Falling for It
“My ex-wife chose the paint colors,” Trebb explains as we set food and silverware on the dining table. He must have seen me eyeing the...
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durangosbkaikido
Jun 16, 20194 min read
So Glad I Stayed
“Dude! That is so smooth!” My uke, Tim, makes this declaration while teetering on his toes, one arm so twisted his spine bevels. He looks...
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durangosbkaikido
Mar 8, 20194 min read
Know Your Limitations
Face down. Prostrate on my belly. With my head turned to one side, one cheek smooshed and spread like a pancake on the griddle. That’s...
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durangosbkaikido
Dec 6, 20183 min read
Agatsu: Victory of Self (or “Can You Fold That Hakama?”)
Since the day I started training in aikido 2 1/2 years ago, I have admired everyone in a hakama and wondered what it would be like to...
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durangosbkaikido
Nov 8, 20183 min read
Ai’s Wide Shut
“It’s like we’re psychic,” Holly marvels. “How did you know what I was thinking?” I ask. We repeat the experiment. She shuts her eyes. I...
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durangosbkaikido
Sep 13, 20182 min read
The Caretaker’s Test
The above picture comes from Scott Carlton’s recent 5th kyu test—the first demonstration a person gives to establish their rank as a...
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durangosbkaikido
Jun 25, 20183 min read
Aikido, App’d for Dating
I downloaded the dating app, entered a punchy profile, and uploaded some pictures. My index finger hovered over the submit button. I...
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durangosbkaikido
Jun 18, 20184 min read
Toward correct perception
On the path toward correct perception, is there ever really any room for regret? Recently Mark Sensei asked us to consider the difference...
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durangosbkaikido
May 8, 20183 min read
Getting Here, Being Here
I recently had a wonderful conversation about the mindset of martial arts with a college professor. He is particularly qualified to speak...
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durangosbkaikido
May 1, 20183 min read
Practice Watered Down
“Don’t change the kata,” Sensei Mark reminds the class. We stand in pairs down the mat, like characters in a Jane Austen novel about to...
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philipriffe
Apr 23, 20185 min read
Connection
In my early years of aikido, connection was not emphasized. I first conceived of connection as something to break away from. Someone...
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durangosbkaikido
Apr 11, 20182 min read
Dignity and Respect
I’ve always thought of myself as the kind of person who treats everyone with dignity and respect. In the short 21 months that I’ve been...
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durangosbkaikido
Mar 5, 20183 min read
Teaching Learning
Finally: the answer to the conundrum which has bebuggered our dojo and its instructors—maybe all dojos and instructors—since the dawn of...
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durangosbkaikido
Feb 20, 20183 min read
Joy and beginner’s mind
My shaky signature on the little sign-in card betrayed the fact that I was choking back some fear. This was Day One of my aikido...
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durangosbkaikido
Jan 12, 20182 min read
How You Contribute to a Harmonious World
For almost 15 years, Durango Shin-Budo Kai has been a community resource for boosting mind-body unification, refining the spirit, and...
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durangosbkaikido
Sep 7, 20173 min read
Which way is down?
Which Way Is Down? I’ve always been a bit clumsy. From bumping into walls to drawing surprised glances when I dance in public, I have...
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durangosbkaikido
Sep 5, 20173 min read
Exploring the Principles: Relax Completely Part 2
I’ve been thinking more about the principle of relaxing completely. It is inextricable from the other key principles, but it is one of...
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durangosbkaikido
Aug 8, 20172 min read
Exploring the Principles: Relax Completely
Martial arts require practicing new ways of moving, thinking, and interacting with others. Aikido relies on several key principles that...
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durangosbkaikido
Jul 31, 20172 min read
A Choice in the Matter
I could have gone blind the light was so bright. It blazed so abruptly. I didn’t have time to take cover and shield my eyes. This...
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durangosbkaikido
Jul 25, 20172 min read
Moving Around My Own Center
Mark Sensei commonly reminds us to move around our own center, regardless of what uke may be doing or not doing. After spending my entire...
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