Love, Ego, and Learning

To enhance learning capabilities:

-Maximize love
Learning is possible on such a higher level when I feel love for the one imparting teachings. This is because I can associate those teachings with the good feelings I have for the person. Highly ignorant people can say and do perfectly correct things along with their nonsense. My filter works better the more I love these people. Much, much, much easier said than done therefore a trade-off exists.


-Minimize ego
Learning is possible on such a higher level when I humble myself sufficiently. If I already know it all, why would I need to learn? I may still pick up on things subconsciously when self-absorbed, but I would associate what I've gathered with looking down upon the teacher. How can I truly learn from someone or something I don't respect? There's a trade-off here as well: ego, arrogance, and self-absorption, which are almost one and the same, do create a comfort zone. But it is only a comfortable complacency.

Drew

I totally agree, especially about minimizing ego. Many martial artists have fallen victim to their own pride, and it's a shame to see. Pride is an unfortunate thing, and I'd like to think that Aikido helps us over some that.
Good post.

Good advice here Drew. I think the more I come to accept humility, no, embrace it, the easier it is for me to look past my own shortcomings, and try to strive towards becoming a better person overall.

IMHO, to maximize love you must minimize ego because love is where you find yourself and lose yourself and to minimize ego (its not all about you) you will maximize your opportunity and openness to love.

Our major choice it to have love or fear, but you can't have both.

Nicely said. Compliments and appreciation.

But I LOVE my EGO!

Seriously Leavitt says, this is a good post!

Yes Lynn, I think Fear is the fuel of Ego, and fear is the biggest opponent we as Martial artist are training to defeat.

Kevin Leavitt wrote: But I LOVE my EGO! Seriously Leavitt says, this is a good post! Yes Lynn, I think Fear is the fuel of Ego, and fear is the biggest opponent we as Martial artist are training to defeat.

So it's ok to feel good about yourself when you eliminate fear, then??

regards,

Mark

Mark Freeman wrote: So it's ok to feel good about yourself when you eliminate fear, then?? regards, Mark

Even Buddha, Jesus, and O'Sensei couldn't eliminate fear, within or without...but they got much closer than most. How did they get so close? I'd like to know. No! I'd really, really like to know.

Drew

Lynn Seiser wrote: Our major choice it to have love or fear, but you can't have both.

You reminded me here of something I've been keeping tucked away. In the movie Donnie Darko, a schoolteacher and a motivational speaker, both of weak character, promote an idea that all of human emotion can be divided into the polar extremes of fear and love. Because the viewer feels compelled to strongly dislike the two characters, an association is made that makes me want to think, F-them and all they believe. This creates conflict in me because I agree with that concept! The easily liked protagonist challenges the idea in a bold manner. I cheer him for not simply being "another brick in the wall," but I lose respect for him because he can't keep himself in check in the process. Granted, he struggles with paranoid schizophrenia, but I also have an Axis I psychiatric disorder and I will never use that as an excuse for antisocial behavior. My primary points are that I agree with Lynn's post, and movies such as Donnie Darko challenge us to increase our ability to properly filter stimuli through maintaining at least some shred of respect and love for even the most despicable people.

Drew

Not to be pedantic or argumentative in any way but..

Love and or Ego won't suffice in the domain of conflict. Only workable well drilled and pressure tested waza.

Now, if we're talking only about the philosophical nature of aikido then fair enough however; and, with absolute and due respect to people reading this thread don't mix ideological/philosophical thinking with the concept that training with that as a primary mode of learning will provide you with the means to deal with a determined adversary, because it won't.

Regards

Well if love and hate or fear are polar...then wouldn't we be shooting for stasis, or the mid point of the blending of the two which is balance, nothing, harmony?

I can think of alot of attrocities that have been performed in the name of love.

Harmony would be the mid point of balance. I am reading a very good book on non-violence.

It points out that non-violence does not mean pacifism, or no violence.

When dealing with an adversary determined to harm, it would be appropriate to respond with action. It is not the action that defines the act of love or harmony, but the spirit and intent in which it was done in.

I think the concepts we are discussing are very salient to the concepts of training. The very nature of our training in budo is based on the intersection of philosophy and action.

When solidiers in combat detach themselves from the emotional aspects of violence and fighitng and shutdown in order to survive, they deal with a multitude of feelings and issues afterward that they must resolve. Lynn can comment more on this from a psychological standpoint than I.

It is important to train people how to deal with violence spiritually, mentally, as well physically.

Kevin Leavitt wrote: When solidiers in combat detach themselves from the emotional aspects of violence and fighitng and shutdown in order to survive, they deal with a multitude of feelings and issues afterward that they must resolve. Lynn can comment more on this from a psychological standpoint than I.

I can comment on this from a psychological standpoint also, though I'm neither a PhD nor PsyD nor LCSW. Since I was a kid in my boy scout times, my dad took me to airshows frequently. I loved sitting in F-16s, A-10s, walking through C-5 Galaxies, and even examing munitions such as 500 and 1000 lb. bombs, sidewinder missles, and the A-10's ridiculously awesome 30mm gun. I had many interests growing up, but becoming a fighter pilot was a big dream. I attended a program called the "Summer Scientific Seminar" at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs during summer vacation after 11th grade. That was so inspiring, that I decided to pursue application.

After interviewing with the panels of Senators Bob Graham and Connie Mack, I interviewed with Representative Peter Deutsch. All three interviews went well, but facing Deutsch's three-person panel, a man asked me, "[I'd like to give you a case scenario. Let's say you're flying over a target with orders to bomb it, and you realize on approach that it's a school full of children. What would you do?]" I said, "I'd call back." He said, "You can't call back." I said, "I would follow orders and bomb the target then later try to somehow deal with the fact that I killed innocent people." I got the nomination and received an appointment to the Academy. It just never had sunk into me how lethal and serious of a profession the military truly is. It tore me up inside, because I wanted to be a hero and fly fighter jets so much and for so long. I fell into a deep depression that lasted months, thinking--but not feeling--hope that I'd wake up happy one morning. Two weeks before it was time for me to report, as I had promised I would, I knew there was no way. Getting there and having upperclass cadets in my face screaming at me and all, I would've been on the next plane back home.

Simplicity, Complexity, oh what a Tragedy,
Reality, Insanity, Strange Normality

--Enigma, "Boum-Boum"

Drew

Kevin Leavitt wrote: The very nature of our training in budo is based on the intersection of philosophy and action. When solidiers in combat detach themselves from the emotional aspects of violence and fighitng and shutdown in order to survive, they deal with a multitude of feelings and issues afterward that they must resolve. Lynn can comment more on this from a psychological standpoint than I. It is important to train people how to deal with violence spiritually, mentally, as well physically.

IMHO, the map must match the territory. The larger the discrepancy, the larger the problem.