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Old 11-24-2011, 11:56 AM   #45
graham christian
Dojo: golden center aikido-highgate
Location: london
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,697
England
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Re: Violence and Aikido

Quote:
Kevin Leavitt wrote: View Post
I think you are missing my point about the people of greatness. What they all had in common was they faced great suffering. They were in the bowels of great suffering, evil, or darkness and faced it head on. Those conditions led to their greatness.

It was more than an emotional argument between Co workers or siblings, or even a ego driven bar fight. It was long term, deeply rooted suffering that extended beyond the temporary emotion of a particular event.

I believe the original question was is violence necessary or a part of Aikido. I say it is a must to face, and deal with violence at some level in order to give Aikido its purpose or relevancy. We cannot use revisionism and rewrite history and attempt to recolor it into something we desire it to be. When we accept the path of a budoka, we accept the path that directly deals with violence. There are other paths such as becoming a nun for instance that might be better suited for people that do not desire to deal with the path of violence. However all these practices deal with suffering in some way be it violence, poverty, hatred, sickness, old age etc.
I agree it's a must to face violence. That doesn't mean it's a must to use violence. Aikido points to a way of such.

All the people you mention? I don't think so. Yes, they all used their awareness and ability to try to handle and help the suffering which they could see clearly for they were compassionate. But trying to say they came from it, or were in such extreme situations in the first place is simply way off the mark.

Let's take Buddha for example. He came from luxury. To be compassionate has no bearing on where your from or what situations you have to face.

Regards.G.
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