Re: O'Sensei Thought It Was Important
As someone who has done a lot of food-based gardening (too small-scale to properly be called "farming" I think, but the same idea), I'm very interested in this question.
In my experience, farming is food for the soul. Being in nature, observing natural processes, helping them along, seeing things grow, observing the cycles of the seasons, accepting what you get and working with (not struggling against) it for a better outcome, all seem very compatible with Aikido.
Besides, using hand tools (rake, shovel, manure fork) is great jo practice.
I'd be very interested in hearing about anything O-Sensei said about how farming and Aikido are related. Also, does anyone know if he had experience with either food animals (pigs, chickens...) or draft animals (horses, oxen...)? I would assume that would've been part of his farming life, but haven't heard anything about it.
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