For subscribers
Finding Joy
In aikido, I find strength in connection, not conquest
A casual experiment on a tatami mat became a lifelong practice that reshaped the writer’s approach to conflict, pressure and life.
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Aikido is not merely a sport or martial art, says the writer. It is an enduring practice and a source of joy that has outlasted most other pursuits.
PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO
Tan Li San
The Japanese martial art of aikido begins and ends with stillness.
Together with my fellow practitioners – a diverse group of professionals, retirees and teenagers – I bow before stepping onto the tatami mat, and kneel quietly in a line as we wait for the sensei to begin the class.
