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Old 04-19-2006, 01:39 PM   #57
Erick Mead
 
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Dojo: Big Green Drum (W. Florida Aikikai)
Location: West Florida
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,619
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Re: "Self-defense" or Something Else?

Quote:
Kevin Leavitt wrote:
I am beginning to think that you and i possibly don't necessarily disagree, but see the world and see things differently. ---
Then again it may just be semantics..
for example:
Quote:
Erick Mead wrote:
I try very hard to bring these Big Strong Guys(tm) to an understanding of proper martial bearing as being simple relaxed poise. I try to bring along the opposite type -- the limp-dishrag "I just don't want to hurt anybody" to the same middle ground from the opposite pole.
Quote:
Kevin Leavitt wrote:
I would say, i do neither. I would simply present the opportunity and the situation and conditions for them to discover things on their own.
But they do not understand the geography they are trying to navigate -- they see the mountain, but have no idea how to negotiate the obstacles to get there. We have some idea, after all we got there -- foothills anyway -- albeit, perhaps on different routes.
Quote:
Kevin Leavitt wrote:
In my opinion, "trying very hard tobring them to an understanding" means that I am imposing what I want them to learn. To me, this means what I have to teach you is much more important that what you need to discover for yourself. Some what egoistic in my view. (not meant to be a flame on you.)
No offense taken. But the student is presumably there becasue they perceive things they wish to learn, but do not understand. We have no conscripts in our dojo. I am imposing nothing, but merely offering what they have, themselves, asked to learn. Plus, we have other instructors and the mix of persectives is always useful to learning. This is not antithetical to making discoveries of their own on the way, which I certainly encourage. Lord knows, I did.
Quote:
Kevin Leavitt wrote:
I think we are really getting to the core, core, core of things that are important in teaching and life. I think when we get this deep into things it is important to split hairs and discuss such issues, not as an argument to say "i'm right, your wrong", but to analyze thoughts and philosophies to see how things tick!
Thank you, we are on the same page as to process and purpose, and steadily paring down ideas toward a clearer understanding of essential issues. The point with which we began this thread is about "martial" aspects of art.

As O-Sensei said
Quote:
Fully knowing it to be
A matter of life and death before us
We may chose to withdraw
But the enemy will not allow it.
Death is easy to choose, ours or theirs. A gun, a poison, or just build up enough rage and adrenaline to beat them to death (more effective than most people realize). Or, conversely, simply accept your own death and die at the hands of the attacker.

Life -- ours AND theirs -- this is the hard thing to choose. This is the knife's edge upon which O-Sensei sought to build a ready path.

Current culture to the fore again. In "The Outlaw Josey Wales," Josey meets Chief Ten Bears at the end, And they have a colloquoy on life and death and choices to be made. It is worth seeing for its stark acknowledgement of those choices. At the end, Ten Bears says:
Quote:
"There is iron in your words of death for all Comanche to see, and so there is iron in your words of life. No signed paper can hold the iron. It must come from men. The words of Ten Bears carries the same iron of life and death.
It is good that warriors such as we meet in the struggle of life... or death.
-----
It shall be life."
Cordially,
Erick Mead
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