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Old 11-21-2011, 04:50 PM   #39
graham christian
Dojo: golden center aikido-highgate
Location: london
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,697
England
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Re: Ueshiba's Golden Lights

Hi Eric.
Spiritual and enlightenment. Two words that fit perfectly with Ueshiba as far as I am concerned.

Now golden lights and it's connection. It's a spiritual phenomenon, it's one of many, it's commonly written about by many in the world of spirituality.

Many people in the past reached different stages of enlightenment, the omoto religion it'self was started by an enlightened person. Buddha being the best known and so if you look into such things from yogis to zen buddhism and other ascetic practices you will find reference to such things, such phenomenon.

Funny thing is I find that the more aware spiritual people outside of Aikido, people who have never seen or heard of Aikido, on reading O'Senseis.words understand what he's saying whilst many of those within Aikido call them religious ramblings. Now there's a nice dichotomy for you to contemplate.

I read a martial arts historians account a while ago where he was talking about the spiritual side of martial arts and the names given to different levels of such and yet having no association with Aikido still used O'Sensei as an example of such things.

To understand ueshiba all one has to do is think and see him as 100% spiritual in his outlook, aims, philosophy and intentions. Only then can you see how Aikido came into being and what it is both spiritually, mentally and physically. As I said, I know plenty outside of Aikido who can see this, it's those inside who seem to have more trouble.

All these principles in Aikido are spiritual, it's so obvious I don't see where the confusion lies. One point, center, hara, koshi, kokyu, every one of them can be found in ascetic and spiritual practices. Ueshiba realized that the form and techniques of Aikido were a perfect vehicle for such ascetic practices.

On the other hand let's look at it backwards. People starting the martial art from a physical only perspective. Then they get interested in those seemingly impossible aspects of it. That's where internal comes into play, for they are still very physically aware and physically attatched so to me it's kind of a halfway house area. Whilst doing the internal arts a person then starts getting more in touch with their own spirituality, their own potential, the beginning of their spirituality.

Thus in my view Takeda opened Ueshibas eyes via his 'aiki' (a halfway house aiki) and then he was off and running, leaving the rest behind.

This is my view. This is my explanation. Some may find it controversial. Who cares. I have no vetsed interests to satisfy or organizations to please.

Only great spiritual people realize about the harmony of life, the power of love and compassion. Most of the rest can only twist it into fighting and wars alas and pretend they are spiritual.

Hope this sheds some golden light on the subject ha, ha.

Regards.G.
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