a gift of energy
“When the attack turns into a dance, everything looks like a gift of energy.”
That sounds great, doesn’t it?
Couldn’t we all use a little more energy from time to time? I know I could. Right now, for example, as I sit with a blanket around my shoulders, sipping lemon tea and hoping the next coughing spell won’t be as ferocious as the last two, I could use a gift of energy. The tickle that started in my nose and chest a few days ago has turned into a full-blown, body-wrecking cold with chills and fever.
The martial art Aikido (The Path of Harmony) teaches us to see everything that crosses our path as energy to dance. By centering and extending our ki (vital energy) we connect and merge with the attack energy, making it part of us. We redirect it from the center, keeping ourselves and our attacker safe from damage.
How this elegant metaphor applies to situations in our personal and professional lives is a continuing source of study and fascination for me. One of the ways I work to integrate the principles of Aiki into my life is by sharing the philosophy with others. My workshops use physical exercises that help our bodies remember how to do things like center, extend, recognize, and blend. We begin to dance, flow and move with the energy of the conflict instead of blocking it.
So I sit, wondering how I can dance to this fit. Even focusing doesn’t stop the incessant cough. I have no ki to extend (it seems to have retreated to the furthest corners of my system). The only thing I can think of doing is acknowledging and hugging.
But that, at least, is a start. In years past, he did not admit to being ill. When he was sick, he often went to work anyway. I worked my way through what I needed to do with half spirit and wore myself out. I probably infected half a dozen more in the process. Sometimes he was moody, depressed and it was depressing to be around. If I can’t acknowledge what’s going on, whether it’s a cold or a problem at home, I probably can’t accept it. By this I mean make him a part of me, connect with him so he can start looking for solutions.
Most of our conflicts, internal or external, would resolve themselves if we just took this first step: acknowledge them! But because we see them as negative, we immediately resist fight or flight. If I can see what is presented to me as energy, with no other positive or negative charge than the one I give it, I can be more curious about it. As undesirable as it is, there is definitely more power in dancing with it than resisting it.
As for my cold, I’m still trying to figure out if there’s a present in here somewhere. Let’s see: I already read a book that I had put aside for months, started another one and rested a bit (between coughs!). I may not always know what the energy offers, but when I can ask the question “Where is the gift?” I have taken a step in a new direction.