philipriffeApr 18, 20236 min readA Finger Pointing at the MoonMy ski companion decided to take a break and have a beer. I left her sitting outside in the snow on a lawn chair in the broad area at the...
philipriffeJun 17, 20216 min readShadow BoxingI felt dismayed. In the midst of preparing for my first aikido test—consisting of 10 techniques—I made the mistake of asking one of the...
philipriffeJul 12, 20193 min readWhen I’m Ninety SixAs the milk for my morning’s cappuccino was frothing, I tore off yesterday’s page from our daily Zen calendar. Today’s quote was brief:...
philipriffeAug 1, 20184 min readThe Endless Accumulation of Fresh StartsOne Tuesday evening in August, 1992, I left work after a 12-hour shift, climbed onto my motorcycle, and headed for the dojo. My 4th...
philipriffeApr 23, 20185 min readConnectionIn my early years of aikido, connection was not emphasized. I first conceived of connection as something to break away from. Someone...
philipriffeJan 27, 20186 min readHave You Ever Had To Use Aikido?I suspect that most people who practice a martial art have been asked a similar question. “Have you ever had to use tae kwon...
philipriffeAug 15, 20173 min readKinesthetic SkillI never expected to fall in love again. For several months, my wife Adele had been taking tai chi at the community college. After class,...