Katsuyuki Shimamoto, 8th Dan Aikikai, in Holland (2011)

One connection has to do with tension and relaxation. I tell my Aikido students to bring tension and relaxation into harmony. When we are rigid, or frozen, we cut ourselves off from our partners but, when we are completely yielding, there is no attention or awareness with which our partners can engage. In Zazen practice, it is the same. The crossed legs, the upright posture, reaching for the sky to maintain this requires a tremendous amount of tension. At the same time, the body needs to be 100 relaxe