「人には合う合わないがある。」ミュージシャンを目指していた時代、その界隈ではみんなの口癖だった。ほんとにそう思う。ミュージシャンも合気道みたいなもんだ。どんな現場でもいかに波長を合わすか、いかに相手が気持ちよく演奏できるか、それが作品物の良し悪しに即ち影響する。しかし、人間には合う合わないがある。そう言って、尊敬するミュージシャンたちでさえ一旦落ち着いていたのを思い出す。無理矢理に合わすことはお互いのためにならない。合わすために力んでしまうなら、一旦離れるのも手だ。しかしその言葉は決して悪いことには見えなかった。一生合わさないわけではない、きっと自分も（なんなら半分くらい相手も）実力不足なんだ。そんな時もあるということなんだというニュアンスに見えた。
遊び稽古
１体操
２杖になれる
３ ２５の杖
本稽古
１合気体操
２足捌き
３受け身
４逆半身片手取り前落とし（杖の手引き）
５逆半身片手取り前落とし
６逆半身片手取り一教表
７逆半身片手取り四方投げ
８逆半身片手取り一教裏
９横面打ち四方投げ表
合気道もそうだと思う。自分を卑下することだけが正解ではない。慢心はいけない、それはわかっている、しかし時として「諦め」が必要な時もある。それが「人には合う合わないがある」という言葉だろう。無理矢理に合わそうとしなくていい。自分が習った方法をやって合わないならそれはしょうがない、力づくでやろうと思うと余計にダメになる。まずは力みをなくして自分と相手を、平等に見てみれば何か気づけるかもしれない。
“Some people are just not compatible with each other.”
Back when I was trying to become a musician, this was a phrase everyone in that world seemed to use all the time. I really believe it is true.
Being a musician is much like practicing Aikido. In any setting, what matters is how well you can get in sync with the other person and how comfortably you can play together. That directly affects the quality of the final performance or piece of work.
But people are not always compatible. I remember even musicians I deeply respected sometimes taking a step back and letting things settle down.
Forcing two people to work together does not benefit either of them. If you find yourself straining too hard to make things work, sometimes it is better to take a step away.
Yet I never saw that phrase as something entirely negative. It didn’t mean that two people would never be able to work together. Perhaps I, or even the other person, was simply not skilled enough at that particular moment. It was just one of those things that happens sometimes. That was the feeling behind those words.
Playful practice
- Warm-up exercises
- Getting familiar with the jo
- The 25 jo kata
Regular practice
- Aiki exercises
- Footwork
- Ukemi
- Gyaku-hanmi katate-dori mae-otoshi (using the jo to guide the movement)
- Gyaku-hanmi katate-dori mae-otoshi
- Gyaku-hanmi katate-dori ikkyo omote
- Gyaku-hanmi katate-dori shiho-nage
- Gyaku-hanmi katate-dori ikkyo ura
- Yokomen-uchi shiho-nage omote
I think the same applies to Aikido.
Putting yourself down is not necessarily the right answer. I understand that becoming complacent is something to avoid. But sometimes, knowing when to let go is also necessary. Perhaps that is what the phrase “Some people are just not compatible with each other” is really about.
There is no need to force things to work.
If you try the methods you have been taught and they don’t work, sometimes you just have to accept that. Trying to make them work through sheer force will only make things worse.
First, let go of the tension. Then try looking at both yourself and your partner on equal terms. Perhaps, by doing so, you will notice something you hadn’t seen before.
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