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Old 08-10-2009, 09:17 PM   #27
thisisnotreal
 
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Join Date: May 2003
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Re: last few posts by PB & MS

m2c,
Ultimately; Mike has to be right. MA is Martial Art. The ultimate goals of a MA has to be martial. It's in the f*n name.
Pursuing MA means doing it the absolute best you can. The most earnest. This, by definition must include the best way to move your body. This is the IT we shall not mention.

That said; we now have gendai budo, and the general modern redefinition of martial arts. Where little johnny goes to mcdojo and has a blackbelt at 14 years old. Like everyone else who started 3 years ago.

What about this:
Quote:
aikido is a tool that can be used for a multitude of purposes.
vs
studying aikido for mastery is the only legitimate/honest way.
Agree or disagree?:

This is a slight reframing of 'Blarg is what I want it to be'. Is it a substantial difference? Is it valid, or dishonest? If its a tool; people will use if for different things. Some of those things have to be less than the ultimate possibility. At the end, in reality, we find ourselves where few or none have hit this 'ultimate' marked by O Sensei.

Ignorance is bliss in many ways.
the flipside of that:
Whosoever increases their knowledge increases their sorrow.

I think aiki can definitely increase your sorrow. physically, for one. it seems to be marked a difficult path. right? if someone chooses not to undertake it, is it less of them? If someone has an engineering or physics degree but doesn't have the PhD, is that the same? Not genuine? Cowardice? Weak? Kidding themselves? Not the best?
i guess we all judge it different. But in all honesty; there is only 1 'the Best'. That is its definition.

Here is something else I found:
If you are vectored on some goal; say like being the ultimate Martial Artist..then that is the target. This means that you have now forfeited many future decisions, due to their not being in line & helpful in attaining the goal. So, when earnestly pursuing something to its ultimate end; I have found practically this amounts to a loss of ability to choose freely...which can amount to a loss of free-will. It is for this reason that I think it *extraordinarily* important what you focus your intent on.

Dan repeatedly says that this training isn't for everybody. I think that it must be true. AFAIK it is too hard for everyone. Isn't there always a level that is just out of reach anyway? Doesn't the whole martial arts 'process' have this built into it...where we start in a broad road...and it gets narrower and narrower (and people fall off) as things get more and more dangerous, fast, powerful & elite.... Where we all find ourselves somewhere on this road...whether it be at the peak (Sagawa, Ueshiba, ..) or the perennial white belt grandma whose victory is just showing up after her hip replacement. there's gotta be room for that. no? aikido is for the world? That doesn't mean everybody gets a big red ribbon with 'winner' on it. But it kind of does.
When we take responsibility for our training..I guess your understanding is in your own hands. I think, truth be told, many people doing martial arts are not 'martial artists'. They will always stand alone.

In Dan's .sig it says "Aiki requires an enormous amount of solo training. Only amateurs think that techniques are enough. They understand nothing." I have been thinking about that. It is said that on average people are average. In fact, that is the definition. Does anyone think the average person will be doing Aiki/bodyskill? Is that realistic? This is the pinnacle of the MA.. the _highest_ manifestation of martial body skill. Long after that road has narrowed and narrowed and narrowed it appears....
that said...It is a strange thing that so many of us even know ITs name now. As if it were a common thing. Not having each of ourselves having traveled and survived that harrowing road. It is because of efforts of Mike, Dan, Ark and the other outspoken brothers, on whose shoulders we now (fortunately) find ourselves. But we know how to name IT. That, in itself is HUGE!! I think.
IT is there to pursue for those l33t enough to undertake it. That is enough. To know its name..and that the challenge is there if you seek it. Isn't this how it always was?

I do not think it is for everybody. Do you?
....
But I also think that self-delusion is a great evil..and one of the easiest things in the world to do.

sorry if this is OT, Buck... i just wanted to share some thoughts.
Josh