About aikido.
One day, as I was walking to the square in Spišská Nová Ves to collect alms as usual as a hermit from the Slovak Paradise, I was verbally attacked by a group of convicts who had probably just been released from prison. I was completely unnerved by the assault. That made me wonder how to deal with such a situation as a monk and hermit. When the inspiration came to me to take an interest in the philosophy of the non-offensive peaceful martial art of the Power of Love called aikido or Universal Harmony, as taught by its legendary founder Morihei Ueshiba in 20th century Japan. I came to understand that the most important philosophical idea of aikido is to repel the opponent or enemy, but not to injure them. That is why I painted aikido calligraphy on the rock of my cave hermitage in the Slovak Paradise to commemorate this epiphany. Since then I had always seriously considered practicing aikido, but I couldn’t do it for a long time because I lived in the forest outside civilization. It was not until 20 years after this incident that I settled in Brno and received very strong spiritual instructions to try to join the aikido club of Doc. PhDr. Zdenko Reguli, who holds the Sixth dan in aikido, as well as a dan in Judo and other martial arts. Therefore, at the turn of 2022 to 2023, I actively studied aikido under his guidance. Although I was satisfied technically, I was disappointed spiritually, because aikido was presented only as a basically sporting art, although at an excellent level, but completely without the philosophical dimension that was introduced by its founder Master Ueshiba. So in the end, I decided not to come to aikido training anymore. Still, aikido made me wiser. I gained confidence in terms of fighting, even though I didn’t take belt tests at all and just used an ordinary white belt to tighten my kimono. I hold all aikidoists in high esteem and embrace them in my heart. They are definitely on a spiritual journey as well. Aikido definitely goes there just as well as yoga. Nevertheless, for those who are seriously interested in the spiritual path, I do not recommend to pursue any martial art, but to devote all their energy only to yoga. I parted ways with all martial arts after my experience with judo, karate, kung fu and aikido, which I studied combined for several years as an amateur. I am no longer a fighter of any martial art. Still, I am an inner warrior, but only spiritually enlightened people will understand this about my rather complex philosophy of life as a Hindu monk and hermit. I do not recommend you to delay yourself with any martial arts on the Path of Yoga. Everything I have ever been looking for has been given to me by the yoga of Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda. I have always sought Knowledge and Wisdom, that is why I have rooted myself in Yoga in Daily Life. There may still be something to aikido. Hence, I do not condemn aikido, nor do I advocate it anymore, but since Ueshiba was an enlightened saint, I recommend following him. In your next life, however, you may be born in Japan to study it more. I did not want to risk that, because I plan to realize the next incarnation only in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India.
© Swami Gyaneshwarpuri
E-mail: yoga@gyaneshwarpuri.cz
Web: www.hermityoga.cz
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SWAMI GYANESHWARPURI POUSTEVNÍK
