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Old 02-29-2012, 08:22 AM   #26
DH
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Quote:
Kevin Leavitt wrote: View Post
I think it would depend on who you were stealing from and the situation. If you have starving people and an institution or company or something has the ability to do something, but chooses to hoard and control, even if the law is on there side, then I would say that it is okay to steal as you are attempting to lessen true harm and not cause more. However, if you steal from another individual at their expense then that might be a different situation.
+1
Hi Kevin
Got the P.M. Good God, do I agree with that assessment!!!

As for this...most people do not understand the situations and theaters you have seen and operate in.
I think that Westerners often wield ethics and opinions that are insular and apply to their sheltered existence...all while claiming an intellectual understanding of suffering....from a safe distance.

Were America to be plunged into a situation where food, power, and water, were taken away from all, and controlled by a corrupt government and some soldier with an AK47 was shooting Moms and Dads trying to get food and I was watching my child die, you would meet a different ....me.
I don't really embrace situation ethics but there are extreme cases. And I have never accepted that one has to completely negate the other.

As to the whole competition in Budo argument-I really don't care about these gentle utopian people who have no real skills to do anything that would ever work against trained budo people.
Why?
What they do is NOT BUDO...it's something different like a moving yoga or moving motion dance class. It has no place in the history of budo either. In past eras, they would simply die and we would never have to deal with their theories and trying to steal a place in budo unearned. Their ideas would have stopped at the tip of a spear or sword.

If someone thinks that some gentle, highly cooperative, harmonious movement, experiment is going to ever equal the efforts of people who have sweated and strained in highly resistive budo practice that produced capable budo-ka...they are only kidding themselves. Were they to put themselves to the test- they will fail every time.
The only recourse they have is:
* The internet where they make all sorts of unsupportable proclamations of the worth of their practice as some sort of budo.
* Running away from stress testing.
* Only seeking out training with others like them

The tragedy is since they simple can't function as a budo-ka, they are striving on the internet to re-define budo to accept all as equal. It's cheap and it's stealing the reputation-earned by the good work done by others....as their own. Worse they do this all while bad mouthing the very methods that made that reputation of budo in the first place!!! I think that is the part of this that irks me the most. They obviously want or need the validation as a budo or they would not wear the clothing and wield weapons. Yet, they openly deride the methods that it takes to make someone truly capable all while claiming to be equally capable themselves.

I say it over and over. If we do not self-police we are going to see the death of budo in our time. Why? More and more traditional Martial artists are useless even against a mediocre wrestler and the internet is now letting the world know just how true that is.
Everyday that we sit here and give credibility to these gentle people as our equal in Budo, is yet another day we sink the nail into the coffin of our beloved arts. We need to challenge them on the net and challenge them in person until they get what the demands of a Budo is about. Or they stop calling whatever that stuff is that they do...budo and they leave the name and reputation of budo to those capable of representing our arts as.....a budo.

IMO, Budo is vanishing before our eyes. Awash in a sea of indifference and fear of speaking the truth. Quite frankly I am sick and tired of what so many teachers say to me in private, over and over and don't have the courage or conviction to say in public. As one teacher recently said to me. "I applaud what you are doing and saying-But I can neither say it or publicly support you. So...when are we training next?"

Dan

Last edited by DH : 02-29-2012 at 08:32 AM.
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Old 02-29-2012, 09:07 AM   #27
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Edit:
One Taiji group was debating this, lamenting that although those doing Taiji for health have made the art popular- those "people" had nothing at all to do with the martial tradition of Taiji.
All interesting, because taiji is good for health as a health system and is a damn good fighting system in the hands of a few people.

Where I see a difference is that the health aspects are not practiced in Martial art related clothing or using weapons against another persons efforts with weapons making it falsely look like a martially effective effort. Therefore, it is rarely ever confused with a Budo.
Not so with many other Japanese budo.
Dan
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Old 02-29-2012, 09:44 AM   #28
graham christian
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Some thoughts for you Andrew. From the view of transcendence, which I believe Ueshiba's aiki is, it moves beyond competition.

This brings about a new,more enlightened view and understanding.

Yet with this comes the fact of destruction and thus a very budo thing.

Love destroys fear, kindness destroys ego, stillness destroys chaos and brings about harmonious flow, calmness slices through confusion, goodness destroys negativity and the void destroys illusion.

Thus true virtues are powerful and of course healthy, seen only as weak by the competitive mind.

Faith moves mountains.

Regards.G.
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Old 02-29-2012, 09:59 AM   #29
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

To Mr Harden,
I am not going to attack your views as they are yours to own and do with as you see fit. However I would like to ask an honest question?
If as it appears, you see Budo as a means to strike violence with even greater violence so that you may become the victor or to make sure of victory, why practice Aikido, the way of Harmony which most people I am sure will agree, by its very name has a moral and ethical practice in and of itself. Aiikido founder did indeed say Aikido is the study of the spirit, and is not a means for felling and defeating others, but the mind of contention.

And I ask, please do not make comments about my martial skill or anybody else`s that you cannot provve, or indeed disprove, this again is only a thought, which you seem to have believed so completely, that to you it is true.

I too do not wish to argue, can you give your thoughts on the thread, how to be non-competative in a competative world. am genuinly interested in what you think, as you appear to be so respected in the martial arts world.

In Budo,

Andy B
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Old 02-29-2012, 10:07 AM   #30
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
Some thoughts for you Andrew. From the view of transcendence, which I believe Ueshiba's aiki is, it moves beyond competition.

This brings about a new,more enlightened view and understanding.

Yet with this comes the fact of destruction and thus a very budo thing.

Love destroys fear, kindness destroys ego, stillness destroys chaos and brings about harmonious flow, calmness slices through confusion, goodness destroys negativity and the void destroys illusion.

Thus true virtues are powerful and of course healthy, seen only as weak by the competitive mind.

Faith moves mountains.

Regards.G.
It sure Does Graham, good to hear from you again. Although you and I have not always agreed in the past, I cannot agree with you more on this point. What i am saying if you dont see this, and feel it by dropping the mind of centention then it wil never be true for you, whoever that may be.

Great reply many thanks.

Andy B

Last edited by TheAikidoka : 02-29-2012 at 10:10 AM. Reason: spelling mistake
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Old 02-29-2012, 10:24 AM   #31
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

To All:
I have said in my previous thread, competition in and of it self is not a bad thing, a gave the example I think of judo in the martial context, it does indeed teach you to be in the moment, as do non competative martial martial arts, or should, so you can deal with a potentially violent situation.

However I am talking about the, unchecked, competative mind for the sake of competition, is madness. In the book the life giving sword, Yagyu Munenori (sorry if I spelt this wrong), states mind is sickness, and when are people going to listen about the enemy (ego) lurking is the one that needs to be cut down, the mind of thought.
Always no matter what it is, a conflict of whatever magnitude begins with thought, does it not?
We live in a time, where we are still fighting the arguments of centuries ago, still trying to prove who is right or wrong. This is all based in Human thought. Not the natural intelligence you mention in your previous post. I do not believe, it is a lunch eat lunch attitude, as I call it the "real world". There are indeed a lot of checks and balances that are in place, so no one species is alowed to dominate an area or indeed the entire planet, well not for too long anyway. Mother nature, Gaia, natural intelligence or the movements of the cosmos , ki energy, no matter what you want to call it, will save herself almost in one sense from herself , and this natural intelligence, it exist of and in itself in everything.
Some may even enterpret this as god essence, and I have no problem with that either, I think it is as close to understanding that god is in us as it gets.

Why do I say this, well because it's not something you think about, but rather you "Know" and feel to be true, and it is almost unspeakable. But here we are speaking about it.

Inhabit the body somebody once told me. I didn't understand what this ment for years I didn't get this. It literally means, inhabit the body, place some of your attention in you body, personally I use diaphragmatic breathing to practice being in the body. And I noticed something quite strange, the body LOVES, attention. I felt all tingly and almost light felling, and the first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was how absolutely still everything was, I couldn't believe it, how had I not "seen" this before, then I noticed how everything was also surrounded by stillness. Not only that but everything was absolutely silent too, but it didn't freak me out or anything, because it was "natural". The last thing I notice was also everything was surrounded by a certain amount of spaciousness.
Please look around you and see it for yourself!

Now if this is true for everything else, think about it :-)

IT MUST BE TRUE FOR US TOO.

Indeed there are a lot of religious, social, political, dogma out there that is almost terrified, of us seeing the real beauty in the human body.
Because without this mindset of controlling through fear of the body,fear of self, fear of future, fear of the past, fear of what they will do to me, fear of not being good enough, fear of not being strong enough, fear of not being pretty enough, fear of............. And on it goes.
They loose there own sense of self , and would have to see we are all essentially the same. Who really wants to loose there sense of self, of me and I'm right your wrong, the me and all my problems, when the real problem is the contending mind itself. We are the problem, and none of us can see that either.

It is the human mind/thought set, of overly competing, and not understanding this natural intelligence, that nature does indeed provide enough for all if we are willing to share it, and not contend with each in everything we do. This includes one of the most amazing human attributes, Love.

In Budo

Andy B
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Old 02-29-2012, 11:10 AM   #32
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

"We are the problem, and none of us can see that either"

Nope, only you I guess
So in the mean while, what is it you YOU propose that we /us me/you do about it?
I mean before we train a whole new generation to drop out of competitive mind and as probably one of your mentors said, "My advice to people today is as follows: if you take the game of life seriously, if you take your nervous system seriously, if you take your sense organs seriously, if you take the energy process seriously, you must turn on, tune in, and drop out." Tim Leary.
He had me until the last three words. Drop out of what? Society , civilization and all that it brings?
Good and Bad?
Or is it just competitive mind that you want dropped. And you still are competing for hearts and minds in the arena of ideas here.
I think enough people here and the last thread have justified and explained the difference between survival and competition......
and yet the problem is us , we are the problem. Hence, you malign the most prosperous as keeping the less fortunate down. The people who compete everyday in life and believe this is real and not a dream or illusion, and win so to speak, have been offered no real alternative except to yet in another way level the playing field and support the people who dont want to compete, who want to dropout, dream, spread their message, agenda.
What was that guy's name again? with the dogs? Maslow thankyou,
Notice where transcendence is on the pyramid and where basic physical security is?
There is a big big divide there, and you dont ever forget about the bottom of the pyramid because you can wind up there again, while you are still alive anyway.
And , should you and Dan meet, I am yet another person here to tell you he is not talking out of his hat...and martial skill is only part of what he teaches.....

Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/au...#ixzz1nnHH3R5v

A day will dawn when you will yourself laugh at your effort. That which is on the day of laughter is also now.
Ramana Maharishi
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Old 02-29-2012, 11:16 AM   #33
Demetrio Cereijo
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Quote:
Dan Harden wrote: View Post
Quite frankly I am sick and tired of what so many teachers say to me in private, over and over and don't have the courage or conviction to say in public. As one teacher recently said to me. "I applaud what you are doing and saying-But I can neither say it or publicly support you. So...when are we training next?"

Dan
Tell'em to step out of the wardrobe or no more training for them.

Aiki pride parade ASAP.
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Old 02-29-2012, 11:33 AM   #34
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

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Demetrio Cereijo wrote: View Post
Tell'em to step out of the wardrobe or no more training for them.

Aiki pride parade ASAP.
+1

What are people are afraid of, anyway?

Best,

Chris

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Old 02-29-2012, 11:34 AM   #35
Demetrio Cereijo
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

"My advice to people today is as follows: if you take the game of life seriously, if you take your nervous system seriously, if you take your sense organs seriously, if you take the energy process seriously, you must turn on, tune in, and drop out." Tim Leary.

The guy who received the best BULLSHIT! I've ever heard.
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Old 02-29-2012, 11:38 AM   #36
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Quote:
Andrew Bedford wrote: View Post
If as it appears, you see Budo as a means to strike violence with even greater violence so that you may become the victor or to make sure of victory, why practice Aikido, the way of Harmony which most people I am sure will agree, by its very name has a moral and ethical practice in and of itself. Aiikido founder did indeed say Aikido is the study of the spirit, and is not a means for felling and defeating others, but the mind of contention
Why do you see having tested, verifiable martial skill as immediately being "greater violence"? Ueshiba had tested and verifiable martial skill, yet his is the 'the way of harmony", but others who seek the same are just looking for greater violence? explain please.
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Old 02-29-2012, 11:43 AM   #37
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Andrew B wrote:

Quote:
I that nature does indeed provide enough for all if we are willing to share it, and not contend with each in everything we do..
Agreed, but damn....people don't share it. There are people out there that use it for themselves, that squander it and use it to oppress and control others. So, what is there to make them stop doing this if they really don't want to? I really liked Ghandi's approach for sure. (I am actually doing a session with my son on Ghandi for home schooling right now). However, why don't we see more of this happening in the world. Why haven't we seen more Ghandi's coming forward? The conditions must be present for this to work. If they are not there, then you need other means to resist, defend yourself, and restore fairness.

How do you shift the balance of power? What if love doesn't work. What if we can't reason and transcend with like.....philosophy and a smile?

Quote:
If as it appears, you (DAN H) see Budo as a means to strike violence with even greater violence so that you may become the victor or to make sure of victory, why practice Aikido, the way of Harmony which most people I am sure will agree, by its very name has a moral and ethical practice in and of itself. Aiikido founder did indeed say Aikido is the study of the spirit, and is not a means for felling and defeating others, but the mind of contention.
Some times it is necessary to strike violence with greater violence, absolutely! It should be a means to do this. However, we also must realize the consequences and outcomes of our actions and realize the true nature of the power we do possess and the responsibility we have to use it appropriately. THAT is were the whole moral and ethical and Compassion part comes in.

Aikido and all Budo, IMO actually is a means for destruction and defeating. It is also a means of restoration. The mid-point of this is harmony. what is NOT harmony is ignoring the destroying and defeating side of the equation and focusing on the love and compassion side only. When you do that...you might have something good, but it ain't budo as Dan pointed out.

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Old 02-29-2012, 11:44 AM   #38
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Quote:
Demetrio Cereijo wrote: View Post
"My advice to people today is as follows: if you take the game of life seriously, if you take your nervous system seriously, if you take your sense organs seriously, if you take the energy process seriously, you must turn on, tune in, and drop out." Tim Leary.

The guy who received the best BULLSHIT! I've ever heard.
He also dealt the best BS , to a lot of young people , also

Unfortunately...

A day will dawn when you will yourself laugh at your effort. That which is on the day of laughter is also now.
Ramana Maharishi
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Old 02-29-2012, 11:46 AM   #39
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

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Gregory Gargiso wrote: View Post
He also dealt the best BS , to a lot of young people , also

Unfortunately...
Damn hippies!

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Old 02-29-2012, 11:56 AM   #40
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Quote:
Gregory Gargiso wrote: View Post
"We are the problem, and none of us can see that either"

Nope, only you I guess
So in the mean while, what is it you YOU propose that we /us me/you do about it?
I mean before we train a whole new generation to drop out of competitive mind and as probably one of your mentors said, "My advice to people today is as follows: if you take the game of life seriously, if you take your nervous system seriously, if you take your sense organs seriously, if you take the energy process seriously, you must turn on, tune in, and drop out." Tim Leary.
He had me until the last three words. Drop out of what? Society , civilization and all that it brings?
Good and Bad?
Or is it just competitive mind that you want dropped. And you still are competing for hearts and minds in the arena of ideas here.
I think enough people here and the last thread have justified and explained the difference between survival and competition......
and yet the problem is us , we are the problem. Hence, you malign the most prosperous as keeping the less fortunate down. The people who compete everyday in life and believe this is real and not a dream or illusion, and win so to speak, have been offered no real alternative except to yet in another way level the playing field and support the people who dont want to compete, who want to dropout, dream, spread their message, agenda.
What was that guy's name again? with the dogs? Maslow thankyou,
Notice where transcendence is on the pyramid and where basic physical security is?
There is a big big divide there, and you dont ever forget about the bottom of the pyramid because you can wind up there again, while you are still alive anyway.
And , should you and Dan meet, I am yet another person here to tell you he is not talking out of his hat...and martial skill is only part of what he teaches.....

Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/au...#ixzz1nnHH3R5v
No not only me, but I aint getting into I want people to believe me, I want them to find out for themselves by stopping the constant chatter they have in the head, and believing it! To simply see what is really in front of them, through the stilness of the mind, not the constant competing one. That includes anything you are about to say and type next

By stopping that constant chatter in the head, ego, the competitive mind, saying I shouldnt be here I should be there, and I`m going to react to this situation with force because of what he/she did to me and then believing that thought. Yes I am indeed saying to litterally drop this mind.
It does not mean we cannot act or think in the moment, indeed it is the moment that needs the most concentration, in no matter what arena of human life you find yourself. It is a call to bring to attention the beauty that is held in each moment.

However we constantly miss this moment because humans are either trapped in the past: confilcts still being played out today have there basis in past confilct and look what he did to me, look what they took from me, land is the primary source here. Or are seeking peace in future: which never comes, nobody can tell you things will be better in the future because nobody has been there to tell you what it was like. It is just another thought!

Real achievable peace can only be realised now. I will ask the question again, where do you think people would be without there sense of me and my problems, collective or individual, without he did that or this to me, they have made a personal self out of it, and it is the madness of the self competing mind.

you talk about civilization, can you tell me what is so civil about the way we treat each other! letting starving countries starve when we have enough food to feed everyone, wether you believe this or not, we should at least have real efforts to do so. not have a fundraiser every now and then so we can feel good about ourselves for maybe giving a few pounds/dollars to put a sticking plaster over the real situation.

As Always in Budo

Andy B
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Old 02-29-2012, 12:02 PM   #41
Marc Abrams
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Quote:
Kevin Leavitt wrote: View Post
Some times it is necessary to strike violence with greater violence, absolutely! It should be a means to do this. However, we also must realize the consequences and outcomes of our actions and realize the true nature of the power we do possess and the responsibility we have to use it appropriately. THAT is were the whole moral and ethical and Compassion part comes in.

Aikido and all Budo, IMO actually is a means for destruction and defeating. It is also a means of restoration. The mid-point of this is harmony. what is NOT harmony is ignoring the destroying and defeating side of the equation and focusing on the love and compassion side only. When you do that...you might have something good, but it ain't budo as Dan pointed out.
Kevin:

You struck at the heart of the issue that seems to attract a certain type of person to Aikido (to the detriment of the integrity of the art- in my opinion). People would love to be able to allay their fears regarding real violence. It is easy to practice Aikido and pretend that you have been able to reconcile violence through greater love and harmony, without ever having to really do so. It is the easiest and most convenient delusion available to achieve while you pretend that you are actually doing Aikido. I do not believe that these people consciously ignore the destroying and defeating aspects as much as they are genuinely too afraid to directly confront this issue. When they can live very comfortably within their self-defined, safe worlds, they can continue to insist that they have indeed confronted this "evil" and "transcended" beyond it with their flowerly words. As long as they do not have to genuinely confront those "bad realities", they can continue to say that we do not get it yet, understand where they come from, etc.... As you said so eloquently, "you might have something good, but it ain't budo.

Regards,

Marc Abrams
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Old 02-29-2012, 12:28 PM   #42
Demetrio Cereijo
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Hi Marc,

Quote:
People would love to be able to allay their fears regarding real violence. It is easy to practice Aikido and pretend that you have been able to reconcile violence through greater love and harmony, without ever having to really do so. It is the easiest and most convenient delusion available to achieve while you pretend that you are actually doing Aikido.
But this was how Aikido was offered to the general public by the "establishment".
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Old 02-29-2012, 12:30 PM   #43
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Thanks for the comments Marc.

I do want to point out and be clear that I do not believe that in order to study budo that you must become some super destructive bad ass ninja, navy seal type. That is really not the point.

The point is that in your practice you must study the true nature and really understand what you are doing and practicing and be true to the simple reality of what it is that you are doing.

Of course, we can also explore the "room" and expanded possibilities that come with experience and training as well, and in that certainly we can learn to find ourselves.

I also want to be clear that I really believe that the journey is about SELF and not about the world. Budo is about YOU...not about emulating the love and peace stuff and trying to convert people and win them over, and preaching to them.

If you take care of self...you can take care of the world, one person at a time.

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Old 02-29-2012, 12:41 PM   #44
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Quote:
Demetrio Cereijo wrote: View Post
Hi Marc,

But this was how Aikido was offered to the general public by the "establishment".
Was it really offered that way by everyone, or is it what people really wanted to hear?

I think the endstate and goals are aikido are noble, and the philosophical basis is just fine. No issues with peace and harmony from me!

However, what is up for debate and perspective are the means and ways. As I said before, most people I think interpret harmony as the whole peace and love thing. For me, I see it as the mid-point between all those things where we have....nothing, if you will.

I personally think once we understand that, we as budoka, are in a position to realize the fragile nature of staying on the right side of that mid-point in the love and peace spectrum.

I know in talking to my friends and teachers that are 6th Dans in ASU that studied as young men with Saotome Sensei...he was not easy on them and what they practiced was anything but soft and loving!

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Old 02-29-2012, 12:48 PM   #45
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

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Dear Francis Sensei,
It was a pleasure to meet you at Bookman Sensei's 30th anniversary seminar.
And as you learned there I carried a somewhat unique perspective of that day. I concur wholeheartedly with your column. The only realization that I have come to is that; they say, " Aikido is a way to reconcile the world" , but I find that I cannot reconcile with people who are trying to kill me and that it is a two way street. I carry on daily as I did before 9/11 with each new person I meet to seek their intention(s).
In fact "vigilant" is inscribed on my hakama. Sometimes this is the best that I think I can do.
Never Forget
God Bless
This was my reply to Takahashi Sensei's column about 9/11.
This is where it gets you without a competitive mind, or paying attention to "chatter", we were at peace then, the former President had 8 years of "feeling everyone's pain" and sharing some of his own.
I was and am , as were so many who perished that day, happy , happy to meet new people and share with them all that the confines of a civil society have to offer. Only being vigilant of their intentions, which some people have a knack for, like they know before you declare your intentions. Osensei comes to mind.
And when appropriate he dealt with it accordingly.
So, on the one hand we have people like O'Sensei
who dealt in the moment, martially when necessary, and sought to change the world for the better.
And Gandhi, on the other hand. who said

There are many causes that I am prepared to die for but no causes that I am prepared to kill for.
, "I would like you to lay down the arms you have as being useless for saving you or humanity. You will invite Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to take what they want of the countries you call your possessions... If these gentlemen choose to occupy your homes, you will vacate them. If they do not give you free passage out, you will allow yourselves, man, woman, and child, to be slaughtered, but you will refuse to owe allegiance to them." In a post-war interview in 1946, he said, "Hitler killed five million Jews. It is the greatest crime of our time. But the Jews should have offered themselves to the butcher’s knife. They should have thrown themselves into the sea from cliffs... It would have aroused the world and the people of Germany... As it is they succumbed anyway in their millions." However, Gandhi realised that this level of nonviolence required incredible faith and courage, which he believed everyone did not possess. He therefore advised that everyone need not keep to nonviolence, especially if it were used as a cover for cowardice, saying, "where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence."[108]

Oh wow!!!! He said transcend it all, as long as you are not being a coward, use what you have to use. Thanks a lot after a couple of million are dead.
Kind of convoluted and vague, non effective and only after he was asked about the death of millions. I think you are more in line with Gandhi than Osensei and Budo.

Last edited by Garth : 02-29-2012 at 12:56 PM.

A day will dawn when you will yourself laugh at your effort. That which is on the day of laughter is also now.
Ramana Maharishi
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Old 02-29-2012, 12:52 PM   #46
Demetrio Cereijo
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

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Kevin Leavitt wrote: View Post
Was it really offered that way by everyone, or is it what people really wanted to hear?
I think Aikido's marketing from the 70's on aimed to a specific market niche, and "evolved" to satisfy the needs of said niche.
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Old 02-29-2012, 01:08 PM   #47
TheAikidoka
 
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

I am not saying Aikido is aways pretty and nice and all lovey dovey airy fairy, wishy washy BS!
I trained hard, and I do mean hard for nearly ten years in Basics. By an instructor who spent 22 rs in the british special forces, special boat service to be exact, and he was not one to take a flower to a knife fight so to speak.
Currently, our dojo has Hiroaki Izumi sensei 6th dan Aikikai, come and pracitce with us every so often, and I had the pleasure of training with izumi sensei at our dojo last year for a week and a weekend.
We discussed things, he asked about where I wanted to take my Aikido, I was reluctant at first, but I did outline some of my thoughts to him, the upshot, my new teacher, the dojo and I have been asked to attend the opening of his new dojo in st lucia in august this year.
If izumi sensei did not think I had the skills to back up what I was saying, my teacher would not be asking me to go, my teacher would not ask me for the first time in its 35 yr history to start a childrens class (which for me is much more challenging), he would not have asked me to Teach the Aikido weapons class on sunday`s, which incidently have not been held for 3 yrs. Considering I only began training with Kyoshi roger Payne in August last year,(yes litterally a week before Izumi sensei came) what I am doing in a martial effectiveness sense, has been very well recieved. Anyione who wishes to see this for themselves, are welcome to see me train at the mid sussex martial arts school in skaynes hill east sussex any thursday night from 20:00, the sunday Aiki weapons class runs from 10:30 - 12:30.
Although it is not my place (it is not my dojo) to invite people to come and watch, I respectfully ask you send Kyoshi Payne an e-mail saying you wish to come and watch/partake in a class I am either partaking in myself or indeed are teaching. Ive no problem with that. there you go Ive just put myself out there for real scrutiny of my martial effectiveness, I await replies!

So as I have said to Mr Harden, Please do not speculate about my actual martial skill level, when you have no proof, or indeed cannot disprove, those thoughts.

In Budo

Andy B
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Old 02-29-2012, 01:18 PM   #48
Demetrio Cereijo
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

Quote:
Andrew Bedford wrote: View Post
So as I have said to Mr Harden, Please do not speculate about my actual martial skill level, when you have no proof, or indeed cannot disprove, those thoughts.

In Budo

Andy B
Who is speculating about your fighting skills?

What we have here is disagreement about your idiosincratic understanding of aikido philosophy and your views about the world/nature/life....
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Old 02-29-2012, 01:23 PM   #49
Garth
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

If you were talking to me, sorry, let me restate.

I think your IDEAS are more in line with Gandhi than with Osensei and Budo.
Your actions, are as most here in the Aikido world. Training, teaching and doing and is it effective for its/your goals?(Highly debatable as evidenced by this whole website). But it must be done, because the ideas or ideals will not stand alone. They must be proven effective , somehow.

Living in the ideas world or ideal world is much easier for some and they can choose to stay there but then it really is just an dream? Isnt it?.

Last edited by Garth : 02-29-2012 at 01:27 PM.

A day will dawn when you will yourself laugh at your effort. That which is on the day of laughter is also now.
Ramana Maharishi
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Old 02-29-2012, 02:26 PM   #50
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Re: How to be non-competitive in a competitive world

I don't think Dan or anyone has commented on your skills or abilities. We were discussing and debating the perspectives of philosophy and the definitions and requirements of budo.

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