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Old 06-09-2012, 09:39 AM   #7
Nicholas Eschenbruch
Dojo: TV Denzlingen
Location: Freiburg
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 323
Germany
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Re: Teachings and Trajectories

Quote:
Hugh Beyer wrote: View Post
Consider "as well as" in place of "instead of."
Seconded.

Hi Carsten, I am not sure what you intended, but IMHO it would be throwing out the baby with the bath water to reduce Ueshiba's discourses to nothing but a description of a body method. Which they sure were as well.

I also think there is a limit to critical exegesis when it comes to the spirituality and mysticism of the new religious movements of Ueshibas time. It's a bit like critical analysis of Rudolf Steiners thought, who I personally sometimes like to compare with Omoto Kyo just for the sake of an exercise closer to home: you find all sorts of familiar cultural patterns, but they tend to meander and intermingle in a strange sort of way that, to me, somehow cannot explain fully what he was (apparently) about.

I, for one, am still willing to believe in the seemingly outdated position Morihei Ueshiba just felt at one with the universe. In his cultural contex, of course. It's what mystics do, after all.

Gary said:
Quote:
Nothing stays the same...even the ingredients change from location to location even with the same names. Maybe we give honor to the historical and check the effectiveness of the now......
That to me is the main ingredient missing in a lot of current debates on aikido. Especially the spiritual ones.

Have a great day!

Last edited by Nicholas Eschenbruch : 06-09-2012 at 09:47 AM. Reason: Added all sorts of stuff
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