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Old 02-24-2005, 05:15 PM   #6
Anders Bjonback
Dojo: Boulder Aikikai
Location: Boulder, CO
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 129
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Re: Article: O-Sensei's Aikido by George S. Ledyard

My basic question about what you're saying is whether you think that someone needs to adopt O Sensei's religious beliefs (the Omoto Kyo religious doctrine) in order to have the same sort of spiritual revelations doing aikido that O Sensei had. (I got that impression when you said that you want to experience some aspect of the founder's vision for yourself and "It is a matter of directing ones training towards what one wants out of the training.") If that is the case, do you think there is a limit to how much we can understand his worldview and religious beliefs because first of all, we're not Japanese, and secondly, we don't have access to Omoto Kyo teachers? And didn't O Sensei's understanding come from an entirely different cultural background that we're simply not born with? I mean, we can study and appreciate the founder's viewpoint, but is it even possible to really adopt it?

Last edited by Anders Bjonback : 02-24-2005 at 05:18 PM.

"For peace and happiness are presences, not objects we can grasp and hold onto."
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