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Raul Rodrigo wrote:
I will defer to your judgment on this matter, sensei. You know much more than I do. But if I may say so, it strikes me as odd to show up and then still hold back from the very purpose of the event. I can understand people staying away completely, for whatever reasons of personal history or cultural issues. That is their privilege. But to go to an Expo, but not be there wholeheartedly seems to me to be a bit strange. And then again, there may be a lot I don't see.
You once wrote about teachers barring their students from training with others; I believe that you wrote something about how you weren't able to train with Nishio shihan due to something of this nature. Do you think that George Ledyard is right and that the Japanese teachers can eventually be forced to "loosen the reins" on their students?
best,
RAUL
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Raul,
I have increasingly come to see the danger of making unqualified cultural comparisons. Perhaps this is one benefit of living in a culture and not being a native: you can see things that they cannot see.
I would prefer to hear why the instructor was so restrictive before passing judgment. Aiki Expo 2002 was pioneering in many ways and the overall aim was not especially clear from the very beginning, especially to the participants from Japan.
Of course, I can see George's viewpoint and would probably share it if I were in a similar position. But I am not and I think it is not so easy to make a clear distinction between understanding cultural issues an buying into them/perpetuating them.
As for training with Nishio Shihan, I had a make a clear choice and I chose in one particular way. I was not then in the position I am in now. I also think that 'loosening the reins' is difficult for Japanese (and not just in the world of aikido) because of the complex of values implicit in the Japanese view of teaching and learning.
Best wishes,