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Old 12-02-2008, 09:13 AM   #51
senshincenter
 
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Re: Aikido too spiritual at times?

Has anyone else found this to be part of their common experience...

Of folks that claim the importance of spirituality, they seldom dedicate all aspects of themselves to their maturity. That is to say, they allow thus for this part of their life, but not that part - and thus definitely not the whole.

Of folks that claim the importance of the physical side of the art, they seldom train more then three to five hours per week - leaving much more time of their life off of the mat than on, making casual athletes appear more dedicated to their own sports than they to their Budo.

Last time someone pressed me upon the importance of the physical/martial side of the art, I learned he practiced per week what I did in half a day. Last time someone pressed me on the importance of the spiritual side of the art, he could not rid the control his fear had over him in the most basic, controlled, and slow motion of exercises. I hate to say it, but when it comes to the physical/martial side of the art, it's hard for me to take seriously those charges when they are made by anyone that trains less that three hours a day on the mat. When it comes to the spiritual side of the art, it's hard for me to take seriously anyone that is not in a harmonious state of wellness with his/her parents, spouse/lover, siblings, and children.

I'm not saying we do not gain from Aikido regardless of whatever level we are training at, nor am I saying one side is more important than the other. However, it seems to me, that before folks go blowing their trumpets AGAINST OTHERS, some down to earth qualifications are in order IN ORDER TO GAIN PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT IS BEING SAID AND/OR NOT SAID.

Personally, I say let folks do what they do. For better or for worse, your aikido has no effect on my aikido - and the vice versa is true as well. It is an institutional mind game, and an internal weakness that opens us up to it, that convinces us otherwise. If it did, then I did not have an aikido in the first place. From that perspective, for me, there is only my aikido. From that context, the answer to "can aikido be too spiritual" and/or "can aikido be too physical" seems silly. The obvious answer is always, "I can always do more" - in other words, "No."

David M. Valadez
Visit our web site for articles and videos. Senshin Center - A Place for Traditional Martial Arts in Santa Barbara.
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Old 12-02-2008, 09:31 AM   #52
GeneC
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Re: Aikido too spiritual at times?

Quote:
Grant Wagar wrote: View Post
Training only against compliant attacks isn't unifying ones mind body and soul.

It's pretend.
The way I see it, any move you make( breathing,walking, eating, dancing, executing a techinique, etc), if you're focusing on that move, thinking about it, concentrating on executing that move to perfection and then you do and it feels good and then you feel good about it and you feel like all is good in your Universe, then you've unified your mind, body and spirit, with or without a 'Uke'.

Only between a single breath is Yin/Yang in harmony
Emotion is pure energy flowing feely thru the body-Dan Millman
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Old 12-02-2008, 09:45 AM   #53
GeneC
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Re: Aikido too spiritual at times?

Quote:
Stefan Hultberg wrote: View Post
Hi everyone...... The realms are intertwined in a complex dance of unity and they are, ultimately, neither physical nor spiritual - those are just words with no real meaning. Yours sincerely Stefan
While I wholeheartedly agree with everything you've said, I have to add here, to give an example of the spirituality, I venture to say right here that yes , they are "neither physical or spiritual", yet, at the same time, they are BOTH physical and spiritual.
I cringe at the thought that they'd be "just words with no real meaning".

Is that too spiritual?

Only between a single breath is Yin/Yang in harmony
Emotion is pure energy flowing feely thru the body-Dan Millman
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Old 12-02-2008, 10:03 AM   #54
GeneC
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Re: Aikido too spiritual at times?

Quote:
Carsten M¡¦lering wrote: View Post
... And to me spirituality is a religious issue...Carsten
Have you never stood beside an ocean, looked over a field of wild flowers, walked thru a fresh forest in the spring or in the fall when the leaves are "ablaze' with red and yellow and orange, lay on the floor and have a "puppy pile-up", laughed so hard you cried and almost peed your pants" and it felt so good, right to your core? That's spiritual (and doesn't have to invlolve religion, which implies doctrine).

Is that too spiritual?

Only between a single breath is Yin/Yang in harmony
Emotion is pure energy flowing feely thru the body-Dan Millman
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Old 12-03-2008, 02:16 AM   #55
Guilty Spark
 
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Re: Aikido too spiritual at times?

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Clarence Couch wrote: View Post
That's spiritual (and doesn't have to involve religion, which implies doctrine).
Agree with this 100%

If you're hungry, keep moving.
If you're tired, keep moving.
If you value you're life, keep moving.

You don't own what you can't defend
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Old 12-03-2008, 05:26 AM   #56
Carsten Möllering
 
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Re: Aikido too spiritual at times?

Quote:
Clarence Couch wrote: View Post
Have you never stood beside an ocean, looked over a field of wild flowers, walked thru a fresh forest in the spring or in the fall when the leaves are "ablaze' with red and yellow and orange, lay on the floor and have a "puppy pile-up", laughed so hard you cried and almost peed your pants" and it felt so good, right to your core? That's spiritual (and doesn't have to invlolve religion, which implies doctrine).
Maybe it's the gap of translation.
I think the things you describe wouldn't be called spiritual in german.

Beauty or emotions sure can be spiritual experiences, but only if you put them in a religious context in the broadest sense.
The beauty of gods creation or of our mother earth.
The hapiness of a person, which is "whole" or god's child.

Spirituality ist a term closely tied to religious beliefs or the "transcendent reality". It connects the material and the transcendent world.

Carsten
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Old 12-03-2008, 08:14 AM   #57
GeneC
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Re: Aikido too spiritual at times?

You're probably right about the 'gap'. I understand German. I studied it in highschool. My mother was married to a German for 30 yrs. I understand that German has strict terminology about things, which is evident in your post, which is not a bad thing. You're saying that spirituality only lives within the realm of religion. Americans ( and other cultures) have taken spirituality out of religion and gave it it's own identity, it's own catagory. While spirituality is many things to different folks, basically it's recognizing a power separate from your own and could be Nature's power (waterfall, budding/blooming flowers, childbirth, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc) Astrology, Taro, etc or Ki that causes one to perform beyond their expectation. Recognizing an energy in the Universe that you can observe, but it's separate from you (but hopefully can tap into). What do you call that in Geman?

Last edited by GeneC : 12-03-2008 at 08:25 AM.

Only between a single breath is Yin/Yang in harmony
Emotion is pure energy flowing feely thru the body-Dan Millman
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