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 14, 20183 min read
Reach Out and Touch Someone – Extending Ki
What is ki? It is one of the first questions that beginners ask. The best answer I know is “Keep practicing and find out.” But that comes...
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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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philipriffe
Jan 27, 20186 min read
Have 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...
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durangosbkaikido
Jan 21, 20182 min read
Exploring the Principles: Keep One Point
Every art, trade, science, and study has its jargon. Aikido is no different. Jargon can be a barrier to learning, but it develops for a...
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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
Jan 3, 20182 min read
Conditioned responses: living on autopilot
Lightning-fast reflexes make my favorite action hero look so cool on the movie screen. I’ve always wanted to be like THAT guy! Until very...
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durangosbkaikido
Dec 26, 20174 min read
Exploring the Principles: Beginner’s Mind
Meeting someone who has a high level of mastery is much like seeing a giant sequoia. How do they know so much? How does a martial artist...
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durangosbkaikido
Dec 11, 20173 min read
Throw It All Away
A koan is an insoluble puzzle that gives deeper and deeper insights but is never resolved. Koan #4 byAlex Pishtar Recently Mark Sensei...
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durangosbkaikido
Nov 30, 20173 min read
The Quitting Habit
“Is there nothing that stops you?” This friendly question came from a fellow classmate as we both arrived to the dojo for class. His...
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durangosbkaikido
Nov 19, 20176 min read
Exploring the Principles: Weight Underside
I thought weight underside would be one of the easier principles to discuss, but it is both obvious and counter-intuitive. I have begun...
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durangosbkaikido
Oct 27, 20173 min read
Three Reasons Why You MUST Attend Aikido Seminars Before You Die
Shizuo Imaizumi Shihan Sensei. Formerly of Aikiki and Ki no Kenkyukai, Imaizumi Sensei established Shin Budo Kai on October 1, 1988. He...
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durangosbkaikido
Oct 17, 20171 min read
Ukemi: The art of falling down
I saw this video and immediately thought of learning to fall and roll in aikido. This is exactly how I think I looked. We all start...
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durangosbkaikido
Sep 28, 20173 min read
Shall We Dance?
Our dojo recently enjoyed a spectacular, technically spot-on nikyu test—nikyu meaning 2nd rank below black belt shodan. No matter what...
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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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