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Old 04-14-2013, 12:21 PM   #6
Aikibu
Dojo: West Wind Dojo Santa Monica California
Location: Malibu, California
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,295
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Re: Has anyone surpassed O'Sensei?

I would say yes...There are quite a few who have surpassed him. The trouble with a question like this is the baseline "How Awesome O'Sensei was"... trends toward deification of the man.

He was just a man who did something wonderful, and now he's long gone. So to get caught up in the myth of the messenger tends to deafen the message.

The other thing is technique...You get out of it what you put into it...If your goal's are realistic.. it MAY serve you well ( I have not found a way to dodge/stop bullets yet ). In my experience it has more to do with my spirit, and less to do with how well I can kick a** using a technique.

I have experienced the "spirit" of O'Sensei in many Martial Artists...and not just Aikido folks. He was just one of many to contributed to the paradigm shift away from Koryu to Gendai Budo where the purpose of learning a "Martial Art" was not just to destroy your enemies because (as he supposedly felt) That was a Zero Sum Game.

William Hazen
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