The vast majority of us have already been through a variation of this process.  At some point, most children "deify" their parents as infallable bastions of wisdom and skill.  At a later point, most children/young adults begin to notice that their parents are indeed normal people with faults and inconsistancies.  This definitely presents an interesting challenge to one's perception of the world in general, but for the most part we come out for the better on the other side having learned that one does not need to be infallable to be a crucial role model and teacher.

However, the average parent does not lock their child in the basement and intentionally present themselves in a god-like manner.  If that is what this Sensei does, then he is practicing a different kind of Aikido then I am slowly learning.  Blending with another's energy is subtly but distinctly different than bending it to one's own whim.

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<insert profound statement here>

He was killed in a tragic accident at middle age, and quickly got deified by his team.  Rather suddenly, he went from a balancing influence on the group to a saint and his views were suddenly overpowering the delicate balance of intensity and sensibility.  It was amazing to watch someone go suddenly from a respectable man that was a little quirky to a nearly flawless saint in the eyes of his friends and teammates.  I suppose they were afraid to lose or diminish their love for him and chose to honor him by taking his ways more to heart and making them 'gospel'.

We have the power to look upon others in any light we wish.  One can be respectful to our mentors without having to be a grovelling follower.  I find a great irony in the passing of knowledge from O'sensei regarding aikido. He seemed to constantly tell his students to keep exploring and learning, that there was much more to aikido than he could ever learn.  After his passing, his closest students at the time decided not to heed those words and have kept aikido as close to identical to his techniques as they could.  They allowed their admiration and love for him blind themselves.  There is a place for loyalty and respect, up until the point that it makes you do stupid things.  Just about any cult is a perfect example of this.  Unfortunately, there seems to be an abundance of blind followers and no shortage of egomaniacs that like to be worshipped.

Many times we hear the analogy that we 'walk a path'.  In our case, our instructors are guiding us along that path.  It seems like some aikido schools have sat down in the path and made a home right where O'sensei left them.  I think to truly respect the man as the innovator he was, they would have take up his passion for pressing on along the path to find even better technique and greater innovation.

It is sometimes very strange what we do when we fear forgetting someone after they part from this world.

That is my take on it.  As for the question:
Put yourself in the shoes of an indoctrinated student. How would it effect you to have your "aikido god" fall before your eyes?

He would only fall as tall as the pedestal I put him on.  Every person is the dojo is just that, a person.  Each one has commanded my respect - in their own way.

I deified someone once, when I was 13. The crash was hard, but I learned alot from it.

-Faith

Faeth

"Be content with what you have. Rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you."