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Old 08-25-2014, 09:32 AM   #86
Carsten Möllering
 
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Dojo: Hildesheimer Aikido Verein
Location: Hildesheim
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Re: Daily Applications of Aikido

Quote:
Mary Eastland wrote: View Post
... if someone was angry while throwing me I might bow out.
In everyday life you can't bow out.

If I get it rigth and you actually don't practice with angry or agressive partners I think you miss an interesting and most instructive part of keiko. In my experience it's not what I like a lot, but from what I learn a lot.

That said:

Why do you think it to be improper to make a partner experience the answer to a "question" he raised? Isn't exactly this the "language" we are using during keiko?
Sure, you can give uke only a smile and leave him alone, not giving any feedback through your technique. That may feel nice. Maybe. But you pay the price that your practice is hollow and neither you nor your partner is learning anything.

I think it to be very important to develop a personality and spirituality that don't has to react to every emotional challenge, like beining questioned, in everyday life. I think this is crucial.
But - practicing a budō means actually reacting to a challenge in a certain way. Meditation etc. is a way to learn to smile, to just observe, to not be affected, to neither act out, nor to suppress. budō is a way to engage, it's a certain way to act. Using one's body, in aikidō. Or one's sword, when doing ken jutsu.

So, with that in mind, the questions you raised are kind of unfamiliar to me:

Quote:
Mary Eastland wrote: View Post
So how did the nidan like this experience? Do you think he will be will be back?
We are talking about a nidan, i.e. an advanced student. If he is not able to deal with experiences he doesn't like it is his turn to learn to.
It is his committement. If he doesn't come back, he doesn't come back. If he doesn't continue to practice aikidō, he simply will do something else. It is his decision. It is not tori's task to make someone come back to the dōjō.

Quote:
Does he think you are good now?
He had to realize that his assumption and his judgdement where wrong. To learn to balance one's view of a situation and "reality", seems to me a very basic but nevertheless important aspect of learning a budō.
It is not important, whether this nidan thinks, Phil is good or not. But it is important for him to realize, that he obviousely is better than he thought. Just that.

Quote:
Were you teaching the seminar? How did that happen if you were not teaching?...I think the instructor would have ended it.
Ok, when this is, what teachers in your context do, you are completely right! And at the same time this would change the view on the other questions you raised. So I think, your thoughts are completely meaningfull and consistent in your context!

In my context a teacher simply would not interfere. The only exception would be if there is the danger that someone get's hurt.
So tori and aite are expected to solve their problems on their own. Best you can have is sensei scolding you by shaking his head ...
But solving your problems, your prejudices, your emotions, your personal conflicts during keiko is part of what is to be learned. At least in my context.
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