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Old 03-05-2012, 04:38 PM   #14
Mark Freeman
Dojo: Dartington
Location: Devon
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,220
United Kingdom
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Re: Follow-up to Graham Christian regarding questions about Mike Muspratt Sensei

Quote:
Marc Abrams wrote: View Post
2) Williams Sensei: Mike Muspratt had a club in Watford and for a short time was affiliated to our Association about 40 years ago. Sensei cannot remember Mike being a member of the Hut when he was teaching, but this is a long time ago.
He was deffinately not a student of Tohei Sensei and as far as he knows not Noro Sensei either.
He does find it strange that people wish to harp back to over 40 years ago.Best wishes,
M.Williams
Hi Marc,

that is by far the longest series of selected quotes I have read, in support of your attempt to 'win' the point against Graham.

I can imagine my teachers reaction to being asked about someone who may have trained with him over 40 years ago. In his 56 years of aikido, many have learnt from him, and many have left to start their own organisations. Some have affilliated with other larger organisations and some stay independent and grow from there. There may well be grade inflation and padding of training histories going on at this point, it's not completely unheard of in the martials arts world, now is it? I am not concerned by this, as my teacher is not bothered by this. He may have been in the past, but at 80 he is only interested in living now. They were not at his level when they left, so he keeps himself to himself and only teaches those who are there to learn what he has to offer. As a lifelong student of budo, he will certainly find it strange, that people want to harp back so far in the past. I can imagine him shaking his head, and wondering if they don't have something better to do with their time.

Much of what he teaches is very similar in words to those used by Graham, non dissention, non resistance, the foolishness of the fighting mind etc. Using this language does not make him less martially effective, it just deepens the understanding of how he does his aikido. His focus for many years has been applying aikido to daily life, not the 'martial' side of the training as espoused by many. He knows that many in the world of aikido do not 'get it', but is resigned to that fact that many never will.

You may well back Graham into a corner and get him to say what you need to hear, to feel vindicated. Then what? Graham will continue to be himself, he may learn something from it, he may not. You may learn something, you may not. Either way, you are in danger of coming across as a man, a little bit possessed.

You read my account of my meeting with Graham, so no need to repeat myself. If I practice with someone, I feel their aikido, not that of their teacher or their teacher's teacher.

This thread highlights the competitiveness debated in another thread. "I am right, you are wrong and I'll prove it." which is where a few too many discussions end up.

Now, Graham is definitely not Dan, but I have seen plenty of questions thrown Dan's way that show disbelief in history and skill level. The only way to know for yourself, is to touch hands with both, history is less important than hands on in the moment. I respect Graham for being Graham, and knowing that he is faithfully teaching what he has learnt as aikido. I respect Dan for teaching the superb set of skills that he has, to us in the aikido world, he is a game-changer, if ever I met one. I respect you for your quest for clarity in all of this. I look forward to hands on time with you in the US before long.

I hope this is all resolved quite quickly, and that it doesn't get messy.

regards,

Mark

Success is having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have.