“The Power of Bu,” by Nev Sagiba

The very first amoeba to emerge from this earth’s primordial soup was eaten by the next and it still rankles in the spirit of the Universe, giving rise to principles of defence and protectivity, law, jurisprudence and survival skills.

And after that, the whole of evolution was one of predation and defence in which “Cain” was continually trying to kill “Abel,” sometimes successfully, sometimes not.

Akin to the grain of sand in the oyster, from this imbalance and the attrition that follows in the seeking of restitution, many things are learnt.

It has not ended. The perfect balance may well arrive at the end of a concatenation of immense cycles of time when all things shall return to the fullness of void, the original minestrone.

From total simplicity, emerges infinite complexity to which it ultimately returns. Let’s think outside of the myopic box of suburban decay for a moment and project our minds into the infinity of the vast soup of Universes comprising the infinite Omniverse.

If you head starts to hurt, it’s only because you don’t do this often.

From the caves and jungles of an emerging primitive humanity all the vast beauties and challenges of existence were present. People drew conclusions. Through all this they had to eat, mate and defend or become extinct.

You come from a long line of ancestors who were survivors.

The others are extinct!

Inherent to your nature, often by hook or by crook, when the chips are down, you will find a way. This is the Spirit of Budo! To wing it under pressure.

As a species, we are good at it because we’ve been doing it, what to us is a long, long time. Survival is in our blood and in our spirit.

As a result of conclusions, trial and error, the failing of opinions and the emerging of inalienable core values which are still emerging and may never end, we gained certain moral and ethical codes of conduct as well the ability to think scientifically, philosophically, artistically and socially. (To get a glimpse of going back in time, just go to any pub and watch and listen. And simply leave early when indicators point to the brawling about to start.)

Over the millennia these skills were sought to be preserved, in primitive tribal cults which evolved into the various mystery schools of developing cultures. Whilst many core values were preserved thereby, so also lots of erroneous opinion or superstition. Too much hot air and not enough doing on the ground.

A philosopher is merely a talk-osopher unless he can prove his mettle on the ground, in real life, mastering real challenges and then show others how!

Some did achieve just this and humanity evolved. (Somewhat.) As a result we sometimes became either too comfortable or, as the majority on the planet, deprived of even basics. Both extremes stultify and bog down further possible progress.

From these modest beginnings born in immense struggles of body, mind and spirit emerged what we now call civilisation with different newer challenges and tests.

So also our modern halls of learning, perhaps sometimes leaning too far on the side of intellectual hypothesis and the repeating of opinion, the nouveau superstition, rather than pragmatic long term efficacy in as far as real and lasting benefit for our species is concerned. This too is changing.

And with knowledge came those who would exploit erroneous thinking if it made them a fast buck. Before they too died in forgotten ignominy.

But factuality, as it is, was always there, hidden in plain sight, to be observed if you had the equipment. Developing the equipment relies on absolutely sincere desire to know and to see clearly without contamination of any kind.

Most often this was driven from a final desire to survive against impossible odds.

The witch doctor can no longer function in the world of today. Nor can the quaint “mystery schools” with all their noble intent. Notwithstanding, essential practices that came from their researches, such as meditation that is not vitiated by exploitation, rather self driven, still constitute essential navigation tools for life.

A balance between the mere mechanical collection of information, and the intuitive, feeling, innate knowing aspect of our beings, are imperative, since such a balance would reflect the great universal balance, the harmony that is the equilibrium of (apparent) chaos and too rigid order (a chaos unto itself as it fails to adapt to emerging new conditions.)

Once we had to survive the vicissitudes of saber-toothed tigers, if not raptors and the like. Now we have different predators emerging from within our own species. These have always been around, the spiritually and mentally deformed, damaged and badly wired.

From these arose all the wars and battles and abuses of long histories and prehistories. From surviving these arose the true power, the bright inner glory, the core values which now somewhat form us.

But there is another force, one we made ourselves that will either see us through as ever evolving and increasing in intelligence, or make us entirely extinct, forever forgotten in the vastness of cosmic space.

And that is the power of our collective decision making! It sits there like a force field, like the cloud…

Hypothetical theories and the opinions of either new or old superstition have not guided us well in the past. Chances are, that by insanely repeating them, they will not do so in the future.

Waffly, mystical dreaming, equally as useful and limited, will serve pretty much the same.

What is that we really need to be clear about?

Cause and effect, the great law of reciprocal causality, in the ancient east defined as, “karma” before that too, corroded into a superstitious misnomer for various opinions.

Cause and effect as it devolves from intention, observing clearly, thinking rightly, speaking appropriately and acting in context.

But where can we go to learn about cause and effect? There appear to be no schools other than real life, but that often is too final.

The dojo.

Not the rote dojo. Not the dancing dojo. Not any dojo that does not keep the true spirit of Budo alive in questioning, exploring, research and development of ruthlessly unmitigated clarity under challenge.

Does it matter if you ever “get into a fight?” Not unless you are a moron.

The tools that come from the dojo enable LIFE NAVIGATION in all manner of circumstances which well may be challenging indeed because of the far reaching consequences of vital decision making which by the ripples of the butterfly effect will affect all humanity and all life and existence for a long time to come.

If that time comes.

To this end Aikido has emerged. Treat it well.

Now think of that first amoeba, obviously not your ancestor. Now think of the other one and of the debt you owe to the one that nourished your ancestor.

Then think of so many other amoebas that found a way not to cannibalize their brothers and sisters and nevertheless thrive.

Perhaps there are some lessons we can learn from amoeba.

Upon the foundational Power of Bu, protectivity, rests all other potentials we are gifted with. If you’ve just fed a predator, you can no longer go to violin classes, or do pretty much anything else while you are being digested.

Bu: The power of protectivity is our most ancient and original essential instinct. Whilst most of human currency is now money instead of blood, there is a correlation which must not be ignored because it forms a universal principle of energy transmission and exchange.

One than can be expressed either evilly or benignly, as a choice to develop the skill in doing so.

We can choose to do this harmfully and accrue ever increasing debt which will guarantee our extinction. Or, we can find another way. Harmless productivity in tapping the infinitive abundance we daily drown in.

Economies that rely upon the manufacturing of lack for many, so that a few can temporarily benefit, are right now proving their worth by failing as never before and this in immensely disproportionate implosions. The unsustainable cannot sustain.

We have the freedom to make the choice to notice what is there right in front of us as alternates to violence, aggression, lies, cheating, manipulation, theft, dishonesty in all its forms; the vast panoply of previously ignored constructively creative possibilities.

This Aikido does.

And then, with a dynamic spirit of harmlessness, applies capable and efficacious minimization of aggression.

Amoeba betrayed by anticannibal defense
Amoeba Facts
Social Cognitive Theory
Social Learning Theory
CFA and Reciprocal Causation
Reciprocal determinism
What Is Reciprocal Causation?