8 Billion Stories, One Teacher: The Rare Flow of True Learning

Same Story, Different Eyes

If two people read the same book, they haven’t actually read the same book.

The words might be identical, the chapters in the same order, the ending set in stone — but the story each person walks away with is completely different.

Why?

Because we don’t just read with our eyes; we read with our whole selves. Our memories, beliefs, and even our mood that day sneak in between the lines and shape what we see.

And it’s not just that we’re different from each other. We’re different from ourselves, too. Who you are today isn’t quite who you were yesterday, and tomorrow you’ll see things differently again.

That’s true in reading.

It’s true in life.

And it’s especially true in Aikido.

---

The River Between Hands

In Aikido, we often speak of learning from the source.

For me, that path flows through Mimuro Sensei, who learned from Yamaguchi Sensei… who once stood before Osensei himself.

But what reaches me is not Osensei’s Aikido exactly.

It is the river as it passed through Yamaguchi Sensei’s hands, then through Mimuro Sensei’s hands, and now into mine. Each set of hands shaped the current — not out of error, but out of living. A body moves in its own way. A heart feels in its own way. A mind interprets in its own way.

Even if I could step back in time and learn directly from Osensei, my Aikido would still be my Aikido — because no two students ever receive the same art.

Aikido is not a statue carved once and left unchanged. It is a river. You can’t step into the same river twice — it’s not the same river, and you’re not the same person stepping in.

The flow I receive today is different from the one my teacher received years ago. When I pass it on, it will carry my shape, my breath, my timing. This is not a break from the past — it is the past continuing, alive, moving, becoming.

---

The Paradox of Many

While it’s true that every person sees the world through their own unique lens, there’s another side to this story. There are over 8 billion people on this planet — which means even if each of us is different, it’s possible, even likely, that some perspectives overlap.

In a sea of billions, someone might see the same book the way you do. Or move in the same current of Aikido as you do. That shared understanding creates connection, empathy, and sometimes, even friendship.

So while no two experiences are exactly alike, we are not islands. We are part of a vast, interconnected flow — sometimes different, sometimes the same, always influencing each other as we move forward.

And maybe that’s where the real magic lies:

In the dance between difference and similarity, the space where stories meet, and the river widens enough to hold us all.

---

The Rarity of Meeting

Out of more than 8 billion people in the world, finding an Aikido instructor — or any teacher — who is truly in tune with you feels like a rare gift.

Not because they must be exactly like you, but because they move through the world with a rhythm that resonates with your own. Their way of seeing, feeling, and guiding matches yours in a way that makes learning feel natural and alive.

For me, that teacher is Mimuro Sensei.

I have been learning from him for over 11 years now. Even with that time, my path has not been without its difficulties — barriers set by others, and the challenge of only being able to train with Sensei for a couple of weeks each year. I’ve tried to make the most of every opportunity, but still felt the burden of trying to follow him fully.

Yet, the Aikido he practices, the explanations he gives, and even simple things like how to sit while waiting for grading — all of it has always been clear and easy to understand. Even when he uses Japanese terms foreign to me, his teaching cuts through any language barrier.

While I know I still have much to learn, from day one I was able to copy his techniques easily. That’s not just because of me. Many people have helped me on this path. I must especially mention Karesz Hoffer, 4th Dan Aikikai from Wimbledon, who gave me a strong, solid base. Without his help, I would never have been able to improve so well in Mimuro Sensei’s style. I am forever grateful.

I would never have met Mimuro Sensei without Karesz, and I would never have felt this fortunate to learn from someone who, out of billions, feels so similar to me.

Learning from Mimuro Sensei feels like I have done this before — perhaps in a past life or a different dimension of the multiverse. It is a deep feeling of déjà vu.

---

Conclusion

Some will find great teachers. Some will find bad teachers.

But the best teachers — the ones who change the path from a struggle into a flow — are the rare few out of billions who resonate with us deeply.

When learning comes easy, even if in a different language, when words don’t need translation because understanding happens naturally, the path opens.

It is like raindrops falling from the leaves of a tree, effortless and clear. As the saying goes: “The sound of the rain needs no translation.”

In that moment, the river flows freely — and we are exactly where we are meant to be.

Istvan Koloh

Dojo-Cho

3dan Aikikai