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Old 08-28-2005, 07:51 PM   #5
Joe Bowen
 
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Dojo: Yongsan Aikikai
Location: But now I'm in the UK
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 212
South Korea
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Re: Poll: How important is facing your own aggression in improving your aikido?

Quote:
Jean de Rochefort wrote:
...if I feel aggressive--chronic or acute--I'm less likely...
I was not aware that aggression was a degenerative disorder, like arthritis. Nor was I aware that aggression solely stems from Egotism. Wait! This makes everything so clear, aggression is either an acute or chronic degenerative disorder of the Ego!
Silly me! I had always thought aggression was either an aspect of physical action or a particular behavior or outlook. Perhaps stem cell research can help us cure aggression.

Seriously, folks, aggression is not a bad thing. There are times when you need to be aggressive. Think of it this way, Irimi is aggressive, while Tenkan is not. But, both are critically important aspects of Aikido. Equally so, your aggressive and passive natures are equally important in your balanced psyche. Can you let your aggression rule you? No, but you cannot survive without it. Most people live in denial of their own aggressive selves. When you delude yourself into thinking you have "destroyed" your aggression, you devolve into the proverbial "passive-aggressive" behavior which in many ways is more heinous that straight forward aggression.
Aggression is an inherent part of our animal natures. Do we need to face it and understand it? Absolutely. Do we need to destroy it or cure ourselves of it? Not just no, but HELL no!
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