Training Principles in Cat Stevens' Lyrics

For this week's deshi assignment, we were asked to find song lyrics that reflect some common themes in Aikido practice.

Song lyrics are immense in scope, so I decided to research Aikido themes that were reflected strictly within Cat Stevens' lyrics. I picked Cat because I was a kid with 5 older sisters in the 1970s. I still remember how sad my sister Charlene was when he decided to stop releasing music.

After each set of lyrics I've added a short explanation. I hope these are interesting for you.

from Sitting: 

Life is like a maze of doors
And they all open from the side you're on
Just keep on pushing hard, boy
Try as you may
You're going to wind up where you started from...
You're going to wind up where you started from.

I like these stanzas because they capture the notion that you cannot move your training or learning forward without being willing to open yourself, mentally and physically.

from Don't Be Shy: 

Don't wear fear
Or nobody will know you're there
Just lift your head, and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy, just let your feeling roll on by
On by, on by...

I think of randori when I read or hear these lyrics. In the song, Cat Stevens repeats the last few words over and over, about a dozen times. You can imagine a group of ukes flying away from a whirling nage.

from Can't Keep It In: 

No I can't keep it in
I can't keep it in, I've gotta let it out
I've got to show the world
World's got to know
Know of the love
Love that lies low

I have occasionally been told that I smile too much when practicing, but I can show you picture after picture of O-Sensei smiling on the mat. There is always joy in Aikido, and the world's gotta know.

from Into White:

I built my house from barley rice
Green pepper walls and water ice
Tables of paper wood, windows of light
And everything emptying into white

When I started in our deshi program, I was asked to do at least one hour a week of my own practice. It could be mediation, writing, calligraphy... anything like that. It seemed hard to get that one hour in back then. Now, almost two years later, I practice yoga, meditate, and write many hours each week. You build your house from a lot of materials.

from Drywood:

Like drywood takes to fire, the truth will come to you
Like streams that seek the ocean, they will find ways through
Like morning meets the night's stars, my love will guide the way
It's time to wipe your eyes not, and awake

These words remind me of the idea that all movement in Aikido is natural and authentic. If you are true to that concept, and patient, you will find a way through.

from The Boy With A Moon And Star On His Head:

As years went by the boy grew high
And the village looked on in awe
They'd never seen anything like the boy
with the moon and star before

And people would ride from far and wide
Just to seek the word he spread
"I'll tell you everything I've learned,"
And "Love" is all he said.

These stanzas give an image of a miraculous boy in complete harmony with the himself and the world around him. The boy didn't need to practice to attain this, but I do.