So I've decided to use aikiweb.com's Doka of the Day instead.
Know that the enemy's spirit/mind is your shield."
- Morihei Ueshiba
I figure that I need to meditate more on aikido, as well as practice it more, so this might be a decent spot for some thoughts. I shall see. I expect to do some decent exploration on a superficial level, and completely miss the deeper point of the doka. Between my limited understanding, and what might be lost in translation, the goalposts are set low.
This one seems easy in some senses. A sword is a sword. A gun is a gun. Weapons are inanimate objects, only given a form or purpose by the mind that wields it. Nearly all aikido practice renounces violence. In my experience, the greatest benefit of weapons practice is how it magnifies the intention that you bring to the mat. A shaky focus, an impure strike, poor body mechanics are all magnified by the use of a weapon.
When practicing with a weapon, the one who performs a technique usually needs to create an opening for his opponent to attack. Without an opening between one of the two partners, the guard is extended, and there is no opportunity for contact. When the opening exists, and the world begins to move, you react not to the sword, but to the intention behind it, guarding and entering the opening that the attack created. The truly skilled can continue this dance of connection for a very long time.
Whether in aikido, or in life, you do not react to the blade. The blade moves as it is intended by your partner. When they move, when they break the guard, they give you the gift of reading their motives and goals, and create an opening for connection. With practice and skill, you can engage them in the same way.
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