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My Mission
"The martial arts must be the path that brings our hearts into oneness with the spirit of heaven and earth to complete our mission in life by instilling in us a love and reverence for all of nature."
These words are a product of the Founder's divine inspiration from God. The mission of Aikido was bestowed upon the Founder from heaven. How many people alive today are living life conscious of their life's mission?
In 1974, when I was around 50 years old, I became aware of my life's mission. Twenty years had passed since I began teaching Aikido professionally. At that time, I strongly felt that my mission is to spread true Aikido to the world and that the words that the founder received from God are the heart and spirit of Aikido. At once, I requested the late Yoshito Nakashima, a supporter of the dojo and a famous calligrapher, to brush "The Spirit of Aikido" (pg.1). I had this printed and distributed to each dojo, and decided to have everyone recite these words in unison after me at the beginning of each practice. It took a long time for me to realize that within these words is the spirit of Aikido. After many years spent overcoming pains and hardships on the path of life, one's own mission begins to reveal itself. In the Spirit of Aikido it is written that:
"This martial art must be a path to complete our mission in life"
What is this mission of which the Founder spoke? Can we complete our mission?
What is the true meaning of "completion"? I believe that once
one has realized one's own life mission, they are already halfway on the
path to its completion. Half of the journey can be thought of as the road
of pain and hardship getting there. Eighteen years have passed since I
made "The Spirit of Aikido" the purpose and focus of our Aikido
training. At that time, at the halfway point in the journey, and after
another 18 years, how far have we come? In February, April, and May of
1992, Manseikan Aikido put an advertisement in the Kumamoto Nichinichi
Newspaper. It read:
"In the twenty-first century, building a foundation for the realization of a world of true love and harmony: Manseikan Aikido."
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Along with this mission statement, we printed The Spirit of Aikido (later
re-named, "The Spirit of Aiki Manseido"). Why did we put out
such an advertisement? After a chaotic century in which mankind crossed
over many steep mountain passes and at the dawn of this new century we
must now confidently set a collective purpose and advance toward its fulfillment.
With this great spirit of love and reverence of which the Founder spoke
as the foundation, a world of true love and harmony will become a reality.
I feel strongly that the practice of Manseikan Aikido (Aiki Manseido) is
important for building this foundation. Today's chaotic world was brought
about by ego-centrism and selfish desire. To extinguish this, transform
ourselves, and guide us to a world of true love and harmony, it is important
that we physically express and manifest this spirit of love and reverence
though our technique. This is the way of unifying body and spirit as described
by the Founder below and precisely the path we pursue in the study of Manseikan
Aikido.
"In making those who appear as enemies enemies no more, it is a path
to absolute perfection of self. This martial art, therefore, is the supreme
way and call to unite our body and spirit under the law of the universe."
Presently, Manseikan Aikido appeals to many people as a path to the realization of a world of true love and harmony. This is the fulfillment of my mission. |
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■Furimiru
In verbal as well as physical interaction, if peoples' kokyu doesn't match conflict will arise.
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| These passages are taken from "Enlightenment Through Aikido" |
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