Learning Aikido

I am going 3 times a week for Aikido lessons. The second degree black belt exam will take place this spring. I hope. I am so bad at remembering physical stuff. My 92 year old dad is taking posture lessons. It is like dad's posture lessons. I have to understand mentally before I can do it. Until then, I am like the centipede tripping on 100 legs. I am always in the position of demonstrating for students who have less experience than me. They are much younger and much better learners. So, I always have to re-learn their moves while I demonstrate it. My teacher loves to demonstrate in front of the class with me because he knows I have a thick skin. The other day he struck from above. I was supposed to automatically brace and take the strike. Instead, I automatically fell to the floor. I am very good at that. It was very funny. With Aikido, I was told to bring my shoulder blades more together and to stand straighter. When you throw someone, you don't even look at your hands or the details of the opponent's body. You just keep your head very upright. Anyway, I tried to do that and ended up feeling dizzy because of the release of energy in my shoulders and having too much energy in my head. (doubt that I became smarter) Now the dizziness is gone, but it was very interesting. I think I am getting the hang of maintaining the posture. It is much easier to make those changes than to learn complex movements that happen very fast.