What does it mean to be an Aikidoka

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[Bryant Watson]

To me it means being swift and agile as the wind through the trees, solid and grounded like the earth below my feet, fluid like the flowing stream, and to shine with an inner fire that no person may extinguish. Most of all it means having compassion for someone that may be trying to hurt you in any way. Protect uke to preserve uke, things can change in an instant. :ai: :ki: :do: :circle:

[cconstantine]

I'm patial to: "to be an Aikidoka is to honestly seek the truth" [in oneself, in others, in your martial art, etc.]

[Nick Pagnucco]

My definition is completely based on what I think aikido is, as I define an aikidoka simply as someone who practices aikido. Unfortunately, seeing how I constantly overhaul what I think aikido is supposed to be, my definition of 'aikidoka' is constantly in flux

[dps]

My definition is completely based on what I think aikido is, as I define an aikidoka simply as someone who practices aikido. Unfortunately, seeing how I constantly overhaul what I think aikido is supposed to be, my definition of 'aikidoka' is constantly in flux

I agree.
I looked up the definition of Aikidoka and found."A practitioner of aikido."
A simple meaning. The not so simple meaning is of Aikido.
One of my favorite sayings is that as I am learning the answer, life is changing the question. The same with Aikido.

[Ketsan]

Since everyone is at a different level, I think that I'd say to be an Aikidoka is to seek harmony with everything especially when the world seems not to want harmony with you. Somehow that seems strikingly obvious and universal to everyone regardless if they practice the physical art now that I've said it. :D

[Mark Uttech]

Being an aikidoka is being someone on a path of discovery through Budo that leads through nature, through flower arrangement and tea ceremony, appreciation of the short life of cherry blossoms. The study of 'Ichigo Ichie'. As one becomes aware of the branching streams flowing through the darkness, every bit of life changes. One ages and keeps going, find different ways to practice and why? There is no answer except the answer to keep going.

[Mato-san]

Bryant it sounds as though you feel like super man. It is nice you are fire ,water and earth all in one. Maybe you should come to a realization you may be one or the other and if you are all , I look forward to bowing down to you! A rare accoplishment And I am happy you share it with all of us! You are a freak of nature!

[ian]

I'm patial to: "to be an Aikidoka is to honestly seek the truth" [in oneself, in others, in your martial art, etc.]

I'd go with this as well. Ueshiba believed sincerity is the most important characteristic. I suppose most of us believe in a truth which is more expansive than our own self-interest i.e. that we are all inter-related and that senseless violence helps no-one. Also truths like yin/yang and harmony of movement. From a philosophical standpoint I wonder if any of us can 'honestly seek the truth', since we are only aware of our concious and rationalised (and not subconcious) objectives, and I'm not sure if truth means anything outside of a previously constructed model of reality or social agreement. However many people even lie to themselves in their concious mind. Therefore I suppose I would say 'to attempt to honestly seek the truth' ;)

[Mark Freeman]

Good post Ian, I believe you are speaking 'a truth', thanks.

regards,

Mark

[Bryant Watson]

I do not feel as though I am superman what was meant is that I draw insipration from these sources showing them respect and I try to incorporate them into my aikido. As others before me have said "One of my favorite sayings is that as I am learning the answer, life is changing the question. The same with Aikido." So this is one more step towards finding that truth whatever it may be.

[statisticool]

Someone who is skilled at conflict resolution.

[Qatana]

But everybody Has Earth, Air, Fire & Water in their systems. And Bryant is a poet. not a freak of nature.

[xuzen]

To me it means being swift and agile as the wind through the trees, solid and grounded like the earth below my feet, fluid like the flowing stream, and to shine with an inner fire that no person may extinguish. Most of all it means having compassion for someone that may be trying to hurt you in any way. Protect uke to preserve uke, things can change in an instant. :ai: :ki: :do: :circle:

Lovely wording Bryant Watson. To me aikido gives me freedom.

Freedom to move naturally;
freedom to be what I am capable of;
freedom to be brave;
freedom to be compassionate;
freedom to protect.

Boon.

[aiki03]

...being swift and agile as the wind through the trees, solid and grounded like the earth below my feet, fluid like the flowing stream, and to shine with an inner fire that no person may extinguish. ...

...
what was meant is that I draw insipration from these sources showing them respect...

I may have the text taken toatally out of context and if so I apoilagise. However, it sounds like you have a bit of Shintoism in you :) . Kudos.

....and on with the thread...

[statisticool]

I'll also add that IMO an aikidoka is a person who is strong enough to respond to violence with non-violence.

[Guilty Spark]

Be polite, be courteous, be prepared to kill anyone you meet

Sounds harsh but I believe it sums up a warrior spirit which I believe is what Aikido is.

[Don_Modesto]

Quote:
Be polite, be courteous, be prepared to kill anyone you meet

Sounds harsh but I believe it sums up a warrior spirit which I believe is what Aikido is.

Or as one wag put it: Keeping the HARM in harmony...

(What a ponderous thread. Scze...etc., etc.--where are you, buddy?)

[Chuck.Gordon]

What's it mean to be an aikidoka? Um, it means you study aikido. Not much else.

And in the more traditional interpretation, it has connotations that you are a 'serious' student (i.e.; nidan/sandan or higher) ...

[Erick Mead]

Being an aikidoka means -- whatever my opponent thinks it means ...

[Guilty Spark]

I think Chuck Gordon said it perfectly. Being an Aikidoa simply means you study aikido.

Now what aikido is and what aikido means to you is an all together different thing.

[deepsoup]

What Chuck Gordon said!

There's some discussion of what the word means in this thread (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63) among others.

I wonder if people who're studying other things might be forgiven for thinking its someone who likes to use a lot of high falutin' pretty words (pretentious moi?) to describe themselves.

Sean
x

[gdandscompserv]

that i'm addicted to Aikido?

[Lachlan Kadick]

One who trains to harmonize with the Tao (which is the "do" in Aikido)

[Michael Young]

...learning to enjoy constant frustration :D

[RoyK]

to me being Aikidoka means listening to my Sensei, trying to mimic his move, and sometimes swallowing my bitterness when I do everything wrong.

[Guilty Spark]

I'm really enjoying the humility that comes with it. Both on the mat and especially off of it.

[Guilty Spark]

:freaky: double post

[dps]

:freaky: double post

You are twice as humble.

[RoyK]

I'm really enjoying the humility that comes with it. Both on the mat and especially off of it.

Do you really enjoy humility?

[Peter Goldsbury]

To me it means being swift and agile as the wind through the trees, solid and grounded like the earth below my feet, fluid like the flowing stream, and to shine with an inner fire that no person may extinguish. Most of all it means having compassion for someone that may be trying to hurt you in any way. Protect uke to preserve uke, things can change in an instant. :ai: :ki: :do: :circle:

Hello Bryan,

Are you being serious?

Many apologies, but your description seems like a combination of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli in Lord of the Rings. Gosh, those guys ALWAYS win. Orc arrows invariably MISS their targets, but Legolas invariably HITS his foes. Probably they would embody your idea of the true aikidouka. How about the Uruk-Hai, bred by Saruman? Would they qualify as aikidouka?

If I think of that movie, my idea of a true aikidouka would be Samwise Gamji, or Gollum Of course, Frodo would also fit, but he is sometimes too stuipid for words. Gollum would fit, since he always uses his obvious martial skills in support of the vision he has.

But it was a movie and everything was all arranged beforehand. It was all fake, in Plato's sense.

Best wishes,

[Ron Tisdale]

:) Thanks for that, Peter.

There is a thread on e-budo right now, about what is a warrior. Many of the same kind of romantic ideals are written there. I don't know if I'm just jaded...but I am definately a bit weary of the romanticism.

Best,
Ron (just my point of view...carry on...)

[Guilty Spark]

Do you really enjoy humility?

In a word, yes.
I know that's a loaded question of course. I'm sure you can suggest that enjoying humility isn't being humble at all etc.. ;)

Perhaps better wording on my part would be I enjoy loosing what was once a considerable ego and a me first attitude.

"The only time you should look down on someone is when you are helping them up"

There is a thread on e-budo right now, about what is a warrior.

Hey Ron, could you provide a link?

[Ron Tisdale]

http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34557&page=1&pp=15

Best,
Ron

[Keith R Lee]

Yeah, some of the posts over there are cringe-inducing.

[Mark Freeman]

:) Thanks for that, Peter.

There is a thread on e-budo right now, about what is a warrior. Many of the same kind of romantic ideals are written there. I don't know if I'm just jaded...but I am definately a bit weary of the romanticism.

Best,
Ron (just my point of view...carry on...)

I'm reading a book right now based around the trenches in WWI, the 'soldiers' in this conflict were definitely not the romantic 'warrior', they were mostly conscripted workers unaware of the real reasons for them being there. That doesn't mean that many of them didn't act like warriors, I'm sure many of them did. I just think that the romantic ideas about the 'warrior' are usually perpetrated by those not in "the front line".

regards,

Mark

[Ron Tisdale]

That doesn't mean that many of them didn't act like warriors, I'm sure many of them did. I just think that the romantic ideas about the 'warrior' are usually perpetrated by those not in "the front line".

I completely agree. I guess I just wonder why we need to create these poetic, exagerated visions of what it is we do. Is the reality somehow not enough?

Best,
Ron

[Mark Freeman]

I completely agree. I guess I just wonder why we need to create these poetic, exagerated visions of what it is we do. Is the reality somehow not enough?

Best,
Ron

Good question Ron, if we just stick with aikido rather than open it up to a much wider sphere, then to be an aikidoka means to be someone who practices aikido. What that means to each end every aikidoka is personal, either formed through continued practice or what we 'think' we should be. This could be informed by our teachers, our readings, our discussions of what aikido 'is'. Aikido can encompass the 'deadly martial art' through to the 'personal spiritual growth' aspects without the paradox falling apart.

I think the 'samurai warrior' figure pervades some of the thinking in aikido, as there is a link that can be traced back to those times. Maybe the romanticisation of these figures does attract some to our art, but why anyone would want to emulate the samurai in the modern world is beyond me. They belong to a time past, a bit like the medieval knights. I'm not suggesting that this tendancy is all pervading but it may have some influence.

The reality is much more mundane, turning up to practice, over and over again, facing the inevitable frustrations that are inherent in trying to improve oneself. It's not romantic, it can be enjoyable, hard work and enlightening, but a panting sweat soaked student is hardly a romantic fugure ( maybe you are prettier than me so this could be relative ;) )

Just a few thoughts,

Anyway, my reality demands that I cook some food and do some cleaning ( I'm a real modern 'warrior' :D ), so I'd better get on with it rather than sit here being a keyboard warrior :crazy:

regards,

Mark

[Ron Tisdale]

I can guarentee that I'm not that pretty... ;)

B,
R

[dps]

The reality is much more mundane, turning up to practice, over and over again, facing the inevitable frustrations that are inherent in trying to improve oneself. It's not romantic, it can be enjoyable, hard work and enlightening, but a panting sweat soaked student is hardly a romantic fugure....

Sounds like a good desciption and picture to use in recruiting new students :)

[Mark Freeman]

Sounds like a good desciption and picture to use in recruiting new students :)

I reckon it would probably put alot of people off! :(

regards

Mark

[dps]

I reckon it would probably put alot of people off! :(

regards

Mark
Caption at bottom of advertisement," Only people serious about practicing Akido need apply." :)

[John Boswell]

To be an Aikidoka... means to be someone who can BE, comfortably, in any situation.

"Just be there." (one point)


"... ponder this on the Tree of Woe." :D

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/Conan6.jpg

[Mark Freeman]

Where is that dojo, california? ;) :crazy:

[Chuck.Gordon]

I reckon it would probably put alot of people off! :(

regards

Mark

Good.

[RoyK]

In a word, yes.
I know that's a loaded question of course. I'm sure you can suggest that enjoying humility isn't being humble at all etc.. ;)

Perhaps better wording on my part would be I enjoy loosing what was once a considerable ego and a me first attitude.


hmm Interesting, I never gave thought to the positive sides of humiliation. I'll have to ponder over it a bit during my humility sessions :uch:

[dps]

hmm Interesting, I never gave thought to the positive sides of humiliation. I'll have to ponder over it a bit during my humility sessions :uch:
Humility session = being uke :)
Don't forget to tap out when the humility is to much. :)

[dps]

Stealing the family's deck for your own private dojo.
http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?p=147393#post147393

[Guilty Spark]

hmm Interesting, I never gave thought to the positive sides of humiliation. I'll have to ponder over it a bit during my humility sessions

"Humility is the state of being humble. A humble person is generally thought to be unpretentious and modest: someone who does not think that he or she is better or more important than others. Humility is not to be confused with humiliation, which is the act of making someone else feel ashamed, and is something completely different."

Humility and humiliation are not the same thing though the words sound similar.

[RoyK]

Humility and humiliation are not the same thing though the words sound similar.

I'm sorry, bad choice of words on my part, but I did understand the original intention. To my defense I'll say that English is my second language!

I've attended a dojo where the teacher doesn't 'teach' humility at all, on the contrary, he boasts how his teaching (combination of Yoshinkan and BJJ) is the most practical. His arrogant manner rubbed off on his students, and those who were arrogant to begin with just became obnoxious, close minded people. I attended a Ki- Aikido seminar with one of them, and all he had to say is "wtf is this useless b*s, I just wasted 2 hours of my life", and left in the middle. I wouldn't be surprised to hear about one of them getting into a fight just to prove their system, either.

That's one place where humility is needed, but missing.

[Mark Freeman]

That's one place where humility is needed, but missing.

Not uncommon wherever you go :(

regards,

Mark

[Guilty Spark]

To my defense I'll say that English is my second language!
No need for a defense :) I only know one language so you're way ahead of me!

His arrogant manner rubbed off on his students, and those who were arrogant to begin with just became obnoxious

Thats one of the worst things about martial arts in my opinion - ego. Like techniques (including bad habits) I think an instructors ego and attitude rub off on their students in a big way.

I've found that in a lot of other arts (speaking with students, not practicing it) there is a need to prove their effectiveness which usually includes pointing out the faults in other styles of martial arts. "My style is the best, yours is crap" They don't seem content with doing their own martial art while someone else does something different.

I find 'aikidoa' really stand out in the martial arts community because more often than not they are the opposite of this need to prove yourself mentality.

[Chuck.Gordon]

I've attended a dojo where the teacher doesn't 'teach' humility at all,...

I don't teach humility either. I teach budo.

Don't have time to do all that subtle crap. It's all I can do to try to show my students how to move, think, react and hopefully get the frak out of the way.

Can you TEACH humility? I thot it was kind of a personal thing ... you know, personal responsibility and all that.

[RoyK]

I don't teach humility either. I teach budo.

Don't have time to do all that subtle crap. It's all I can do to try to show my students how to move, think, react and hopefully get the frak out of the way.

Can you TEACH humility? I thot it was kind of a personal thing ... you know, personal responsibility and all that.

Uhm.. I won't claim to know how one teaches humility, but sometimes you know when a class is lacking that. I think honesty with the students was missing there. Perhaps too much positive feedback.

[dps]

Uhm.. I won't claim to know how one teaches humility...Maybe being uke for NagaBaba. :D

[Guilty Spark]

Uhm.. I won't claim to know how one teaches humility

I would say teach by example.

[Michael Young]

"... ponder this on the Tree of Woe."

THAT'S IT!!! Thanks to John Boswell I now know the answer! Here it is:

"Crawsh your enemy...see zem driven bevore you..aahnd hear zeh lamentation of zeh vemon!!" :D

[senseimel]

Being an Aikidoka --- one must enternalize all basic principles in Aikido.The Love of Harmony and One who respects individual Ki. :)

[happysod]

Damn, after reading those beautiful posts I'll have to start voting the "don't do aikido again" in Jun's polls... alternatively I could always start taking mushroom tea again.

[Mark Freeman]

Damn, after reading those beautiful posts I'll have to start voting the "don't do aikido again" in Jun's polls... alternatively I could always start taking mushroom tea again.

Ah..that's where you get your venerability from :cool:

[Bryant Watson]

Now what aikido is and what aikido means to you is an all together different thing.


In retrospect I probably should have phrased the title "What does it mean to be an aikidoka to you" but I left it open not for correction but for your own interpretation. Take what you will away from this thread, we as aikidoka know deep inside what Aikido means and what it means to each of us individually. It is different for each person but, it is just one of the many paths we all travel to get to the same destination.
Thank you all for your comments. :ai: :ki: :do: :circle:

[Maxcyaikidoka]

I am brand new to this website, so please forgive me if no one knows who I am. I have just begun studying aikido and in the three months that i have practiced, my opinion about the art has changed completely. At first it was, when can I get my black belt and how do I throw someone down and make it look really cool...

Now, I come to class to train, learn and live a better life through the practice of aikido. I think for me, this is what an aikidoka is.

[Buck]

Really not much outside of being a person who shows mercy over killing, and who studies Aikido to make the world a better place.

[Eugene Leslie]

To me it means learning to get along with others instead of contending;....having more of an accepting disposition; freedom from fear of external forces to be oneself....striving through disciplined training to become more like the good characters I admire in history. Seeing things for what they are. Leaning about one's true self.
Learning to form sincere connections with others.


On the subject of humility:

Before honor is humility.

[lbb]

Before honor is humility.

Not in the dictionary it's not.

[Eugene Leslie]

Not in the dictionary it's not.

Thank you for informing me and contributing to the discussion.

[lbb]

Thank you for informing me and contributing to the discussion.

Yes, well, as you were resurrecting a nine-month-old thread ("discussion" might be a bit of a stretch after that amount of time), I didn't see any great harm in injecting a little humor.

[Peter Goldsbury]

To me it means being swift and agile as the wind through the trees, solid and grounded like the earth below my feet, fluid like the flowing stream, and to shine with an inner fire that no person may extinguish. Most of all it means having compassion for someone that may be trying to hurt you in any way. Protect uke to preserve uke, things can change in an instant. :ai: :ki: :do: :circle:

Hello,

Gosh, I'd love to be like this. I think I've got the compassion and protection bits right, but being swift and agile as the wind through the trees (as in Star Wars VI) is somewhat difficult now (at my age), though the inner fire is still there and is probably as unquenchable was it was when I first started. And I have found that things take rather longer to change than in an instant. But, YMMV. :D :D

[Eugene Leslie]

Yes, well, as you were resurrecting a nine-month-old thread ("discussion" might be a bit of a stretch after that amount of time), I didn't see any great harm in injecting a little humor.
Truth be told Mrs. Malmros, my initial reaction was defensive and one of "well na na na boo boo to you as well". Not knowing from where you were coming from I decided on the high road, (even though I admit it sounds a little sarcastic) and I see it paid dividends as I now know it was meant in jest. :)

[Eugene Leslie]

To me it means being swift and agile as the wind through the trees, solid and grounded like the earth below my feet, fluid like the flowing stream, and to shine with an inner fire that no person may extinguish. Most of all it means having compassion for someone that may be trying to hurt you in any way. Protect uke to preserve uke, things can change in an instant. :ai: :ki: :do: :circle:

I'm with the proffessor on this one.
Bryant I must say, either you're an old soul in his twenties that walks the nature trails with hands clasped behind his back pondering the sound of one hand clapping with Squirrelfart, your trusty familiar on your shoulder; or you watch too much Crouching Tiger movies.
(Forgive me; I couldn't resist....I'm laughing with you not at you).

"My bad" in the colloquial.

[lbb]

I decided on the high road

That was the "high road"?

[David Board]

I'm with the proffessor on this one.
Bryant I must say, either you're an old soul in his twenties that walks the nature trails with hands clasped behind his back pondering the sound of one hand clapping with Squirrelfart, your trusty familiar on your shoulder; or you watch too much Crouching Tiger movies.
(Forgive me; I couldn't resist....I'm laughing with you not at you).

"My bad" in the colloquial.

It does you good to get out in the fresh air. - The Way of Mrs. Cosmopilite

[aikishihan]

To be an aikidoka is to feel and be humbly grateful;

Grateful for the Founder, for devoting his life,skills and commitment to create a workable path for us to study and to emulate in our own way.

Grateful for the Second Doshu, for using his influence, unique character, and his devotion to maintaining the environment for his father's marvelous gift to mankind to be available over generations.

Grateful to the Sensei's, Sempai's, training peers, unconditional love from our family and friends to allow us to walk our paths with dignity, purpose and some success.

Grateful to the current and incoming generations of devoted seekers of the Way of Aiki, that help validate all the work that has been done before, the foundation for keeping the spirit of the Founder's dream alive and vibrant. Their promise of change and epiphanies fuel our work even more today.

Grateful for Jun Akiyama, the Aiki Web, and for all the invaluable posts and contributions that keep our conversations alive and ongoing.

You get to fill in your own contributions from here.

[Eugene Leslie]

That was the "high road"?

It's all right......shhh...You'll be okay.

[David Board]

It's all right......shhh...You'll be okay.

What did you do to the Haggis?

[Melchizedek]

If I may add, on this tread...., b’coz I think, I like where this tread is heading, reading from the posts above; it encourage me to share something out.

>To be an Aikidoka’ for me is to know why Aikido; is ‘different from every Other Martial Arts’? & to know ‘where it came from’? The ‘mission & vision’ of the ‘founder’; & who is ‘Morihie Ueshiba’? & why should I have to wear a ‘HAKAMA & DOGI’? What are the ‘Virtues’? and finally ‘what; is it all there in AIKIDO’? & why I have the feeling; so uncontagious that I need to share it w/everyone:)

[mathewjgano]

Not in the dictionary it's not.

That all depends on which way you approach it.:p