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"The Tipping Point" by: Sensei Freeman

"Pipopipette" is the original name of a game we all played as children, created by a French man nameÉdouard Lucas. Some people call it the Dots and Boxes game, some call it Connecting the Dots. The objective of the game is to connect four dots to create a box, at which point one signs their initials into the box to claim it. At the end of the game, whoever has the most boxes wins. Remember that?

If we imagine this flat piece of paper as a 3-D dot matrix for a moment, we can make an entire room - an entire world - as a matrix of single points, connected by space and time. When dealing with Aikido techniques, one must always try to understand the most efficient route to dealing with the matrix of the world, and even deeper than this, human architectural alignment within the world, and the individual alignment of the human himself.

This is the most efficient way of taking the balance of our uke, continuously studying it so that you become the most efficient expression of your (and your uke's) physicality. By seeing the world and everything in it as dots, points that connect the universe, it becomes easy to find your uke's tipping point - or loss of balance.

All too often, my aiki-kids want to throw one another without paying attention to the efficiency of their movements. The same also occurs with us as adults from time to time. Our studies need to focus on the razor sharp angles and lines that create that maximum-efficiency-minimum-effort concept we use to connect the dots. It sounds a bit like the Matrix, but once a person starts to see the world in the way, you don't even have to wait for the person to grab you. Rather, every movement you make will connect and manipulate your uke because you understand every connection between yourself and your uke and the environment at once. Every good swordsman, Aikidoka, and martial artist understands this. Those who do not, should actively study this concept and attempt to add it into their training. The results will amaze you!

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