Nov 29

Ariana studied Aikido with Richard Strozzi-Heckler and was further influenced by Mitsugi Saotomi Sensei and George Leonard. While studying Aikido she realized that the principles she was learning were similar to the principles she practiced while training horses. This notion opened up a whole new way of practicing horsemanship that could be applied to self-development for leaders. Her background and love for horses slowly merged with her experiences while training leaders.

She began exploring how working with horses could intersect with developing the skills leaders will need not only for today but for tomorrow. As she developed the parallels between horsemanship and leadership, her vision grew into a new learning paradigm known as Equine Guided Education, which she offers at SkyHorse Ranch.

Visiting her ranch, located outside picturesque Valley Ford, California on the border between Marin and Sonoma Counties, one leaves Highway 1 and drives up a winding road to the large covered arena. Students from all over the world converge at SkyHorse Ranch to learn about themselves and hone their leadership skills. Ariana notes that the root of the word “manage” means “one who could train or direct a horse.” During the days that students attend, they first learn the theory behind what Ariana offers in a cozy room, where on one recent cold and rainy morning a cast iron woodstove kept the chill outside. Moving from theory into practice, students soon move into the arena. There, they are confronted with a four-legged reflection of themselves. Ariana points out that one must blend with the horse, as one does with a training partner in Aikido and other martial arts. If a student doesn’t make the blend, the results are instantaneous.

The horse won’t move, loses interest and in some instances will even lay down and snooze. The student can pull and verbally try to coax the horse, but without feeling connected, the horse won’t move. Finally, after a number of false starts and with patient coaching from Ariana, the student remembers to breath, relax, look towards a (common) goal (or vision) and begin moving. For some it seems like magic. The horse moves with them. And then, just about the time everything seems to be going great, the horse stops! Again with coaching from Ariana, the student sees they were thinking about how good they were doing or about the emails they need to answer at lunch or a hundred other possible thoughts. Except the most important one: to say focused on their vision. In the language of leadership, this is called your “For the Sake of What.” Once the vision is clear again, students and horse begin moving together with an effortless grace.

The horse in each exercise becomes a representation of what the students wants to add to their lives, whether it be a new model of leadership or a shift in their personal lives. The horses instantly mirror back where one is strong and the areas where one needs to grow. A partnership is forged that is an ancient one between these beings. Ariana writes: “Part of our role as healers/teachers and equine translators is to help people increase their awareness, increase their ability to interpret what they are feeling and sensing in self and in the environment–locally and globally–in order to not only make choices but become more pro-active in producing change in behavior and attitude at a community/global level.”

For more information about Ariana and her excellent work and the programs she offers, you can contact her at 707-876-1908 or Ariana@SkyHorseRanch.com Her excellent book about her work, Horse Sense for the Leader Within, is avaiable either by contacting her or ordering at Amazon.com

All the photographs were taken by the writer.  The top photograph is of the willows on the lower part of the ranch.  The middle photograph is Ariana teaching in the riding arena.  The bottom photograph is of one of her horses used during her program.

Nov 26

Meeting Gary Vaynerchuk

by cv on November 10, 2009

There are 3 things that really seem to validate a blogger:

1. Creating a s*&#%storm Breaking a controversial story and getting tens of thousands of new visitors and dozens of trolls to your blog,

2. Going to a blog insiders’ conference like BlogHer and having people recognize your blog, and

3. Meeting Gary Vaynerchuk.

I am pleased to say that as of last Friday, AuthenticOrganizations.com and I have accomplished the third item on the list.IMG_0230.JPG

Who is Gary Vaynerchuk?

If you work at all in the online space, you’ve heard of GaryVaynerchuk. It you haven’t heard of him, take a look at the NYT Business Best-seller List. GaryV has made his name through WineLibrary.com, where he has been one of the first and one of the most aggressive adopters of each social media tool that’s become important.

And, like so many of us who work online and offline, he has become an expert at using social media to build his business and his personal brand.

What distinguishes GaryV from other early adopters of social media have been his ambition, his enthusiasm, and his willingness to take risks.

I’ve been bemused by GaryV as an online presence — he’s remarkable, and unique, and also sort of loud and brash. My sense of Gary was that he was a little self-important, maybe verging on being a bit of a “jerk-in-a-nice-way”.

So far, the closest our paths have come is that GaryV and I are speakers for the same NYU Entrepreneurship-in-action class (on different days, but it still feels like being part of the in-crowd). When I heard that Vaynerchuk would be giving a talk and a book signing at our neighborhood independent book store, I thought it might be worth the walk over there to check him out. I’m so glad that I went, not only to hear him talk but to see him in action.IMG_0232.JPG

After hearing GaryV speak, seeing him interact with others, and meeting him myself, I’m convinced that the guy is the real deal: funny, self-deprecating, self-confident, warm, self-reflective and authentic. He’s even more fun in real life than he is in his online keynotes and webisodes.

What’s more, he really has developed some unique insights about social media, in part because he has set some high standards for himself (e.g., reply to every email) and in part because he  allows invites challenges himself to experiment and fail and experiment again.

Three observations about GaryV ‘in real life’ :

  • GaryV is the most extroverted person I’ve ever met.
    Despite how weary Gary must have been from his crazy book tour, he got recharged with each and every personal interaction.
  • GaryV was able to stop and dwell in his interactions with each person who came up to have a book signed.
    He was happy to pose for pictures with just about anyone, and he took his time with each of us. No one felt rushed; instead, we felt welcomed. This was the single loveliest thing about the evening, just having the chance to watch someone be authentic, maybe even to go beyond their ‘personal brand promise’.
  • GaryV’s heart is bigger than his ego or his ambition.

GaryV attracts a good crowd

I wished that we’d been able to grab all 25-30 people at the book signing to take them out for a beer a glass of wine. I was so curious to hear what other people had learned and what new things they were planning to do based on GaryV’s insights. We did manage to get some friends of friends to join us for dinner, and we had 2 hours of some of the best ‘how can I make my business better?’ conversation ever. IMG_0234.JPG

Why is meeting GaryV a validation?

I said that meeting GaryV was a validation– and you may ask, just how does that work? Why does meeting some “web celeb” ® validate you?

It’s not so much that what GaryV has to say validates any of us who blog, but more that his insights help confirm that blogging and social media can influence people in ways that make (more of) a difference.

If only I were a better multi-tasker, or just less polite with my Flip cam. I would have saved some of GaryV’s comments to muse on later. Let me leave you with just this one:

The best thing you can do for your business online is to scale up your caring.

How might things change, if all of us did that?

Nov 26

Leadership for Lean – Humility

Posted on November 25, 2009 by Bruce Baker

In  a Q&A in Harvard Business School’s Working Knowledge, Harvard Business Professor William George, author of 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis, talks about seven leadership lessons for weathering crisis.  It’s a good read.  One of the lessons is, “Face reality, starting with yourself.”

Lean thinkers will recognize this as hansei or self-reflection.  Professor George argues that leaders have to be humble enough to admit weaknesses and flaws that they see. Too often lack of introspection and an abundance of hubris (defined by classicist J. Rufus Fears as “the outrageous arrogance that inflicts suffering upon the innocent”) keep people from effectively leading people and organizations.  The willingness to look critically at yourself and the humility deal with that reality is something that contributes to  effective lean leaders.

Professor George says this about the paradox between our cultural expectation of a leader and what is required of a leader(from the Q&A):

One of the great myths of leadership in recent years is that leaders have to appear strong and invulnerable to mistakes and pressures. All of us without exception make mistakes and will capitulate under enough pressure. The key is being open with others, taking them into your confidence, admitting your mistakes, and looking to them for advice and support. Rarely does anyone turn down a leader who genuinely asks for help.

Mr. George continues in the same Q&A talking about how ‘authentic leaders’ can begin resolving the paradox:

Authentic leaders find ways to resolve this struggle. Expressing humility is a great skill because it not only brings leaders closer to their management teams and employees, but also encourages similar candidness and humility in others. By taking the first step in revealing their vulnerabilities, leaders encourage an atmosphere where concerns and doubts are voiced…. It’s difficult to do, but expressing vulnerabilities appropriately will make leaders more effective.

This willingness to increase self-knowledge and then be humble before people and problems is part of what Deming intended in the seventh of his fourteen points, “adopt and institute leadership.”  By sharing your vulnerabilities with and seeking counsel from those around you (even those who report to you or those who rely on your technical leadership) breeds an atmosphere of trust which goes to the essence of Deming’s eight point, “drive out fear and build trust.”

This willingness to reflect honestly on the current situation and the humility to accept responsibility allows leaders to see the situation with clarity.  Prof. George from the Q&A:

Because their jobs compel them to demand a great deal from their employees, their companies, and their products, most demand the same from themselves. In so doing, they are at risk of letting their egos take over and letting their protective shells harden. When things go wrong—which they inevitably do—they assume the fault lies elsewhere. Yet in most cases the leaders bear a high degree of responsibility for the problems, often as a result of the direct or indirect pressures they put on their people.

In the 1970’s and 1980’s while losing market share at alarming rates American auto executives claimed that the Japanese makers paid too little, made too few models, the American worker is lazy.  They lacked the humility to acknowledge that their management practices were behind their decline.  The Japanese auto work made 106% what his American counterpart made, that the Japanese automaker made on average 15% more models, and their own management practices kept the American auto worker busy doing wasteful things.  They were doomed by their arrogance to fail.

Toyota President, Akio Toyoda, recently apologized for his company’s poor financial performance and for the loss of lives due to safety problems related to a recent recall.  He acknowledged that Toyota is at stage four (grasping for salvation) of the five stages of declined that Jim Collins outlined in his book, How the Mighty Fall (really good article and podcast from BusinessWeek here.)

Taking time to reflect, and being humble enough to ask for help, acknowledge responsibility, and communicating your vulnerabilities helps acheive clarity and keeps your model of the situation and yourself current. We all have some reasons to be humble.  We just need to remind ourselves of them.

Anybody have ‘bad boss’ stories that they want to tell (or any ‘good humble and introspective boss’ stories before I am accused of being Mr. Negative.)  This blog accepts anonymous comments so your boss won’t find it on a Google search.

Bruce

Nov 19

The term “Alpha Male” is a term usually referred to with regard to animal groups like wolf packs. In social animal groups, the alpha is typically the one in the community with the highest rank. The alpha animals are given preference to be the first to eat and the first to mate, among some species the only animals in the pack allowed to mate. Other animals in the community are usually killed or ousted if they violate this rule.

So, what is an Alpha male? No, he’s not necessarily the first to eat, although his chances of mating are probably pretty good. Todays Alpha male is the embodiment of masculinity, superiority and excellence. He exudes confidence, displays courage, has a sense of his own power and thrives on adventure and the unknown.

The Alpha male is a protector; fighting for what he believes in and inspiring others to do the same. The Alpha male of today is not afraid of a challenge; in fact, probably seeks it out, and meets those challenges with the fire of his ancient ancestors, yet tempered with reason, knowledge of risks, and a keen awareness of the potential outcomes.

The rising popularity of today’s “mixed martial arts”, or MMA exemplifies this concept of the Alpha male. An MMA fighter is typically somebody looking for a challenge, if he’s not, he wont last through the first class. An MMA class is typically a solid mix of cardio training, anaerobic training, grappling maneuvers, take-downs, pinning, and a vigorous session of what is typically referred to as “rolling”; getting down with your compatriots on the mat and testing out the techniques and tactics you’ve been working on in class.

When its all over, its not really over. The Alpha male is simply re-energizing for the next adventure. A good MMA class is not unlike a piece of Japanese Calligraphy called “enso”; a circle signifying from beginning to end and back to the beginning again. For the Alpha Male, and the MMA warrior, its never finished. Each session is only new data with which to calculate the next training session and ultimately, the next mission.

About the author-Blaine A. Feyen is the founder of the Toyoda Center. The Toyoda Center, is West Michigan’s premiere academy for training in the Martial Arts of Aikido, Kendo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, and Shinkendo. Aikido in Grand Rapids and Mixed Martial Arts has been defined by the instructional insights taught at the Toyoda Center. http:/www.ToyodaCenter.com

Nov 15

One of the testing requirements, for 2nd Kyu, is to demonstrate and explain, Meiso ho or meditation training. I must admit that I didn’t put a lot of thought into my answer for this question, and when the time came, I was barely able to fumble through this verbal exam. I hope now that after some more training, thought, and with only my computer screen for an audience, I can do better…

The core of Meiso ho is breath. Breathing is the essence of life. Through meditation training we can finally learn how to breath properly, fully.

Breath should enter through the nose and exit through the mouth. Air should expand your lungs fully, slowly, all the way down into your abdomen. You should feel tension between your belly and the knot of your belt. It is amazing how many people never expand their breath past their upper chest. In fact if you tell someone, who has not been trained in Meiso ho, to take a deep breath they will probably throw their chest out and push their shoulders up. It is impossible to “keep weight underside” in this condition.

Next is breath control. One purpose of Meiso ho training is to develop control of the pace and depth of breath. This is for every situation. Whether it is seated in Zazen, in the middle of your next kyu test, some confrontation, or at your job, your self control in each situation depends on your control of breath. Remember, IN through the nose, OUT through the mouth. Each breath should be a little longer than the one before. If you are winded and your heart is pounding, imagine the little blue blood cells floating passed your lungs and picking up rich oxygen and floating away red and plump. If you can fill your lungs fully you will be able to exchange more oxygen throughout your body than if you pant in shallow breaths.

Correct posture is essential in meditation training. Just like mom or maybe your grade school teacher said, “Sit up straight!” In seiza, sit with your knees slightly wider than shoulder width apart to create a solid base. Tilt your hips slightly forward. This helps elongate the spine and open up your abdomen for breathing. Do not round your shoulders forward. This collapses your chest cavity, straining your heart. Keep your head up. Your head is a heavy object, (some more than others.) Keep your head up high and in agreement with your spine. Use the same principles when sitting cross legged or agura no shisei. Do not sit with your arms wrapped around your knees. This stifles all of your bodily functions, and it looks disrespectful. While standing and training, never bend over at the waist if you are winded. This crunches your breaths. Remember self control depends on control of one’s breath.

Lastly what is considered meditation? I have found that EVERYTHING is a meditation. You don’t need to be sitting on pillows sniffing incense to be meditating. I find meditation in exercising, driving, cleaning my home, and in every moment spent on the mat. Meditation is the practice of “keeping one Point.” In Zazen or formal seated meditation it is difficult to sit quietly over a long period of time. Your mind wanders. Your body begins to hurt. Your environment tugs at you: birds chirping, machines grinding, “it’s so hot today.” But, you stay seated. Time passes. The bell rings. Finally! The same thing happens during Aikido class. The same symptoms occur. “I need a drink of water.” “That last technique tired me out.” “My back hurts.” “I want ICECREAM!” But, you continue training. Sensei claps “Let’s finish,” Finally! These distractions occur in life. “Man! All my bills are due.” “This job is too hard.” “I need that new car.” “This schoolwork is just too tough.” Then a victory: graduation, a promotion, a new house. FINALLY!

Meiso ho or meditation training is an exercise in “keeping one point.” Breathing is a tool for doing this. Everything is a mediation. Your passion in life is your meditation. keep one point! Do not be distracted by what’s going on around you or inside you.

What keeps you from your life’s dreams? Maybe you want to own a house. Maybe you want to own a business. Maybe you want to write a book. All of these things are passions. They are meditations. There are distractions in life that will pull you away. The successful people I have met just plow through these distractions. They “breath through them” so to speak.

So, do you have passion for your Aikido, Kendo, Jiujitsu or whatever-DO training? Perhaps this Meiso ho, this meditation in whatever form it takes, is the first step in achieving your other dreams in life. Like the old saying goes: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Perhaps that same journey also begins with one breath.

Author Alan Adams is one of the founding members of the famous Yushinkan Dojo (also known as the Toyoda Center) and a black belt Instructor in Aikido.

Nov 12

Martial Arts and the Law Of Attraction, part 2

Jean Claude VanDam Vs The Secret

In part one of this series I talked briefly about the Law of Attraction, what it is, what it isn’t, and I started to explain how certain martial arts may actually be doing more harm than the good they propose to be teaching.

So, to recap, the Law of Attraction is simply a Universal law, like gravity, that operates without prejudice or judgment 24 hours a day whether we know it or not and whether we believe in it or not and we are attracting to us, moment to moment, people, places, resources, and experiences, based on our subconscious thoughts.

The Law of Attraction is neutral in that it doesn’t judge your thoughts as good or bad, necessary or unnecessary. It simply delivers experiences back to you, moment to moment, based on your most dominant emotion and vibration. If you ever wonder what you most think about, whether conscious or subconscious, just take inventory of your experiences over the past several months and you can start to make a connection (if you’re honest with yourself) between what you “vibrate” out into the world and what kinds of experiences you have as a result.

As a martial artist that has studied several different martial arts including Judo, Karate, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Aikido, as well as being a student of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and the Law of Attraction, I see a very clear connection between the Law of Attraction and martial arts training.

You wont hear from me that one shouldn’t study a particular art because it violates certain principles or that its not good for your “vibration”, but I can definitely say after decades of study that how you look at your martial arts training, the atmosphere that ones particular dojo or dojang has, the experience and viewpoints of the teaching staff and those you surround yourself with all have a very strong impact on what signals you send out to the Universe and what experiences you’re sure to get back as a result.

Most striking arts like Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kung fu, Muay Thai and the like, are taught by well meaning and qualified individuals. However, the attitude that typically emanates from a striking art is one of destruction and  opposition. They are, quite simply, arts of contention, or arts that require their to be a bad element and a good element for their to be any real reason to train. They must have an opposing force for their very existence to continue.

If there is no evil in the world, if there is no attacker lurking around every corner, if there is no new opponent to beat at the next tournament, or if one simply loses the fear of all these things then there is no more reason to study how to effectively defeat these negativities. Therein lies the connection with the Law of Attraction: since the LOA does not judge but simply delivers based on your emotions and vibrations, what you continue to train your mind and body to see, you will most certainly see in the world!

Once again, its not to say that one shouldn’t study the aforementioned arts. Its simply that if one is looking for a certain martial art to study that possibly is more in alignment with developing the body and mind of a “deliberate attractor”, or one who is deliberately sending out thoughts and emotions that connect with the experiences one actually WANTS to have instead of the ones they are currently having, then there are better martial arts for this type of training.

For example, arts like Yoga, Tai Chi, and Chi Gung are all arts (loosely classified by some as “martial”) that focus on development of the individuals body, mind and energy without the aspect of fear and negativity typically associated with martial arts that need an enemy. They focus on stripping away the built up layers within, making the body and mind supple and resilient, and leave one feeling rejuvenated and reinvigorated, not beat up.

If one is looking for a martial art thats a bit more aggressive yet not focused solely on besting another for self gratification, ego feeding, or self defense at all costs, then the martial art of Aikido is one of the best choices, in my opinion.

Aikido is a Japanese martial art that is still martial, meaning that its filled with practical and very effective self defense techniques, while not necessarily being taught only as an art of self defense. There is a component of Aikido that makes it the perfect choice for students of the Law of Attraction looking for a physical way to strengthen their practice in becoming a deliberate attractor of experiences.

Aikido has a philosophical component attached to the physical training, one that simply says we should train to a level where we can protect our “attacker” thus protecting ourself and society in the course of action we decide to take. The deeper principles embedded within the Aikido techniques and movements are in alignment with Universal principles thus giving students a vast well of insights and learning to take away from an Aikido class.

I always say at the end of an Aikido class, “If you cannot take some principle away from these classes that can be used in a positive way in your daily life then you’re wasting your time, energy and money”.

About the author-Blaine A. Feyen is the founder and Chief Aikido Instructor of the Toyoda Center. The Toyoda Center, is West Michigan’s premiere academy for training in the Martial Arts of Aikido, Kendo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, and Shinkendo. Aikido in Grand Rapids and true self defense training has been defined by the instructional insights taught at the Toyoda Center and Mr. Feyen.
 http:/www.ToyodaCenter.com

Nov 10

Life of an Uchideshi, part 2

As a potential uchideshi candidate, one has to deeply examine the motivations for considering such a program. Although the reasons for staying in such a program will change over time, the initial reasons for entering an uchideshi program must be based on a strong desire to be pushed physically, mentally, and spiritually.

After the “honeymoon” period is over, the live-in student begins to realize that the glamour and excitement of the initial decision has worn off and now life consists primarily of training, eating, cleaning, meditating, training, cleaning, painting, building, training, cleaning…a little sleep, and then; more training, eating, cleaning…

The daily existence of an uchideshi is actually not that different from the average person in that the live-in student is required to have a job. So, every uchideshi, at least at the Toyoda Center, gets out of the dojo to work each day. After work, the dojo becomes the next most important focus of their lives which is where the difference between a civilian and an uchideshi begins. While the average person that comes to dojo once or twice a week for training has the typical priorities expected of a normal individual, the uchideshi only has 2 priorities: work and dojo.

One looking from the outside in would, most likely, see the uchideshi running around the dojo in a somewhat frantic pace taking care of office duties, stocking the bathrooms with supplies, cooking meals for the Sensei and other deshi, in essence, nothing much different than what they might have to do at home.

See, an uchideshi is learning through every activity undertaken and each activity is an opportunity to learn. Cleaning becomes an act of thanksgiving while also creating an opportunity to settle the center, move from the hara, breathe with deep extended breathing, and focus on the act at hand without distraction but also without losing ones awareness.

Correction of an uchideshi is not limited to training on the mat. Live-in students have given the Sensei the implicit permission to correct and point out any and every minute detail that the Sensei feels is not in line with the ultimate development goal. That goal will vary with each individual and will depend on each persons particular background, desires, history, abilities, strengths and, of course, weaknesses.

In fact, an uchideshi’s weaknesses inevitably become their worst enemy since the Sensei will undoubtedly poke and prod these weaknesses to find the uchideshi’s breaking point. What would the purpose be of this type of interaction? Stay tuned for part 3…

About the author-Blaine A. Feyen is the founder and Chief Aikido Instructor of the Toyoda Center. The Toyoda Center Grand Rapids is West Michigan’s premiere academy for training in the Martial Arts of Aikido, Kendo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, and Shinkendo. Aikido in Grand Rapids has been defined by the instructional insights taught at the Toyoda Center. Mr. Feyen has, since the mid 1990’s, been leading one of the most successful uchideshi programs in the art of Aikido and has built a very prominent program for developing professional Aikido instructors and leaders.    http:/www.ToyodaCenter.com

Nov 7

Martial Arts and The Law Of Attraction, part 1

Jean Claude VanDam VS The Secret!

Recently, a movie called The Secret came out and seemed to take the world by storm with a fairly simple message: we are attracting to us, moment to moment, people, places, resources, and experiences, based on our subconscious thoughts.

It doesn’t matter whether you believe in this Universal Law or not, just as it doesn’t matter whether or not one believes in gravity or electricity. Not believing in gravity wont  save you when you lose your grip while hanging from the gutters if you’re falling off a roof. Not believing in electricity simply because you can’t see it wont keep you from getting zapped if you shove a paper clip into an outlet.

To read the rest of this article, click the link below:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Martial-Arts-and-the-Law-of-Attraction—Jean-Claude-Vandam-Vs-the-Secret!&id=3226544

Nov 3

Aikido and Technology

Why Aikido is good for Children and Adults

It is no secret that the human body grows weaker as it is used less and when life becomes easier. While this is not necessarily a reason to make your life more difficult, it is a reason to take a good, hard look at ones everyday interactions, as well as gain some perspective on the evolution of technology and how we may be going backwards by trying to move forward.

The technological advances we have all around us have made life, in many ways, much easier than it may have been 10 years ago, but have we become better as a result? Its a worthy question and one worth delving into, especially when it comes to our children and their future.

Elevators, escalators, cars, video games, computers; all of these things have rendered once firm and strong muscles weak and flaccid from lack of use. Our minds have become weaker as we utilize calculators, computers, and video games to do much of the thinking for us. Children, especially, are becoming less creative and have far less patience and focus as a result of all the technological stimulation that is such a prevalent part of their lives.

To Read the rest of this article, click the link below:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Aikido-and-Technology—Why-Aikido-is-Good-For-Children-and-Adults&id=3201909