Thanks, Carina. Peter is right about history in the general sense. For aikido I don't think all the interminable discussions about the details of the founder's life are productive - it doesn't happen in other martial arts. So it's only of passing interest to me. The future is much more interesting than the past!

I also think like Peter that if you study the past you will know what to ask.Does it really matter precisely when O Sensei first met Takeda Sokaku?If instead to meet him with 30 he had met him before, would it have change his daito-ryu jujutsu? Would his aikido then be different and affect us? No, knowing it will no make my Aikido better.

Thank you vey much, David. I agree with you about influences. The minutiae of where and when are not so relevant for practical budo. Or music. Cheers, Niall

Interesting post, Niall. I also liked the ones on Del Dennis and the lapis ring. But I'm not sure what you're saying here. I don't know the significance of when Dylan heard Seeger or O Sensei met Sokaku, but I recognize the importance that Dylan did hear Seeger and O Sensei did train with Sokaku. To appreciate Dylan, it's good to see how Seeger influenced him. And I think Sokaku's influence remains vital to the bun, bu and michi of aikido. Thanks. David

Thanks, Peter! Yes. Bun Bu Ryo Do 文武両道 the way of the pen and the way of the sword - follow them both (and you are right, shi 史 history is of course bun 文). Aikidoka are renaissance men and women - also looking for a unifying (cosmic) principle of the universe!

Hello Niall, Yes it was meant as a compliment, being first used of the philosopher Heraclitus. Of course, like good would-be samurai, we have to keep the right balance between 武 and 文, which also includes 史. Best wishes, PAG

Thanks Peter. I will take cosmic fragment as a compliment. Your contributions always have particular credibility because you also do aikido and teach it. Yes of course I talked about all aspects of aikido including history with my teachers Asoh Sensei and Arikawa Sensei. But I have almost never heard any judoka talk about the founder. Same for karate. I take the Christopher Marlowe approach to aikido: ...that was in another country, And besides, the wench is dead

Hello Niall, Ah, another of your cosmic fragments. There is one aspect of studying the past that Mr Zimmerman appears to ignored. It is possible that studying the past enables one to learn the best questions to ask about the future. Did you ever talk about this with your famous teacher, Arikawa Sensei? I did, quite often. Best, PAG

Thanks for that, Billy.

Hi Niall; I like this blog very much, as you know I like all your blogs, but this one in particular has meaning for me for reasons that you will be aware of. I also remember many time is Japan hearing people say that the question was very important, the example given was; does this train go to Kyoto? Yes it does. When you arrive at Osaka, you wished that you had asked; does this train stop at Kyoto? Best, Billy