Marc's Reflection on Aikido & True Play

Always

Breathe

Center

Ground

Move

Only then

Move

Lead with your breath

into  / out from

your center

and move from there.

Holding your breath helps nothing

Stops flow

Prevents balance

Stress is not external

Stress is what I choose to do with my own body

Lowering stress is

owning it

practicing stressless ways of being in the world

in my body

Flowers will not grow

without water

Knowing joins being

In the body

In the world

In this moment

Disembodied knowing is misguiding.

Take care.

Any “knowing” that takes me out of my body,

away from relaxed center,

is miss taken.

Marc, pay attention to this.

Active whole body relaxation

Active  rest

Innovation is the human art of creativity for others

It is non-mechanical.

It is done full-bodied,

a generative, fully human art

Move among people in ways that they feel your support

So they feel safe enough

To innovate (create, “serious play”)

Breathing

and

Moving

From the belly

AT THE SAME TIME

Sleep

brings me back to neutral

Aikido Practices

bring new possibilities

Your choice!

You will engage in simple practices which enable skillful innovation.

These practices enable innovation through connecting with the situations you are in and with others.

The practices are simple and powerful; they support precise, effortless, moment-by-moment innovation through breathing, grounding, and connection.

Situations will be experienced as embodied and responses will become embodied and smooth.

Work will become less stressful and more playful.

You will be happier, as will those around you.

Your mind will have a body to play with–rather than having your mind go it alone, even working against your body.

Joy will show up.

Please come join us.

Precision
Brings the whole together
In this moment

It is not “focus” to the exclusion of the whole

Breathing
Feeling/Sensing
Stretching
Relaxing
Connecting with the ground and any other
Moving
Touching
Turning
Flowing
Attending
Opening
Resting

Moving from center

Breathing out

A sharp sword

A real attack

Placing a stitch

A good kiss

Precisely grounding

Grounding precisely

Precisely centering

Centering precisely

Precisely connecting

Connecting precisely

Precisely effortless (flowing)

Effortlessly (flowingly) precise

Precisely transforming

Transforming precisely

Precisely present (being) in this moment

Present (being) precisely here and now