View Single Post
Old 03-06-2009, 11:27 AM   #64
mathewjgano
 
mathewjgano's Avatar
Dojo: Tsubaki Kannagara Jinja Aikidojo; Himeji Shodokan Dojo
Location: Renton
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,276
United_States
Offline
Re: Aikido IS a practical contemporary martial art

Quote:
Kevin Leavitt wrote: View Post
I don't think it explicitly teaches us anything or should enforce a particular set of ethics, values, or morales.

I think we have the endstate, or common goal of Peace and Harmony.

I think it should stop and end there. It should not define "how" we get there or limit us in our methodology or experiences by excluding things based on our judgement of what is or is not appropriate to teach.

If we do that, then we are screwing with the process of learning to affect the outcome.
It's the same as your idea of allowing space for learning when i describe the need for ethics in Aikido. In Shinto, messing with another person's destiny is seriously bad juju...I think this might mean O Sensei felt it's up to people to lead by example; not to coerce the change itself. I just think it's important to promote the growth of peace through occasional discourse, when the situation naturally brings it up. When we make ethics a mantra instead of a practice, it's not ethics...if I'm making any sense. My eyes are fried.
Take care folks,
Matt

Gambarimashyo!
  Reply With Quote