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Aikido-Yoga & Competition The purpose of this article is not
to criticize competition, or those individuals who choose to compete,
but to explain the rationale for the exclusion of competition from Aikido-Yoga.
"From ancient times, budo has never been considered a sport."
Primarily, Aikido-Yoga does not hold competitions because it is practiced as a pure traditional martial art form, and not as a sport. Full application of technique in a competitive sporting event does not result in death. Full application of technique in a real-life martial contest most certainly can, especially if weapons are involved. In preparing for competition, the scope of our development is therefore limited to a specific set of pragmatic skills that are essential in order to ensure victory over others within the constraints stipulated by the governing body of the particular sport. Having said that, I would clearly like to state that there is nothing wrong with healthy competition. Competition is healthy if undertaken for the right reasons, and is bound by rules and regulations in order to ensure safety and fairness to all participants. Competition drives the excellence we demand from ourselves, and others, but if undertaken for the wrong reasons, it has the potential to be detrimental to our long-term happiness; firstly in terms of lifelong debilitating physical injuries, and secondly, in terms of supporting and perpetuating a mind-set that is not necessarily helpful to individual or collective progress. Because this article is not against healthy competition for the right reasons, it has to be said that we can also avoid competition for the wrong reasons, like fear of ridicule, not wanting to risk losing, or a deep-seated sense of inferiority, or even trying to protect a fragile sense of superiority that might be shattered if we are put to the test in open competition. Sometimes we do not compete in order to gain some sort of moral high ground over all those people we consider beneath us, who do compete. The immature behavioural characteristics displayed by us, like shyness or bravado, is our way of subconsciously masking deep-seated feelings of inferiority, or superiority. The values held by our culture, and our constant comparison of what material or social successes other people have achieved, tend to create a sense of superiority or inferiority in us all. In our materialistic societies, we generally receive approval based on our appearance, our possessions, our intellectual capacity, our social status, what successes we achieve in business, entertainment or sport, or even who we associate with. In order to obtain this approval, we spend a lot of time and effort polishing the outer image that we present to the world. This fragile outer image thinly masks the high emotional effort required to support it. The emotional energy needed to constantly prop up or protect this vulnerable outer image affects everything we do, and every relationship we have. From an early age, we are categorized as high, medium and low performers in academic and sporting endeavours. Every child is aware of their designated position relative to every other child. Based on this social conditioning, we can feel the need to enter into competition for the wrong reasons. For in that moment of victory, when we thrust our fist into the air, we feel good about ourselves, and our place in the world. For that moment, the self-doubt that so strongly questioned our own abilities from childhood is drowned out by our victorious battle cry. Each successive victory, in a deep psychological way, not only validates our status as being important and valuable, but also temporarily satisfies a more base need for us to feel that we are worthy of love and approval. This insatiable desire for success and recognition creates a life filled with intense judgment and comparison of ourselves against others. Regardless of whether the comparison, or competition, goes in our favour or not, our feeling good or bad about ourselves is dependent on whether someone else is either better or worse than us. It is therefore necessary for others to fail in order for us to feel good about ourselves. Fact is, that there will always be someone who is bigger, faster, better, smarter or more successful. So how secure can we really be if we always feel vulnerable to everyone who possess the potential to beat us. Undertaken for the wrong reasons, competition just sets us up for a lifetime of comparison, jealousy, envy, disappointment and disapproval of others, and ourselves. Gripped by these emotions, we turn petty, negative and spiteful. Slowly, year upon year, these internal feelings affect our health, and contour the wrinkles on our faces, according to the intensity of these negative emotions.
In the practice of Aikido-Yoga, correct breathing, combined with specific physical and mental conditioning, gradually discards the negative habits of mind that limit our human potential. We slowly start to develop a solid feeling of self-worth that is underpinned by a clear understanding of universal values and principles. We do not feel so threatened or anxious about winning or losing, or whether we get other peoples approval or not. We begin to use criticism, and life experiences, to better understand our strengths and weaknesses. We start to become more tolerant of our shortcomings, as well as those of others. We disapprove less. Bit by bit, our need to win over others in order to gain respect gives way to an inner strength that does not deflate when reassurance and approval are not in constant supply. As the years pass, we let go of our need to feel superior or inferior, together with the accompanying baggage of self-criticism, comparison, judgment, disappointment, jealousy and envy. As a result, our attitude gradually shifts from individualism to inter-dependence, connecting us as one among many, as opposed to one above, or below, many. This leaves us feeling positive towards ourselves, and others. The mind gradually becomes our servant, and not our master. Ironically, this state of mind maximizes our chances of gaining the approval, love and happiness that we so desperately wanted to win in competition. Aikido-Yoga training calms the mind, enabling us to physiologically centre ourselves, and expand our awareness beyond the world of winning and losing, us verses them, and friends verses enemies. This frame of mind broadens our awareness further than what we previously allowed ourselves to feel. This heightened awareness naturally widens our perspective to include larger social and environmental issues that affect our whole planet. A growing sense of spirituality, where we begin to tune into something bigger than ourselves, awakens a concern for the whole earth, and all its inhabitants. This conviction, emerging from our growing understanding of self, creates within us the courage to act with a certainty that is grounded in our understanding of fundamental universal principles. We remain calm and centred under pressure, and strive to live a life of authenticity that is true to our original human nature. In our Aikido-Yoga training, we therefore seek victory not over others, but over ourselves. Overcoming is not the same as transcending. In the face of such a formidable challenge, we need all the emotional maturity we can muster. To dissipate our emotional energy inappropriately is counter-productive to our goal. Competitive sport is designed to produce a winner. In real life, we all need one another to succeed.
Julius Aib,
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