Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > Spiritual

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 06-21-2000, 09:14 AM   #1
akiy
 
akiy's Avatar
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 6,049
Offline
I think this is related to the Spirituality Stuff thread, but I wanted to ask those of you who have found aikido to be a spiritual practice a few, pretty personal questions:

Why do you find aikido to be a good spiritual practice for you? How is it different for you (or is it different?) than writing, jogging, gardening, or something else? Why do you think it "works" for you? Anything tangible?

In other words, why aikido?

-- Jun

Please help support AikiWeb -- become an AikiWeb Contributing Member!
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-21-2000, 09:34 AM   #2
Norman
"Norman"
IP Hash: 82e59966
Location: Weymouth, Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2000
Anonymous User
Offline
I am not really one to talk about this topic, as I really have no Aikido background, but I can summize my views so far.

Aikido basically is blending with your partners energy. In doing so, and to do so effectively, most everything is circular in motion. The dance like practice of aikido, has a very simplistic pattern hidden by a vibrant outer shell.

Some people accept the belief that circles and the like are a part of natures "way", and a matial art like aikido take those basic principals in nature and works them into the matial "way"

So in closing Aikido for some may help them attune to the simplistic, of spiritual side that some may just call nature.

Norman Harvey
New England Aikikai

"We see the world as WE are, not as IT is, because it is the I behind the EYE that does the seeing"
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-21-2000, 09:50 AM   #3
Chuck Clark
 
Chuck Clark's Avatar
Dojo: Jiyushinkan
Location: Monroe, Washington
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,134
United_States
Offline
Jun,

I think a basic part of it is that there is such an instant feedback loop in aikido practice. There is a tendency in lots of activities to serarate "mind & body" and I think aikido practice eventually wears this out and we realize the unity of the system (both macro and micro).

When we're really "into" the practice, we lose "our self" by blending with the other person. I have felt this in many activities. I have talked to many who do not experience this. Possibly aikido or budo practice helps open this door because of the intensity of our interaction in the practice which forces us "out of ourselves."

Just a "what if" idea.


Chuck Clark
Jiyushinkai Aikibudo
www.jiyushinkai.org
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2000, 01:19 AM   #4
Erik
Location: Bay Area
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,200
Offline
Why do you find aikido to be a good spiritual practice for you?

Damn you. I was about to do something like this.

Because it is. More in a second.

How is it different for you (or is it different?) than writing, jogging, gardening, or something else?

For me, I've been able to manifest many things on the basketball court that we find in Aikido: harmony, flow, blending, spontaneous movement all have made an appearance. Were it not for the sporting connection I'd not have arrived here.

Aikido works as a spiritual practice for me because there are like-minded people here. On the basketball court, I'm pretty much the only one who would sit down and discuss the concepts mentioned above. Coaches are usually at a complete loss when dealing with it or afraid of it because it means a loss of control.

So I turned to Aikido because it seemed to talk about things I've felt. What's interesting though is that things I picked up intuitively on the basketball court didn't come intuitively with Aikido. I'm guessing that's because of the form aspect. Basketball is about as free-form as it gets right from the get go. You don't go to class and try to shoot a jump shot like the coach for instance, although, you might emulate a star player.

As I move into more free-flowing circles I've seen a lot more spontaneous movement than ever before.

Why do you think it "works" for you?

Actually, I'm pretty convinced it's irrelevant. I could look at the same things in dance, music, art, sports, biking, building web pages, whatever. The problem is the other disciplines don't look at themselves this way. Like minded people make all the difference.
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Omoto-kyo Theology senshincenter Spiritual 80 06-10-2022 08:32 AM
What exactly is an independent dojo? David Yap General 64 11-14-2011 02:05 PM
sceptic on the spiritual side of aikido Apoy Spiritual 68 10-14-2006 05:09 PM
Without this, No Aikido senshincenter General 105 03-15-2005 10:15 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:59 PM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate