April Newsletter 2008

Dear Friends,

Most of us have felt the effects of societal conditioning ever since we could remember. This has been an effort to somehow make us better achievers, smarter, more competitive and the list goes on. The message that often gets imparted from early childhood is that we are not enough or that we are incomplete. It is not unusual for people to respond to this  conditioning by being overachievers or, on the other side of the same coin, apathetic.

A seed has everything it needs to become a blossoming flower, including the urge to align itself with Mother Nature. The seed does not have to achieve anything. Nor does it suffer from apathy and not knowing what its purpose is. From the time it is planted in the earth, the seed begins a pilgrimage to finding fulfillment as a flower.

Morihei Ueshiba said that the secret of aikido is in aligning oneself with the movement of the universe. Once connected to this universal energy field, we become invulnerable. He went on to say, by living in accord with universal principles one will have a heightened sense of where and when to move when faced with challenges. Ueshiba described an experience where he felt that he could understand the sounds of the wilderness and the movement of the planets. This resulted in Ueshiba following a life-long calling that culminated in the discovery of aikido. No one could have prepared Ueshiba for what his life work turned out to be. He had to break with conditioning and follow his heart’s yearning.

As was the case for Ueshiba, the universe seems to impart important messages if we are dedicated to listening. As spring approaches and the flowers come into full bloom, may we reflect on the seed’s journey and realize that within ourselves we have everything we need to fulfill our purpose in life.

Blessings of love, health and happiness,

Bruce and Colette