The Power of a Positive Mind

By Todd Kupper Chief Instructor Keystone Dojo

We have several Kokikai Aikido Principles that include Keep One Point to Develop Calmness (stay centered), Relaxation, Correct Posture and Positive Mind. If you were to ask me the hardest one is relaxation and my family and friends would agree. But with the current situation of uncertainty across the world many may have difficulty with positive mind. Millions have lost jobs, others working from home, children home schooling and no one really knows how long it will take to get back to normal. People are worried about food, rent, mortgages and ultimately the future.

In my book The Magic of Balanced Living I talk about The Power of Positive Mind.

1. You can choose to be a positive person, or you can choose to be a negative person. It is the most fundamental right choice that we face as human beings. And given that simple choice why on earth would you choose to be negative? It wouldn’t make any sense. We get one go around down here, so we might as well be happy while we’re here.

2. You can choose to surround yourself with positive people, or you can choose to surround yourself with negative people. I decided a long time ago that I don’t have any use for negative people. Just try sharing your goals and ambitions and dreams with a negative person sometime. I guarantee they’ll spend the next hour telling you why or how you can’t achieve them. Negative people are a waste of your time.

3. You can choose to be a positive influence on others, or you can choose to be a negative influence. Think about this last one, because this is where the power of a Positive Mind can really make a difference. Because when you make this choice, you’re making a choice about the kind of impact you want to have on the world. You’re making a choice about the very legacy you’ll leave behind. You can either be the kind of person people want to respect, trust or possibly hate.

Many years ago, my friend Otto was the first person to tell me the famous Chines story Chengyu (Sai Weng Shi Ma) about The Old Man Who Loses His Horse. Basically, there are many versions of this story, but this old man had a beautiful horse who ran away. All his neighbors came to console him and surprised when he said “How do I not know if this is not a fortunate event? “A week later the horse returned along with another fine horse. The neighbors came to congratulate him and again surprised when he said, “How do you know if this not a fortunate event?” A week or two later the old man’s son training the new horse fell off and broke his leg. The neighbors once again heard the news and tried to console the old man, but he once again said “How do you know this is not a fortunate event”?

Sometime later the emperor’s army marched through the village and recruited all the young, healthy men for war. Well luckily for the old man his son couldn’t join or go to war because of this broken leg.

So, my friends and I now use this saying Sai Weng Shi Ma. I even was gifted with the beautiful saying in kanji that hangs in my hallway to this day. The lesson is regardless of the situation you can find the silver lining or the good in any bad. Or some translate it as you don’t know right now what a blessing is and what is a curse.

So, it is not easy in these given times, but we need to remain positive, poised and let difficult times help us develop the strength needed for the future. Try to develop your positive mind and surround yourself with family and friends who are a positive influence. Don’t ever forget The Power of a Positive Mind!

Always Growing Through Aikido

This past trip to Japan was truly epic and for many reasons. The Sakura were in full bloom, the weather was perfect, the food was amazing, and the company was priceless. But the reason we were all there was for Sensei!

Sensei was amazing and the energy was high in dojo and Budokan. Sensei seems to be an ageless wonder to the point I even asked him if he was touching special rocks to keep him looking young and strong.

As I reflect on my latest trip to Japan, I started thinking of the many epic conversations I had with Sensei, friends and even Mr. Morimoto, a drunk businessman who joined our table at an izakaya for endless sake and conversation.

Most of my conversations with Sensei were about the future and to “always be growing”. We had similar conversations before over matcha or sake but to me the message this time seemed more profound than ever. Always growing is not just about technique but on and off the mat as a human being. I believe to Sensei success is seeing his students grow through Kokikai as individuals. Growth can be in many ways. Of course there is growth as a martial artist, becoming better physically, mentally and spiritually. It can also mean becoming a better student, husband, wife, son, daughter, coworker or caregiver. In order to grow you must challenge yourself and sometimes you must be uncomfortable or even suffer.

Challenging yourself can come in many ways. Regarding Aikido, it could be going to more classes, ukeing more, attending all of camp, teaching, getting in shape or working to develop a more positive mind. Off the mat it be signing up for a physical challenge such as a race, trying to communicate better, studying harder, going for that promotion or anything else you may be uncomfortable doing.

As I sat down with Sensei the term Budo or Bushido often came up.

Kokikai Aikido is more than just a martial art—it is a path of lifelong personal growth. I believe this is what really separates us from other martial arts and makes it harder to sell in today’s day and age when most have little patience to learn and most need instant feedback. It is much easier to kick or punch a pad or put on a jiu-jitsu choke than spend years improving yourself.

As a budo art Aikido reflects both the combative and spiritual dimensions of traditional Japanese martial art disciplines. The term budo means “the way of the warrior” and implies the personal development through martial training. Aikido fits this through its martial art roots, philosophical and ethical path, non-competitive nature and its’ budo etiquette and tradition.

In summary Kokikai Aikido is a living budo art: a martial art that combines effective techniques with ethical responsibility and individual personal transformation.

I challenge all of you to grow on and off the mat. In my opinion, as I look to acquire more students is that Aikido can’t be sold but needs to be experienced!