We start class by doing a simple move – tenkan. One meaning of the word is “to change.” I like the idea of uke (the person who attacks) and nage (the person who responds to the attack) approaching each other at this stage in the practice and just noticing each other. I want them to say to themselves, “I feel you. This is what you feel like at this moment.”
With tenkan, you have the opportunity to do something well by doing less. When some people do tenkan, they do too much. Try doing less. As nage, just accept that someone has grabbed you and do less. Do just enough and no more. If you speak that message, you’re doing too much. If you take a walk in the woods, and you see a tree, the tree is not telling you, “Enjoy life, seize the moment, be present.” No. The tree is just there. You decide to make what you will of it.
When I’m teaching tenkan to beginners or someone who’s trying aikido for the first time, I feel like I should explain it. From the outside, it’s hard to see what the point is. But I don’t explain it. I want people to just feel it. Tenkan is fundamental to aikido: you’re taking energy and changing it.
Aikido is about change. Positive change. What I like is seeing people come into the dojo for the first time, maybe a little hunched over, and then they stand straighter, shoulders back. I like seeing that change in people. They take a fall with less fear. They know they’ll be okay. They know that they can’t force it. Everyone has limitations. So… when I see that self-awareness, I know they are growing.
We’re not changing the world. Maybe we’re changing ourselves.
Come in and bring your true self, and we’ll give you a good practice. We’re sincere. We’re not here to beat you up or impress you. Some people might criticize me for not focusing more on self-defense, but that’s not my goal. They say we should practice techniques we can use on the street. I say, “Yeah, but I don’t live on that street.”
This is what we do. We’ll give you a good handshake. We’re still martial. We value effectiveness. But I’d rather see good posture and position. I don’t do martial arts for self-defense. I do it for the person.