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Old 12-04-2011, 09:53 PM   #96
Joe McParland
 
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Dojo: Sword Mountain Aikido & Zen
Location: Baltimore, MD
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 309
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Re: Saotome Sensei's Training History

Some people benefit from creating or maintaining a mystery. Some people benefit from being the intermediaries, the interlocutors, the dream interpreters, the high priests, the mediums speaking for the dead, the gatekeepers to their teachers and their teachers' teachings, advocates of the new view, etc. These folks use any "technique" to defend, to assert, and to propagate their positions.

As always, it's our willingness to put value in understanding the mystery that gives these folks their power. The assertion of a mystery and an interest in a mystery are not fundamentally different than any other "attack" and connection--the foundation of aikido practice. Amusingly, the verbal techniques and principles are often analogous to physical techniques and principles... Can you spot them?

There are "lineages" and "teachers" that use their teachings so that their advocates free themselves of this this (masakatsu agatsu), and there are those that use them only for self-benefit--whatever the assertion to the contrary (just another technique). One leads to actual harmony; one does not. It's an interesting exercise to evaluate the different legends and personalities here in this light.

If you see this as an attack, well, "Honi soit qui mal y pense" and all that (irimi). Feel free to rail against the obvious common sense publicly like a fool and expose yourself if you like, or maybe jump on board the bandwagon and spend all night crafting a response explaining that that and something more (or something less) is what you meant all along (ryotedori tenchinage, leading). Your responses will be considered based on your tone and your acknowledgement of my superiority (pin).

By the way, have you seen my dog or pony?