you cant change enemy! Enemy never obey you!Sensei went on to explain that onemust look inside and become aware of ones physiological reactions to stimuliof all types good and bad and learn to recognize when things draw us awayfrom our centers. Alternatively, we must find our gardens the environmentsand memories that help us be connected to our surroundings and cultivate asense of connection with the universe. I am part of this garden. Guy, right now you are part of this garden. There are countless thingshappening in this garden right now, insects, squirrels, birds, that do not careabout our talk. This garden is very beautiful, it is my treasure. Iam a rich man. I let that feeling guide how I respond to my uke. Appreciation. Sensei articulated app-rec-i-a-tion like he didperception, making it clear he wasnt talking about finding ones happyplace so much as learning to cultivate a constant internal mindfulness,appreciation, and connection that is not disrupted by an attackers actions orones response.Sensei explained when you can trainwith this feeling and calmness of breathing kokyu youwill have begun to study the healing breath. You will be able to perceivewhere others energy is stopped, where they are weak, where their health isfailing. It is not magic. Physics! Awareness! When youcan perceive better, you can find compassion, you can discover your freedom.This is the true center of Aikidotraining, that cannot be taught by words or listening, only by gathering properkokyu under hard conflict.When you havebegun to be mindful of your breathing while under attack, you will have begunto cultivate the perception necessary for healing yourself and others.In his writings, Saotome Senseitranslates Aikido as the way of harmony and the unification with the forcesof nature and the universe. Scholars of the art certainly have observedthat this is far from the most typical translation, but after having thisconversation with Sensei I think it illuminates that he views harmony andunification with the universe not as an abstract philosophy or ideal to bereached through our actions, but should be the actual process bywhich we understand ourselves, practice our art, and cultivate our ability tohelp others. That we should learn to recognize when we feel calm andconnected, and let the memory of that harmony guide our reactions and actionsin all things.I have found that this can be a veryconcrete and experiential concept, which can be explored on the mat. Students can be encouraged to spend time at the beginning of trainingbreathing and meditating, and learning to feel their pulses and exploreexpansive, relaxed breathing. Then, it is possible to introduce trainingof familiar techniques, slowly, that allow nage (the one who executes thetechnique) to focus not on how the technique is performed orwhat happens to uke, but instead focus the entire time on maintaininguninterrupted breathing and posture. I find its also important asteacher to monitor all the students and help them realize when they have lostfocus (in Zen meditation temples, this is the responsibility of an assistantwith a bamboo switch!) However, it can be rewarding and surprising forstudents to discover how maintaining a strong mental centercan transform an attack into an effortless