that when I'm thinking about a
problem as a scientist my thinking tends to be very 'hard' I suppose is an
appropriate word for it, which is why I try to seperate the two as much as
possible while I train.
Its an interesting question you asked:o)
Mike Haft
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Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 08:35:10 -0700
From: Mariana Studart Soares Pereira
Subject: Re: OT footprint
--- Lee Darke wrote:
> I was wondering how many people have
> made changes to their daily lives/habits
> as a result of Aikido.
Interesting question... I don't think that my changes are
necessarily due to Aikido, but rather due to a massive
change in philosophy, which brought me to Aikido in the
first place.
As for the changes... I've been eating better (which
basically means avoiding McDonald's and eating less fat and
lots of fruit). I'm a long way from being a vegetarian,
though, as I just love red meat and can't stand vegetables
(especially leafs, yuck! ;) ).
I've also been walking a lot more, but that's probably
because my husband keeps the car during the day, so I get
around using public transportation and my two feet :)
Personally, I enjoy this very much, since I have time to
think a lot while getting to work and back and to school
and back. I'm a very distracted person, so cars are really
a lethal weapon in my hands (but I've never been in any car
accidents, thankfully).
Other more subjective changes would include doing my best
not to be defensive or judgmental, and trying out new ideas
even if they seem foreign and unlikely at first. There are
lots of other changes, but those are the most obvious
ones...
Mariana Studart
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Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 09:53:47 -0700
From: Mariana Studart Soares Pereira
Subject: Re: Not OT anymore Re: OT footprint
--- Mike wrote:
> Well, not sure if this is the same thing, but I started
> Aikido as a result
> of my philosophy/moral views, so kind of the other way
> around.
Same here... I think. Although I don't really think of
these things as cause/effect. Too many variables were
involved in any one decision I took, so...
> I'd like to note at this point that I'm not a vegetarian
> for silly green
> minded environmentalist reasons,
Ok, then for what other silly reasons are you a vegetarian?
;) Just kidding... But really, why are you a vegetarian?
> nor should an ecologist
> be confused with an
> environmentalist. It happens to be an unfortunate
> coincidence that I'm a
> vegetarian ecologist who practises ki-aikido.
> But an amusing coincidence as well :o)
I can understand amusing, but why unfortunate?
> I do find it a bit difficult reconciling my scientific
> thinking mode, with
> my Aiki thinking mode sometimes.
Personally, I find reconciling my scientific thinking mode
(is psychology considered a science?) with just about
everything else in my life, including religion and
aikido... Sometimes even with other scientific thinking.
Maybe it's just a question of getting used to it.
> I think that in Aikido
> you need to have a
> calm and relaxed mind and body. I find that when I'm
> thinking about a
> problem as a scientist my thinking tends to be very
> 'hard' I suppose is an
> appropriate word for it, which is why I try to seperate
> the two as much as
> possible while I train.
I've never had a problem with this during practice... Well,
except in the beginning, where I'd try to rationalize every
movement in geometric and physic terms. I stopped doing
that on the mat, but I still do it off the mat.
Mariana Studart
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Last updated on 13 Sep 2002