Recommended reading: “Interview with Hideo Takahashi” by Stanley Pranin

The article below has been selected from the extensive archives of the Online Aikido Journal. We believe that an informed readership with knowledge of the history, techniques and philosophy of aikido is essential to the growth of the art and its adherence to the principles espoused by Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba.

Morihei Ueshiba described his enlightenment experiences and spiritual understandings in a book called Takemusu Aiki. This work, based on a series of lectures by the founder of aikido edited and compiled by Hideo Takahashi, is an invaluable document for those seeking an understanding of the deeper meaning of the art. In this interview, Mr. Takahashi talks about takemusu aiki and his spiritual master, Masahisa Goi, the founder of the Byakko Shinko Kai and a close friend of Morihei Ueshiba:

Ashihei Hino wrote about O-Sensei in a novel called King’s Throne” (Oja no Za, which was serialized in the magazine Shosetsu Shincho. This was the first instalment of the story. Goi Sensei read the novel and remarked, “He (O-Sensei) is a great man. He is not an ordinary person.” Then Mrs. Hayashi, a member of the Byakko Shinko Kai, happened to tell Goi Sensei that she knew Ueshiba Sensei. Her husband was a member of the Board of Directors of the Aikikai or some such position. Goi Sensei felt he would like to meet Ueshiba Sensei. There was only one person in all of Goi Sensei’s life that he ever wanted to get acquainted with, and that was Ueshiba Sensei. I heard that Ueshiba Sensei knew that he was going to meet some special person, and was expecting someone to introduce him to the person he was meant to meet. Therefore, when Mrs. Hayashi told O-Sensei that she wanted to introduce Goi Sensei to him, O-Sensei said, “Oh, it was you I was waiting for.” Hearing the name of Goi Sensei, O-Sensei said, “He is a wonderful human being.” Finally their meeting took place at Jinbo-cho, Kanda, in Tokyo, in October 1957.

The Aikido Journal archives now include more than 800 articles in twenty different languages and numerous video clips. We are constantly adding new articles and translations in our effort to document aikido and related disciplines past and present. If you would like to support us in this effort by taking out a subscription to the Online Aikido Journal we welcome you to do so by clicking this link. Remember that if you subscribe or renew for two years you will now receive the Aiki News / Aikido Journal Archival DVD absolutely free of charge. Don’t pass up this special offer!

Click here to read entire article.

» Next: Does your dojo appear in the Aikido Journal World Directory?

» Previous: Brian Kagen pick: “Takamura Ha Shindo Yoshin Kai: Assumptions” by Toby Threadgill

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted by Aikido Journal on Sep 28th, 2008: Recommended Reading (post a comment)