“The Art of Peace is the principle of nonresistance. Because it is nonresistant, it is victorious from the beginning. Those with evil intentions or contentious thoughts are instantly vanquished. The Art of Peace is invincible because it contends with nothing.”
– from The Art of Peace by Ōsensei (“Great Teacher”), Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido.
Like presence and being wholly in the body, nonresistance is deep practice … for me, at least. Like many, I was well and deeply conditioned to roll the boulders up the hill, ‘make it happen’, push the river …
Can you think of other metaphors that you’ve used for your own experience with pushing it rather than trusting and allowing?
Yet, wow, with the practice — and it is practice — I notice a huge shift and release of all the tension and other ‘psychic muck’ that goes along with resisting what is and/or ‘living in the head’ (and leaving the rest of the body just about abandoned through lack of presence).
How about you … what have you noticed from your practices in these wild, wise disciplines?
Big Love, Joyful Presence, and Deep Practice,
Featured Image Credit: Morihei Ueshiba meditates on top of Haleakala, Maui, 1961. Shared in Spirituality & Health magazine and sourced from the photo archives of Maui-Ki Aikido.
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Lots of love,
October 7, 2016 at 6:48 pm
Reblogged this on O LADO ESCURO DA LUA.
October 7, 2016 at 7:17 pm
These are trying times for practicing non-resistance and detachment, but it is precisely within our bubbles of concerns that we are goaded into finding a way above. Recent events on the so-called “world stage” are gently ushering the people I know into a state of expanded awareness about themselves and what has been making them tick.
October 10, 2016 at 4:00 pm
So very, very true, Bo. Thanks for sharing these insights. It is daily and deep practice to practice non-resistance, and presence for that matter. 🙂
What you shared brings to mind something I read about the Dalai Lama. He commented when asked how he found time to meditate when he was so busy. He replied that on ‘normal’ days he meditated for an hour, and on extremely busy days he meditated for 2 hours. Trickster humor — always wonderful and refreshing! — but it makes sense … when it seems more difficult, it’s more important to do the practice.
xo Love, Jamie