My Life As A Non Reflexive Verb

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Today we worked from katate dori (wrist hand grab) and during some “one on one instruction” Sidney took the time to point out that he was trying to teach us to react naturally but NOT by reflex. Again he was hoping we learned the essence of Aikido and not just some technique. At multiple parts of techniques he tried to get us to stop anticipating what would happen to us as uke. It looks like you find the essence of Aikido mostly as uke and not so much as nage who is administrating the move.

I really like the idea that the goal is not to respond in a predefined way, but to simply do what is appropriate. And by not offering resistance we naturally discover what is appropriate.

The video only relates to the word reflex, since my time in the 80s programed be to think of Duran Duran whenever I hear the work “reflex”