Bioenergetics exercises are ways to explore our nature and character through our bodies. They are specific sets of movements that connect to segments of our bodies that may be lacking fluidity and expression. Bioenergetics may be useful when the individual's process of growth is somewhat reduced. Bioenergetics may be helpful in learning to manipulate our energy levels. Bioenergetics is the adventure of discovering oneself, letting our bodies speak our minds.
Aikido is a martial art and spiritual discipline developed earlier in this century. Aikido does not emphasize strength or physical power; its philosophy and goals are to provide training and discipline to bring forth peace and understanding instead of confrontations and conflict. Aikido is one of the most complicated and difficult martial arts to learn. Most of the learning process is focused on unlearning the basic human reaction of fighting or fleeing in the face of an attack. Aikido holds that the ultimate struggle is always within ourselves, not in the face of our "opponent".
Conflict is part of our lives; we can expect to get involved in conflictual situations more than once every single day. On an average day we disagree and argue with our spouse, children, relatives, co-workers, friends and complete strangers. We usually perceive these conflicts as negative and try very hard to either avoid them or react to them with the knee-jerk response of either fighting back or running away from them. Think of how often you have actually resolved a conflict by either yelling, giving in, or running away from it.
