Griffith Aikido Brisbane – Dojo Closures This Week

Everton Hills dojo

Monday 12th August – no adult or kids class because PCYC is closed

Saturday 17th August – no adult or kids classes because instructors will be attending the Will Reed seminar.

Nathan dojo

Thursday 15th August – no adult classes because instructors will be attending the Will Reed seminar.

Saturday 17th August – no adult or kids classes because instructors will be attending the Will Reed seminar.

Next week it is business as usual

Aspects of Irimi

Here are a few interesting excerpts in relation to ‘irimi’ by Wendy Palmer in her book “The Intuitive Body: Aikido as a Clairsentient Practice”. It includes a telling quote from the late Terry Dobson.

“Strength has more to do with intention than with the size of your biceps. It has more to do with your Spirit and your energy flow than the number of push-ups you can do.”

– Terry Dobson

“The concept of irimi is translated as “entering”. Irimi is an embracing of life, a fundamental urge of our being.”

“In Aikido, irimi is the act of entering directly into an attack.”

“Irimi is the act of entering into life – not trying to avoid it. Irimi is a way of consciously exploring our fear that provides an opportunity to understand what holds us back and prevents us from living fully. What are some of the elements that help us to face our fear, to open our hearts, and move forward into life?

It seems to me that the two most important elements for facing our fear are ground and interest. We begin with groundedness because it provides a place from which we can then become interested. When there is a sense of embodied stability, it allows a settling down that provides some space in our being. Within that space interest and inquiry can arise. The inquiry is irimi. I often say, “If you are afraid of something, become interested in it.” By entering into a situation, we may begin to change our experience of it. Fear often begins to dissipate at this point. There is an element of generosity here as well – we give ourselves to the moment, no holding back, no watching or observing from the outside. We make a complete surrender into the moment.”

– Wendy Palmer

Griffith Aikido Brisbane – Nathan class times and Everton Hills class times