Aikido Alive

Dear David,

I'm late to the party, if we can call it that? Anyway, great topic and great thoughts.
My only concern with this, is how we can understand O Sensei through Ichirei Shikon Sangen Hachiriki, as he has made clear that his art is founded on its premises. So though I do think people can learn Aikido without ever knowing anything about Omoto Kyo theology, I do not think people can appreciate the deeper meaning of our art without having a thorough understanding of the internal aspects to our body AND a spiritual insight into Truth, since O Sensei married those two sides to his expression of Aikido. So simply looking at Ichirei Shikon Sangen Hachiriki as a philosophical system won't do. Nor will an isolated interest in the internal arts reveal O Sensei's strengths. But if we can realise each of the four dictums in our own body, then we'll have removed it from speculation and can now demonstrate it in training. Now if we decide that we'd like to understand where O Sensei is coming from, which will reveal a lot about Aikido, then we must pursue the spiritual as well as the internal aspects to our training.To do this with any rate of success we need teachers that knows what they speak about, as did O Sensei's teachers; Deguchi and Takeda. Two different fields of skill and knowledge but paired up in O Sensei's life and vocation. Like any true spiritual person does, he/she applies it to their own field of knowledge and vocation. That's why we can't separate O Sensei's Ichirei Shikon Sangen Hachiriki from his martial prowess. Deguchi's understanding thereof would significantly differ of course as he was no martial artist but used the insight in his line of work; verbally, energetically and spiritually. Now of course, O Sensei loved the theory but he could also demonstrate its functionality in his Aiki-do. But to stay true to the basic tenet we must first delve into One Spirit, to realise for ourselves what it is and means, for us personally. So the Kojiki lays it out for us to study and sure, it's archaic and difficult. Much easier to go to a Zen monastery and pursue zazen till you get it, but nevertheless, it confronts us with the ultimate meaning of life, and of yourself.The rich tapestry of the Kojiki makes it difficult to decipher but if you do, the insights are thrilling as they are astounding. As I see it, the symbolism must be deciphered in your own body as to make any sense. Especially for us aikidoka. Then you will have done the great service of demythologise eternal truths that are difficult to grasp, let alone master.