What I’m about to write is nothing new. Firstly, we as humans, have a moral obligation to avoid conflict and violence, but not assertive, albeit duly respectful, confrontation where it is due.
When constructive and respectful interaction fails, the ice starts getting thin fast. We have two options. We can be cowards and run, leaving others to become victims and face deadly music. Or we can enter the fray. Entering carries certain responsibilities. None less than having at least half a clue what to do when you get in there. If not you are merely presenting yourself to become a victim.
The vast majority of humans on the planet are victims. Real democracy is a long way from arriving. When people fail to realise that they are the political masters and not any external leaders, they fail in their responsibilities as participants to democratic process. This, however, does not mean anarchy, but the very opposite. There has to be a participatory meeting of minds. Ki-no-musubi is more than a fancy quote to recite at quasi aikido meetings. Much more. Until democracy becomes a democracy of souls, a community of responsive and responsible individuals with clarity enough to find the best common goal, it will not have arrived.
[Read more...]
“I thought I’d throw out a few suggestions for things that aikido folks could probably learn from judo folks to make themselves more well-rounded. Fear not – tomorrow I’ll give you a few suggestions for ways judo guys could lean from aikido guys.”
“Have you ever wondered what it’d be like to be impervious to pain? As a martial artist, it’d certainly have its perks. It’s the sort of superhuman power that belongs in comic books. Amazingly for some people it is a reality.
This interview is excerpted from Stanley Pranin’s 
The article below has been selected from the 
[This article is the second of a two part series concerning a recent seminar given by Katsuyuki Shimamoto Sensei in Toronto, Canada. The author, Anna Sanner, gives a detailed presentation of the event, with particular emphasis on the concepts explained by Shimamoto Sensei. 
“Every January we have a special class where we spend most of the time cleaning the mats. After the mats have been cleaned, they need time to dry. During that time, Kawakami sensei gives us a lecture to remind us what we should be focusing on in our training. Some of the students have been there for many years while others have only been training for a few months. Regardless of the experience level of the student, sensei’s words always sound fresh and true.”
“The bottom line is this: Martial arts are not self-defense. Self-defense is not personal safety. Fighting is neither self-defense nor personal safety. While martial arts training can be used in a self-defense context, it is a far better idea to create a much stronger alloy of personal safety instead of any single “fighting” system. Martial arts are part of complete personal safety regime, they are not the sole answer.”
“Gabe Suarez, whose work in the field of self-defense I quite admire, wrote an article for the May 2004 issue of Black Belt magazine in which he analyzed the five scrolls of Musashi’s Book of Five Spheres and discussed their relevance in modern times. My Wing Chun Kung Fu instructor thought so highly of Gabe’s article that he discussed it in class. This prompted me to go back to my well-worn copy of the text to reread it. In the course of that I thought I might try to distill some of the lessons I’ve taken from it. These aren’t necessarily the most important thoughts Musashi relates in the text, but they’re the ones I’ve taken most to heart in the context of my martial development and the ongoing task of self-defense.”
The article below has been selected from the 