Aikido as sculpture
by Ramin Arvin
Aikido is like a rock. To many, there is nothing to see. To others, there is potential. The potential to be something like a sculpture. The artist sees the rock for what it could be. Then he starts working. Using a hammer and a chisel, he takes off big chunks of the rock to get to its base form. Even at this coarse stage, he has to be careful so as not to crack and destroy the rock. He labors in this way for a long time, until finally the base form emerges into view. Now, with a smaller chisel, he continues to chip away finer pieces, clarifying the form more and more. He spends a long time on this step, too. A moment comes when the casual observer can finally see what the sculpture is destined to be. The artist's work is hardly begun, though. With an even smaller chisel, he removes flake after little flake, working very carefully and precisely. He is beginning to see his work as a thing of beauty. It is taking shape fully. Just then, however, the artist realizes that there are still many layers to be uncovered. It is now time to use a fine piece of sandpaper and sand, sand, sand, taking away tiny grains of stone dust off the sculpture.
Where aikido differs from this sculpture is that it can never be finished. There is always one more layer, however minute, lurking beneath the surface.
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