A Small Profound Possible Solution

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Aikido, Arab, Black Dorje Shugden, Dharma protector, Dharmapala, ethics, North Korea, nuclear missile, Old Testament, President Obama

Black Dorje Shugden, a dharmapala or protector of the Dharma (teachings of Buddha).

Yesterday’s radio talked of the President’s words: (excuse errors of mine) “If North Korea attacked the US with nuclear missiles, I would have the right to retaliate.” This deterioration is sadly taking the place of civilized conversation. It is Old Testament thinking: an eye-for-an-eye. You know, the kind of thinking revered in Islam (I could be wrong). “We become our enemies” (anon)

How base is the struggle!

How shattering the ethics of those who lead us.

And that’s where Aikido thinking would greatly relieve its participants. As I understand it, when someone comes at you aggressively, you quickly assess the direction of the attacker’s energetic flow, step into it, barely tap the center of movement that you understand because you are in his or her flow. Such a light tap exactly on target will be enough to cause the attacker to lose his balance, and so falls and does himself in. And the Aikido practitioner has accrued no negative karma because his tap was not violent.

Compared to an eye-for-an-eye approach, the Aikido approach decreases overall suffering. Basically, you’re recognizing the aggressive flow of anger, and turning it on its own head, letting the negative energy do itself in. This is non-violent, but for what the attacker does to himself.

I pray that our government would start Aikido thinking: North Korea attacks to provoke, and we do nothing. That would be heroic moral courage for the US president, and would set an example to the rest of the ravaged world. An example of restraint. We all need examples of restraint of body, speech and mind, me included.

So, Mr. President, remember: let the attacking energy come to you, tip it off balance so it does itself in, let it brush off your shoulder and don’t retaliate. That will only set off the domino-effect of endless planetary war.

Just a suggestion . . .