PAX, CARITAS ET CONCORDIA

It has been a while, but I don’t imagine that many of you have been crying in your beer in a state of anxiety, waiting for my latest offering.

PAX, CARITAS ET CONCORDIA

Now I didn’t study Latin in school but although the meaning of Peace and Love are plain enough, Harmony on the other hand, is not so easy to understand.

[Sorry, the memory of E.L. Wisty (Peter Cooke) explaining why he became a miner and not a judge, just popped into my head, “I didn’t have the Latin you see….didn’t have the Latin for your judging…so I became a miner instead”.]

I digress (is that Latin?)

So, Harmony, is it merely the absence of conflict, and if so, is this a desirable goal?

Imagine a world where everyone is always in agreement with each other. Can you? Of course not! The only time universal agreement is possible is when it is artificially forced. At best, this leads to superficial congeniality – where people are pleasant on the surface, but harbour distrust beneath it. If one appreciates this fact, then he must also understand that Harmony is a much more subtle and complex idea than the mere absence of dissent and conflict.

Could a more accurate characterization of Harmony be constructive conflict? Conflict is constructive when individuals ask interesting questions that provoke new avenues of discovery, work to understand each others’ point of view and remain open to new ideas. When an atmosphere of respect and trust is created, and everyone feels engaged in the decision making process, and then even strong disagreements cannot destroy harmony.

We may from time to time disagree with one another, but at the end of the day (when it is dark!), if we continue to respect and trust each other, mere disagreements will not disrupt harmony.

It is not possible to like everyone or expect that everyone should like you. We’re not made that way. We must still strive to find a way to live well together, in spite of differences. It is harmony which makes Aikido technique effective. To create the opportunity for change someone must fall, but safely and remaining strong, so that you can carry on practicing. Learning to fall well, making it a positive thing, is as important as how to execute technique.

It is no coincidence that good ukes make good nages. They really do see things from the other person’s point of view. They understand both sides of the ‘argument’.

Harmony is not a gift from God or a happy coincidence. We must work every day, and work hard, to create Harmony.