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Suren Baghdasaryan wrote:
here is what I've found in "Best Aikido" written by Kisshomaru and Moriteru Ueshiba (as I understand 2 and 3 Doshu) page 18:
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Hey Suren,
I can see your point based on the words given from the book.
But imho, and I may draw some flack for this - to author a book called "Best Aikido" one has to assume an extremely high degree of mastery and understanding of the art, or be extremely ignorant of what exists out there in the Aikido world.
Personally, I remember reading words of M. Ueshiba in his twilight years still regarding himself as a beginner in this concept. So it's interesting that his son (whose ability/inability to carry on the tradition may have had something to do with the Tohei split among others) and grandson can make any claims about what is "Best Aikido". Imho the mark of a true master is one who never stops learning and never assumes that he has mastered anything.
This whole Aiki-purity concept is interesting though, because I have also remembered reading accounts (which may be found in the Aikidojournal archives I believe) that more than a couple of the Founder's students had serious concerns over time with what was being taught at the Aikikai Honbu by the Founder's son and "the direction" in which the art was heading.
Pertaining to a question I asked some time ago on these Forums: Did Ueshiba M. ever categorically define what "Aiki" and "Aikido" was? If not, then all we have is interpretation, and in this case we have as many "styles" of Aikido as we have practitioners of Aikido. One cannot define what something is not unless one has defined what it is.
Senshin: What you say about the TKD, Karate and Judo practitioners not being welcome at this dojo crossed my mind as well. The fear of a Sensei having a student counter his techniques in front of class is vvery interesting, as I've found that folks who take this sort of "purity" posture are also quick to tell you how to attack and train in a way that they look good. It's funny how in many cases the absence of competition/objective testing in some ways may have helped create a breeding ground for the same ego-driven approach to training that Ueshiba M. attempted to avoid by claiming that to compete is not Aikido.
Just my thoughts.
LC
