𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗭𝗔)
𝘉𝘺 𝘓𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘥𝘰 𝘥𝘦 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘴
What is the basic state of mind we are seeking to develop, or uncover, in our practice of aikido?
A present centered, calm, ‘open-focused’ state of awareness that is open to being and engaging with ‘what is’ and has relinquished its resistance and reactivity to experience.
Our intention in aikido is to be present with what is occurring and ‘work with’ to the most of our ability. Not because of religious, dogmatic or idealistic belief systems telling us that this should be our goal but because we have understood through repeated honest feedback on the mat that reactive patterns, in the form of defense or attack, are simply inefficient ways of solving conflict (and of relating generally!).
Attack and defense are forms of resistance that cause us to separate off from what is occurring. Informationally speaking, we then become heavily blinkered if not essentially blind, to what is actually taking place in the moment, and our consequent actions are like blind thrusts in the dark. We react instead of responding intelligently and appropriately to the demands of the situation. When we ‘just sit’ in meditation, we let go of all mental postures. It could be described, from an aikido perspective, as the ultimate practice of ‘non-resistance’.
Everything is allowed to be what it is: our bodily sensations, our feelings, our thoughts, the noises from the environment… all resistance to our experience is dropped, all arguments, all goals, all ideas about what we are doing or not doing… everything is allowed to be exactly as it is, moment by moment by moment… and straight away we are confronted with restlessness, impatience, doubting, thinking, thinking, thinking… or we pass into distraction, daydreaming, dullness and drowsiness.
Just as with Aikido, we do not resist this, we do not fight with our mind, and we do not run from it. Again and again… we simply allow it to be as it is… we simply notice what is the case without judgement and let it go.
Sitting meditation in this way, ‘just sitting’, is not the same therefore as ‘concentration’ or ‘contemplation’ oriented practices. In the first we collect our attention by concentrating on an object, and in the second we dwell deeply on an issue or question, open to the possibility of direct insight into the matter. Both of these practices are valuable and certainly have their place at times.
However, the invitation in ‘just sitting’ (shikantaza) is to let go of all mental postures and goals and to simply ‘be’.
“𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘮, 𝘯𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘯𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.”
– 𝘈𝘣𝘶 𝘠𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘥 𝘈𝘭-𝘉𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘪.
For more information as to this form of practice I can fully recommend the following:
- Adyashanti – True Meditation (book and CD)
Other valuable resources from a superb martial artist, Peter Ralston:
- The Book Of Not Knowing
- Pursuing Consciousness
- Zen Body Being
And if you are thinking about doing it…
