
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.
This is wonderful to read! Thank you Alan!
Thank you!
Dear Alan, our bodies are such marvelous gifts for growing and evolving! Thank you for reminding all of us. To awaken the consciousness of our body and evolve from there is nothing but a blessing (although sometimes very challenging).
Thank you, and yes, the physical expression of the soul is crucial for our expansion.