Letting Go: Talks on Aikido

A collection of essays adapted from talks given by Christopher Curtis, 8th Dan, Chief Instructor of the Hawaii Ki Federation and sensei of the Maui Ki-Aikido Dojo, covering the principles of Ki-aikido and how they can be applied to living a more mindful and productive life.

"Most people pursue waking up in the way they go after a new car, or a mate, or becoming CEO, as if it’s the same thing. But this is not the same. Those are temporary goals. There is nothing wrong with getting new cars and becoming CEOs, or whatever else pleases you, but don’t confuse the two. Achieving those things, we use skills that can be learned, whereas awakening does not result from education, a gathering of knowledge. This is the very highest art form: the art of letting go of doing and dropping into resting in awareness itself. This “shift” is the perfect and complete unification of all aspects of life, of truly knowing and experiencing at the same time; suddenly, waaa! It all comes together.” –From Letting Go, Chapter 4