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Re: George Leonard Sensei Passes Away
I now know even more about this man who has inspired me for a decade. I remember venturing into the woods at a quiet historic site in Tallahassee with Mastery in my hands. I found a bench in the middle of nowhere and - surrounded by quiet forest - read the book. His writing style and content are so clearly nonthreatening that I could just let it all in with no fear of wrongful advice. That was a special time for me because I had just started Aikido, and I had begun exploring spirituality in a meaningful manner. When later I found his The Way of Aikido, browsing the martial arts section of a store, I wasn't looking for it because I didn't know about it. As soon as I saw the title, subtitle, and George Leonard Sensei's name, I knew immediately I would purchase it. Sitting on another park bench in another quiet Tally park, this book both fascinated and enriched me greatly. I hold Saotome et al.'s Aikido and the Harmony of Nature as the greatest work of nonfiction not because the writing is superior to Leonard Sensei's, but because it is so vastly epic in scope. Plus, I don't find enough books these days with excellent illustrations sharing deep metaphors and meanings. Leonard Sensei was a student of Saotome's, although I have no clue as to any writing collaboration between them or even how close they were as student-teacher or as "heterarchial," to use a word I learned from Leonard Sensei, friends.
Thank you again, Jun. I hope to still be able to learn more about this generous and brilliant Aikdioka.
With so many magazines out there about Hollywood celebrites, popular musicians devoid of deeply meaningful songs, and clothing fashion, do magazines portraying people unheard of on a massive scale even exist? How many people would buy them anyway? What if my neighbor or friend did something courageous that only I knew about. Only I would know about it.
Drew
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