Big Arms
by Lisa Kuly
A few days after Sensei invited me to write about why I practice Aikido, the theme of "big arms" came to me.
Recently, when a friend commented on my "big arms", the delicate self that surreptitiously reads Vogue magazine in the doctor's waiting room and subconsciously regards Calvin Klein as an authority on beauty was confronted by a new self. This new self confidently fills space and enjoys the feeling of empowerment that flexing her "big arms" brings about. Having learnt at a young age that the less space one occupies, the better daughter, student, companion, and later, employee and wife, one makes, I had difficulty widening the parameters of my surrounding space. This matter was addressed throughout the summer as Sensei repeatedly called out "big arms" during practice.
I discovered that I could take the lessons I learned on the mat and apply them in the real world. When the dry cleaner staples my silk blouse to my suit, when an enthusiastic co-worker takes a share of my commission, when well-trained thieves enter my boutique while I am alone and stuff $3,000 worth of merchandise into their plastic bags, I discover that extending my "big arms" garners satisfactory results and keeps me from stepping on others' toes.
When I was living in Tokyo, my home for five and a half years, I had a few friends who studied aikido. They possessed qualities that I desperately wanted: self-assurance, dignity, tolerance, and calm, to name a few. I began studying aikido; but, after six frustrating months, I quit. However, my gi was included among the few possessions that I brought back to North America.
There are many reasons why I kept coming back to Shugyo dojo. After a prolonged absence, I was greeted with Sensei's warm, welcoming (and surprised), "Hi, Lisa!" My partners have patiently responded to my tentative kotegaeshi and tense iriminage. Shugyo dojo is an emotionally supportive environment where an atmosphere of encouragement and understanding prevails. It is with much gratitude that I share this with the people who helped me to learn to love aikido and develop my "big arms."
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