Hi Foster, my question/ request is whether you would be willing to share some of your extensive knowledge and experience about Aikido, in say a 10-15 minute section of the Fireside? Or maybe even dedicate an entire separate session on it sometime, like a short Masterclass or mini-workshop of sorts?
I’m especially interested in some of the theory, its history and heritage, as well as some simple practical exercises for beginners that could get us started (such as imagining energetic, torus-like structures within and around us, how to do these properly, etc.)
What got me interested is the video clip that you shared with us last time, from the first Thrive movie, on how to deal with emotions by using these principles. I found that animation very valuable and have recently started to apply that in my daily morning meditations (combined with my daily grounding ritual, where I have my bare feet on the grass).
Similar to what’s shown in that video clip, I imagine double torus-like structures at the three Aikido energy points (the tan t’ien point, as well as the high heart and mid-brain point), as well as a larger double torus energy over and through my entire body, all at once. I also imagine the energy flowing in from the top and out from the bottom, then around me back to the top, as well as the energy streaming in through the head in a fast-spinning vortex, in a clock-wise direction. I would like to know if this is the “correct” way of doing it according to Aikido principles?
In addition, I’d like to know if it would help to imagine certain colors for the mini-vortices at the three energy points, according to Aikido theory? And what the difference is between the “regular” chakras (especially the 2nd, 4th and 6th chakra) and these three Aikido points?
For reference, I’ve already read Marshall Lefferts’ excellent book “Cosmometry”, which has some beautiful illustrations of these points in Chapter 46 (one is also visible at https://cosmometry.net/human-experience.html).
And to add to the recent synchronicities: just after I woke up this morning, I thought of these questions in bed, and then when I opened the book “The Power” by Rhonda Byrne (reading short sections in this book is another recent morning ritual that I started doing), I opened it on page 243 with this quote: “All the principles of Heaven and Earth are living inside you.” – Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969). Founder of the martial arts Aikido.
(And… I just noticed your latest blog post with his other quote as well! 😉
Thanks,
Michiel
