Aikido Recommends Stealing Secrets
This advice, coming from a spiritual leader, must have seemed terribly contradictory. What on earth, one can ask, did O Sensei really mean? What was his intent when he advised his student to steal.
His meaning was that to attain true learning the student must observe the art. He must observe the actions of other people and therein find the hidden meanings of the circle, the triangle, and the square. Most important, he should consider his own practice and search for the trio of geometric figures.
There are some lessons in the martial arts that can be taught. There are other lessons that must be learned. Obviously, this student had reached the stage where he had to stop looking to others and start learning on his own.
The geometrical figures are the secret of the universe. Everything in the universe may be broken down to these three symbols. From the shape of the sun to the house you live in to the molecules of an insect, these three symbols describe the architecture.
The triangle, in the martial arts can be found in the structure of the body. A joint holding together two bones can be illustrated with a triangle. The basic fact of standing, foot to foot to Tan Tien (an energy center in the low belly), can be shown with a simple triangle.
Every motion of the hands illustrates a circle. Kicking or blocking or striking or throwing, all can be defined by understanding the simplicity of a circle. ACtually, trying not to make a circle with any motion of the hands is extremely difficult.
That brings us to the square, and we all know that there is no reason for the square. You might be able to find the square inside a house, or a computer, but there is absolutely no place in the martial arts that you can find a square. Unless, of course, you have reached a place in the martial arts where you are ready to give up being taught and are ready to start learning, and looking, and stealing.
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Tagged with: aiki jujitsu • Aikido • daito ryu • exercise • fitness • kung fu • martial arts • o sensei • pa kua • self defense • Sensei • sports
Filed under: Aikido
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