aikishihan

It is my humble opinion that "Aikido" is essentially a concept, made real, tangible, and accessible by the efforts of the Founder, Morihei Ueshiba. As such, I view the "product" of Aikido essentially as a tool with which a committed and persevering individual can find targeted truths that could very well result in epiphanies, or even of "enlightenment".I do not necessarily see that studying Aikido must, should or will lead to some form of enlightenment .Enlightenment may happen, but no guarantees.

In my view, "enlightenment" is a different thing to different people. Much of what a person finds, is determined by what that person is initially seeking for, and ultimately settling for.. It is the sudden granting of a private wish.

Finding enlightenment is a personal success story, and not necessarily connected to any established system of thought or action. To my way of thinking, it is the acceptance by the self, that a personal challenge has been met. That special kind of
joy and profound appreciation probably cannot be shared.

Aikido, as a martial art system, is designed for individuals who are willing to commit unconditionally, for the duration it takes, to literally "grind away" each day in focused training, introspection and single minded concentration on the primary goal of ever increasing understanding, skills development, and the seamless applicability to events and situations in their daily lives.

A key benefit of progression in establishing one's own version of the Founder's Aikido, is that discoveries, skills and proven theories can and should be shared, even as the person's growth process continues. It becomes a living testament to the Aiki principles being both valid and available to anyone willing to pay the price of consistent effort and unconditional perseverence.

This daily dose of joy and sharing is the basis for my love of training with sincere people of Aiki, both on and off the mat.

In Oneness,