Thread: Vantage points
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Old 12-31-2012, 05:23 PM   #57
Lorel Latorilla
Location: Osaka
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 311
Japan
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Re: Vantage points

Quote:
Chris Hein wrote: View Post
Nope, I'm just saying that it's going to take a long time to figure out what "Aiki" means. In the mean time I'm willing to call a truce, so we can talk about Aikido again.
1) "Taking a long time to figure out what aiki means" sounds a little like orientalism, where you reduce Eastern things into mysterious artifacts that cannot be analyzed and properly studied. I think it takes a little tenacity to get to the truth of things--being passive and avoiding the real core issues of anything has never rewarded anyone with anything, but with delusions. If you look hard enough, and ask the right questions, you will come across information and people (especially those that were close to Ueshiba and even Sagawa and Horikawa) that will point you to the truth of aiki. To be more practical, what is it that initially drew you towards aikido? What exactly are you trying to achieve with aikido? What bodyskills are you trying to gain to help you realize those ideals? Are there people out there that purport to teach these skills? Is aikido really a martial dance that involves co-operative partners? What is it about Ueshiba and the other guys that made throwing other people so easy..almost effortless? What does "harmony" mean in a world of violence and force? Is aiki about meeting the force or is it evading the force? Did the founder and his teachers and peers talk about aiki is evading or was there a more direct dealing of the forces? Why did those around Ueshiba talk about "aiki" as evading? Does it match what the founder talked about or were they missing something? Is it also possible to be that close to the teacher and still miss the mark?

2) A little humility and an being quiet but observant also pays off. Never assume that you know everything, otherwise you may be antagonizing those who are going out of their way to point out the truth of aiki for you; assuming you know everything you will only see those people as "threats" to your worldview, and for that reason you will naturally antagonize and embitter them.

3) How passionate you are about the truth however determines how tenacious you can be to go after it. If you are not passionate about the truth in aiki/bujutsu, then maybe you should just go home and leave aiki/bujutsu altogether. And that's just beginning of the search. If you are not there, then it is impossible for you to even plumb the depths of the truth.

Unless stated otherwise, all wisdom, follies, harshness, malice that may spring up from my writing are attributable only to me.
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