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Old 08-26-2011, 07:04 AM   #112
graham christian
Dojo: golden center aikido-highgate
Location: london
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,697
England
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Re: philosophical or practical martial art?

Marc wrote:
Are we so historically inaccurate that we do not realize that the founder of aikido was dualistic?

Q: When Morihei Ueshiba lectured to his students, what did he say?
A: He spoke in archaic, spiritual terms that no one could understand.

When Morihei Ueshiba talked about his spiritual ideology, he used what "religion" as his base?
A: Oomoto kyo

When asked, Morihei Ueshiba stated he was a man of ??? and not a religious man.
A: he was a man of *budo*

Q: When other people came to Morihei Ueshiba to learn from him, they came because of ??? and not because of ???
A: They came because of his martial skills and not because of his spiritual ideology. They felt and experienced the former and wanted it for their own. They listened and heard the latter and did not understand nor were they interested.

Yes, when he lectured he spoke in spiritual terms. He spoke of the spiritual side of Aikido obviously.

Archaic? Well it depends how you use that term. If you use it to mean outdated then you are mistaken. Try timeless.

He didn't actually use the religion as his base when he spoke he used Kotodama, said to be the truths used by great seers of the past worldwide.

He knew himself thus he knew he was a man of budo, a man of love, expressing himself through Aikido. Thus Aikido as the budo of love.

When people later, including today hear his words and see his actions it strikes a chord, thus they are attracted.

For those early ones it was more of a shock for it was totally new to their way of thinking. They had trained knowing only the budo he himself had trained in before. They were fascinated for they could feel the difference yet not understand the new philosophy. Emphasis spiritual, kotodama, new. Only those already of a spiritual disposition through zen or yoga etc. or indeed omoto had a better perspective on some of what he was saying ie: Tohei etc.

Those who only wanted the martial aspect would thus revert to a more pre Aikido way for their aim was not masakatsu or indeed agatsu.

That's how I see it.

Regards.G.
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