View Single Post
Old 12-23-2006, 08:18 AM   #232
John Matsushima
 
John Matsushima's Avatar
Location: Miura, Japan
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 226
United_States
Offline
Re: How to teach and train relaxation

Quote:
Dan Harden wrote:
"I don't believe Aikido lacks anything."

Who..........Will say they do exactly what Ueshiba was doing?
Where.......The modern equivalent of Ueshiba is currently practicing? I'd like to go meet him.
What.........Ueshiba was specifically doing?
When........It stopped being exhibited at his skill level?
Why..........We can't find anyone who can explain it and do it? Or even comes close?

Aikido, just like other arts-is a shadow of their founders. It is singular men and their vision and understanding who held the keys to their own arts.
Virtually everyone else is playing catch up.

Dan
I can agree with this. As long as we are trying to be like sensei, the best we will ever become is a very good copy, as copies are never as good as the original. There is a zen saying that goes something like "to become the master, do not follow in his footsteps, but chase after what he chased after". When you find the master, kill him.

What is Aikido lacking? In itself, as Mr. Mead pointed out that like a duck it lacks nothing that matters to itself. However, in regards to the way, it lacks everything that is not it. It does not have the beauty of the kicking forms of Tae Kwon Do, it does not have powerful punches of boxing, nor the grappling strategies of BJJ. I am not saying that these are deficiencies, but they are not there no more that a duck has the teeth of a tiger. The same could be said for all the branches of Aikido, the Aikikai, ASU, Iwama, KI Aikido, etc. The only true way is no way.

-John Matsushima

My blog on Japanese culture
http://onecorneroftheplanetinjapan.blogspot.jp/
  Reply With Quote