View Single Post
Old 09-20-2005, 04:14 PM   #65
senshincenter
 
senshincenter's Avatar
Dojo: Senshin Center
Location: Dojo Address: 193 Turnpike Rd. Santa Barbara, CA.
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,474
United_States
Offline
Re: Omoto-kyo Theology

Hi Shaun,

Is that a "yes"? :-) I'll take that as a one then.

It is a very interesting view of things. As a historian however, I do not think it would cancel out the significance of Omoto-kyo theology as far as gaining some insight into the more universal and well-known statements made by the Founder. Such a history would simply add to the overall history of Osensei - not force currently accepted parts of it out and/or render them as meaningless. This is not an endorsement suggesting that if you want to do "real" Aikido or if you want to do the Aikido of the Founder you have to do Omoto-kyo theology. I hardly believe that - as I have said many times. This is to say that one is going to have to look at all of these things, and more, if one wants to understand Osensei historically.

On a different note:

As a person that considers himself to be practicing Aikido, as a person that considers himself an aikidoka, I must depart from your concern with pedigree here. In other words, I cannot share in such a concern. Personally, I feel there are two areas where Aikido must survive in order to define itself properly. These are the areas of martial validity (i.e. its capacity to gain victory over defeat in hand to hand combat scenarios) and of spiritual maturity (i.e. social/moral harmony and gaining a proximity to God). As far as these things go, there are many ways for one to achieve them. I cannot look at the obvious multiplicity of paths and denounce one path over another because it does not look like that of the Founder's. I cannot judge or rather condemn one path to futility because it varies either in part or in total from what Osensei did. I can only determine the value, or the viability, of a given path by looking at it in and of itself.

Thanks so much for sharing,
dmv

David M. Valadez
Visit our web site for articles and videos. Senshin Center - A Place for Traditional Martial Arts in Santa Barbara.
  Reply With Quote