In the previous issue of Cosmos, I suggested that we may find guidelines for our practice of Aikido in the future in "freedom of mind and body" which both Pablo Casals and Ueshiba Morihei actually realised. To this, I received the question; how may one obtain freedom of mind and body. I am still on the way of learning in Aikido, and am not confident that I can answer this well, but I would like to relate my experience and what I have felt and learnt for your reference.

In Japan, "relaxing of the shoulders" has been emphasized since ancient times in various physical and cultural activities. Reflecting upon my own experience, this phrase was told to me when I was achieving the opposite to that which I wanted, despite my hard, conscientious, and although I found my Aikido practice strong and good. While we all may wish to perform well, to become strong, to improve ourselves (which is a good thing), this kind of awareness brings about a state of "straining oneself", disturbing one's improvement, and resulting in an opposite effect to that which one originally wanted. If so, we need to consider the relationship between maintaining one's awareness of a need to improve the movements and behaviour that lead to that improvement.

We have been educated as a member of society from childhood, and enter adulthood filled with various established senses of values that reflect our society. However, concepts such as good or evil, strength, and beauty are changeable just as culture or age changes, even though they seem to be universally true. What we hold right now is the sense of values which we possess in common with the community where we live. On the basis of such a sense of value, we try hard to adjust ourselves to it, and sometimes we restrict our mind and body in doing so. In such a case, the phrase that "you have too much force into the shoulders" might be said to us.

In order to reach the state of "freedom of mind and body", we need to change the consciousness which is based on the sense of values in our community. In other words, we need to question ourselves again what is "becoming good", in Aikido practice, and need to take a step forward from the sense of values in the community which is "what should be" and "what must be".

"Harmony of spirit, skill and body" means that one must try to accord the spiritual and body movements in training. But in practice, even if we think we want to do this, our body rarely follows. "Body" seems to resist "mind" movement; indeed it seems to even confront it. The time I felt this confrontation between "body" and "mind" most strongly was when I moved my body in the consciously thinking of "what I should do" or "what I should be". Therefore, I came to the conclusion that to overcome the confrontation, I must change my approach. In practice, I try not to pursue strength or good performance, and concentrate on the moment,

while releasing the force as much as possible. Watching my own mind movement, feeling my balance, and knowing the direction of my next movement from the partner's movement (reaction), I try to set my body in that direction. It is said that the body memory is the strongest. In the beginning, you try this consciously, and continue until you can do it without consciousness. When you can move unconsciously, you can be aware of the movement that arises from "harmony of spirit, skill and body" which has no opposition between "mind" and "body". And you will find that nothing restricts your movement. (December, 1997)