Alan Sheets (standing on right and facing camera) training at the Aikido dojo.
He has just thrown his training partner. 1979

How I Used Aikido to Move Forward

This story begins when I was in my early 20s. I came across a book called Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere by Adele Westbrook and Oscar Ratti. Aikido is a Japanese martial art that teaches you to neutralize a physical attack by developing the ability to respond to an attacker without using force and without touching the attacker.

At that time, I believed that all I had to do to move forward in the world was fill in data to expand the map of the universe that exists in my mind. So, when I became interested in Aikido, I thought all I had to do was read the book and I would learn everything there is to know about how to do this martial art.

As I read the book, I realized something very important. I could not learn Aikido by reading a book — I would need to include my body in the learning process.

As a Soultype 5, I love to expand and re-map my
understanding of what I know and what I don’t know.

I found an Aikido school near where I lived in Palo Alto, California, USA. I began training two to three times a week, and eventually earned my black belt. It was pure magic. For the first time in my life, I became aware of how essential my body is in the learning process.

Even more important, I realized that in order for me to truly grow and evolve, my body needs to be included in everything I do, no matter what it is.

This helped guide, and lead me, as Siska and I discovered and explored the magic of New Equations.

Alan Sheets

Alan Sheets is a Cofounder of New Equations and New Equations Music.