More tea, Vicar?

Dydd Mawrth, Pedwerydd Chwefror 2014   Tuesday 4th. February 2014 

I lied, this has nothing to do with beverages from the Indian subcontinent or gentlemen of the cloth.

All Aikido technique ends up with someone on the floor. But that’s not the point. Because there is a measurable physical result we can determine if our understanding and attitude towards others is good. We don’t have to ‘wonder’ in a philosophical sense. There will always be the ‘What if?’ questions, especially from beginners. Most of those ‘what if’s’ are about hypothetical situations where one might be attacked in the street by one or more assailants. It is a waste of time to dwell on these questions.

I would describe Aikido as a Japanese martial art which strives to create situations where attack cannot happen, or, if it is already happening, will cease quickly, without harm to any person.

Whatever you’re state of fitness or expertise, if you are attacked, there are two possibilities; you will do something or you won’t. If you do something, there are two possibilities; what you do will work or it won’t. No one knows what will happen or what they will do. My hope would be to avoid potentially dangerous situations by developing a greater sense of perception; e.g. Don’t go into Pontypridd Rugby Clubhouse and shout out, ‘Up the Blues’, …well, you could shout, ‘UP the Blues!’, but maybe not, ‘The Blues got the cash and Ponty are trash.’ I’m sure you get my drift.

Cofion, fi fach.