After taking a moment to reflect on the clip from “The Matrix” I took note of how neo

was hooked and how he unhooked himself. Starting from the scene where Neo opens the door to
reveal the machine behind it, he would be considered uncentered at this point. When he receives
the energy (the bullets) he does not redirect the energy. This could be considered being hooked
where an uncentered mind and body receives energy that it was ill prepared to receive. After
regaining consciousness (and life) he seems to center himself and is prepared for the energy he is
about to receive. He pauses (the six slowed down seconds to initiate the neo cortex), centers, and
allows the gift of energy (being attacked and shot at again). This time he demonstrates spitting
out the hook by giving a defensive response and redirecting the energy. He stops the bullets and
proceeds to defend himself from the machines while maintaining composure.
The place he digresses is when he attacks the machine becoming the aggressor instead of
the receiver of energy. I think that is not inline with aikido principles (although necessary in my
eyes to stop the attack). I do think that this scene can be used as a learning tool for the four steps
of an Aikido move. He centers himself, welcomes the gift of energy, he blends it by seeing the
matrix (from their point of view), and leads the machines to where he wants them to go (his
defense). I do think that this can also serve as a metaphor for spitting out the hook. I do,
however, think there are some comparable choices out there such as the scene from “Sister Act”
where Whoopi Goldberg enters the class room uncentered and gets a big surprise from the unruly
student body. She then exits the classroom and presumably centers reenters gets the gift of loud
noise from the students and redirects it through nails on a chalk board. There is also the
redirecting of the jokes between her and the student body. Overall, I think it stands as a
comparable between getting hooked and spitting out the hook.
References
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZAx8CQ5eq8.