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Old 12-05-2011, 11:33 AM   #104
graham christian
Dojo: golden center aikido-highgate
Location: london
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,697
England
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Re: Saotome Sensei's Training History

Quote:
Ken McGrew wrote: View Post
Graham,

The way you try to live non-violence is admirable. I admire pacifists but I am not one. I will not drink the hemlock.

I look at it this way. If I'm attacked on the street I don't want to hurt the attacker and will be merciful if I can. Chances are I will hurt the attacker. The more of a threat the attacker poses the more likely I'll have to hurt him. If I were good enough, an ideal that not even O Sensei could achieve 100% of the time, then I would never need to hurt the attacker. Sometimes criticism is the only (given ones abilities) or quickest way to achieve what's needed. They are criticizing and you are criticizing them for criticizing in a manner you find objectionable.

What is important, is that Aikido survive as an art based on the harmonious notion of Aiki. This is the most important thing. If the average Aikido practitioner is somewhat less effective in a cage match as a consequence of this changed focus, and yet a wider variety and larger number of people are able to train in the art, then I'll call that a bargain. Not that I accept this claim.

All the forest for the trees that goes on in these debates. The problem is that the forest is being depleted. Individual efforts take various forms, chainsaw, ax, fire. It is a beautiful forest that should be preserved. I see this general trend as an existential threat. War is peace, freedom is slavery, love is hate. Definitions matter.
Do you believe the forest is being depleted? Well as far as I can see so do they so maybe you are all in agreement.

You see things as a threat? So do they from what I can make out.

As I've said before, paranoia. When things seem to be a bit less than optimum we may all get a bit worried or paranoid but to recognise it in ourselves is the thing for it leads nowhere any good.

What's all this war is peace stuff? War is war. Are you at war?

As far as I'm concerned O'Sensei planted some seeds and those seeds grew into trees like Saotome and in turn he plants some seeds etc. Along comes some outside influence with some fertilizer and if it works those trees will flourish, if it doesn't then the trees of their own free will will change the fertilizer.

Meanwhile more trees grow and all is good.

How would nature be if all trees looked exactly the same? All flowers were the same?

Can we control nature or can we admire it in it's diversity? Within which we can choose which trees or flowers we like best.

He who believes an outside influence can wreck what he considers to be Aikido has no faith either in himself or his teachers.

Regards.G.