HI guys/gals,
I'm not sure if this thread is still looked at or active but I read some of the comments and thought I'd like to add my own 'two penn'orth' to this discussion.
I was really surprised to hear that Stephen Seagal was quoted as saying that if someone had changed something in terms of style or technique then they were no longer practicing 'true' aikido. I think this is a really strange thing to say considering that O'Sensei developed aikido from a multitude of different martial arts and adapted different techniques to create a unique style that went through several stages of evolution and was changing even at the time of his death.
Aikido, by it's very nature and in my own opinion, by its own philosophy, is rooted in change. The founder used Aikido to help himself grow spiritually, philosophically and mentally and this process by definition involves change. I doubt very much whether O'Sensei would say someone is not doing 'true' aikido if they develop their own personal style with these type of developments in mind. I would temper that statement by saying that if a practitioner were to develop a style of aikido that fundamentally went against the priniciples of aikido, say with the aim of developing a purely combative and offensive martial art, then that could reasonably be argued as not being 'true' aikido.
I truly believe that any martial art must change in order to grow and develop. Aikido is based upon the principles of nature, the universe and universal rhythmn and therefore by definition will change in the natural course of time. It may not be the 'same' aikido but that doesn't mean it isn't 'true' aikido.
If any one gets round to reading this entry I'd love to get some feedback on your opinions on this.
Regards
markaval