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Old 05-24-2012, 06:39 PM   #19
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Re: Being Committed to Aiki

Quote:
Francis Takahashi wrote: View Post
When I first conceived the basis for this article, I had the best of intentions. Then, I remembered that most apropos of reminders, "when Man plans, God laughs.". Shoulda, woulda, coulda, who knew?

I accept that, while the word "Aiki" may have fresh interpretations and more recent manifestations , its emergence as a valid, genuine and all encompassing value concept for mankind began a long time ago.
I would say that it is exactly the opposite. That aiki was a concept from long ago and that it only recently, beginning with Kisshomaru, was changed with "fresh interpretations" for a world wide audience. That can be historically upheld, but I find very little historical analysis to support your view.

Quote:
Francis Takahashi wrote: View Post
I truly believe as well that he would scoff at the amazing stories of his legendary prowess, his prescient sense of Ki extension to his environment, and to the adoration of his disciples then back in the day, and now, holding him up on a pedestal from afar. His was not the legacy of "stories", firsthand accounts of his brilliance, nor of being the paragon of Aiki virtue from which all other similar accomplishments flowed, and owed their existence, or even relevance. If he could, he'd return to say "stop all this nonsense already! I did what I did for me, and me alone in my quest for excellence. If others choose to follow my lead, they are more than welcome to do so. The caveat is, and always will be, you must first take full ownership of whatever you find and accomplish, just as I did. You may not credit me for your success, or blame me for your failure. My Aikido is my own. It will cease to exist, the moment I too cease to exist. Take these same Aiki Principles, if you will, and create your own Aikido!"
So, you want us to believe your fantasy story over the historical record by direct students of Morihei Ueshiba? You would have us believe that all those direct students of Ueshiba, when talking about their direct first hand experience, are merely spinning stories ... wait, let me quote you directly:

"The word "story" has its origins in what historically were "myths", recounting in spoken form what could not easily be preserved in other ways. As such, the retelling of these stories inevitably fell prey to embellishments, poetic license, and the need for vivid imaginations to be feed even more lurid and fantastic versions of the original."

So, you want us to relegate those direct first hand experiences as stories and myths while you tell us the above quoted fantasy and want us to believe you? Really? Are you seriously trying to tell us this? Disregard Shirata's direct words and believe your version of what you dream Ueshiba would say? Disregard Tenryu and believe you? Shioda? Etc, etc, etc?

Quote:
Francis Takahashi wrote: View Post
Aikido is not a one time accomplishment by a now gone genius. It is a word, a concept of what each and every person who is willing to pay the price of appropriate "due diligence" now, and for the rest of their lives, to make their own, and to share new findings with others of similar ambition and resolve.
Aikido is, and will always be about what more can be done to help lift the human spirit, to give it fresh and truly affirmative energy to realize the reasons why we too were born.

The "due diligence" I constantly refer to is the essential accountability for each serious student of the Founder's example to create and fashion his own aikido from the clay of current resources, just as the Founder did, with what he himself had available. Hey, his lemonade was pretty good, wouldn't you say?
Due diligence in regards to Morihei Ueshiba? How about Ueshiba's 99% influence in his martial career was Sokaku Takeda and Daito ryu. His lemonade recipe was straight from Takeda and yes, it was exemplary. Due diligence for the serious student of the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, would be to search for the aiki that created the giants: Takeda, Ueshiba, Horikawa, Sagawa, Kotaro, etc.

But, I speak only to the assembled aikido students, for you have yet to answer any of my questions. IMO, worse yet, you have not shown any of us that you, yourself, have done due diligence.

Mark
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