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Old 09-23-2004, 05:57 PM   #2
suren
Dojo: Aikido of Silicon Valley
Location: Fremont, CA
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 248
United_States
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Re: Article: Transmission in Aikido by George S. Ledyard

An article about a problem that I can "feel". I agree with almost everything that is said here, however one thing still bothers me - the conclusion.

Quote:
George S. Ledyard wrote:
With the thousands of practitioners doing Aikido these days it is no longer possible to rely on the old transmission model of "Master to student". There simply aren't enough "Masters" to go around. There aren't even enough Shihan level teachers to closely supervise even the various teachers functioning around the world. So it is a reality that we are at the point where most students of Aikido will be called on to do their own "transmission".
Very true. Too many practitioners to establish a close teacher-student relation. Even being lucky enaugh to practice every Saturday with Bill Witt Shihan, I doubt if I'll ever have such a relation. Shihans are very busy and in most cases they can't pay too much attention to any one student because thousands of others are waiting to be taught. And actually asking for such attention these days can be accepted as an egoims.

Quote:
George S. Ledyard wrote:
If this is to work, they need to be as strict and uncompromising as any "Master" would have been. They will have to motivate themselves, finding new directions for their training and not simply wait for someone else to give their practice direction. If this happens we will get to the place in which we are all each others "Masters" and "transmission" will not only take place vertically but horizontally. This would in itself go a long way towards realizing O-sensei's dream of Aikido uniting the world.
Those are the words I really can't accept. They appeal for self-realization or at least understanding of the art (internal part of the art) by yourself. Does anybody knows about any case when such self-realization has been achieved without sensei / guru / spiritual leader or any other form of leadership?
Sorry, but I can't find any historical fact
Many say that the light is already inside ourselves, but has anybody discovered it by himself ?

Best regards,
Suren.
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