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Old 10-25-2005, 06:44 PM   #14
mathewjgano
 
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Dojo: Tsubaki Kannagara Jinja Aikidojo; Himeji Shodokan Dojo
Location: Renton
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,276
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Re: Poll: How often does your aikido instructor discuss the philosophy of aikido during class?

Quote:
Xu Wenfung wrote:
Once upon a time when I was a newbie... I asked my sensei if he talks about the philosophy of aikido? He looked at me in a cynical way and said, "So, you want to be another Morihei Ueshiba eh?". I also get some snickering from the other more senior students as well...And no, sensei has never spoke abt the philosophy of aikido in the dojo, ever...
My first question is: what would be so wrong with someone behaving like "another" Morihei Ueshiba to provoke a cynical and condecending response to a simple question like that? When i read this I take the implication that a person who is deeply spiritual and philosophical is somehow not to be taken very seriously. If that implication is correct, then that seems a great shame to me. In my experience, people generally aren't thoughtfull enough in that regard. As Socrates said: the unexamined life isn't worth much. I'm sure the snickering wasn't at all malicious, and I could certainly be injecting my own experiences with regard to "snickering" and condecention, but it seems presumptuous to write off a simple question (like the one it sounds you asked) as being somehow befitting of even snickering.
Do you think it's at all detrimental to training to discuss the philosophy of OSensei? If Osensei codified what the budo "Aikido" means, does it stand to reason that Aikido, as a general concept, is defined by him and that anything not matching that definition isn't the same "Aikido" as Osensei's? The techniques certainly aren't exclusive and can be found in a variety of other martial arts, after all.
Interesting topic...
Take care,
Matt

Gambarimashyo!
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