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Masakatsu Agatsu ~ True Victory is self victory
We all have an enemy of sorts in ourselves. Our parents, our peers, our traumatic experiences, all influence our actions and reactions. We have fears, preconceived notions, and prejudices which limit our experience of the world around us and guide us down a path toward self fulfilled prophecy. Many of us have a disconnect related to these limitations. We have a ‘firewall' of sorts which can be constant or triggered by some sort of stimulus. This disconnect can be physical, emotional, or spiritual. What many of us are not conscious of is that our very being is dynamic in its existence. Our body is our mind is our soul. These fears, notions, traumas, and prejudices manifest and have crossovers in the analogy of body-mind-spirit which is one entity. Our physical brain reacts to spirituo-emotional experiences and releases neurotransmitters which send out messages through the tendrils we call nerves which virtually cover the entirety of our body. Our body responds and in turn affects the environment in which we live. This feed forward causes our environment to reciprocate in some fashion. This reciprocation or feedback is a mirror of our affect. This mirror effect is a gift, but it is up to us to take this gift and apply the lesson functionally. We must choose conscious interaction, unconscious reaction, or some facsimile that is our best effort.
How do we ameliorate? How de we salubriate? What can we do to reach a more clear state of being which allows us to see beyond these affects? Masakatsu Agastsu is about finding that path; the victory of authenticity in consciousness and action. The victory is of presence and understanding the elements in the moment for what they are and not what we fear or project that they will be.
The Aiki-facet of Masakatsu Agatsu relates to our agendas, fears, prejudices, and decisions within the martial/peaceful diapason of our interaction with our fellow Aikidoka, and as individuals in training. To overcome fears, biases and ego is to reach victory. The true challenge lies in the assessment of our intentions to find out which are going to propel us forward and which will hold us back. The potential to send us farther down our own dysfunctional path through the guise of betterment is great. The possibility, for example, for one to continue self abuse or an over exaggerated need for control can cause us to unconsciously misuse the want to be more conscious. How do we know that we are making the right decision, taking the right action? That place where the proverbial rubber hits the road is the question with infinite answers. The process and path to take is made in a vehicle which must be tuned and retuned with each turn by an imperfect pilot.
05-11-2004 04:23 PM 