Musings from the Mat: First Moments of Aikido

How do we find the thing we were born to do?  Some of us know from birth that we are destined to be opera singers or fire fighters.  Others of us try out many versions of our future selves and then weave our experiences into a life path. I am often asked how did I know that Aikido would be my life path? I was the lucky one.

The first moment I cast eyes on a strawberry blond woman twirling in the dance studio of Naropa Institute in the summer of 1978, I was in awe of what I saw.  My next bout of luck occurred later that fall when I flew to Seattle and searched for a Mary Heiny Sensei, the women who trained with O Sensei and sewed futons for a living.

I will never forget entering the door of the Seattle School of Aikido on a dark, rainy evening. I sat down on the bench and let my eyes land on the floor to ceiling calligraphy in the front wall. Of course I had no idea that it said, “masa katsu agatsu”, but it held my attention.  The dojo was packed with people dressed in white outfits and black skirts. Men and women were laughing, spinning, striking each other and falling down. The room felt electric. 

Suddenly everyone lined up and sat on their knees in silence. The person I had been searching for walked to the center of the room, bowed and clapped her hands four times. Time passed quickly as I watched this teacher toss people all over the room. Just picture a rather petite woman with steely eyes, medusa arms moving like whips, and hair flying in her face. 

I didn’t know quite what I was watching, but I did know I was enthralled.  I wanted to do what she did.

Kimberly