Misogi 禊 “Polish the heart, free the six senses and let them function without obstruction, and your entire body and soul will glow.” Founder of Aikido “Aikido is misogi” said the founder of aikido. One definition of the term “misogi” is purification. As a matter of fact, many aikido practitioners talk about a special feeling of mental freshness they sometimes experience after an aikido practice. Sometimes we arrive at the dojo with a tiered body, worries or stress. Sometimes when we arrive, our head is occupied with thoughts, troubles and conflicts we sometimes all have during our day. As we bow in at the entrance to the dojo, we let our daily matters drop off from our back. They wait for us outside the dojo, but at the end of class, when we "pick" them up, we often realise that their dimensions are reduced to a more reasonable size, and so, our heart gains more space for constructive and calm thoughts that help us deal with those worries. Aikido practice
Thank you for your beautiful reflections and calligraphy. I found this page randomly, looking for thoughts on musubi. I practice aikido in the Nebraska in the United States, and was happy to find this "connection" to someone far away.
ReplyDeleteDear Nina,
DeleteThank you so much for your comment.
Please come visit us in Israel some day soon.
Our dojo is:
www.aikikai.org.il
Warmest regards,
Ze'ev.
Thank you Ze'ev!
ReplyDelete