Quote:
Graham Christian wrote:
Hi Ross.
I would reverse what you say there myself. From the view of spiritual, mental and physical.
When you say morally neutral I would say that equals no need to attack anything.[\]
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I have come to believe that there is such a thing as an aiki attack. I also think that balance, and therefore any discussion of kuzushi, has to include the mental and emotional components. So no, I never was intending to focus on the purely physical aspect, though it does provide a good analogue for the rest.
Yes, the body attacks pathogens when there is an imbalance. But I would maintain that it is just such an attack that restores balance. And this is one illustration of how we may strive to become better, more evolved. We need to consider seriously the notion that there can be such a thing as a constructive attack, and that our aiki can embrace conflict creatively.
Of course, many are those who would be eager to justify any hostile action by way of analogy with the surgeon's knife or with bitter medicine. That such analogies can be perverted does not make them less useful.
Where I think we agree is that our studies and our goals and our actions should be directed toward health and vitality, to the greatest extent possible.