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Old 05-27-2012, 10:20 AM   #43
graham christian
Dojo: golden center aikido-highgate
Location: london
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,697
England
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Re: Being Committed to Aiki

Quote:
Gary Welborn wrote: View Post
Graham
You can't avoid politics here, as that is what we are talking about. The Question has always been for the pushy Aiki folks can anyone in Aikido today do what Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, could do and the answer is clearly no. Some of his original direct in house pre-war students had pieces of what he did, clearly sitting them a step up above the rest, but none of them are alive today to help.....some of their work is available thought hard to get at. Post war Aikido is Modern Aikido.

You clearly feel that you have a clear insight into the Founder's post-war approach to Aikido....though all evidence points to Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Koichi Tohei as being the principal starting points for that post war path. If your idea of Spiritual Aikido is the True Aikido and that you are clearly the avatar for it....then you need to get out there and sell it....you have to take on all the challenges....make it work for everyone....That means doing workshops or getting on the mat with the folks you have so far avoided.

Talking your approach up here, stepping back to say that you have done pretty much all of it, have seen all of it, have help an untold number of people improve their lives, clearly "teaching" here with your replies........then ending with vague comments about the rest of us can do what we want is just talk...just talk....

Gary
Gary,
I can't say what you say above is wrong so all I can do is clarify for you my view.

Politics: Of course people around can do what Ueshiba did. No one can be him and no one should want to. No one can do everything he could do nor should they want to either. There may be some who can do some particular things better than he could. All this comparing to him is once again a clever political trick as far as I am concerned.

The post war path? Ueshiba wanted to spread it, he said so. He even described his visit to Hawaii as building a silver bridge. He always said his aims and they were worldwide aims. Now his son was into the organizational way of doing such and Tohei was into translating and developing sets of principles he felt would be easier to communicate to western culture. Thus they all did things their way but it was Ueshibas dream that they joined with.

Debating the in house original students and teachers as a step above the rest and most no longer being with us and seeing that as some kind of major loss or fault is again a put down and irrelevance to me. They taught people didn't they? There are many people around following the principles of Aikido, it's all good. Plus it's natural. There was Jesus and there were his disciples. Then there were no more disciples. Yet it spread. Naturally. This happens to all things so what's all the fear talk about? That always happens too, 'oh for the old days!' ha ha.

Your view on me is fair enough. I like it. Your conclusion though I don't quite see.

You seem to be saying I should insist everyone do it my way and that I am responsible for everyone.

'Vague comments about the rest of us???' Mmmmm. don't get it.

I agree it may be that I should do more in the public arena. May be. It seems that way to you anyway.

About seven years ago in my mind I had stopped teaching actually. It was an interesting year. Wherever I went I still attracted those seeking something which Aikido could provide. Then one day a couple of guys, one from Yoshinkan and another from some form of tai chi came to visit me. It was a strange experience. They were insisting I teach them, I thought they were going to chain themselves to the chars and not move unless I agreed. So I got back into it to cut a long story short.

So I teach because it's part of my path that's all. I have no other significance on it than that. It doesn't equal I should 'sell it' or build some empire or create some organization or travel on some circuit. No it doesn't equal that to me.

Lately however, in life most folks are saying similar things though, that I should set this up and that up. This is indeed an interesting next phase of my life for I am undecided.

There is no should there is only me deciding on my way of doing.

I will listen and acknowledge what others who know me tell me and thus take all into account but then I will consult my 'heart.' That's my way.

Meanwhile this forum is as it's always been for me, a window into what some folks are doing and their views and where I share my views. That;s all. Not some shop window.

Thanks for your views.

Peace.G.
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