Thread: Ueshiba's Aiki
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Old 11-10-2011, 05:02 PM   #61
Ken McGrew
Dojo: Aikido at UAB
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 202
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Re: Ueshiba's Aiki

What we have here is a rather shallow attempt at diversion. Why not try to explain your alleged insights into Aikido instead of trying to draw me into a debate about unrelated historical issues? I could point to sources that contradict your claims and to video of O'Sensei teaching wider audiences, going on TV, Etc. but don't want to let you slip away from the unanswered questions. By the way, the disrespectful way that you and your comrades speak of Kisshomaru Sensei is simply not acceptable.

Why not simply answer the questions I posed and clarify what it is you think that HD has discovered that the rest of the Aikido world forgot.? It's just not evident in the posts. As I can't see HD doing whatever it is he's doing I can only read into the description of taking balance internally. As I mentioned, there is video of Terry Dobson doing what I assume are similar things way back when. It's not new.

Aikiweb has a very good search engine. So yes, Mark, I read all the relevant posts,that the search produced. I'm an academic. I know how to read. I know how to work through search engine results.

Quote:
Mark Murray wrote: View Post
Mr. McGrew,

I have about 1700 posts. Dan has about 2500. Let's be conservative and say half of them are off topic. That leaves 800 and 1200 posts amid, oh, let's say 200 threads. That's just the two of us. There were a few more main participants (Rob John, Mike Sigman, etc) which could double the above count.

Are you saying that between the time I posted on Nov 6th and today, you have read all those threads and posts? Because, personally, from your recent post, it really doesn't seem like it.

Speaking of ... in your website on Aikido history, you have this:

According to Stan Pranin's extensive research, the above is really not true. Ueshiba did not train in many forms of martial arts. And those few he did study were short lived. His one, main art that he trained was Daito ryu.

Also, it was not out of that experience you describe which created Aikido and in fact, Ueshiba never named his art but just acknowledged his acceptance of the name.

Then, there's this section from your web site:

It was Kisshomaru Ueshiba who opened the practice of Aikido up to the general public, not Morihei. In fact, when Kisshomaru suggested a public demonstration, he feared his father would fly off in a rage at the notion. Instead, Morihei handed Tokyo hombu over to his son and Kisshomaru took things from there to a worldwide audience.

From there, it would be hard to have a conversation about aikido with someone who has ideas that are opposite historical facts. Stan Pranin has a subscription in which you can get a DVD with all the back issues of Aiki News/Aikido Journal. I would suggest starting there and reading through them.

If you don't wish to do that, then perhaps you should attend a seminar with Bill Gleason and have a long talk with him. Bill has the background, skills, and ability to help you understand aikido history, theory, spiritual ideology, and aiki.