If we become conscious of this Emerging Creativity, we have the possiblity to align with it, to participate with it, to co-create with it. It can be a fuel for Inspiration, for Contemplation, for Awakening, for Transformation.

What I have also noticed about this Emerging Creativity, is that it brings with it a realization of our mortality. Transformation can not happen without the “Death” of the old. No butterfly without the death of a caterpillar. The recognition of this “Death” seems vital for us to actually be aligned with this Emerging Creativity. In fact it seems that without this recognition we are losing a source of energy that is necessary for us to make the leap into this new Creativity.

Somehow the image of being carried by a wave rising out of the ocean is closest to describing this experience. When we align with this energy that rises up from below, and we choose to reside in faith, great journeys of discovery can happen. When the faith is forgotten and we struggle for control of this energy or our relation to it, we feel threatened by the energy. It continues to rise and we can chose to trust and “surf” it or resist and “wipe out”.

Our practice of Aikido mirrors this situation. Can we “surf” the energy of our partner to allow the conflict to be transformed and thus be transformed in the process? In this, our practice gives us the chance to explore this principle of aligning with Emerging Creativity in a way that we can learn how to recognize its nature. Of course we are supported in similar ways as we Meditate or engage in Yoga as well.

In the end it seems that for us to align with this Emerging Creativity either in Life or as an exploration in our practice, we must take risks. To lean forward into the Unknown and place Faith in our intention and let the wave below us fuel the journey as we witness our own evolution and the evolution of the Life we all share.

This is the question that inspires me most. To look into the direction of new territory for ourselves and for us as a community. It seems that life as a whole is asking for us to change whether we accept it or not. But to take a proactive stance with this change, to encourage this process within oneself is a compelling opportunity for evolution.

Somehow the Art of Aikido seems to be a perfect environment to explore this question of individual and communal evolution. It offers a territory to engage with, in which we can confront the experience of conflict and directly relate to it with a new understanding. We can recognize that it is one system that we live in and that system is intelligent. To align with the intelligence of that system is to discover a higher order perspective. This higher order perspective transcends the habitual reactions found in conflict situations. It offers the opportunity to transform the conflict with responses that flow in accordance with the integrity of the system while honoring the individuals.

Aikido offers a laboratory for us to break new ground on how to respond to crisis. I don’t know about you, but it seems we need this kind of laboratory.

So for me the question “What are we evolving into?” is an essential one that determines the intention of our exploration. It can give us a direction for our evolution and hopefully shed light on emerging solutions that we desperately need.

Patrick

This is the first entry into our Aikido Montreux Blog. We are looking forward to this new year, full of new direction and possibility.

With regards to new directions, we are launching a new website that features the exploration that we are committed to here at Aikido Montreux.

This new site is entitled, www.evolutionaryaikido.com.

Here is a brief introduction to the site:

We are a group of professional Aikido instructors committed to looking at the essential questions that originally inspired the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, to fomulate the Art. With this in mind we strive to explore the evolution of the Art, the transformation of its practioners and the impact that Aikido has on the World. Our work is not based on any particular stylistic approach but supported strictly by the deep desire to understand and embody this living perspective that the Art of Aikido contains.

This site is designed as a meeting place for this exploration to be shared. To bring different approaches into one site and present them to the general Aikdo Community. Our vision is that the site itself will evolve into a greater expression of this exploration of the Art. Our aim is to provide a living interactive informational link to a greater community devoted to the evolutionary aspects of Aikido.

Please visit the site and let us know your impressions and your feedback.

Thanks,

Patrick