Thread: Question?
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Old 10-22-2004, 01:23 AM   #11
PeterR
 
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Dojo: Shodokan Honbu (Osaka)
Location: Himeji, Japan
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Re: Question?

The Article

The two relevant portions of the article are.
Quote:
B: Then, in that sense, there is aiki in judo, too, since in judo you synchronize yourself with the rhythm of your opponent. If he pulls, you push; if he pushes, you pull. You move him according to this principle and make him lose his balance and then apply your technique.


O-Sensei: In aikido, there is absolutely no attack. To attack means that the spirit has already lost. We adhere to the principle of absolute non-resistance, that is to say, we do not oppose the attacker. Thus, there is no opponent in aikido. The victory in aikido is masakatsu agatsu (correct victory, self-victory); since you win over everything in accordance with the mission of heaven, you possess absolute strength.
Here he says there is no attack.
Quote:

B: Does that mean go no sen? (This term refers to a late response to an attack.)


O-Sensei: Absolutely not. It is not a question of either sensen no sen or sen no sen. If I were to try to verbalize it I would say that you control your opponent without trying to control him. That is, the state of continuous victory. There isn't any question of winning over or losing to an opponent. In this sense, there is no opponent in aikido. Even if you have an opponent, he becomes a part of you, a partner you control only.
And here, immediately after, he says there is no defense (reactive technique).

I interpret the two passages together to mean that in Aikido both are one and the same. You can not characterize it as one or the other.

Peter Rehse Shodokan Aikido
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