budo is love...(& mirror neurons)

[emptycloud]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMQlorPz5sE

Rich

[Greg J]

Interesting video. I believe deeply in the importance of cultivating and practicing compassion and loving-kindness towards oneself and others. But when someone is intent on hurting you, or an innocent, to me the most compassionate response is to end the attack as quickly and decisively as possible. This usually means hurting the other person to where they can't continue, don't want to continue, or run away. The idea that through loving kindness you can dissolve an attacker's intent to hurt you doesn't resonate with me. By the time someone is at the point that they are attacking you they are usually beyond reason. This is why pre-attack cues are near-universal. They are the signs the human animal gives off when priming himself / herself to attack someone else. Just as a gazelle can't love a lion into stopping it's attack, trying to maintain and give off energy of loving-kindness during a fight (which I think would be impossible anyway, given the chemical dump that happens when you're under attack) isn't going to stop someone who has targeted you for a beat down or robbery from stopping.

Having said that, I go back to the idea that it is possible to respond to an attack in a way that is compassionate. Personally, I see my own response as a reflection of their own energy. They are trying to hurt me, they are going to get hurt. I will do everything I can to keep my response in line with the level of attack and to end things with a minimum of force. And there is merit in the idea that having an open, compassionate response to someone antagonizing you could help keep you from being pulled into a monkey dance with them. But predatory violence - no way.

Best,
Greg

[WVMark]

And here we go again ... tossing bait on the water without any actual substance to start a conversation. Rich, what's your take on the video? Why do you think it's important enough to post? Or are you just trolling, trying to start another flamed thread? It does seem to be your modis operandi at the moment. Prove the community wrong and actually post some substance to generate a decent conversation.

[emptycloud]

The amount of time I have available to write responses and thoughts at the same level others produce is just not there for me.
Physically I get on my computer these days for work only.

The vids I post are not trolling. They all usually display some level of activity which can be explored, reproduced and is to me interesting.

The Tai Chi Form video which got slammed as trolling was tagged a few posts later with an article on tai & aikido relevant to the vid.
Is this trolling..? if so I apologise.

That some of the artists who I have posted have histories which some find deplorable is non of my business. Lets be honest we are all fallible and a little bit cuckoo.

With the current vid, I find the idea of mirror neurons fascinating, it raises so many issues for practice the mind boggles...

I also think that the site has covered just about every minute detail of the arts that there really isn't much left to say, except say it all again.

New findings in brain/body science opens up new avenues of training and what it means to train effectively for a given purpose.

I wish I had more time to converse but I simply physically don't... I fly in and out of RSF during work time & family time...

I often don't even read far into the threads that my vids produce due to time constraint..although I will try to respond to them at some point in the future.

peace & mirror neurons.

Rich

[wiesiek]

There was Yellow Submarine, once upon the time...

[WVMark]

The amount of time I have available to write responses and thoughts at the same level others produce is just not there for me.
Physically I get on my computer these days for work only.

The vids I post are not trolling. They all usually display some level of activity which can be explored, reproduced and is to me interesting.

The Tai Chi Form video which got slammed as trolling was tagged a few posts later with an article on tai & aikido relevant to the vid.
Is this trolling..? if so I apologise.

That some of the artists who I have posted have histories which some find deplorable is non of my business. Lets be honest we are all fallible and a little bit cuckoo.

With the current vid, I find the idea of mirror neurons fascinating, it raises so many issues for practice the mind boggles...

I also think that the site has covered just about every minute detail of the arts that there really isn't much left to say, except say it all again.

New findings in brain/body science opens up new avenues of training and what it means to train effectively for a given purpose.

I wish I had more time to converse but I simply physically don't... I fly in and out of RSF during work time & family time...

I often don't even read far into the threads that my vids produce due to time constraint..although I will try to respond to them at some point in the future.

peace & mirror neurons.

Rich

Thanks for the explanation. Even just a short blurb like this one when you post a vid would help start better conversations. While I don't agree that the video is anywhere near Ueshiba's vision of aikido, I think there is a world of conversation about whether it fits into Modern Aikido. Kisshomaru Ueshiba had some very specific ideas of what was or wasn't aikido.

[shawnsegler]

I wonder how well he'd channel beneficence after getting pimp slapped.

"The Hands Black...Causing The Opponent Fear!"

S

[Ah Louis]

And here we go again ... tossing bait on the water without any actual substance to start a conversation. Rich, what's your take on the video? Why do you think it's important enough to post? Or are you just trolling, trying to start another flamed thread? It does seem to be your modis operandi at the moment. Prove the community wrong and actually post some substance to generate a decent conversation.

Seen this tactic before, signaling the pack of wolves. This pitch fork and torch gang approach always the same by these guys. Can we please restrain from jumping threads with iniquitous attacks. You would think the way they persecute Rich it was a Salem witch hunt. Down...boys.

[willie]

Interesting video. I believe deeply in the importance of cultivating and practicing compassion and loving-kindness towards oneself and others. But when someone is intent on hurting you, or an innocent, to me the most compassionate response is to end the attack as quickly and decisively as possible. This usually means hurting the other person to where they can't continue, don't want to continue, or run away. The idea that through loving kindness you can dissolve an attacker's intent to hurt you doesn't resonate with me. By the time someone is at the point that they are attacking you they are usually beyond reason. This is why pre-attack cues are near-universal. They are the signs the human animal gives off when priming himself / herself to attack someone else. Just as a gazelle can't love a lion into stopping it's attack, trying to maintain and give off energy of loving-kindness during a fight (which I think would be impossible anyway, given the chemical dump that happens when you're under attack) isn't going to stop someone who has targeted you for a beat down or robbery from stopping.

Having said that, I go back to the idea that it is possible to respond to an attack in a way that is compassionate. Personally, I see my own response as a reflection of their own energy. They are trying to hurt me, they are going to get hurt. I will do everything I can to keep my response in line with the level of attack and to end things with a minimum of force. And there is merit in the idea that having an open, compassionate response to someone antagonizing you could help keep you from being pulled into a monkey dance with them. But predatory violence - no way.

Best,
Greg

that's right, it's get damage, period.

[Ah Louis]

I had an Aikidoka tell me doing a pin to use love when applying it. That is according to the Aikidoka's sensei. Well at 20 something I didn't know of the M. Ueshiba's philosophy cause I wasn't practicing Ueshiba's Aikido. Years later when I started reading about Ueshiba's Aikido and had more exposure I began to see the connection. I understand the presentation in the video, whether the references to love in the presentation, awkwardly or precise, it fits into Ueshiba's philosophical model.

I have seen a number of Aikido presentations, for the most part presentations are basically metaphorical in nature, or use western scientific terminology. Some metaphorical presentations use mysticism. Some western presentations use verbiage; some to the extent of loquacity. Some presentations mix and match. Everyone has their own presentation style which in Aikido pedagogy is necessary due to the complex nature of Aikido and its goals; learning styles among students differ. Presentation styles are subjective.

There can be critique of the techniques/waza presented in their approach and application, here again subjectivity plays a role dependent on the goal. As we see in Aikido there are a wide range of interpretations of what M. Ueshiba taught, and what he taught through out his lifetime. M. Ueshiba also, had his own interpretation of what he was taught and how he changed it in his lifetime. I would not say M. Ueshiba's interpretation abandoned what he was taught. He after all followed the Japanese cultural paradigm of his time.

It is up to the individual to evaluate the video for their training purposes and personal learning style, just as any video or presentation; it's not a one size fits all sort of thing.

[allen2saint]

And here we go again ... tossing bait on the water without any actual substance to start a conversation. Rich, what's your take on the video? Why do you think it's important enough to post? Or are you just trolling, trying to start another flamed thread? It does seem to be your modis operandi at the moment. Prove the community wrong and actually post some substance to generate a decent conversation.

What the living fuck is this? Who are you to patrol this site and pounce on a thread demanding an explanation? Moderators, step up. This activity is beyond the pale. Dan and his minions all over a guy at the site, interrogating him? Who cares what Rich posts!

VWMark, one day you you will run afoul of your boss and you'll get treated as you treat others. I hope to be there. I say that because as long as I've been on this site I've heard many testimonies to Dan's skills by people like you, but I have yet to hear, even among his biggest supporters, that he his a kind human being or that he has helped anyone. He sucks in groupies and comes after them too when there's a problem. So enjoy your codepdence while it lasts.

[Dmitri]

^^ Fascinating amount of vitriol... 'tis dejavu all over again


As for Ah Louis

signaling the pack of wolves [...] Down...boys.

Really? You're the moral authority here, after 6 months of membership and having come close to almost being banned once, IIRC? telling the folks how to behave? Did I miss a memo or something?

What's with all the fuckin' insanity here lately?!

[Dmitri]

Wait, I know what this thread needs...

[WVMark]

And here we go again ... tossing bait on the water without any actual substance to start a conversation. Rich, what's your take on the video? Why do you think it's important enough to post? Or are you just trolling, trying to start another flamed thread? It does seem to be your modis operandi at the moment. Prove the community wrong and actually post some substance to generate a decent conversation.

What the living fuck is this? Who are you to patrol this site and pounce on a thread demanding an explanation? Moderators, step up. This activity is beyond the pale. Dan and his minions all over a guy at the site, interrogating him? Who cares what Rich posts!

VWMark, one day you you will run afoul of your boss and you'll get treated as you treat others. I hope to be there. I say that because as long as I've been on this site I've heard many testimonies to Dan's skills by people like you, but I have yet to hear, even among his biggest supporters, that he his a kind human being or that he has helped anyone. He sucks in groupies and comes after them too when there's a problem. So enjoy your codepdence while it lasts.

Not one person mentioned Dan ... except you. At which point you started your agenda and cyber bullying again. Did you even take the time to read through the thread? Rich posted an answer to my post. Quite civil. Kudos to Rich. My reply was civil and on topic. You? Vitriol, hate, cyber bullying, agenda to create chaos. Not one thing in relation to the thread. Another thread doomed to be moved to BTDT and you only have yourself to blame. If you can't talk about the topic, why are you even here?

As for "Who are you to patrol this site and pounce on a thread demanding an explanation?", I'm a member of RSF. That gives me the right to post asking for explanations, clarifications, research, justifications, and pretty much whatever else I want ... until the mods/admins tell me I crossed a line. Don't like it? Too bad. Go cry to the mods/admins. From everything I've seen, they're more than fair. If I step over the line, they'll let me know. You, on the other hand, have zero power to do anything about what I post. At least my posts have something to do with the topic of the thread ... unlike yours. Are you even capable of leaving your agenda and bullying behind and actually talk about the topic? I certainly hope so.

Mark

[WVMark]

Wait, I know what this thread needs...

LOL. Which one? The babe or the whiskey? Wait, both, right.

Speaking of ... the topic at hand. Kisshomaru was once in a group when the mention of Tomiki came up. Kisshomaru, always the gentleman, got kind of serious and said that what he (Tomiki) was doing was not aikido. While he never attacked Tomiki's character (unlike some people on RSF), he and Tomiki had a falling out. So, yes, Kisshomaru actually had a specific vision of what his "aikido" was and was not. Many dojos today would be very surprised to find that Kisshomaru would most likely state the same thing about what they are doing ... provided you could get such a forthright answer from the Japanese.