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Michael Neal (virginia_kyu) wrote:
This kind of goes to my point, if someone with your kind of experience with Aikido and one who trained directly with Saotome sensei is not sure how O'Sensei envisioned this, then how can others with much less experience claim to have such an understanding?
Yes, there are some that get into those philosophical matters but is that not a spiritual journey for themselves rather than an ideology to tell us for example: whether it is aiki or not to fight Iraq?
What bothers me is not those who wish to follow O'Sensei's religion or philosophy, I have the utmost respect for it. I am uneasy about people using their interpretation of O'Sensei's philosophy as dogma to use as a political ideology in world or even domestic affairs.
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Michael, I think you also have to take Aikido within the context of when it began to gain prominence in the world. Many of today's teachers began their careers in the 60's or 70's which had certain distinct paradigm shifts going on. One was a dissatisfaction with government and authority. Another was the idea of inner peace, harmony and higher consciousness. That influence is very much alive and strong today. Also, many folks have discovered that you can't easily make money doing conventional martial arts. So you transform your practice into a mystical spiritual thingee. Self-help on the feet and in the air if you will.
I'm fine with this, although I often think that the last thing the world needs is another self-help book. I have, in fact, found value in these realms and I'm glad this sort of thing exists. I also wish them all the best in changing the world. It might, or it might not, be a better place if they succeed.
However, in the end, you have to realize that none of us, unless we live there, know jack about the situation in the Middle East. Hell, I really don't even know much about what's going on in my own country. The Middle East is incredibly complex with many cultural and historical issues. For us to say we have answers there is just water cooler talking.
We bend wrists and we would often be well-served to remember that.