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Old 03-23-2010, 11:55 AM   #51
L. Camejo
 
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Dojo: Ontario Martial Arts
Location: Mississauga, Ontario
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Re: Diff. styles, 1 Aikido

Quote:
Christopher Li wrote: View Post
It's only a problem of "official policy" if you accept that the Ueshiba family has the power to define Shodokan Aikido. Isn't one of the major reasons for cutting a branch that you can write your own definition? That's generally what happens in Japanese arts anyway - "Billy-ryu" branches into "Billy-bob-ryu" with a new and wonderful set of concepts.
Not exactly. The problem starts when it becomes part of anyone's policy (official or otherwise). The result is that you have a very large section of people who practice "Aikido - The Way of Harmony" who want nothing to do with certain groups because what they do is "not Aikido" because their training includes competition for example. This is regardless of what can be learnt on both sides through openness and sharing.

The result is that this policy engenders division instead of unification. Since this thread is about different styles, 1 Aikido I think it is very apt that we are chatting about a perception of an event that may be responsible for ensuring that there is more than 1 Aikido. Not that I have any issue with that.

The great thing is that among individual martial artists, regardless of style, where there is honesty in skill and ability there is often openness of interaction (testing keeps one realistic of ones abilities), which promotes getting together and openly sharing, even unification in some instances. This serves to counteract those who wish to remain separate because of some "decree", as the need to develop oneself through training and sharing with different groups overrides the need to stay cloistered within a safe and predetermined paradigm.

Just some thoughts.

LC

--Mushin Mugamae - No Mind No Posture. He who is possessed by nothing possesses everything.--
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