Interviews
NEBI VURAL SENSEI

 2nd. Antalia summer training, August 2004.

Interview and photographs by
Gad Marcus.

Why do you practice aikido? What is your goal?

Because aikido is the source of my life. Aikido enabled me to become who I am today.

Aikido is an art of discipline.

As a budo, its’ goal is the education of man, and so, through the practice, it enables me to educate myself, physically and mentally – a continuous education.

All this permits me to rise above my ego, to become a reasonable man, living within society, knowing one’s value and the value of society.

Presently, man needs harmony and love, and so aikido is a way or means to arrive at that. It is the open hand, the way that allows the heart to be open, and for the heart to be open to the mind.

A martial discipline, as aikido, shows man his place within society.

To conquer peace within one’s self, is the same as the peace around oneself.

That is why I practice aikido.

Which aspect of aikido is a martial art and which aspect is a means to self development ?

The techniques of aikido are the means to educate the body, as a means to reach freedom with responsibility.

What attitude should  an aikidoka  have?

A liar, a thief…

An attitude of a responsible man within his life. An aikidoka should not have the same attitude as a man in the street. He should always be positive, whatever happens. He should have a supple heart and spirit. He should spread positive energy everywhere. 

And the attitude of a teacher?

Sensei means – the man who walks in front. A man who shows the way, the education.

Before everything, he should have a character. He should respect people and everything around him. He should know the budo.

This man should never forget his education, he should always be present on the tatami, and work harder than his students. He should know aikido technically.

So, this is a man without ego, who lives simply, and he should also like women a lot…

What is your view on competition in aikido?

In the word competition, there is the idea of  one winner and one loser, so this idea is contrary to aikido, which goal is not for one to win and one to lose. When this happens, there is no harmony, no equilibrium.

Competition is an invention of a man who is hiding behind materialism, money, domination, etc. etc.

(The actual word comes from competo.  Com (together) and Peto (to seek). We can see that even the idea of domination is lacking in the actual Latin word, which would mean -  to seek out together). G.M.

So in life, those little things which are artificial for man, and which can make us happy for a short moment – cannot fill up a whole life.

When competition happens, at that moment, it is a sport and not a budo. Sport is not our goal. The idea of competition erases all the reasons for which I do aikido.

We are looking for the joy of life, throughout life, and not only for an occasional moment.

What is the role of tests in aikido?

In the modern sense, one uses the word exam, which is opposite the goal of aikido, of budo. But in life, tests / exams exist all the time.

The exam in aikido is not one of win or lose. I say it is not an exam, but rather knowing the level.

In society, man needs to know, at a given moment, what is his level of knowledge, how far he has arrived in his education.

So at this point, the authority – the sensei, needs to say to the student at which level he is at.

“Each value has a measure, and each measure has its’ value”.

The exam is to present one’s physical and moral level, in front of an expert.

What did you want to become as a child?

I wanted to realize my dreams. 

Is it possible to completely transform oneself through aikido?

Yes. It is a very important point. The sensei of aikido influences his students a lot.

In principal, the people who come to practice aikido, are looking for  balance.

A bad teacher can negatively influence, and a good teacher can positively guide them in their search.

When one chooses a teacher, one should carefully choose, particularly parents who put confidence in the education of their children.

As to the question, personally, I look at who I was, and who I am today, and it allows me to outline three basic balances: mental, physical, and financial.

These three allow you to become free. This transformation, which I experienced, is due to the grace of aikido.

When you educate, you transform. If it is not a transformation, it is a sport, a movement, which only allows you to sweat. People who do that, do not practice aikido.

They are only doing a sport.