Transmitting Spirit

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I'm posting this in training because I feel that this should permeate every person's practice. I need help finding the words for what I mean:

Transmitting Spirit

In my language, when we want to convey something important, we say “ lagyan mo ng laman” or in a coarse way of translating it, “put meat into it”. Substance. What is substance and meat? Something we can grasp, sink our teeth into and work with.

When we do technique, each person transmits his or her person and his intent into it. This is what I would also call spirit. Now how to talk about such an intangible thing, how to discuss it is like trying to describe the sunshine or the breeze. But let me give it a try.

There was a girl in our dojo back home. She was about 9 years old, and she did the techniques with so much substance and spirit, that when she had to stop aikido training due to a pulmonary condition, I cried my eyes out. Her eyes were alive with observation and excitement at the exercises they were about to do. She fell into them with gusto, took to the art like a fish to water. She could throw anyone and not just because she was good but because she had spirit. Substance. It was there in every movement she made. In her exercises, in her attacks, in her partnering practices, in her whole being. It was just so alive. And yet, on the outside, she was serene and calm and composed. But when she did aikido, you couldn’t mistake it, the visiting shihan at one time picked her out right out of the crowd. I think it was her spirit that shone and made her shine out of the crowd.

What is this spirit I am talking about. You might know it but can’t put a name to it as well. I need help verbalizing what it is I mean.

Thank you.

[dps]

I'm posting this in training because I feel that this should permeate every person's practice. I need help finding the words for what I mean:

Transmitting Spirit

In my language, when we want to convey something important, we say " lagyan mo ng laman" or in a coarse way of translating it, "put meat into it". Substance. What is substance and meat? Something we can grasp, sink our teeth into and work with.

When we do technique, each person transmits his or her person and his intent into it. This is what I would also call spirit. Now how to talk about such an intangible thing, how to discuss it is like trying to describe the sunshine or the breeze. But let me give it a try.

There was a girl in our dojo back home. She was about 9 years old, and she did the techniques with so much substance and spirit, that when she had to stop aikido training due to a pulmonary condition, I cried my eyes out. Her eyes were alive with observation and excitement at the exercises they were about to do. She fell into them with gusto, took to the art like a fish to water. She could throw anyone and not just because she was good but because she had spirit. Substance. It was there in every movement she made. In her exercises, in her attacks, in her partnering practices, in her whole being. It was just so alive. And yet, on the outside, she was serene and calm and composed. But when she did aikido, you couldn't mistake it, the visiting shihan at one time picked her out right out of the crowd. I think it was her spirit that shone and made her shine out of the crowd.

What is this spirit I am talking about. You might know it but can't put a name to it as well. I need help verbalizing what it is I mean.

Thank you.

I think you verbalized it very well.

David

[ChrisHein]

Nice description of the girl, I think I got just what you meant. Very nice.

[Mark Freeman]

I agree with the responses above, you did a good job of describing something we all recognise. If english is not your first language Stella, then your use of it is excellent, better than some who's it is :)

[Russ Q]

Hey Stella,

Great description of the girl's actions, appearance and of the results or effect of her "spirit" in her training. (Reminds me of my teacher!) I think verbalizing what that "spirit" is, however, is quite impossible.

Cheers,

Russ

[Nick P.]

Presence might be the word you are looking for, as in "When you are training be present in mind and spirit, and not just in body."

[bleepbeep]

ahhhh I see. Presence could be it. I was discussing it with someone today and I ran out of English.:o
It's like something you could not ignore and like the ripples in a pond only the mat is the pond. :D

[Kevin Karr]

In Aikido you may often hear the word "rei" which is often translated into english as "spirit." I do not know if the meaning is exactly the same, however.