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Old 12-12-2007, 08:43 AM   #65
Dewey
Location: St. Louis, MO
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 179
United_States
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Re: Christianity and Aikido??

Quote:
David Skaggs wrote: View Post
How would I explain how practicing the techniques of Aikido will make you a better Christian?

David
Yeah, I puzzled over that one as well. Perhaps by taking the martial principle of Aiki from a purely physical realm into the realm of the self: "true victory is victory over one's self" as one of O'Sensei's most famous sayings go. Through hard physical training, misogi, and introspection...work to merge/blend the mind, body and spirit into one being and not compartmentalize or even deny those aspects of our lives as we are want and/or taught to do...spiritual Aiki...Oneness of the self. When one is grounded and fully self-aware (spiritually, not in the philosophical or psychological perspective of mere thought abstraction), then they are able to fully perceive their connection with others and the environment around them...Oneness. This oneness is a natural benefit to martial arts training and self-defense (i.e. zanshin/awareness). It doesn't matter the religion or spiritual path you choose, just as long as it pulls you out of your own little world and induces introspection and the desire to improve one's self.

To me, it makes me a better Christian because it moves Christianity from being merely a set of abstract beliefs into something that is physical. That Oneness I was blathering on about above.

Well, at least that's what I take from it. Could be entirely off-track. Who knows...wish Nocquet was still alive, I'd write him about it.

Last edited by Dewey : 12-12-2007 at 08:49 AM.
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