Quote:
Ken McGrew wrote:
This is almost incoherent writing. Maybe if I read every post you ever made I would understand what you mean, but that's a lot to ask. I get the idea that people disagreed with you about something related to Aikido and the unity of opposites among other things and that you feel vindicated by recently translated language from O'Sensei. Other than that it's very hard to follow your writing. I don't see anything in the notion of Universal spirals being manifested in Nage that is new if you've read Saotome's books. But maybe you mean something more that isn't clear.
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Let me relate something that may reflect on the place you find yourself....... A very good friend of mine and a one time training partner is retired in Hawaii to his families home. Roy is 79 years old with a keen mind and a slowing body. The first time that Dan Harden conducted a workshop in Hawaii I was able to raise enough interest in Roy to go down and watch for a hour or two. With Dan and Chris Li's ok Roy stopped by and stayed the whole weekend sitting on the side. Roy engaged in the conversations taking place on mat and added his questions to the rest that were raised. He had a great time. This time when Dan went back to Hawaii I talked Roy into stopping down again, which he did. It seems this time he got up and got on the mat and took part in the exercises and the drills. He had a great time.....this at 79, with bad knees and a bent body.
All of this is well and good, but what may apply here is Roy's comments about understanding what was being said, what was being done and what the results were. Roy said that the first time he spent with Dan that it was so new to him that he had a hard time even taking notes. The stuff worked, it fit into what should be Aikido, but it was not something that had ever been touched on any previous teacher he had had. It was the unknown. This time around Roy had a better base to work from and things seem to fall into place. Roy found Dan to be funny, generous and very good at what he was sharing. This was true of the kindness and thoughtfulness of Chris Li.
What comes out of this is what has been said by others......find the time to check Dan Harden out personally and if you get a change to go to Hawaii stop by to see Chris Li......... and take Roy out for coffee to get him out of the house.....
Gary