Aikido Messages
In Response to the Terrorist Attacks of Sept. 11, 2001
I am working on collecting more thoughts, especially those oriented to
the aikido and martial arts communities. Since Aikido is a path of
peace, I would be very glad to receive thoughts on how to promote
understanding and long-term peace from the aikido community.
- Message from Koichi Kashiwaya
Sensei, Chief Instructor, Ki Society USA:
"...to seek solutions to
these problems instead of unifying to destroy others through
violence"
- Message from Matt Spriggs,
Head Instructor, Yuma Ki-Aikido:
"...we need to bring light to those dark places and not go there ourselves."
- Matt Spriggs: Premonition and
Resolutions:
"I will help where I can, heal where I can, create
where I can...."
- How to Defeat bin Laden, by Dr.
Michael Klare; forwarded by Brian Kelley on ki-info.
"...greater public recognition of others' pain and suffering..."
- Ideas for positive responses, as posted
to the Ki-info list.:
"Practice intoku (do good in secret)"
- Maj Edman's forward: Message from the
Hopi Elders:
"We are the ones we have been waiting for."
- The
Unofficial webmaster's thoughts (at www.mit.edu).
"we should also be trying to love our enemies..."
- "It is better to help someone not want to attack than to make them
unable to do so. Of course if #1 fails, #2 better not." --De Heathen
from Sweden
- "Now is the time to put into practice what we have learned and to
correct our teaching if need be."
--Bob Jones, Oregon Ki Society.
(He goes on to say: "...It is
easy to forget universal principles and go back to the tangibles,
because that is our habit. We need to remind our students, through our
teaching, that when events happen that are larger than us and challenge
our understanding, we have to go back to what we can rely on, and that
is universal principles, to make our sense of what is happening and
determine our response.")
- "We cannot save others, only ourselves. However, we can teach
others how to save themselves. Here is one way to teach them: Show
them. Tohei also says 'learn one thing, teach one thing' (Ki in Daily
Life and Book of Ki). If we, each of us who have learned it, teach the
Principle of Non-Dissension and show in our daily lives how to live
it, then we can help society get away from 'fighting mind,' one person
at a time."
--John B. Davis, formerly of the Md. Ki
Society/Towsontown dojo, Organizer of the Virginia Intermont College
Aikido Club
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