Since I have completed my logotherapy studies at Viktor Frankl Institute in Texas/USA, I have been thinking about the connection: aikido – logotherapy.
Aikido is a modern martial art. But aikido doesn’t look like a “fight” at all, it looks more like a dance. This is because aikido uses opponent’s energy timely, in order to end the “conflict” so that none of the participants actually get hurt (no bad karma!). (You can see the demonstration of aikido “fight” here).
Logotherapy, on the other hand, is the so-called “third school of psychotherapy”, that teaches us about the power of meaning. We have free will, and we can find meaning in activities, experiences and suffering. Logotherapy was “developed” by Dr. Viktor Frankl, a Viennese doctor, neurologist and psychiatrist, who survived four concentration camps during the Second World War! His book “Man Search for Meaning” should certainly be read.
Now you must be wondering what is the connection between aikido, dance and logotherapy? I don’t know pricesly, but I feel it exists. And I received confirmation of that almost from a colleague from Zagreb, who is a logotherapist and is doing a doctorate on the topic of the connection between movement and logotherapy (http://www.vida.com.hr/kineziologija/). Also, my fellow student of logotherapy, who has PhD in physics and is from Japan, was fascinated with an idea as he used to train kendo since he was little!
Well, here I will briefly try to explain for this blog what connection I found between logotherapy and movement (dance, aikido).
As I said, activities, experiences and suffering can give meaning to life. Movement, dancing is an activity but certainly a wonderful experience, isn’t it? Movement, with music, the company of other people… meaning.
Besides, when we dance it is not just us enjoying. With us, someone else enjoys dancing, the onces dancing with us or watchcing. So dancing is not really just an activity for our-selves, but for those who participate in the dance with us, as well as those for whom we are in better mood after the dance. This certainly fits into the basic settings of logotherapy, which says that you should always do something for others, not just for yourself. (Self-transcendence, “coming out of oneself”). It also makes sense.
Besides, I think that the movement, just like logotherapy, “believes” in the best in each of us. And if you start dancing angry, do you have a chance to end the dance like that?
Also, I think that movement as well as logotherapy basically believe in love and that it is the most important. Because, when we dance we love: ourselves, others, the world…
I will write more about it, still need to think and connect things… 😊
It will be done easier with some dancing 😉
