A philosophy of education that rings true to me: to hear is to forget, to see is to remember, to do is to understand. Ukemi as in all aikido, one learns by doing or being done to as some might say when being on the receiving end of the art. The importance of ukemi besides the obvious necessity of self — preservation is to understand the art from the inside out or maybe the upside down. It is vital for a student to learn to follow the flow of the movement before she can lead the movement. Confidence naturally develops by being able to accept ki from the nage. A physical memory is developed and a spiritual growth happens when “the fear of falling is replaced with the joy of flying”.