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Old 01-20-2006, 07:16 AM   #1
LouieLouie
Dojo: Aïkido Mochizuki - Lévis, Qc, Canada
Location: Lévis
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 8
Canada
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Ai symbol Towards a unified Aïkido ?

Hello everyone,

This question (or thread) comes from a 5th kyu.

I began Aïkido 6 months ago and I'm really enjoying myself.

The first Dojo I visited followed the aïkikaï style and liked it. However, for personnal reasons, I had to change Dojo along the way.

Since there are no aïkikaï Dojos in my area, the Dojo I'm going to now follows another aïkido style, inspired by Senseï Mochizuki (father). I'm really loving it. The senseï and other students are really nice people.

Here is my question (or thread):

Yes, my first months at the Aïkikaï Dojo helped me with my progression at the Dojo I'm going to these days. But, whenever I'm going to the Dojo, I can't help to think that going from one aïkido style to another is almost the same as going from one budo to another. Hence, if I would have been 3rd kyu or even shodan in aïkikaï, I'm not sure that my rank would have been recognized as such in another Dojo that follows another style (Yoseikan, Yoshinkan, Aïkibudo, etc.). The result : I would almost have to start all over again.

I would'nt say that this bothers me, but I'm still a bit preoccupied by the fact that seemingly, all aïkido styles are not made (or considered) equal.

That said, I'm wondering why there aren't any effort put in unifying and consolidating all aïkido styles. Or are there ?

That would'nt mean to throw away all particularities pertaining to each style, but could we at least provide a unified cursus upon which each "style" would build on ? Like, say, in medical studies. You start off by studying medecine, and then you choose to specialize in, for instance, surgery. A surgeon is still a doctor.

Maybe I'm being heretical, or naive, of both, to bring this up. Keep in mind that I'm new to this

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Have a nice day.

Louis.
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