Be Vulnerable

Dojo Message 

The Aikido mysteries are open to all who seek it,

Secret to those who do not want to see, 

Hidden from those who will not hear, 

Beyond those who continue to fight and conquer. 

Seek it with an open heart, bow your head humbly, 

To see the heavens above!

Rev. Kensho Furuya

At the highest stage of one’s training in budo or the martial arts, a person of mastery reaches the state of complete vulnerability. This might seem counter-intuitive since throughout our training, we are trying to harden our bodies to close all of our openings and avoid attack. In the beginning, we hide our inner selves and close our openings because inwardly we feel weak and not good enough. However, vulnerable in this sense does not mean being “susceptible to emotional or physical attack or harm,” but rather having the faith, courage and confidence to have an open heart and truly live one’s life. Author, Brene Brown wrote, “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.” Thus, it is not about being strong and impervious, but rather having the fortitude to be willing to authentically open up our hearts despite being afraid or embarrassed and also with no guarantee of safety.  Brene Brown also said, “Wholeheartedness. There are many tenets of Wholeheartedness, but at its very core is vulnerability and worthiness; facing uncertainty, exposure, and emotional risks, and knowing that I am enough.” The true strength of a warrior is this wholehearted living that begins with showing up, being vulnerable and having an open heart to the possibilities of what can be. Furuya Sensei once wrote, “In his strength, man can show what he can do, in his weakness, man can show his own humanity.” A person at their highest level shows true power by exposing their humanity and by being completely vulnerability. Today, with all that is happening, remember to share your humanity.

Watch Brene Brown's Ted Talk

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