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Old 01-04-2013, 12:01 PM   #38
akiy
 
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Re: Shiro Omiya Shihan on "Aiki"

Quote:
Christopher Li wrote: View Post
To the people who think that all definitions of "Aiki" out to be accepted, that it's all good, what if I said something like "I was walking down the street and I turned to a teenager who was annoying me, kicked him in the nuts and broke both his arms, what wonderful Aiki!". Wouldn't you feel obligated to say something?
Personally, I'd say that saying "what wonderful Aiki!" in that situation could very well be considered out of the ordinary, yes. (Unless, of course, you're using your internal training skills to kick the guy in the nuts, heh.)

For the above example, I'd probably also say that I don't think anyone here is saying that 'all definitions of "Aiki" ought to be accepted.' Rather, I think what many are saying is that interpretations of the term "aiki" may have become different than its original meaning(s) and that these (re)interpretations have become commonly and acceptably used. Language (as I know you know, Chris) is constantly evolving, for better or for worse -- like the word "awful" used to mean something more akin to "awesome" (full of awe).

Having said this, I'd like to also also say that I'm not saying that researching the original meaning(s) of "aiki" is unfruitful nor uninteresting, nor am I saying that putting into practice the principles and methods behind the original meaning(s) of "aiki" are such, either. Rather, to keep insisting, seemingly, that people are inherently misguided when they use a different interpretation of "aiki" as they've come to understand it through their aikido training doesn't seem awfully constructive to me.

-- Jun

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