Posted by: senseilou
Compassion and Tolerance - 10/24/03 02:19 AM
I had the honor to train with 2 of the top women in the Martial Arts this weekend, Grandmaster Roberta Trias-Kelley, daughter of O'Sensei Robert Trias who opened the first dojo in the United States, and Miyaku Fujitana Shihan, Steven Segals first wife and the leading female Aikidoka in Japan. I was very apprehensive about talking with them as I left the very roots that both of them teach. Neither were opinionated, or condescending. Fujitana Sensei was very open with me about the nature of Aikido. She told me the story that O'Sensei Ueshieba use to answer every question about a technique, with, "this is my Aikido, do your own" At first Fujitana Sensei said she thought that O'Sensei meant to do Aikido the way it felt right. Later on she said O'Sensei would say do "Aikido from the heart" not from the head.(kokoro)She told me that she came to realize O'Sensei wasn't talking about Aikido, but to practice with a good heart and what is best for you, that style didn't exist. She told me that the message of O'Sensei has been lost. People are too concerned with their own style and crticizing others for how they choose to practice, this is not from the heart. She also said by protecting your art, and always doing things that was told to you, you don't learn for yourself, that the most important lesson is that you learn for yourself, and appreciate what others do.
Hanshi Trias went a step further, and said no one has the right to criticize how one chooses to train. I felt she would be the least understanding of me not practicing my roots. Her compassionate answer was "are you happy, do you enjoy what you do?" She also went on to say when you learn something you use it, however you may not use it the same way it was shown. She said there was no one best art, one best organization or one best path, rather a path for everyone of us, and each should be respected no matter how others choose to train, and follow a path. As a matter of fact she had the highest respect for what I had accomplished and admired me for continuing to be a student, and not a 'peacock', a Sensei who just struts around, but one who continues to learn.
I think we all can learn a lesson from the 1st generation students. Here are the ones you would think would be so traditional that varying from their path would incite their rath. On the other hand, they respected everyones opinion and how they chose to continue their path. Many times we get too concerned on who says what, and who's opinion is better. Everyone likes to offer their opinion of what people do, and in reality, its none of our business. There was a comment made about my nickname, that for some reason bothers people or effects this post. My name, nor my position, have anything to do with my opinion or the path that I have taken, yet we look at these little things to comment on, when our leaders are more concerned with tolerance and compassion. A lesson we all can learn from.
Hanshi Trias went a step further, and said no one has the right to criticize how one chooses to train. I felt she would be the least understanding of me not practicing my roots. Her compassionate answer was "are you happy, do you enjoy what you do?" She also went on to say when you learn something you use it, however you may not use it the same way it was shown. She said there was no one best art, one best organization or one best path, rather a path for everyone of us, and each should be respected no matter how others choose to train, and follow a path. As a matter of fact she had the highest respect for what I had accomplished and admired me for continuing to be a student, and not a 'peacock', a Sensei who just struts around, but one who continues to learn.
I think we all can learn a lesson from the 1st generation students. Here are the ones you would think would be so traditional that varying from their path would incite their rath. On the other hand, they respected everyones opinion and how they chose to continue their path. Many times we get too concerned on who says what, and who's opinion is better. Everyone likes to offer their opinion of what people do, and in reality, its none of our business. There was a comment made about my nickname, that for some reason bothers people or effects this post. My name, nor my position, have anything to do with my opinion or the path that I have taken, yet we look at these little things to comment on, when our leaders are more concerned with tolerance and compassion. A lesson we all can learn from.