The Progression from Unification of Self to Unification of Others

We know that fudo genri is closely related to the first level of Aikido which is unification of self. But I think I get how important Chushin really is now. Learning to feel center, to be relaxed, to move without wanting to move, to extend ki all leads to establishing a good centerline. With that, movement becomes Aikido movement. Without chushin being the backbone, we are just like jelly fish no matter how much muscle or speed we put into our movements. If we only know how important kamae and sorewaza really is. And I'm beginning to appreciate kata dori more and more. And Ikkyo, wow. How did such a boring technique become so so Important? Even more so than iriminage! One would have thought that iriminage is so much more useful, but hey...Without proper Ikkyo, it's doubtful you could even enter into iriminage. If you're still pushing your ikkyo, then its high time to start practicing more cuts.

And then, all those exercises with our partner. Those attacks. We get to feel their ki, their tension, their muscles, their balance, their center. And then we learn to manipulate this using our centerline, and we also learn to connect our center to theirs. Then we learn to move their center with ours. And later we learn to move it from feeling. Then quite possibly later, we get to feel his center even without physical contact and then even to move his center from that distance. This is just wonderful! An art that constantly has layers upon layers for us to explore and discover. Its just great. I don't care if I'll ever use it or not, just by having the chance to practice this is reward enough for me.

I wonder how and what I will discover in Unifying with the universe level...I know its still a long way to go. But will I hear the Sound of Earth? Will I hear the Sound of Heaven? And after that...