Need To Grow Gills

It was foggy and humid this AM and we were pretty sweaty, since none of it evaporates.

A nice basic class with a couple of new guys, Jim, Josh, and me.

Kaitenage is one of those techniques that isn't quite real. Working with new people, I get a feeling of what it might be like to do aikido in "real life". With experienced people, it's more like dancing.

Tantotori

Tanto (wooden knife) defenses yesterday morning with Jim and Sarah. Spent time doing basic body rotation against tsuki attack. Then into kotogaeshi.

It was the first time in about a year with Jim teaching. He's fun to work with, an older guy from CT--just became a grandfather in fact!

More Newbies!

It's always nice to have new people in the dojo. We have picked up a few new faces in the past couple of months. We now have 3 Jasons!

Good beginner's class last night. It's always good to work on the most basic techniques. There is so much we don't pick up from sensei the first million times we see him do a technique, so I always try to focus on the details of his movement, to see something I hadn't noticed before. This is sometimes hard to do when the mind says "Yeah yeah, I know that one, sure." Then the mind shuts off it's learning mode and goes into autopilot. This is the opposite of "beginner mind" that we strive for, as if we are always relearning, as if for the first time.