No, that quote is not from St Theresa of the Child Jesus, the Little Flower. She was famous for offering every little act to God no matter how trivial and small: sweeping the floor, picking up litter, just opening the window, and even just smiling. No, the quote is from O Sensei, which may surprise you, coming from a martial artist.

Every decision and every act counts. Every thought, word, and deed IS significant. It takes inner awareness and presence of mind to be observant of every little movement or step taken at every moment. Being aware at every moment of the day helps focus. Techniques practised every week will not just be dismissed as already done, like a checklist. The truth is, life is never done. There is always something more.

We are in the second week of Lent, and the third week into the new cycle. It is always encouraging to see the regular students returning for each cycle, and old students returning to Aikido practice again.

I grew up in 60s and 70s South East Asia at a time where martial arts were all the rage (still is) and Bruce Lee was a super star. I never dreamt that one day I would be so involved with Aikido. I was more into action, kicking and punching. I did practice karate for a while, and some self-defence in the army; so I do understand the appeal and excitement that these seemingly action-oriented arts have. It certainly does satisfy the raging hormones and the need to imitate our favourite action heroes.

When I finally began my Aikido practice, apart from the philosophy, what attracted me to return almost every day was the complexity of the techniques. It was not as easy as it looked. I was discovering nuances that weren't noticed before, and I just had to get it right. I was practising hard to overcome my limitations to perform the techniques fluently enough.

Practising a martial art is demanding. I come from a school where as long as one were standing and breathing, practice continues. It was not a matter of convenience or feeling good to want to turn up for class. Commitment and perseverance were key. A martial art prepares the student to weather hardships and difficult situations. Training is rigorous and demanding (sometimes made deliberately "boring") to bring you to your edge and to stretch you physically, mentally and spiritually. Then you are taken one step further, and then even further. When you finally take the time to look back, you are amazed at the ground you have covered.

What keeps a person engaged, of course, is interest and appeal. Repetition without a sense of purpose can chip away interest and enthusiasm. Like all things in life, there must be participation and engagement for there to be progress and development into excellence. For the young today, it seems 'old school' to have the persistent tenacity to complete tasks over considerable lengths of time, sometimes involving some self-sacrifice.

So, the season of Lent is a time of reflection and renewal in preparation for Good Friday and Easter. In Lent, we look inwardly at ourselves and our unfoldment. If you can be quiet with yourself for just 5 minutes, and be comfortable with that, it is the beginning of a journey that will take you to experiences you would never otherwise have. After all, you have to live with yourself all your life... especially in the most quiet and loneliest of moments. You can never run from yourself. To experience and learn all that takes time, which can be boring... or enriching, with just a shift of attitude and consciousness.

See you in the Dojo.

In peace and harmony,
Rafael Oei Sensei.
(© Copyright March 2011: Rafael Oei)

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