Aikido--A State of Mind
by Sharon Konyen

Cartoon by Hoordad Ghandehari

There is nothing more sorrowful than a dedicated aikido enthusiast forced to miss classes due to the demands of paid labour. Each weekday morning recreates a ritual of faith, as the hopeful aikido fan leaves for work clutching the precious gym bag into which his freshly laundered gi has been carefully folded. Each evening is a lesson in disappointment, as the aikido devotee returns home late, having been detained at work once again. The gym bag becomes an odd symbol of perseverance as the missed days of aikido classes turn into scandalous weeks.

It is at this point that I, the despairing spouse of this aikido enthusiast, take heart. For despite the undesired lapses in practice, I cannot help but notice the lingering evidence of this art. I see it in my husband's posture. I feel it in the viselike grip he mistakes for a gentle clasping. I admire it in his increasing powers of concentration and focus. I am compelled to appreciate that the teachings of aikido have taken root and flourished within the psyche of my husband. This leads me to conclude that aikido is also a state of mind.

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