# Zazen in Aikido



## Budo_NJ (Jun 14, 2007)

I've come to the realization that I'm not very interested in meditation (zazen) and would rather spend the time training in the martial aspects of aikido. So am I experiencing the entire art of Aikido without including zazen in my training?


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## theletch1 (Jun 14, 2007)

My first response was going to be a quick "no, you're not missing out" and get on with it.  In truth, it really depends on just what you consider meditation to be.  For me, it's more a mushin thing than zazen thing that I strive for in my aikido.  The style that I study doesn't incorporate any meditation onto the dojo.  I do a little meditation on my own time but that's as much self defense from the stresses of life as from anything to do with my martial arts training.  Keep in mind that there are many different styles of aikido out there and each has it's own focus on different aspects of the art.  Some are closer to jutsu than do and won't have any meditation and very little of the more spiritual parts of what many consider to be aikido in them.  Others are almost entirely meditation.  The trick is to find the style of aikido that suits your needs.


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## kaizasosei (Jun 14, 2007)

zazen will not go away just because someone says so...anyways, zazen must be achieved.  one way to achieve it is to do aikido. whatever it is, if it is done with a passion
.. to achieve zazen, i would think you would need to do lots of aikido...maybe it would be better to also do other things too...i mean other arts like floweraranging or archery or whatever need not be so martial, any hobby or art.  some people achieve zen by sitting alone, but any way is possible.
 then you might better achieve zazen.  then again you might be better off just concentrating on normal aikido techniques which in my opinion are more interesting than the movements of sitting alone. there is enough stretching and seiza in aikido also shikko...that is more challenging than sitting although in some way sitting could be seen as a high goal in itself.   

question is: what is to be attained by zazen?  is it a physical or a mental/spiritual goal?  is it for practical purposes? 



j


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## Yari (Jun 17, 2007)

Well, I would say that your Aikido would only be as good as what you put in it.

So what one of the things that I'm saying is "what is aikido". You need to find out if your looking at Aikido for yourself, or are you looking at aikido from a third part(somebody says Aikido is so-and-such, and you follow).

I would be a third part. Saying that your Aikido would benifit from Zazen. Biut again I don't know you or the Aikido style that your practising. Also, not saying that something else could give you the same benifit. But I know that zazen gives a good benifit, and therefor I recommened it.

Regards
Yari


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## Monadnock (Jun 22, 2007)

Budo_NJ said:


> I've come to the realization that I'm not very interested in meditation (zazen) and would rather spend the time training in the martial aspects of aikido. So am I experiencing the entire art of Aikido without including zazen in my training?


 
I would say you would be missing a part of your teacher's Aikido. If you are a new student, you may not realize what is needed in your training yet but your teacher should know. At this point, I would say, continue to follow along. If it conflicts too much with what you want to learn, then maybe that school is not for you. Most meditation sessions before and after class are only a few minutes, and with training being 20% in class and 80% homework, you really aren't cutting into your "martial" training all that much.


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## Budo_NJ (Jun 29, 2007)

Monadnock said:


> I would say you would be missing a part of your teacher's Aikido. If you are a new student, you may not realize what is needed in your training yet but your teacher should know. At this point, I would say, continue to follow along. If it conflicts too much with what you want to learn, then maybe that school is not for you. Most meditation sessions before and after class are only a few minutes, and with training being 20% in class and 80% homework, you really aren't cutting into your "martial" training all that much.



I think my aikido teacher is great and it would be hard to find another one like him. I'll practice zazen and try to focus on the positive aspects of it.


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