Poll: How interrelated are the technical and philosophical aspects of aikido?

AikiWeb Poll for the week of November 30, 2003:

How interrelated are the technical and philosophical aspects of aikido?

• I don't do aikido
• Critically interrelated
• Very interrelated
• Somewhat interrelated
• Not very interrelated
• Not at all interrelated
  

Here are the current results.

Critically interrelated by about 103%

Like 2 wheels of a cart.

IMHO, while I truly believe that the techniques of Aikido illustrate its philosophy, they are too often not interrelated enough.

It does help to make sure the mind (philosophical)and the behavior (technical) are congruent.

As inter-related as a hillbilly family.

petrol and car, hotdog and sausage....

I can count the number of times my sensei has discussed the philosophical aspects of aikido on no hands. However, after practicing for two and a half years and finally starting to read a great deal more about the philosophy behind aikido, I'm amazed at how much of it I've already extracted on my own from practicing the technical portion of the art. I think dedication to the technical portion of aikido is the path to aikido's philosophy. I can think of three distinct classes since I began that ended in a personal epiphany. Could I learn the same lessons by reading about it? Probably. Could I FULLY UNDERSTAND it by reading about it? Not as much so. That's my perspective, anyway.

Lynn Seiser (SeiserL) wrote: IMHO, while I truly believe that the techniques of Aikido illustrate its philosophy, they are too often not interrelated enough. It does help to make sure the mind (philosophical)and the behavior (technical) are congruent.

Well said, Lynn --- my thoughts exactly. I've been finding this out more and more as I go along.

BTW, great poll topic, Jun!

I think alot depends on training method. Most techniques can be done in a similar way to ju-jitsu, and still be called 'aikido'.

I would say some understanding of the link between aikido philosophy and technique only begins when you can approach a situation with a degree of 'emptiness'. i.e. no pre-conception of what will be. Thus response can be appropriate.

Saying this, I expect we have very different views on what aikido philosophy is!

Ian

They're not interrelated... they're the same.

Safe and Happy Holiday Season!

I don't feel any conflict between what I know as Aikido philosophy and what I know as Aikido technique. Of course what I know may differ from what you know.

Mark (post #5), old buddy, them's fightin' words here in West By God. I'm tryin' to harmonize....here, grab my wrist!!

Very interrelated.

The philosphi is no more related than the person doing it. And who is to say if the "thought" philosofi, or "bodily" philosophi is the correct version?

If they were 100 % related, then there would only be one Aikido.

/Terje

Maybe it would be helpful to discuss a bit about what the philosophy(s) of Aikido is/are. I suspect most of us were attracted to Aikido for various reason, but most of us have stuck around for the very fact that we begin to understand and love the philosophies of Aikido, and the fact that there is an actual physical manifestation of those philosophies in what we do on the mat. And, just like the physical part of Aikido, we gain a deeper and deeper understanding of these philosophies about Aikido the more we practice.

Here are some of what I believe are "philosophies" of Aikido,(not a comprehensive list by far...just my limited understanding and opinions, oh yeah one more disclaimer, I'm not a student of philosophy)

Agatsu- defeating your own ego,improving yourself

Masa Katsu- doing things correctly

Katsu Haya Hi- always being in the moment/doing things with the right timing or at the right time, realizing the realativy and "formlessness" of time

Ai, Ki, and Do- always working to find harmony in all interaction, both positive and negative (i.e. conflict);making this a lifetime search or "way",

There are a lot of other ways to think about and contemplate on the above concepts...but then that is what practice and getting good instruction are for, right? Again, the whole physical manifestation.

I just thought of another way of looking at it too. Reverse it, so that the physical things we do become philosophy or principles that can be applied to living:

maai,

tenkan,

irimi,

moving from the center,

keeping your balance and posture/bearing at all times,

finding a compromise between too much tension and too much relaxation,

harmonize with the attack

You SINCERELY practice the physical principles, you begin to understand the philisophical. In fact it would be difficult, if not impossible, to do otherwise.

I could keep going I think, but I'd like to hear some more from others about what philosophies and principles they think are manifest in the technique and vice versa.

Mike