REVERSED EFFORT AND THE KEY TO MASTERY

The more I teach, the more I distrust my own methods. I vacillate between two instincts: to explain everything, the Western compulsion toward clarity, and to say almost nothing, as my Japanese teachers did. Both seem inadequate. There is a paradox in learning that unsettles: The more effort one exerts to master, the more elusiveContinue reading “REVERSED EFFORT AND THE KEY TO MASTERY”

CHRISTOPHER MULLIGAN in AIKIDO JOURNAL

Chris Mulligan sensei sent me the draft format of this article in February 2020 for a quick review. His article makes explicit how he connects language acquisition with teaching and learning Aikido; which I have referenced numerous times in earlier posts. The published version is copied in full below. ______________ Christopher Mulligan Sensei began studyingContinue reading “CHRISTOPHER MULLIGAN in AIKIDO JOURNAL”

Covid-19 and Time

Usually, Outlook regulates my time through calendar invites and other obligation reminders. But the Covid-19 pandemic and its forced isolation means many are spending more time alone, without the external impositions of scheduled activities. And I am sure the rupturing of routine is a psychic unbalancing. Personally, I am enjoying the shift. It has allowedContinue reading “Covid-19 and Time”