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Old 03-15-2009, 02:00 PM   #11
jennifer paige smith
 
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Dojo: Confluence Aiki-Dojo / Santa Cruz Sword Club
Location: Santa Cruz
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,049
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Re: Finding our own way in and out of Aikido

Quote:
Blair Presson wrote: View Post

The purpose of spirituality in or outside of aikido is to give meaning and purpose within each person in life and beyond. The focus of Christian doctrine is love, first of God, and then for your neighbor, it is only through attaining these first two areas of love, that a person in able to properly love oneself. What we are taught is that there is one way one truth and one light, just as there is one God. This is one of the principal areas in which the Bible and aikido's founder philosophy diverge.
Each individual brings their own personality, attitude, and spirituality into their aikido training. As with all endeavors in life the time, effort, and endeavor each person places into their art will affect in the final product of that they take out of it. If it ever reaches the stage that my development within aikido is detrimentally affect because of some "conflict" between the underlying spirituality and teachings of aikido as an art, and what my conscience and understanding of my Christian religion teaches then I know for myself which must take precedent. The whole purpose of religion/spirituality is to give hope to the spirit, peace to the mind, joy to the spirit, and righteousness to the world around us. I am thankful I have found that path before I found aikido, and look forward to finding a way to gain the most from my aikido experience within my own spiritual beliefs.
Maybe this will help:
O'Sensei in italics; my reflections in reg.

When anybody asks if my Aiki budo principles are taken from religion, I say, ``No.'' My true budo principles enlighten religions and lead them to completion.-
Christian beliefs included. In fact, in my perspective, it allows us to put into action our christ consciousness and to realize that there is in fact only one god/love and divine source that is functioning in every one of gods creations. What people call them, in the grand scale, are simply nicknames.

The source of Bu is divine love. It is the spirit of love and protection for all things. The training of Budo is the forging in our minds and bodies the power of divine love, which produces, protects, and nurtures all things in the Universe(god's creation). The techniques of budo are signposts pointing the way which leads to this.-Divine love being the embodiment of god aka...christlike being.

Aikido is love. You make this great love of the universe(god's creation) your heart, and then you must make your own mission the protection and love of all things. To accomplish this mission must be the true budo.
-Onward Christian Soldier!

I find that aiki brings together a connection between my spirit and my action. Which helps me with the reading of 'Don't you know that faith without works is dead?'

Anyhow, keep your heart open to practice and toss out that which does not serve you.

Peace my Brother!

Jennifer Paige Smith
Confluence Aikido Systems
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