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Old 11-20-2006, 11:59 AM   #7
R.A. Robertson
Dojo: Still Point Aikido Center
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 346
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Re: Article: Temple Dogs by Ross Robertson

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

After more than 27 years, I still have my own dogs. Possibly the biggest of them all is apathy from my students. Not that they don't care at all, but overall, there is a general malaise about the self identity of the dojo. It's health, vitality, and success seem very removed from their day to day concerns. As long as I show up and teach, that's all that matters to many of them.

Robert Fripp once observed that the best way to effect the collapse of a system is through "passive commitment, i.e. apathy." I have seen the truth of this again and again.

Growth of a community, spawning new communities, outreach to the larger society, all of these things are fundamental to the survival and self defense of a communal organism. It is to my everlasting bitter shame that I have failed to communicate these values to my students, and there are days when I simply cannot face it anymore.

All your kind words of encouragement are deeply appreciated. I am grateful to have your generous attention to these thoughts and words that I write monthly.

For every kiai, yamabiko.

Ross
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