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Old 04-30-2004, 01:30 AM   #71
George S. Ledyard
 
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Dojo: Aikido Eastside
Location: Bellevue, WA
Join Date: Jun 2000
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Re: Is Morihei Ueshiba really O Sensei

Quote:
sanskara wrote:
I get the impression from reading this thread that some think Tohei was a post-war student. Check your history, he was quite pre-war. His unique approach to Aikido fits his preferences and is not necessarily indicative of the training he received from Ueshiba. At one time he suggested that only 60% of his taijutsu was Ueshiba influenced--I'd have to dig up that quote, I can't recall where it is exactly. In any event, he was very much a part of the Hell dojo climate; he simply chose another expression of the art.
Tohei Sensei started in 1939 and trained until he was drafted in 1942 (Source: Aiki Encyclopedia) but he didn't have the "flavor" of the pre-war folks. I think he and O-sensei were very much in sync as they came out of the war... both had a vital spiritual compenent to their training which influenced how they percieved and executed their waza. That's why O-Sensei invested so much responsibility in Tohei Sensei. It was only later that Tohei had problems with other Honbu teachers and the Doshu wwhich lad to the split.

George S. Ledyard
Aikido Eastside
Bellevue, WA
Aikido Eastside
AikidoDvds.Com
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