As you you deeply into your own awareness, and relax the self-contraction, and dissolve into the empty ground of your own primordial experience, the simply feeling of Being-right now, right here-is it not obvious at once?
Ken WilberRead
Today's aikido is so dimensionless. It's hollow, empty on the inside. People try to reach the highest levels without even paying their dues. That's why it seems so much like a dance these days. You have to master the very basics solidly, with your body, and then proceed to develop to the higher levels.... Now we see nothing but copying or imitation without any grasp of the real thing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of mastering fundamental skills before attempting higher levels of expertise.
Gozo Shioda's quote reflects on the state of aikido today, suggesting that many practitioners focus on superficial aspects without understanding or mastering the foundational techniques. He critiques the tendency to imitate advanced practices without the necessary depth of knowledge and experience, implying that true mastery requires dedication to the basics.
Themes
AikidoMasteryFundamentalsImitationExpertise
In practice
Example use cases
During a martial arts seminar, a teacher might quote this to emphasize proper training techniques.
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