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Member Profile: Elizabeth Bristol
by Siamak Abdollahi
SA: Tell us a bit about your background.
EB: I am a teacher and I was teaching in a school in South Africa for two and a half years. At the end of 1996, I came to Toronto, and since then I've been looking for a job in teaching. I've been doing volunteer work in schools and taking courses, but it's very hard to find a job.
SA: How did you find out about aikido?
EB: When I was at university, I met this Nigerian man. We were practicing tae kwon do and he was doing aikido at the same time. He introduced aikido to us.
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Aikido comes with you outside the dojo into your life.
The idea of using other people's energy... |
EB: I liked the idea of using uke's energy to complete the technique.
SA: Do you feel any difference between tae kwon do and aikido?
EB: Yes, tae kwon do and karate are very aggressive and forceful, but aikido is very gentle and co-operative.
SA: How long have you been practicing aikido?
EB: I practiced aikido for four years, then stopped for ten years and, five months ago, started again.
SA: Has aikido made any difference in your life?
EB: Even when I stopped aikido for ten years, it never left me. I always used it in most aspects of my life. Even in doing something as simple as pushing a shopping cart, I was thinking about my ki.
SA: How do you feel about aikido—is it like any other martial art, or is there something special that you learn from it?
EB: When you do tae kwon do, you go to the club or dojo, practice and leave. But aikido comes with you outside the dojo into your life. The idea of using other people's energy, even on a psychological level, never left me, and I was always thinking about it.
SA: How do you feel when you leave the dojo after practice?
EB: Even if I don't feel good when I come to the dojo, I always leave relaxed and happy and regenerated for the day.
SA: If you could find time, would you go back to tae kwon do?
EB: If I find time, I will practice more aikido.
SA: What is the hardest thing about aikido?
EB: Trying not to use muscle, being relaxed and moving with the flow.
SA: What has kept you practicing aikido?
EB: Aikido lifts my spirits and regenerates my soul. It captures my spirit and puts me in a positive frame, and that's what keeps me going. Now that I'm back to aikido I don't know why I had left it. I hope I won't leave again.
SA: How does aikido affect your parental relationship?
EB: Sometimes I find myself stopping my son's energy in what he is doing, but then by using aikido, I am able to guide his energy and effort instead of stopping them.
SA: Is there anything you want to say to your friends in the dojo?
EB: I really appreciate everybody being kind, open and helpful, which I didn't experience in other
dojos. The dojo here at the YMCA is like a small family to me.
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