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Old 04-19-2009, 07:34 AM   #36
lifeafter2am
Dojo: Shindai Aikikai
Location: Orlando
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 153
United_States
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Re: YouTube: Aikido Demo Video

Reminds me of this story by a practitioner of Iaido:

Quote:
From The Beginning: The Importance Of Reishiki In Iaido wrote:
A story: Three American senior martial arts students went to Japan in the company of their Japanese teacher. They stayed for several weeks, went sightseeing, and generally had a wonderful time. There was only one disappointment: they didn't visit any Japanese dojo.

After their initial distress, they decided among themselves that the teachers they might have visited were probably busy or out of town. Some time later, I had an opportunity to ask their teacher why the group did not meet any other teachers while in Japan.

The teacher mentioned one member of the group by name and said, "His manners are terrible. That's why I didn't take them." He didn't mention the group's skill level (which was pretty high, I thought). Skill didn't matter. Without proper manners, one member of the group could disgrace him and his U.S. dojo. He decided not to take the risk.
Obviously I don't think that Daniela went this far as to disgrace her sensei, but it seems like that slippery slope when you "just don't care". Trust me, I know about spelling words wrong .... I am a PhD student, and probably one of the worst spellers you will ever meet, and that's just in English. But I agree with the others, effort must at least be made. And even if with said effort you still come off with a word horribly spelled, you don't blow it off, you say thank you for the correction, and you learn for next time. This is where I think you fell a little short.

Practice well.

"The mind is everything. What you think you become." - Siddhattha Gotama Buddha
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