| "When attack becomes dance, everything is seen as | | | | have no ki to extend (it seems to have retreated to |
| a gift of energy."That sounds great, doesn't it?Couldn't | | | | the innermost recesses of my system). The only thing I |
| we all use a little more energy from time to time? I | | | | can think to do is to acknowledge and embrace.But |
| know I could. Right now, for instance, as I sit with a | | | | that, at least, is a beginning. In years past, I would not |
| blanket over my shoulders, sipping lemon tea and | | | | acknowledge being sick. When I was sick, I'd often go |
| hoping that the next coughing spasm is not as | | | | to work anyway. I plowed through what needed doing |
| ferocious as the last two, I could use a gift of energy. | | | | with half a spirit and wore myself out. I probably |
| The tickle that started in my nose and chest a few | | | | infected half a dozen others in the process. I was |
| days ago has blossomed into a full-blown, | | | | sometimes ill-tempered, depressed and depressing to |
| body-wracking cold, complete with chills and fever.The | | | | be around. If I can't acknowledge what's going on, |
| martial art Aikido (The Way of Harmony) teaches us | | | | whether it's a cold or a problem at home, I surely can't |
| to see everything that comes our way as energy to | | | | embrace it. By this I mean make it a part of me, |
| be danced with. By centering and extending our ki (life | | | | connect with it so that I can begin to look for |
| energy) we connect and blend with the energy of | | | | solutions.Most of our conflicts, internal or external, |
| attack, making it a part of us. We redirect it from | | | | would resolve themselves if we would only take this |
| center, keeping ourselves and our attacker safe from | | | | first step - acknowledge them! But because we see |
| harm.How this elegant metaphor applies to situations in | | | | them as negative, we immediately resist by fighting or |
| our personal and professional lives is a continuing | | | | fleeing. If I can see what comes my way as energy, |
| source of study and fascination for me. One of the | | | | with no positive or negative charge other than what I |
| ways I work at integrating Aiki principles into my life is | | | | give it, I can be more curious about it. As unwanted as |
| by sharing the philosophy with others. My workshops | | | | it may be, there's definitely more power in dancing with |
| use physical exercises which help our bodies | | | | it than in resisting it.As for my cold, I'm still trying to learn |
| remember how to do things like center, extend, | | | | if there's a gift here somewhere. Let's see - I've |
| acknowledge and blend. We begin to dance, flow and | | | | already read a book I've been putting aside for months, |
| move with the energy of conflict instead of blocking | | | | started another, and gotten some much needed rest |
| it.So I sit, wondering how I can dance with this attack. | | | | (in between coughs!). |
| Even centering doesn't stop the incessant coughing. I | | | | |