Days like these really make you realize that your ego is sometimes your worst enemy in your training.
Now I never mentioned that I was “great” or even “good” for my rank. However, I felt that in some ways my “I” (as what my Sensei calls the ego is called in Aikido) really, really had a good lesson in humility tonight. Just now I’m realizing that just like how Sensei/Sifus out there have their ways of weeding out macho know-it-all newbie students, they have their ways of keeping their students’ “I” (egos) in check.
It is a constant and never-ending obstacle. Because at the end of the day, it is not “you” who does the movement/technique/art, it is “it” – the “system”.
True Victory is Victory over the Self/”I”
Note: The picture is the Japanese Kanji for the above quote. The translation is also the same in Chinese (most Kanji have kept their meanings from the Chinese language)
Good night ladies and gents, and till next time!
The Journey of an Accidental Aikidoist 
That is a very beautiful piece of calligraphy. Do you know who painted it?
Why yes I do. This piece was written by Morihei Ueshiba O’Sensei, the founder of Aikido. Apart from being a legendary martial artist in Japan he was also a well accomplished calligrapher.
Thank you. I knew he was a calligrapher, but must admit that I have unfortunately not seen much of his work. It is interesting how many of the “founders” were calligraphers. I wrote a bit on it here:
http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/03/taekwon-do-and-calligraphy.html
In the above post I wonder about the relationship between General Choi Hong Hi’s calligraphy and Taekwon-Do. Have you ever thought about O’Sensei’s calligraphy and Aikido movements?
I will say that the way O’Sensei went about his calligraphy is very similar, if not the same process as how he explored what he called Aikido. I’m not into calligraphy myself, however one of his direct students (my Sensei) gave a short lecture some time ago that the process is one in the same.