who has it, who doesn't, what it is, etc...

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[rob_liberti]

I actually believe that aikiDO is about character.
I believe that AIKI is about skill.

Conflating the 2 is simply wrong and annoying because it is just so obvious.

No way can I possibly believe that idiotic story about O sensei (and please refrain from making him Irish like "O'sensei" it's just distracting) having a revelation about aiki power - surrounded by a golden cloud or whatever. I can believe he had aiki in his body - trained by Takeda - and that he made the realization that the principles he manifested in his body matched up against the principles he was thinking about with regard to the kotodama. That makes sense.

Is DO about being a better person - yes. Wow, and the guy changed the name of his powerful art to have the word DO in it - shocker...

However, DO doesn't have to mean you are all sweet and enlightened. It just means you are a bit more so than you had been. Some people are starting from a deep hole. There are people who are long time into their DO - who are so ego invested that they left me the impression they want to have some sort of a death match with me.

Now please have at it. Please go on and on about how your 40 year paths to mediocrity are the best ways. Feel free to challenge the level of who vetted Dan and Mike and Aukuzawa. Have a pissing match about what ever you want until every one is bored of that discussion or until Jun has enough and closes this thread down. Just keep it here and not in my other thread.

Rob

[Kevin Leavitt]

I agree Rob.

Interestingly this is what FM 3-25.150 "Army Combatives" defines as the purpose of combatives training.

1-2. PURPOSES OF COMBATIVES TRAINING
Soldiers must be prepared to use different levels of force in an environment where conflict may change from low intensity to high intensity over a matter of hours. Many military operations, such as peacekeeping missions or noncombatant evacuation, may restrict the use of deadly weapons. Hand-to-hand combatives training will save lives when an unexpected confrontation occurs.

More importantly, combatives training helps to instill courage and self-confidence. With competence comes the understanding of controlled aggression and the ability to remain focused while under duress. Training in combatives includes hard and arduous physical training that is, at the same time, mentally demanding and carries over to other military pursuits.

The first one deals with the physicality of martial training...the "aiki" if you will.

The second part deals with the DO or WAY.

I point this out only because it is a modern military reference and not some romantic samurai peace/harmony notion. I find it interesting that we make the same distinction in the modern Army.

The definition is really congruent with the goals of Aiki-Do.

You know, I don't know about all the clouds of light and all that stuff. I know many people that have had some very interesting life altering transformations take place. Good for them. Transcending the ordinary is something I hope is possible, as I think it is our only hope for peace/harmony one day.

I don't expect to sit under a tree all day and have a lightening bolt strike and become "one with the universe". I tend to think there is alot more to it than that.

[rob_liberti]

Cool reference.

Yes, aikido is about transformation - not about transcending without making the changes...

Rob

[mathewjgano]

I actually believe that aikiDO is about character.
I believe that AIKI is about skill.
Conflating the 2 is simply wrong and annoying because it is just so obvious.
While I think fusing character and skill together is crucial to the :do: of O Sensei (only O'Sensei on St. Patty's Day:D ), suddenly switching from one topic to the other is very annoying, I agree. Assertions into the nature of people's personalities really shouldn't ever enter into many of the topics they have.

Is DO about being a better person - yes. Wow, and the guy changed the name of his powerful art to have the word DO in it - shocker...
Actually, wasn't the name appointed by a government council of some kind or another?

However, DO doesn't have to mean you are all sweet and enlightened. It just means you are a bit more so than you had been. Some people are starting from a deep hole.
That's a fact...and really, the :do: doesn't even mean a person is a bit farther than they were before, "enlightenment" wise. It just shows something about their overt intent...and not that much, in and of itself.

Now please have at it. Please go on and on about how your 40 year paths to mediocrity are the best ways. Feel free to challenge the level of who vetted Dan and Mike and Aukuzawa.
I'd just like to kick this off by stating they're all in trouble now! I have discovered the Wushu Finger Lock. Finally! The one technique to trump all approaches...although apparently it leaves a big mess.:yuck: