A Short Instruction:
The purpose of this article is to practice and validate the Ki principles (Mind moves body) which are the foundation of Ki-Aikido in your daily life. Therefore, it has no meaning if you just read it without practicing it.
The fundamental method of mastering anything is practice. However, not just practice, but it is also important to validate how one has changed as a result of the practice.
It is easy to lose what you have learned without practice. On the other hand, you will never lose what you have learned through practice and validation. Therefore, please read, practice, and validate the contents of my article at least a month.
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Purpose & Goal
When we face an important situation, we often become nervous.
We had a Ki-Aikido dan promotion test last weekend at Ki no Sato. I have been watching each promotion test since last year. I can see that some students cannot perform to the best of their ability because they get nervous.
We all know that “Mind moves body”. Therefore, if mind becomes tense, body also becomes tense. Without removing tension from the mind, we cannot remove the tension of the body. The tension in mind sometimes comes from the way of thinking. Therefore, your way of thinking changes your way of perceiving things.
Many people confuse “purpose” with “goal”.
Do you think that passing the Ki-Aikido Dan test and consequent promotion would be the “purpose” or “goal” of Ki-Aikido study? Half of the students answer “purpose”, half of the students answer “goal”. Which is correct? What do you think?
The answer is to pass the test is “goal”.
The “purpose” is to understand Ki-Aikido deeply and practice it in our daily life. That is, through the promotion test, one can understand Ki-Aikido more deeply and practice this in daily life.
Everyone feels tension or nervousness. If you face the nervousness fully, then you will use the nervousness in a plus way, and perform to the best of your ability. This can be the best training opportunity.
On the other hands, if you think to pass the test is the “purpose”, you start to think “I must not fail”. As a result, you become more nervous.
When you do anything, you can change your approach by knowing if it is “purpose” or “goal”.
I have many chances to teach businesspersons. I will ask them, “Is it your “purpose” or “goal” to earn millions of yen?” Just as before, half answer “purpose”, half answer “goal”. If the goal is to earn a lot of money, we tend to think we that justifies doing anything to earn money. In those companies, not only management, but also the workers become tense, and the work is painful.
The purpose of any company is to serve society. This is basic, then, the company has a goal: everyone works in a lively way.
There are many examples of this, such as “Taking an exam and passing the exam would be purpose or goal?” “To get qualification would be purpose or goal?”
If you feel tension or hardship or loose Ki in what you are doing, you will need to think carefully about what is your purpose and what is your goal.
To clarify, your purpose means to send your mind to your goal. This is oneness of mind and body. “Mind moves body” therefore the nervousness is not only a matter of body but state of mind.
Below is this week’s practice and validation:
［Point of practice］
Clarify whether what you are engaged in is your purpose or your goal.
If you misunderstood purpose and goal, think carefully what is your purpose.
［Point of validation］
When your purpose becomes clear, what change do you feel?
(For example, can you have good tension, perform easily, and enjoy doing things etc.? )