Assumption #3: self government

[aikiMac]

Continuation of this first thread and this second thread.

Principle 3: Self Government

The American Declaration of Independence asserts that governments derive "their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed." Thomas Jefferson and company did not invent the idea. It had long been taught, and sometimes practiced, in Great Britian. The term "just Powers" implies that some powers which the then-King of England had assumed, were unjust. The Declaration actually labels the King a “tyrant,” and two of the signers of the Declaration, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, went so far as to say, "Rebellion to tyranny is obedience to God." [19]

Whether they were right or wrong is not important in our setting. What is important is that they thought that self-government is more appropriate than tyranny. But what is tyranny? The writers of the Declaration operated under the philosophy of Englishman John Locke. [20] He defined tyranny as "the exercise of power beyond right, which nobody can have a right to; and this is making use of the power any one has in his hands, not for the good of those who are under it, but for his own private, separate advantage." [21] Through an appeal to natural and divine law, and using language thick with English political philosophy, the Declaration of Independence asserts to all the world that a people have both a right and a duty to throw off tyranny and to govern themselves. But that is also the assertion of aikido. As a system of martial combat aikido rebukes the tyranny of one person against the practitioner. As a martial art form, it rebukes the practitioner's sinful nature against himself. For example, consider two stanza's of Ueshiba's "Poems of the Path":

Cut down the enemy
lurking inside oneself
and guide all things with
shouts of "Yaa!" and "Iei!"

The penetrating brilliance of a sword
wielded by a follower of the Way
strikes at the evil enemy
lurking deep within
one's own body and soul. [22]

Aikido, as taught by Ueshiba, put the burden of reconciliation and of achieving peace upon each and every practitioner. It is a very personal art both in the sense that the practitioner must battle the “tyrant” inside himself, and in the sense that the practitioner must honor the inherent value of external “tyrants.” Aikido is a means of self-defense, not of attack, but Ueshiba recognized that self-defense is neither passive nor necessarily reactive. It is proactive and it requires action. The practitioners of aikido, just like the signers of the Declaration and their English forefathers before them, have to consciously and intentionally act on what they believe is right, and on what their God tells them (divine law, principle #1). Ueshiba also recognized that self-defense is one thing, but self-defense that results in minimal injury to the attacker is something wholly different. The latter is the goal of aikido. Ueshiba created aikido around the assumption that this goal is right. This goal is itself self-government in the purest sense: governing thy self. It is the opposite of other-people-doing-it-for-me.

Strike at the evil enemy lurking deep within yourself, and thereby govern yourself. This is Ueshiba’s aikido.

footnotes –-

[19] Library of Congress,
1. http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/jefffed.html
"On July 4, 1776, in addition to approving the Declaration of Independence, Congress chose Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin to design a great seal for the new country. Franklin proposed the phrase "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God," a sentiment Jefferson heartily embraced and included in the design for the Virginia seal and sometimes stamped it on the wax seals of his own letters. Although Congress rejected the elaborate seal, it retained the words "E Pluribus Unum," which became the country's motto."

[20] Thomas Jefferson,
http://www.founding.com/library/lbod...=171&parent=57,
Letter to Henry Lee on May 8, 1825.

[21] John Locke, "Second Treatise of Government," (1690), Chapter XVIII, section 199.

[22] Morihei Ueshiba, "Budo: Teachings of the Founder of Aikido," (New York: Kodansha International, Ltd., paperback edition, 1996), p. 28-29.

[Grey Rain]

Thank you for posting these breakdowns aikiMac (And subsequent discussers), they pike my interest further and strength my resolve to pursue Aikido once work/relocation allows.

[Capt Ann]

Originally Posted by aikiMac

The penetrating brilliance of a sword
wielded by a follower of the Way
strikes at the evil enemy
lurking deep within
one's own body and soul.

THAT is an awesome quote! I might use it later

[Dave Humm]

Hi Scott, another great bit of work...

If I may I will respond in detail later but I will leave one short comment for people to consider.

As someone who has served my country in operational terms where most if not all the conflict has been driven by religious overtones. The statement "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God" is in my opinion a classic example of possible religious extremism, one only has to look at current affairs in Iraq and around the world to see that "God" is a highly convenient means to an end thus; I have a problem with this form of reference.

Seasonal regards

[Rebel Wado]

From my understanding, the governing of oneself is reference to hara or center. The idea of center is found throughout most Asian cultures. Things outside of the center can be false, like shadows.

So, to speak, a person that does not act from his/her center, will be unbalanced -- acting on shadows and not truths. It would then fall upon the person to act from the center of oneself... self governing.

That is the individual center, but there is also the social center. This is the political and interactive center of a society, or the government. This could be interpreted in that you must agree with your government or you are living falsely. Not sure where I'm going with this, but it could be a way of saying you should not live under tyranny.

Like all things, there is a danger it can be misused. One can take the idea of center, and become self-centered (selfish), believing that the self is more important than others. In some regards, the Emperor or those in charge of Japan previous to WWII could have been viewed as believing they were the center and therefore, they were more important than the rest of Japan.

Just my opinion, although it is a political one.

[aikiMac]

Originally Posted by Dave Humm

As someone who has served my country in operational terms where most if not all the conflict has been driven by religious overtones. The statement "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God" is in my opinion a classic example of possible religious extremism, one only has to look at current affairs in Iraq and around the world to see that "God" is a highly convenient means to an end thus; I have a problem with this form of reference.

I recognize the danger as well (how could I not!), but I like to think that honest adherence to natural law, the first principle, leads one away from using "God" as a means to an end. I believe that natural law principles lead us into "just war doctrine," for example.

[Dave Humm]

Originally Posted by aikiMac

I recognize the danger as well (how could I not!), but I like to think that honest adherence to natural law, the first principle, leads one away from using "God" as a means to an end. I believe that natural law principles lead us into "just war doctrine," for example.

Excellent rely !! Yes I would tend to agree with that as an idealistic opinion however those who are set on acting outside of the reasonable bounds of natural or divine law will always use 'their' God as justification for their actions. In essence this is another example of the premise Laws only govern honest men.

That said I do generally believe that we should look for good in all people

Regards