GOD, LOVE & AIKIDO - The other worldly Morihei Ueshiba

Can you feel that? I do that with love.

Try with Love

If you cannot see God,

Try hearing Him,

If you cannot hear God,

Try tasting Him,

If you cannot taste God,

Try touching Him,

And if thus your senses

Have all failed

And you cannot do

Any of the above,

Try and try still,

But this time,

Try with Love.

Love is the best bet of them all. It is not the safest, for the path of love is often beset with obstacles and ogres. But for God, Who is greater in aggregate than all the sleeping beauties, princesses, queens of our fairy tales, He is the ultimate quest. The Holy Grail worthy of attention for all knights.

You and I, we are not knights. The world is growing full of distractions and chivalry is now seen as an ancient lore, buried and fit only for feature films, libraries and museums, much like the dinasours.

But in my very(very) brief read on Aikido for my earlier posting today, I came across the wikiograpy of the founder, as well as this interesting biography of him on aikidofaq.com (Click Here). I am not a martial art exponent but I am a curator of words, and I found these words of Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) beautiful and inspiring-

"...I felt the universe suddenly quake, and that a golden spirit sprang up from the ground, veiled my body, and changed my body into a golden one. At the same time my body became light. I was able to understand the whispering of the birds, and was clearly aware of the mind of God, the creator of the universe. At that moment I was enlightened: the source of budo is God's love - the spirit of loving protection for all beings... Budo is not the felling of an opponent by force; nor is it a tool to lead the world to destruction with arms. True Budo is to accept the spirit of the universe, keep the peace of the world, correctly produce, protect and cultivate all beings in nature."

"Around 2am as I was performing misogi, I suddenly forgot all the martial techniques I had ever learned. The techniques of my teachers appeared completely new. Now they were vehicles for the cultivation of life, knowledge, and virtue, not devices to throw people with."

"The Way of the Warrior has been misunderstood. It is not a means to kill and destroy others. Those who seek to compete and better one another are making a terrible mistake. To smash, injure, or destroy is the worst thing a human being can do. The real Way of a Warrior is to prevent such slaughter - it is the Art of Peace, the power of love."

Of course, Wiki information must be treated with caution, so if you desire to know more about Aikido and this very impressive Japanese gentleman, look for a book. A friend of mine is a sensei of Aikido, and I am writing this in honour of being his friend. I was a nothing, you see. A forgotten old fool, before fate had it to throw me into his path, honouring my life with his wonderful company and priceless friendship. And I am also writing this because a grandmaster of a Sufi Order once perchance to observe the photograph of Morihei Ueshiba and commented "This is no ordinary man - He is a saint."

This guy is like Yoda...
"Hate, Envy, Hubris? To the Dark Side it will take you."

God bless all saints, in whatever guise they are in, whether they are still walking this earth or already passed on, gazing upon us from their high perch in the hidden passes of the afterlife, praying always for our happiness and salvation in the all-consuming Wonder that is God, our Most Beloved Creator. 

So perhaps there is still a future for chivalry, yes? Of course!

wa min Allah at-taufiq.