(Notes from 2007 Global Inner Aikido School (GIAS) discussion)
Sugano Sensei. “There is a contradiction (in Aikido) between philosophy and practice. Philosophy is harmony. Practice is defined in terms of attack/defense. (One) must go beyond these terms to find the philosophy."
BE “How does one find that harmony though, Sensei? When I returned from Iraq and someone resisted or fought I felt such anger. Several times I had to stop myself from moving to badly hurt them. After having seen war I returned to Aikido to practice life and not death. I feel frustration when I see people abusing the art by resisting, fighting.”
Sugano Sensei. "Aikido is large circle. If you point at one place in the circle and say ‘this is Aikido’ you miss rest. War is one thing. Aikido is something else. In Aikido as in life there is conflict and this is part of training. Aikido is about making the life better but it is not purely about one thing and not another. There is no pure life. Practice is about making balance. Wartime experience is you. Hurting and killing is easy. Making practice sometimes hard with difficult partner.
(Laughing) If you try and partner still resist can still kill if want!
(Suddenly serious) When O’ Sensei referred to ‘extending ki’ this means take offensive, this is to attack. We try not to think in term of attack/defense but really technique is to kill.”
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