Zanshin by Lynn Seiser
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white, black, white
coming, going, returning
changes
He bows and enters the dojo.
I remember beginning aikido as a white belt almost 12 years ago at age
44.
I remember the hours of instruction, training, and camaraderie to
become a black belt.
I remember, and am constantly reminded, about humility and shoshin
(beginner's mind). To always stay open as a white belt and keep
polishing the subtleties of the technique and training is the art. It
is a never-ending process.
I remember coming. Coming implies going.
I am now faced with going. Going implies returning.
I look forward to returning. Returning implies coming again.
Change is the one and only constant.
Enter and blend with change because resistance is futile.
"Domo arigato gozaimashita sensei, sempai, tohai, and kohai."
He bows, hiding a tear, and walks out of the dojo.
(We are relocating from Orange County, California to Marietta, Georgia
this summer to be closer to our grandchildren.)
Thanks for listening, for the opportunity to be of services, and for
sharing this journey. Now get back to training. KWATZ!
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Lynn Seiser (b. 1950 Pontiac, Michigan) Ph.D. has been a perpetual
student of martial arts, CQC/H2H, FMA/JKD, and other fighting systems
for over 37 year. He currently trains and hold the rank of Sandan
(3rd degree Black Belt) in Tenshinkai Aikido under Sensei Dang Thong
Phong at the Westminster Aikikai
Dojo in Southern California. He is the co-author, with Phong
Sensei, of Aikido Basics (2003), and the (2006) Advanced Aikido
Concepts and Aikido Buki-waza for Tuttle Publishing. His martial art
articles have appears in Black Belt Magazine, Aikido Today Magazine,
and Martial Arts and Combat Sports Magazine. He is the founder of Aiki-Solutions
and is an internationally respected psychotherapist in the clinical
treatment of offenders and victims of violence, trauma, and abuse
living in Marietta, GA.
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