ian

P.S. I'd also agree with Szczepan; technique IS related to the spiritual aspect of aikido because spirituality is not something seperate from our real life (unless we are young and indoctrinated or have our head in the clouds). Aikido has undoubtedly changed the way I think about religion and philosophy because of the introduction to eastern thought, however I would say the core of my spirituality derives from pulling together and relating the experiences of my life - not from some guru. Maybe I would explain it in eastern religious terms, but that is not to say my spirituality is different from that of a muslim, christian or athiest. These are just words and formats for religious or cultural practise.

If you ask people if they believe in god, the answer has very little meaning because the concept and understanding of what people think of as 'god' means different things to different people. I believe that individuals of different religions can often be spiritually more similar than people within the same religion (vis. christian fundamentalist George Bush and Muslim fundamentalist Osama Bin Laden). Its not what you call it - its what it means to you at the very core of your being.