AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.
Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the
world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to
over 16,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a
wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history,
humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.
If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced
features available, you will need to register first. Registration is
absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!
I've been ruminating on this for a while and I'd like to share. Finding a way to cover a great many different aspects of the art without getting stuck on something or stagnating can be a problem so I developed a method to use as a guide. I hope this is of interest.
The moon has a very nice cycle from full through the waning crescents into the 'darkness' or absence of the new moon back through waxing up through crescents back to full. I'm sure all are aware of this but we city folk tend to find ourselves removed from the influence of the night sky (even though the moon is visible in the daytime!). The ancients so revered the night sky that they postulated systems of divination, etc for all manner of things being driven by the signs and events of the night sky.
The actual science of the moon and the interaction of the sun, earth and moon are fun and interesting topics but are not the topic I wish to mention but do encourage one and all to delve as one desires.
I propose to use the moon as a mundane time piece and to modulate ones training based on the phase of the moon. While it certainly seems overly romantic and possibly silly I hope to persuade that such can be quite practical and a useful tool to enrich and broaden ones training.
There are at least 8 distinct phases of the moon that are easily discernable by simple inspection that anyone can do. There can be finer gradations to perhaps 16 phases but it takes a trained eye to make such subtle distinctions. This
...More
I just got back from a jury summons. Normally I look forward to active participation in our system (voting etc) but this one is a bit much.
The charges are 3 counts around child molestation event and one count of trafficking in stolen property.
All I can see are the faces of my children and I just can't do it. There is no way I can give this poor pitiable schmuck the justice and fair review of the evidence he deserves. Our system of justice depends on it and I can't do it.
I'm a failure to the nation and my fellow citizens and I really don't know what to make of this right now.
IT, IP, IS, aiki or whatever Dan Harden and Mike Sigman are posting about (let's presume they are both on the same topic) -- and I only mention these gentlemen because they post often on the matter and general consensus is they have got the goods.
Me? I'm nobody and don't know nutt'n. I want IT. There is no debate about IT. When someone like William Gleason Shihan goes to see Mr. Harden and becomes one of ‘them' that ought to settle the matter once and for all -- for everyone. No, it is only a question of when and where are we all going to get IT, too? I don't have to be convinced and I don't need to feel it before I ‘drink the koodaid'. I'm ready to get on with it (IT). Either Mr. Gleason really found something special or he has been brainwashed and beguiled by Mr. Harden -- either way I want that kind of mojo. Don't care for Gleason or Harden? How about Ushiro, Ikeda, Threadgill? Pick you favorite exemplar -- If you've already got one then let's move on. Still need convincing -- this is not for you. I admit that I had my doubts, too. For me, Mr. Gleason was the nail in the coffin (please forgive the metaphor). Of course, I was already leaning pretty far that way anyhow (but still centered).
I'm a scientist (physicist) and am a true believer and that means everything must be explainable using the ‘tools of the trade' of physics and science in general and eventually all will yield to the scientific method. If you don't grant me that then might as well stop reading now. Just
...More
11-04-2009 01:26 PM 
