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Old 07-15-2000, 04:00 PM   #15
akiy
 
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Join Date: Jun 2000
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Re: i have a question...

Quote:
typewriting_monkey wrote:
I don't practice Aikido (yet), and I don't presume to know anything about martial arts. Still, I have a few questions that I would like cleared up about this martial art.
Next time, you probably want to split up your questions for different threads rather than asking them all in one huge message.
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1) Does one need a strong spiritual life to master Aikido?
Others may disagree, but I don't think so. Besides, I don't think any of us ever "master" anything.
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2)Is Aikido related to Taoism?
Not that I know of.
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3)What religion, if any, did the founder of Aikido cling to?
Morihei Ueshiba sensei subscribed to the Omoto-kyo religion.
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4)I live in Lansing, MI. Could someone tell me of a nearby Aikido dojo, or tell me where to go to find out that information.
Just click on the dojo search link at the left side of this page.
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5)I'm not exactly a very coordinated person, and I have astigmatism quite badly in my right eye. Would these relatively minor setbacks be a large problem in my learning Aikido?
Nope. I think we've all felt uncoordinated in aikido sometime. I've practiced with blind people, too.
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6)Aikido is a purely defensive martial art, right? What kinds of weapons would an Aikido practitioner use?
Some say it's "purely" defensive. Others will disagree with you.

We usually use the bokken, jo, and tanto during our weapons practice.
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7)Aikido is a very serious martial art, just like any, but would it be immature or inhibitive for someone like me whoconsiders the idea of preventing an opponent's attacks humorous? I've thought of this situation a few times: an angry person with a very bad temper attempts to attack me repeatedly because he falsely thinks his ego has been insulted. Am I limiting myself by finding it funny that every attempt is effortlessly dettered?
What you find funny would probably be different from what I find funny. I sometimes find it funny when I can't do a technique...
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8)This question is more religious, and not really related to Aikido, but do do any of you believe that meditation can bring about enlightenment(i.e. CORRECT answers to philosophical questions)?
Me? I don't think so.
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Or, more directly asked, do any of you believe in listening to intuition as a valid method?
This, I do believe.
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Sorry for the length, but I've been running these questions over in my mind for quite some time, and this is my first chance to ask qualified experts.
I'm not a "qualified expert," but that doesn't keep me from commenting on things...

-- Jun

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