We asked some of our newer aikido students at the Aiki Arts Center if they had any questions about practice for the yudansha (black belts), and then we passed those questions along to the yudansha to get their answers. The result is this series of posts we call “Insights for Beginners.”
This fourth post in the series features answers from Azzia Walker Sensei, co-founder and manager of the Aiki Arts Center, who currently holds a 5th degree black belt.
Why Aikido? Something about the art struck you in a way strong enough to keep you around all the way to a black belt (and beyond). What was it?
I was twenty and looking for a path. Nick Sensei, whom I’d just met at community college, suggested coming to class (that was held at the downtown YMCA at the time). It felt like the most obvious thing in the world to say yes. Sticking with the art has been mainly an intuitive choice. I like the way aikido feels, moving in harmony while transforming an interaction. It gives hope for improving relationships and society in general.
What does it feel like for you to connect with your Aikido partner? Is it intimate?
Yes, definitely. We usually train without talking, so the partners have a chance to drop into deep attention (often described as asocial or nonverbal space). It’s a way of meditating while moving with another body that’s also in motion. We’re allowing a spontaneous dance to emerge, within the structure of what we’re practicing. The sort of attunement that’s necessary to make all that go reasonably well is a magic level of attention. Whether we’re training intensely or softly, that connection is incredibly intimate.
From reading Journey to the Heart of Aikido, my understanding is that Aikido, as originally pursued by O-Sensei, was not just a martial art but an entire way of being, applicable in every moment. Does this align with your experience of the art?
On a good day, yes! Ideally, we are nage (the partner channeling energy and working with it proactively) as we go about our day. That said, the role of uke (giver of energy) also teaches us a lot about staying in connection and moving forward into the next available action. Aikido applies to every area of life: work, family, taking care of the home, other forms of exercise, how we nourish the body, and resting time. It’s about paying attention to the natural flow, harmonizing with it, and bringing the spirit of loving protection to everyday moments.
How do you recognize your Aikido practice affecting and transforming your life outside of the dojo?
So many ways. When I began training at age twenty, I was just beginning to come out of a period of great recklessness. It gave me the structure, and the opportunity to explore creatively, that my soul was looking for. And I felt truly held by Nick Sensei’s presence and teaching.
As the years rolled on and I became more of a mentor for new students, the lessons of leadership became a more integral part of practice and maintaining the practice environment. It’s about shaping things constructively, beginning interactions with the right state of mind, adjusting easily, and being open to change.
What is your current edge in practice? What are you grappling with in practice at this time?
That’s a wonderful question, as every engaged aikido student has a practice edge –– some component of training that feels challenging or inspiring, an opportunity for deeper exploration. These days I am working on holding the space for grace, in myself and those nearby. It’s about paying attention softly, stepping in where it makes sense, or simply bearing witness to unfolding processes. Often, as a mentor, we can be more useful by observing with compassion than by actively managing things. So that’s a path of wisdom that I’m stepping into.
In my experience so far, coming in routinely is supportive for me because it constructs consistency; however, it can dull my practice in the way routines tend to do. How do you reconcile consistency with aliveness?
Yes, another fabulous question! It brings to mind the balance of structure and flow. There are other disciplines that focus more on structure than flow, and the other way around. Aikido has a beautiful balance. The structure of showing up regularly (we suggest once a week at the bare minimum) is the container we set for our own growth. It helps to pick a class you can make consistently and then don’t decide every time – make it part of your habits, like brushing your teeth or eating lunch. As we relax into healthy structure, there is a lot of space to play.
The flow part comes as we develop expertise. The relative expert (students become relative experts in a few months, as they get comfortable with two-step, when to bow, and other fundamental movements and customs) has enough confidence to experiment, to be curious, and to practice with intensity from time to time. When we do not show up often enough to get competence, and to build trust in the dojo relationships, we stay at the surface level. That said: dive deep, as that’s where the strength and aliveness live.
What is the most important advice you would give to an Aikido practitioner who is early on their journey of practice?
Be gentle with yourself and get to know your teachers and fellow students. We get to rest in the grace of mutually trusting relationships. Show up to other students’ promotions, study the etiquette diligently, and have faith in your ability to learn. Confidence is not about knowing how to do things already – it’s about enjoying the adventure of learning. We have space for you to blossom into your most vibrant, strong, creative self. And you’ll get to see the rest of the group develop, too – it’s incredibly gratifying to see those changes over the long term. We learn to be present and create a space where it’s easier for others to be present as well.
