Thread: Vantage points
View Single Post
Old 01-08-2013, 11:09 AM   #260
Keith Larman
Dojo: AIA, Los Angeles, CA
Location: California
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,604
United_States
Offline
Re: Vantage points

I've posted before that the whole fascia thing could turn out to be a red herring of sorts. However, that said, I think the appeal of it as a theory is that it tracks fairly well with the perception some of us have as to how we feel things changing inside ourselves. The more you work on this stuff the more "connected" you feel in a rather odd way. And it isn't easy. Of course it could just be some sort of group mass suggestion going on among the participants and I'm sure those who haven't done the stuff and are offering critique from a distance can and probably would suggest that as a possibility. My problem is that I've felt and seen things done that go beyond the scope of what I understand given current models of physiology. Which to me does *not* mean magic, just that my understanding of current models obviously isn't good enough to explain it. I suppose another alternative is to deny that it even happened or to say it was "something else" entirely and the perceptions of those who have been involved are all simultaneously incorrect.

Shrug. I just keep training. For me, while I'm intensely interested in how it all works, the real driver to going to get this training is wanting to be able to do the stuff some folk can do. And I find myself getting my little toe in the door a bit with my own training and students. So part of me gets back to what Ellis posted (in another thread? I forget...) about the issues and contradictions/ problems maybe being in how we see things. For me the issue is doing stuff better and finding better tools, new training, new ways. It's all good.

And some seem to think one has to throw away everything to get something new. Nah, just live with a little uncertainty in life and keep learning whatever the hell you can. Frankly I find it astounding that folk even argue about this stuff. Today there are *so* many options to train with so many interesting people. Some are fools and charlatans, others are profoundly gifted. Some are profoundly gifted but couldn't teach if their life depended on it. Others teach really well in person and leave you with a lot of work to do until the next time. I am at a loss as to why folk need to spend so much damned time up front alienating the hell out of each other before actually just stepping on to the mat. Think it's all BS? Great. Say so and move on. I go to a lot of seminars and see a lot of the same people, people willing to try, people willing to test. I also don't see a lot of people who you'd think would be there. Whatever. I plan on getting some training real soon now even though I"ve been on hiatus with massive spinal problems compounded with 2 weeks of walking pneumonia. Hopefully after the plane trip I'll be able to get my degrading spine bending enough to learn a few new things before I may find my career over.

Pfffft. So there. Seriously, there comes a point when someone insisting on being convinced to their satisfaction is a waste of time. Just not going to happen when it appears that the underlying motivation is more about protecting the honor of the respectable art of Aikido. Frankly I think the old girl can handle some questions, some differences of opinion, and a little slap in the butt now and then... But, that said, rest soundly. How many gazillion people train in Aikido nowadays? It's freaking everywhere taught by all sorts of folk from all walks of life. Aikido ain't gonna change much in most places for a very long time. She's safe from the unwashed heathen and it's not hard to ignore the small groups saying "hey, this is more what it's supposed to be". Lord knows the Tomiki guys can coexist with the Iwama guys who can coexist with the Ki Society guy who can coexist with the Aikikai who can... What's one more group of whackos*.

*They're all whacko's IMHO *except* whichever group you, dear reader, are a member of -- your group is great! Really, you're great, the rest are nuts...

  Reply With Quote