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Old 11-24-2011, 05:22 PM   #58
graham christian
Dojo: golden center aikido-highgate
Location: london
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,697
England
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Re: Violence and Aikido

Quote:
Ahmad Abas wrote: View Post
Everyone watches a master swordsman wield a blade with awe. There is beauty in his kata...
Why do you open your mouth in wonder? Don't you see death in his every cut?

I think there is a distinction, natural violence and a violent mind. Violence is relative to a persons concept of it. Some believe the cutting up of human beings are an act of violence. Yet we do cut people up with very sharp blades no less... To save him. Are they violent acts? No, they are compassionate but natural acts of violence so to speak. Natural to the instigator whose job is to cut you up to save you. And violent to the patient whose very body seeks to avoid the pain and trauma of being cut up.

A violent mind however is unnatural. A predator doesn not hunt with malevolence but the act of killing is violence. But not unnatural. Violence of the mind is when you seek to destroy not in keeping to your true self or purpose.

Thus the violent mind is what does not come to the aikido equation. Yet if natural violence were to occur, then so be it.
Nicely put. Not that I agree though.

I agree we must make distinctions and I also agree the violent mind has no place in Aikido and is un-natural.

When it comes to the Master wielding a sword I admire the skill as with admiring the skill of a master plasterer or whoever. I feel sorry for those who see it as death cuts and admire such. I can view it as such but then Admiration wouldn't be on that aspect in fact if I saw a person doing such and thinking that equalled how dangerous and competent they were I would shake my head and feel sorry for him.

Violence is harmful. It's not natural to harm. Only to those who validate the violent mind.

I like the twist put on compassion and bringing killing into it and putting them together. Sounds so 'reasonable' thus another way to be led into violence is o.k. type thinking. If you really wan't to see the difference you would have to practice from the view of no violence for whatever reason no matter what your logic thinks. Now that's a discipline of self, mind, and action. Until a person practices such how can they see better solutions?

No, as long as violence and harm is dressed up in 'reason' then we don't have to look at all really. We can all be blind sheep. Actually violent sheep.

Certain truths need to be faced. A hunter does indeed have violence in mind and the intention is violent and harmful. Now justifying it and when it might be necessary is one thing and a good study but not at the expense of what is. It is. Start from there.

IT is malevelant, it is not natural. That's the starting point without which we are not facing reality let alone any truth.

Regards.G.
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