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I hope You are well and having a successful day... here is Your latest Harmony of Mind-Body-Spirit Newsletter from the Aikido Health Centre.

Your Unique Journey continues with 'Aikido Nage/Uke - Giving and Receiving' tune into positive and negative energy - see below...

Read on... for our Words of Wisdom, World Community News, and Feature Article. The back issues & unsubscribe links are at the end of the Ezine.

Next month's article is titled 'Removing Ego from Aikido' Learn how to truly attack and defend without the interference of ego - Stay Tuned!

Peace and Harmony

Tony

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“Trees, by virtue of their universal presence, majestic yet human scale, bridging the gap between earth and air, are the rightful symbols of all which humankind aspires to in its relationship with the planet.”

A magnificent tree from Japan, the Kiri Tree, also referred to as the Japanese Empress Tree or the Paulownia, is being pioneered in Texas. Chris Sanders and Brittany Turner have started a ‘Kiri Tree Revolution’. Their goal is to plant one million of these trees across the United States as a way to purify the soil and make it ‘green’ again.

Not only does the Kiri Tree absorb ten times more carbon dioxide than any other tree in the world, it also expels a massive amount of oxygen. Texas suffers from extremely contaminated soil, air and water, the harmful effects of which are a constant threat to the health of its state residents.

However, The Kiri Tree actually flourishes in toxic soil and water, purifying the land as it matures. It is also the fastest growing tree on Earth. When planted from seed, after eight years, it will be the same size as a 40-year-old oak tree and in one year alone it can grow up to 15 feet!

Since no one has planted Kiri Trees in Texas yet, Chris and Brittany have been experimenting with seedlings, trying to find the toughest strains that will survive the Texas climate. They are documenting their project on MySpace in the hope that this knowledge will enable the variety to be planted not just throughout Texas but all over the United States too.

The name Kiri came from the Japanese word to cut, as it was believed that the tree would grow better and quicker if it was cut down frequently. Left to grow it can reach over 30 feet in height, bearing fragrant blossoms in April or May, turning the air sweet with perfume.

The leaves make great tea – high in protein and nitrogen – and the flowers are a tasty addition to any salad. Bees love the blossom too: the honey is sweet and light and there is, apparently, no other honey quite like it.

Japanese farmers once planted Kiri Trees upon the birth of a daughter because it was so fast growing that by the time she was ready to marry, the tree could be cut down and made into a tansu or chest.

The Chinese have been planting Kiri Trees for many centuries around their dwellings, in order to bring good luck and to attract the mythical Phoenix. According to Chinese legend, the bird – a symbol of immortality that sets itself on fire to rejuvenate – is said to ‘alight only in the branches of the Kiri Tree’ and that its immortality is gained from ‘sipping the dew of its flowers’.

The Kiri Tree is the tree of the future. With its speed of growth and many uses, these ‘lungs of the world’ are set to play an invaluable part in the survival of the human race and the rejuvenation of the planet.

This is a martial art of Peace that develops in us an acute awareness of our surrounding environment, the ability to be calm, focused, relaxed and centred. Millions of Aikido practitioners around the World experience the positive benefits of... Aikido - The Way of Harmony

Aikido training is based on two partners practicing pre-arranged forms (kata) rather than freestyle practice. The basic pattern is for the receiver of the technique (uke) to initiate an attack against the thrower ( nage), who neutralises this attack with an aikido technique.

Both halves of the technique, that of uke and that of nage, are considered essential to aikido training. Both are studying aiki principles of blending. Nage learns to blend with and control attacking energy, while uke learns to become calm and flexible in the disadvantageous, off-balance positions in which nage places them.

This "receiving" of the technique is called ukemi. Uke continuously seeks to regain balance and cover vulnerabilities, while nage uses position and timing to keep uke off-balance and vulnerable. In more advanced training, uke will sometimes apply reversal techniques to regain balance.

Of the two roles that exist in aikido, the one that most aikido students focus on is the role of the nage, which is the easiest to understand and puts us in the 'winning position'. We have been taught all of our lives... to win, and losing makes us feel bad and a failure.

In reality, winning and losing are two parts of the same positive and negative energy. We win, we lose... this is life itself. We can see both, not as mistakes, but as a lesson to learn more about life. There is no losing, only life lessons that develop experience and character.

The aikido nage has several jobs. First and foremost to serve as a gauge for the uke’s attack. If the uke’s attack is weak, misaimed or trivial the nage must provide feedback to the uke. It is important that the role of the nage does not include providing instruction. Providing instruction is something reserved for the Sensei or some of the senior students.

Feedback to an uke’s attack should be done without ego and without commentary. It should be limited to how you perceived and received the attack. The nage should also provide feedback in response to the uke’s energy, which should be completely committed to the attack.

This does not mean that the uke should attack with a lot of power. The nage must be careful to clearly communicate the difference between the power and energy in the uke’s attack. This communication with the uke is one of the most important roles of the nage.

The second role of the nage is to perform the technique with perfect form. It is the nage’s job to take whatever attack or energy is given by the uke and use it to perform perfect technique and crisp form.

In Aikido practise both Uke and Nage are always attacking each other's centre of gravity. Both must keep themselves safe, and find a way to take the other's balance, to keep the connection.

On a number of levels, the martial art of Aikido can be understood as a template for life. Eventually, the harmony of the martial movements may move into the mind and into how we think. Students of Aikido may begin to start thinking and acting in a more harmonious manner.

'The mind follows the body, the body follows the mind' is a common statement of Aikidoka (student of Aikido). In Aikido, nage is the person who is attacked and redirects incoming intention/momentum/energy. Uke is the attacker and is the one who offers this energetic attack.

To be a good uke on the mat in Aikido, it is important to attack with love, integrity and resolution. Also important is to stay grounded and keep your connection to nage.

I tell my students to attack their life goals and dreams the exact same way they would attack nage on the mat. If there is something you want to obtain or attain in life then you have to attack that goal or dream.

It also helps to stay grounded and always keep your connection to the goal or dream (or nage for that matter).The better you understand how to attack in Aikido the better you can start to attack life.

Over time, as uke learns to attack, stay grounded, and keep their connection, it becomes easier to template that concept from the mat of Aikido to the Dojo of life. When Aikido students make this conceptual leap, they can start to be a good nage/uke in their lives and on the mat.

We practice being both uke and nage in the dojo, and sometimes it is important to attack. While at other times it is important to relax during an attack, allow it to happen, then redirect that attacking intention in another more harmonious direction.

We can be in either the role of the attacker/uke, or the defender/nage, on the dojo mat. We as human beings can also play both parts in the Dojo of Life. Sometimes we are just straight up attacking life and doing it well. We are setting goals and then attaining or obtaining them.

We are staying grounded and are connected to those dreams. This is what it is to be a good uke in life, and what is means to attack life.

So if we are not attacking life, life is attacking us. This happens because life is the eternal Uke. This means that life is always attacking us... and we all know what this means. Life is constantly throwing things at us, hitting us, and trying to push us off balance and take us off centre.

On the Aikido mat I tell my students this when they are being attacked by uke, whether it is another person or whether it is life attacking. When in good flow or when nage least expects it, uke is always attacking. Life is the same way, and is the eternal attacker.

When uke attacks the first thing we as nage do is breathe deeply and relax into the attack to allow it to happen. The next thing to do is stand strong in our own presence. This means to have faith in ourselves, to believe that the decisions and commitments we choose are decisive.

Extend Your energy right through Life (or uke). Move through life relaxed and centered as it attacks, and do the same to uke on the mat.

When uke on the mat attacks and nage stops at any point during the technique, things break down, and life can be the same way. When life attacks, a good thing to do is breath deeply and relax. It is healthy to believe in who we are and to stand strong in our own presence.

It is important to extent right through life, and keep moving forward. Aikido is a template for life and life is a template for Aikido, and to practice one is to practice the other. To live one is to live the other... breathe deeply, relax and enjoy your practise of life and aikido.

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In the coming weeks... 'Aikido Ukemi - Giving and Receiving Energy' We turn the spotlight on the essential ingredients for You to become a successful Uke - a receiver of energy and technique.

Subjects include... The Role of Aikido Uke, The Role of Aikido Nage, Removing Ego from Your Aikido Training, Ukemi Lessons in Daily Life, Aikido Harmony and Balance, Summary of Ukemi - Giving and Receiving.

Coming soon... The Ultimate Aikido Success Blueprint' We will be focusing on the BEST ways for You to fast-track your Aikido skills towards self-mastery. You will learn how to achieve Your peak performance levels. Positive and Negative Energy, Tune in to Ki Universal Energy,

Peace & Harmony

Tony Wilden - Aikido Instructor/Healer
Aikido Health Centre
Harmony Ezine & Ebooks
Arun Aikido Club 1992-2007
www.aikido-health.com/index

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Tony Wilden is an Aikido Instructor and qualified in several Healing Arts.
He has a deep interest in spiritual matters, optimum health, environmental issues, and the creation of harmony between people and nature. Tony is on a path to wisdom, freedom and power and shares his insights on aikido, health, universal principles, ancient knowledge and master strategies.