Notes from a newcomer
by Cathy Martin
- "When you bow to the universe, it bows back; when you call out the name of God, it echoes inside you."
These words of Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei may not be what brought me to aikido, but they are what keep me coming back.
Most, if not all of us, have experienced moments of "divine connection". Moments when we feel at one with the universe, when we have "merged with the spirit of the universe." In these moments we feel energy radiating within and around us and we are filled with a deep sense of peace, gratitude and love. These moments are rare, but their memory holds us captive and we yearn to return to these moments or strive to recapture them.
About 15 years ago, I had one such moment while skiing through the mountains outside Whitehorse, Y.T. This experience was the beginning of my search for the "holy grail"—to recapture that moment of profound connectedness. This search has led me in many different directions and I have had many rich and fulfilling experiences along the way.
After a rather difficult year which culminated in an intense feeling of alienation and dsconnection, I began my search again. At the end of February, I happened to pick up a brochure about aikido at the YMCA. I began aikido because it is a non-violent form of self-defense which could help me encounter potentially violent situations with confidence—a necessary skill in my work at a drop-in centre.
Because I was uncomfortable bowing to a picture of someone I didn't know—O'Sensei, I decided to do some reading. The little I have read by and about him has been truly inspiring. The Way of Spiritual Harmony expresses what I have been searching for—my "holy grail"—at times grasping but most often eluding me.
- A journey to the centre
- Becoming one with the forces of the universe
Reaching out with profound respect for all creation- And having it reflected back
Calling out the name of God and hearing it- Echo in the depths of my soul.
I have been on this journey forever and yet it has just begun and I still have a lifetime to go. I have often felt like giving up as I practice the aikido techniques in my awkward and clumsy way but, I hear voices of encouragement all around me and so I continue. The constant reminders to adjust my body position, relax my shoulders and move from my centre gradually reconnect me to my body and enable me to listen to its wisdom. The first step to tapping the source of energy within.
I am truly grateful for this opportunity.
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