In principle I hope to convey in this writing some understanding of what psychotherapy for many professionals (considering that there are other ideas and insights) and simultaneously draw parallels with what I know as the practice of aikido, without wishing to be exhaustive and in an attempt to convey my surprise at the different ways in which human beings go looking for some harmony with oneself and with others, and how our cultures separated by thousands of miles attitudes also separated by fewer prejudices can not reach common ground on how to deal with substance daily decisions that we are facing and how much interest to our physical and mental.
Modern XXI century psychotherapeutic techniques are gradually picking up the legacy of mental technologies cultivated for centuries to attain mental serenity. The ultra-modern, revolutionizing mindfullnes Current cognitive techniques to achieve higher levels of awareness and integration of sensory experience, is little more than an adaptation of ancient meditation techniques. Western civilization is gradually slowing its technical career and becoming aware of the benefits or harm real life in a large western city brings. Are we creating a healthy environment from a physically and mentally? Or do we think that the hyper-tech modern medicine without pain we wear replace organs damaged by decades of misuse, pacify our minds with drugs are safe and will fill our desires without money or effort? Although seemingly abstract questions, these questions will have to face day to day professional trying to help other people from a psychotherapeutic point of view on a current query. And believe me it does not pose dilemmas in the abstract and dispassionate, but in a concrete, compelling and often tragic.
Modern empirical studies attributed to so-called "therapeutic relationship" an important bearing on the ultimate effectiveness of therapy (from 38-54%) in contrast to the technique or school of psychotherapy (only 8%). In establishing this relationship you want to be helpful, the therapist brings the patient attitude, an attitude that must have certain features to be beneficial. The famous humanist psychotherapist C. Rogers identified three basic characteristics of the attitude we should have a good therapist to his patient: First, authenticity, also called "consistency" is defined as the ability to "be yourself", without looking or device that can not be sustained over time . Virtue is difficult to achieve and that has to do with finding the "place" face to face we anguished demand solutions and quick relief to their anxiety. To know who we are and where we are despite the emotional tugs that we shall be in the process of therapy or more or less unrealistic demands that we do. It has to do with finding a "center" and maintain it. Does that sound the same to the aikidokas?
The second feature is called unconditional acceptance, it has to do with the therapist's ability to accept the patient's experiences and feelings without judging them or punish them. Amounts to a kind of benevolent acceptance of the person we serve beyond prejudices and moralizing. As the seasoned aikidokas will understand this is not achieved by wishful thinking, but you need a process of training staff in the care and openness to others, perceptions of their motivations and awareness of our own interference. Is this different from a lot of consciousness the opponent again and again train in aikido techniques? Consider the relationship between uke and tori do not get to pose only a clash in aikido, but a search for the best solution to a meeting in which we consider both our security as the uke (remember the repeated phrase "care for the uke" in the implementation of the techniques).
The third characteristic is empathy. Worn buzzword that force be used for all almost lost its meaning. Empathy here refers to the ability to take the place of another, to share some of their experience and take charge of his troubles really considering another human being at least as important as self Is not this the essence of the words of the founder of aikido when he says "The path of budo is to make the heart of the universe our own hearts?
To end these brief notes, point out the parallels between the proposed aid in psychotherapy and in the way that aikido teaches deal with conflicts. Precisely at this point is where the greater similarity observed, since much of the focus of the problems and crossroads from the psychotherapeutic point of view goes to help overcome the false dichotomous approaches, open options where none existed, to learn not to squander the impossible to maintain energy and seek care of oneself and of course adversary, because ultimately the conflict has always been against aspects of oneself. If this is not the spirit of aikido, then what is?
During that weekend and had read nearly 400 pages, immersed in their long descriptions of both events or accidents due to mysterious dome or the colorful characters that live in the village (perhaps too many) but you end up catch them love or hate, both the good and the most bastards (and more than one). 
Illustrations of the characters 
For 3 weeks I've been reading (especially at night) the book , I was hooked from the start and almost without being able to put aside ..... has a long story but not tiring, because you always want to know more about what will happen in the village, on the outcome of his characters and the overall development of events. 
