Whose Aiki is it anyway

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[aikishihan]

The true essence and beauty that I call “Aiki”, was not, is not, and never was intended for the eventual creation of “Aikido” alone. Rather, it embodies essential elements of virtues and characteristics that have applied to improving the value of humanity over the ages. It also is available to those who would create new expressions and applications today.

The Aiki of Ueshiba Aiki, and eventually, the Founder’s Aikido, was a small part of the greater universe of Aiki, that which the Founder did not have access to, but alluded to all the time. When he admonished his students to think larger than themselves, to dare to delve deep within for ultimate guidance, resolve and ambition to create their very own aikido, I believe that he was keenly aware of what he himself lacked in terms of resources, and what he could never begin to study in his own lifetime. He did not see this fact as a failing, but rather a facet of the human condition. Being so fallible and vulnerable should serve to make us that much more vigilant, judiciously humble and ever resourceful in choosing the components of our very own Aiki matrix, from which to form our very own Aikido.

The values and principles of Aiki are echoed throughout humanity’s existence, as it has continuously inspired and guided past masters to make the promise of being human ever more godlike, and to become reflections of the sublime mysteries of life, those truths that are beautiful, soul stirring and totally satisfying to the heart and the soul. It can be found in the description of religious thought, in all forms of art and expression, in the hopes and dreams of the young, the ambitious and the philosophies of our elders. It ultimately is what we hope and believe it to be for our purposes.

That the Founder was able to not only recognize such largess from his version of the Universe within himself, is astounding because he found a way of developing it into an ingenious art form that we recognize today as Aikido. He was no politician, or spiritual guru, nor a mega philanthropist who could spend billions of dollars attempting to help the poor in the world and to promote “world peace”.

The Founder’s ambition, in my woefully limited understanding, was to accept the universe of harmonious interaction within himself, with his limitations, his record of achievement and misses, and with his burning desire for one more day to make it a little bit better than the day before. He realized that the most efficient method to accomplish whatever he could, was through daily training in the fundamentals he recognized and was able to repeat day after day. It was his core set of beliefs in his own set of Aiki principles that fueled his daily activities to achieve his personal goals.

This is the O’Sensei I recognize, honor and follow in my attempts to create my own Aikido. This is the O’Sensei who I can accept as being my Mentor , not to clone, but to give thanks to for an imperfect, but magnificent example of how to grow with diginity, confidence and joy.

[Erick Mead]

It's not mine, I was just borrowing it for a while. I kinda took it apart a while back. It seemed sorta stuck when I was using it, you know, but then there was nothing I could see was really wrong with it -- and then I figured out the problem was with me. So I think I fixed that, mostly, a few things left to work on.

So, I tried to put it back together the way it was. It seems to work OK now, but I have a couple of these bits left over, right here. I still tinker with it now and again. Each time I seem to have some other bits left over, but it still works OK. Are they important? I am not sure. Like I said, it isn't mine, I just borrowed it. Whoever it belongs to will know where they go, if they need them -- and how to put them back, I am sure, if they think it is important...

I promise I'll try not to break it, and to get it all back where it belongs before I go ...

:)

[Buck]

The true essence and beauty that I call “Aiki”,


:) :) :) :) out of 4 :)

I enjoyed reading this very much!

[SeiserL]

It was his core set of beliefs in his own set of Aiki principles that fueled his daily activities to achieve his personal goals.
Osu Sensei,
Always a delight to hear your thoughts.
I agreed, besides the techniques are the principles as applied through our own core beliefs and intentions that make Aikido an extension of our personal journey.
Rei. Domo.