PAX, CARITAS ET CONCORDIA

It has been a while, but I don’t imagine that many of you have been crying in your beer in a state of anxiety, waiting for my latest offering.

PAX, CARITAS ET CONCORDIA

Now I didn’t study Latin in school but although the meaning of Peace and Love are plain enough, Harmony on the other hand, is not so easy to understand.

[Sorry, the memory of E.L. Wisty (Peter Cooke) explaining why he became a miner and not a judge, just popped into my head, “I didn’t have the Latin you see….didn’t have the Latin for your judging…so I became a miner instead”.]

I digress (is that Latin?)

So, Harmony, is it merely the absence of conflict, and if so, is this a desirable goal?

Imagine a world where everyone is always in agreement with each other. Can you? Of course not! The only time universal agreement is possible is when it is artificially forced. At best, this leads to superficial congeniality – where people are pleasant on the surface, but harbour distrust beneath it. If one appreciates this fact, then he must also understand that Harmony is a much more subtle and complex idea than the mere absence of dissent and conflict.

Could a more accurate characterization of Harmony be constructive conflict? Conflict is constructive when individuals ask interesting questions that provoke new avenues of discovery, work to understand each others’ point of view and remain open to new ideas. When an atmosphere of respect and trust is created, and everyone feels engaged in the decision making process, and then even strong disagreements cannot destroy harmony.

We may from time to time disagree with one another, but at the end of the day (when it is dark!), if we continue to respect and trust each other, mere disagreements will not disrupt harmony.

It is not possible to like everyone or expect that everyone should like you. We’re not made that way. We must still strive to find a way to live well together, in spite of differences. It is harmony which makes Aikido technique effective. To create the opportunity for change someone must fall, but safely and remaining strong, so that you can carry on practicing. Learning to fall well, making it a positive thing, is as important as how to execute technique.

It is no coincidence that good ukes make good nages. They really do see things from the other person’s point of view. They understand both sides of the ‘argument’.

Harmony is not a gift from God or a happy coincidence. We must work every day, and work hard, to create Harmony.

Cylch Cymreig & Muni

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.

Sorry, I don't have the time.

Dydd Llun, Trydydd Chwefror 2014   Monday 3rd. Fedruary 2014 

Three weeks. Three weeks since I took the time to do this.

Why? Stock answer: I haven’t had the time.

We all have the same time. We choose what we do with it. For the last twenty-four years I have told people that I’m not usually available on a Tuesday and Friday evening (and quite a lot of weekends) because I have chosen to train on those evenings. I have seen many students begin but discontinue their study very soon after. There is a theory, which seems to have been supported by my observation, that if you do something ten times, same day, same time, each week, it becomes a habit.

So, when a new student joins the class, I can’t help counting the first classes they attend. For me, at least, Tuesdays and Fridays have been a good habit.

When I first studied Aikido, it was usual for the teacher or one of the students to read one of the Ki Sayings of Koichi Tohei Sensei. That practice has generally ceased now. Perhaps because they seem a bit mystical, which I don’t believe Tohei Sensei was. There is bound to be some difficulty understanding something which has been translated from Japanese and written by someone from a different generation and culture and, as far as I’m concerned, having an immensely greater understanding of life. However, you may find these words worth reflecting on.

‘THE UNITY OF CALM AND ACTION

Just as tops spinning violently and rapidly become steady, the most rapid movement results in calm.

Like the eye of the typhoon, which is always peaceful, inner calm results in great strength of action.   Calm and action are exactly one. Only when we keep one point and unify our mind and body, can we find spare time even when busy.

Keep a calm mind and you will be able to perform to the best of your ability even in an emergency or when facing important tasks.’

Cofion cynnes, fi fach.

Drummers

Dydd Sadwrn, unfed ar ddeg, Ionawr 2014   Saturday 11th. January 2014 

Drummers.

I think drummers get a bad press. You know, all those terrible jokes like, ‘What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians?’ Well I would have said ‘groupie’ or ‘roadie’ of course.

A drummer I once played with (stop that sniggering) kept asking me to teach him to play guitar. He was persistent (most of the time), so I gave him an old acoustic with three rusty strings and about four pounds of accumulated grime that resembled small hills on the fret-board. I said that if he cleaned it up and re-strung it, I would give him lessons.

Chwarae teg, fair play, he did an amazing job on it and went in to a shop to buy a new set of strings. The shopkeeper said, ‘Hey, you’re a drummer, aren’t you?’ My butty said, ‘Yes. How did you know?’. The reply……..’This is a chip shop.’

J.C.B's and Giraffes

Dydd Gwener, degfed, Ionawr 2014   Friday 10th. January 2014 

Someone recently asked me if I knew the difference between a bull giraffe and a J.C.B. Well I’m not very clever but I did know that a J.C.B. had hydraulics............

The Secret Revealed cont.

Very often it is the case that, even when we’ve been ‘turning up’ for years, we don’t feel we are doing any better.

Imagine if you will, that I have entered a white room in which are many interesting and beautiful things. On the far side of the room is a yellow door.

 After a cursory inspection of the contents of the white room I find myself outside the yellow door. I try the handle but it is locked. No matter, I pick up a musical instrument that I have never played before and get a tune out of it; there are paintings on the wall that reveal something new each time I view them; objects whose purpose is not clear, but I try to imagine what their use may be. One day I discover a key which fits the yellow door. Beyond it is a yellow room full of fantastic things I could not have imagined whilst in the white room, (with all due respect to Jack Bruce). On the far side of the yellow room is an orange door, which is locked, but I guess that the key is somewhere in the yellow room.

With patience & perception it is found, but what I discover beyond the orange door is an orange room…..with a green door….there is always another door!

No matter how many keys I find and how many doors I open, I feel as frustrated as when I started out. However, if I choose to look back I could see many doors that I have opened and be grateful for the wondrous things each room revealed.

Each time a new truth is perceived it will always reveal questions we didn’t know existed before. It is often difficult to be aware of the progress we have made. Other people are aware sooner than we. Realisation that we have changed may come when we reflect on a situation and think to ourselves, ‘I wouldn’t have said that six months ago’, or, ‘I acted very differently from the last time I was faced with a similar situation’.

So, as I said, just keep turning up………whatever it is you hope to achieve.

Cofion, fi fach.

The Secret Revealed.

Dydd Llun, chweched, Ionawr 2014   Monday 6th. January 2014 

That falling down business; it is not always your fault; sometimes other people trip you up; either way……………

The Secret Revealed.

A young aikidoka was fortunate to attend a seminar given at his dojo by a renowned Japanese master who was visiting the U.S.A. The student was, at that time, the holder of a first kyu (brown belt). The visiting shihan made a huge impression on the young man.

Some years later, after the student had achieved promotion to Nidan (2^nd. Dan), it was announced that this great teacher was, once again, coming to teach a seminar at the student’s dojo. His instructor, who was unable to meet the Aikido master’s flight, asked the Second Dan if he would do so. The student readily agreed and picked up the shihan and his luggage from the airport. (Not literally, of course)

They had quite a long journey back, during which, the young man was eager to ask a question of this highly respected teacher. It was not until they stopped at a roadside diner that he summoned the courage to ask if he was permitted to pose a question. ‘Of course you may’, replied the master.

‘Well, your Aikido technique is so dynamic, so flowing and harmonious; what is the secret to attaining such skill and understanding?’.

The master replied, ‘Ah, so you want to know the secret? Very well. Today, you go to the dojo and practise. Tomorrow, you go to the dojo and practise. The day after that, you go to the dojo and practise. And the next day, you go to the dojo and practise……’

You could tell from the quizzical look on the young aikidoka’s face that he had not yet realised that he was being told, ‘There is no secret…..just keep turning up….’    

Falling Down

Dydd Gwener, trydydd, Ionawr 2014               Friday 3rd. January 2014 

Hey! First blog of 2014. Blwyddyn Newydd Dda I chi gyd. Look for the good things…you never know…..

Falling Down.

We all fall down. It is inevitable; unless your name begins with G and ends with D and only has one other letter between them….no, not X. And, we fall down in many ways. I do it most often when I let the hand brake off my mouth before my brain is in gear.

One of the first and most important things to learn in Aikido is how to fall safely. If falling is inevitable (and we do it all the time, on the mat) then it is better to make a good job of it. Most beginners are afraid of being hurt when falling. Their fear is what makes their bodies tense and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Falling down for most people is a negative thing. If you can see falling down as a positive thing then you need not go and hide in the corner and cry about it. We have to get on with our lives sometime; it may as well be sooner rather than later. It is just part of life. Learn from it. Try and avoid falling down for the same reason again (try to not make the same mistakes, over and over).

 So, the analogy I make with ukemi (break-falling) is a useful one. Learn to fall safely; don’t let it even break your stride; keep rolling and get up quickly; carry on. Never lie on the floor feeling sorry for yourself; you’ll get kicked to death.

Lion Taming;Rules;Don't Jump to Conclusions;Nadolig Llawen;No Names, Please.

Dydd Sul, ugain eiliad, Rhag. 2013                Sunday 22nd. December 2013 

Disclaimer: You may recall that I posed the question, ‘Is writing a blog pandering to the ego?’ Whatever the answer, here I am, still doing it after a fortnight. I often hesitate to give advice. I wonder how qualified I am to do so. However, I can see that if I give advice when asked, it may help someone resolve some question which is troubling them. Writing this blog is not dis-similar in the sense that, though I might recognise the value of the principles explored, I don’t necessarily adopt them myself. It’s a bit like someone writing a book on how to tame lions when he himself is afraid of them. On the other hand; four fingers and a thumb. Sorry, I digress. Perhaps, writing that manual from the fearful position might make one more prudent and less likely to be mauled. As I often interject when singing Alan Hull’s lyrics in Run for Home,‘I’ve made some mistakes, had my share of the breaks…’,You’ve probably noticed! 

I heard this week that some Hollywood film star has said that calling someone ‘fat’ should be illegal. Is there anything we are not prepared to legislate for? One doesn’t have to be a Christian to see the sense in Jesus’ answer when asked which of the commandments (laws) was the greatest. 1. Love God; for those of you prepared to believe in the one he described as a loving Father: 2. Love (Treat) other people as you would hope to be treated yourself. If you subscribe to ‘1.’ Then ‘2.’ Is inevitable, isn’t it?

Oh, but I forgot, we’re human……so we fall down…all the time. But there’s a thought:

Only one law to have to live by?

 More on this tomorrow.

Hwyl fawr am nawr, fi fach.

Dydd Llun, ugain trydydd, Rhag. 2013                Monday 23rd. December 2013 

This rules thing: isn’t it all arse backwards? Now I may not be the sharpest tool in the box, but I never understand why we must keep on enacting new laws for the same crimes. What I mean is; nicking someone’s wallet from their pocket is theft right?

Obtaining someone’s bank account details and passwords via an iffy email is also theft. No? Surely the laws that already exist can still be applied to the most modern and sophisticated forms of crime?

This, however, is not what I want to explore. Most people seem to accept that global organisations and sovereign governments should make the rules and enforce them. The more laws there are the more efficiently will the populace be controlled. Really?

Let’s consider this idea as an alternative; the most control is exercised by the smallest unit; the least control is exercised by the largest unit. The smallest unit is me. If I exercise the most control, self control, then the next largest unit of society, the family, will need fewer rules. If I police my own actions and take responsibility for them, we might need fewer ‘house rules’. There will be less need for an authoritarian figure (it used to be the father, in most cases). Follow the logic of this for a moment; as the social unit gets bigger, e.g. street, neighbourhood, village, town, city, county, country etc., the less control is necessary. If each small unit is living in harmony, will not a collection of units be living in harmony?

Wanting what (I think) is good for me, is not always good for others; often, not at all. If my actions are centred on obtaining what is good for everyone else, it necessarily will be good for me.

Dydd Mawrth, ugain pedwerydd, Rhag. 2013                Tuesday 24th. December 2013 

Don’t jump to conclusions.

So this mate of mine had been working away from home but the job finished a day earlier than expected. He sent his wife a text message asking her to pick him up from the train station but she was not there to meet him when he arrived. Having taken a taxi home he let himself in to discover his wife in bed with his best friend. Well he goes a bit mental and charges about the place throwing things into a suitcase. While he is unplugging the laptop in the lounge his mother-in-law walks in. ‘Hey, what’s the matter? Why are you in such a state?’, she says. My mate shouts back, ‘I sent a text to YOUR DAUGHTER to come and collect me from the station. She didn’t turn up and when I get home I find YOUR DAUGHTER in bed with my best friend! His wife’s mam says, ‘Look, I know my daughter, and there must be a reasonable explanation for all this. Please wait. Let me go up and have a word with her.’ My butty waits. After a few minutes his mother-in-law comes down the stairs saying, ‘There we are, I told you there would be a reasonable explanation.’ What possible explanation could there be for what SHE’S done?

‘She didn’t get the text!’

Dydd Mercher, pumed ar hugain, Rhag. 2013                Wednesday 25th. December 2013 

Nadolig Llawen i chi gyd!

Now I know that nobody at all is going to be reading this blog today, which leads me to ponder that old question, ‘If a tree falls in the forest when there’s no-one there to hear it; does it make a sound? The obvious answer is ‘yes’ but there are some interesting trains of thought on this. A similar question was brought to my attention by the very learn-ed Glam Morgan, currently residing in Chile.

If a man speaks in the forest and there is no woman to hear him; is he still wrong?

I wish you all a peaceful Christmas; I hope all your crackers go, well….crack!; that the jokes inside are not too bad; that nobody takes a photo of you asleep in the armchair after lunch with that paper hat over your eyes; that you are the one to get the only really useful gift inside, a bottle opener. Mwynhewch!

Dydd Gwener, seithed ar hugain, Rhag. 2013                Friday 27th. December 2013 

Had a blogless day yesterday………it didn’t hurt….and neither did watching Ponty beat Cardiff. Ole! Ole! Ole!

I thought it might be interesting to explore this parochialism; tribalism, if you will. The Pontypridd/Cardiff thing, which in recent years has come to include Y Gleision, might be summed up in this phrase, ‘We make ‘em; they buy ’em’. I refer to this in ‘Ponty Song’ (2003). The most obvious example which comes to my mind is the Wales v. England rugby union encounters. So, much ire directed towards the English and England. I don’t think that the English can be quite as vehement as we, simply because theirs would be somewhat diluted in having to direct it towards Scotland and Ireland as well. The historical reasons for such vocal animosity are easily understood. However, this supposed ‘hatred’ of the English doesn’t apply to my mate from Cornwall or Cumbria or Kent. They are just people, as are my friends and family who live in France, America, Zimbabwe or wherever. Each time we attach a name to someone (or something);English;doctor;bin man, oops, sorry, environmental recycling officer etc., we limit that person to what the word conjures up in our imagination. Even to describe another person as a man or woman immediately confines them to what we imagine a man or woman is capable of. All human beings have countless possibilities in their lives. Anything you can perceive and believe, you can achieve.