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Old 03-25-2010, 09:20 PM   #58
Gorgeous George
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 464
United Kingdom
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Re: Diff. styles, 1 Aikido

Quote:
Budd Yuhasz wrote: View Post
So are you basing your definition of "his" Budo based on what the Aikikai teaches? Snippets of what Ueshiba said? Observations from those who where there of what he did? You see any potential conflicts? Who decides who's right and how the "right" way to do things gets applied?

Interesting - Harmony? Just the way of harmony? Not with ki as in life energy or ki as in spirit of the universe? Ki already seems to have multiple definitions whether it's kami, heaven & earth, the physical universe, the spirit world, actual defineable bodyskills . . since aikido is a physical art that (depending on who you train with) may claim emotional, mental and spiritual components . . which takes precedence in a Budo that manifests as a physical practice around combatives?

In addition, there's the whole notion of harmony . . is that being happy and passing a rock around a circle. . or . . fitting in appropriately (wow, that can be loaded and full of context) . .or . . not opposing force with force (darn, that's sounding like judo . . ) . .or . . choices, choices . . who gets to make that call?

Yet, you've posted a lot of words around something you have never thought about.

Ah, but there's the rub . . I didn't say that 'there are people in the Aikikai who have an agenda contrary to the interests of aikido' (which I find interesting that you quoted, like I wrote it) . . I asked, "What makes you think that ANY organization does not have people that are in it with a major objective of maintaining their power and position?"

The statement is based on experiences with human nature - regardless of activity or organization is that there are plenty that behave in questionable or even detestible ways whose motivations, when questioned, would likely (and no doubt, to them, legitimately, in many cases) be around noble aims . . good intentions, etc . .

and just my direct experience I've seen it in . .
(churches, martial arts, military, government, corporate world, etc)

Yup, I'll just make an admittedly blanket statement without firsthand knowledge and say that in all likelihood this happens in the hierarchies of aikido, too.

Well, that's good, then - but I never wrote 'in it for the money' . .although . . nah, I know (and of) too many people killing themselves trying to make a decent living through the martial arts to demean what they do by making more blanket statements . . but I'd suggest you do a little more processing between what I write versus what you think I write, fair?

Cool, back atcha.
Yeah: based upon O'Sensei having said words to the effect of 'i don't believe in competition' i have based my understanding of what he defined his Budo as, on what he said - as well as his practice of it too: having no competition in it as he practiced it at the Aikikai (and everywhere else) - which i believe he founded/taught at...
That seems very unambiguous to me.

Who defines aikido? The person who creates it, i would say is the person who defines it: the components (ai, ki, and do) already had definitions in the Japanese language (i would imagine), and so these were combined, as their meanings corresponded to the defintion of what he wished to give a name to (viz., aikido)...

'The way of harmony' - indeed. From this definition is not excluded '...with ki as in life energy or ki as in spirit of the universe'.
My answer was not restrictive - quite the contrary, in fact.

The notion of harmony? I would say that those who are experts in the definition/application of words would be best placed to answer questions regarding the application of words to events, objects, etc.

'Yet, you've posted a lot of words around something you have never thought about.'

I think you misunderstand: i have not posted a lot of words, and nor do i accept that they were about this; rather, they were concerning the attitude of another person towards competition.

I didn't quote somebody as if it was attributable to you. I think you misunderstood.

You can generalise, and say 'Yup, I'll just make an admittedly blanket statement without firsthand knowledge and say that in all likelihood this happens in the hierarchies of aikido, too.', but that doesn't advance this position at all: we're still in the dark as to what the reality is.
It's possible, but 'in all likelihood' allows for the possibility that it is not the case that this happens...

'there are plenty that behave in questionable or even detestible ways' - but then: there are plenty that don't.

'but I never wrote 'in it for the money' '

I think you misunderstand: i was not saying that you said these exact words; i was replying to your assertion that within the Aikikai there are those 'that are in it with a major objective of maintaining their power and position' - 'in it for the money' is not necessarily literal, but is a shorthand expressing this.

Regards

- GG
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