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Old 07-27-2002, 12:02 AM   #16
akiy
 
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Hi Kevin, everyone else,
Quote:
Kevin Wilbanks wrote:
I can't go along with much of the thinking in this bit. That kind of all-or-nothing, black/white hyperbole seems overly simplistic.
Interesting. I didn't think I was coloring things in black and white. I tend to see and think much in greytones, but I guess that could just be me.

I guess it just boils down to, to me, aikido is a budo. (Would that be the black/white part?) To take the martial out of it would make it into something more like contact improv. There's a lot to be learned from such, of course; it's just not my venue of self reflection at this time.
Quote:
First, I don't think that we can control our partners, or control anything in our lives on a fundamental level.
Maybe "control" wasn't the right word, then? Affect? Take the initiative? Lead into a different route than they initially conceived? Help create an alternative solution through creative conflict resolution?

I'm OK with any of those, frankly.
Quote:
Second, I actually find ukemi more rewarding than throwing.
As do I. I've said it more than once that the most important part in aikido practice to me is ukemi. I get a lot out of delving into ukemi; that's why I started up an ukemi class, I guess.

(As an aside, what I'm working on currently is seeing how there's no difference between uke and nage in the principles being used...)
Quote:
Certainly questions of openings, weaknesses, opportunities for reversals, etc... have their place, but it sounds odd to me to say that this is the element that ultimately makes Aikido more worth my time than volleyball or needlepoint.
I don't think I ever said such a thing. I'm probably one of the first ones to say that aikido is not for everyone. If, say, running, writing, gardening, or pushing a boulder up a mountain gives you the satisfaction and venue for self reflection and awareness, then more power to you.

What I did say, however, is that for me, taking the element of refining my ability to apply the principles of aikido in a martial manner away from the art takes it away from the realm of budo and, therefore, changes the definition of aikido (for me). Never did I say that the martial element makes it worth more my time than other pursuits; if such implications were made, I didn't mean it.
Quote:
If that's your bag, that's your business, I guess. I have found that my motivations for practicing Aikido have changed radically and even frequently over the few years I have trained, so I am reluctant to say anything so absolute about the worth and nature of my practice.
I agree here. That's why I always try to moderate everything that I write with phrases such as, "to me."
Quote:
For me, Aikido is about studying human relationship experientially.
As it is for me as well.
Quote:
To me, boiling it down to the 'will it work?' attitude is an extremely self-limiting approach... in essence, missing the point.
Please note that I did not say that the "will it work?" question is the only question that is in my mind as I train. If it were, I probably wouldn't have bothered to, say, build this entire site...
Quote:
Unless you experience serial injury, including an occaisonal fairly serious one...
Although the chances of my getting injured are high at times due to my taking ukemi for my teacher frequently, I'm lucky in the my ukemi has saved my skin more than a few times!

I have, though, gone through badly sprained ankles, a seriously hyperextended and jammed elbow due to bad ukemi on my part (which kept me off the mat for three months), and one concussion amongst other things. Nothing too serious, I guess.

Any how, I personally don't believe that injuries are a necessary part of cultivating effective martial ability, but that's another subject...
Quote:
I am interested in this sort of thing, although I'm not sure how seriously, which is why I started taking Jeet Kune Do.
I have been meaning to try wing chun some day along with escrima, but I've been too busy training in aikido...

I don't know. Maybe I'm painting myself as a picture of someone who wants to jump into the octagon to take on all comers, no holds barred? I hope not! People who train with me will probably say (hopefully) that I'm not rough, nor do I seek to "dominate and destroy" (as I wrote before). Some would probably characterize my training as, "What the heck is that person doing?" But, to me at least, I'm still working on those principles that makes aikido martially effective...

As far as "all out" stuff goes, I believe some people in these forums have mentioned RMCAT. I believe Brian Vickery who sometimes comes along here just took the workshop. Sounds like the stuff that you mentioned above.

I seem to be taking over this thread in my discussion with Kevin. Anyone else have any thoughts?

-- Jun

Last edited by akiy : 07-27-2002 at 12:05 AM.

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