Mental Training

When we get beyond the basics of knowing (more or less, sometimes more,
sometimes less) technique, training moves to a more subtle level.
I operate mostly by mimicking those whom I think do it "right",
especially Sensei, down to the level of detail where, if I succeed in my
training, a high ranking aikidoka could recognize the style of my teachers.

One measure of progress is how much mental garbage gets stirred up
during practice. Almost all of us carry on an unspoken dialogue with
ourselves. "Oh, that worked pretty well." Or maybe something closer to:
"DOH!" or worse. Last night I enjoyed practice and had not very much
"DOH!" in the mental flow. As I work with others, there is the sense of
their mental state that comes out in their technique. It's a curious
thing to watch. The beginner is saying: "I'm am unsure of my
technique." Sempai are often saying: "I am here to help." I also
notice how people bow before and after we have practiced together.
Everything we do speaks volumes.

The bad news: Sarah had an injury just before her test! She
unfortunately has to postpone her test. This too is part of her test.