ki tattoo taboo???

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[missionsix]

Would like to ask before I tattoo kanji for ki on my body. I study ki-aikido.... I would hate to dis-respect my dojo or the ki-society. Any thoughts???
:ki: Arigato gozaimashita... Case

[Tatsukage]

A couple quick thoughts, IMHO:
First, your body is yours to do with what you want. If you wish to wallpaper it, by all means, go for it. However, if you think it would bring any disrespect, you could always go talk with your sensei. However, "Ki" on it's own simply means "spirit", or some form of spiritual energy. Just because you happen to practice ki-aikido, doesn't mean you couldn't get the kanji for a seperate reason other than that. Although, one might also see it as an honoration to the art, as you would be willing to brand yourself with a symbol of the art you practice. Personally, I think that if you are comfortable enough to get it, then get it. Aikido won't blame, harass, or discriminate against you for it. Your body is your own, the path you follow although you have a teacher, is still your own to follow. Just remember that a tattoo is for life. I believe even if you had it removed, that it would still always be a part of you because you will always remember getting it, having it removed, and possibly always have a scar of it. Also, instead of the kanji for "Ki", you could always just get the "aikido" kanji. Hope this helps.

[missionsix]

A couple quick thoughts, IMHO:
First, your body is yours to do with what you want. If you wish to wallpaper it, by all means, go for it. However, if you think it would bring any disrespect, you could always go talk with your sensei. However, "Ki" on it's own simply means "spirit", or some form of spiritual energy. Just because you happen to practice ki-aikido, doesn't mean you couldn't get the kanji for a seperate reason other than that. Although, one might also see it as an honoration to the art, as you would be willing to brand yourself with a symbol of the art you practice. Personally, I think that if you are comfortable enough to get it, then get it. Aikido won't blame, harass, or discriminate against you for it. Your body is your own, the path you follow although you have a teacher, is still your own to follow. Just remember that a tattoo is for life. I believe even if you had it removed, that it would still always be a part of you because you will always remember getting it, having it removed, and possibly always have a scar of it. Also, instead of the kanji for "Ki", you could always just get the "aikido" kanji. Hope this helps.

Awesome! Thank you.
Another taboo question?
Is it taboo to speak of ki-aikido on an aikikai forum?

[lbb]

This isn't an aikikai forum.

Tattoos are permanent. When I think of tattoos, I think of a former neighbor who had a large, rather flamboyant tattoo of his wife's name on his arm (very visible unless he was wearing long sleeves). Unfortunately, the two of them had come to a sticky end and he was since remarried. The probability that you will still be training in aikido of any kind in ten or twenty years is a lot lower than the probability that you'll still have that tattoo. If you end up moving on and no longer training "Ki" is probably less embarrassing to have permanently on your body than "Suzanne", but I'd ask yourself the question: if you were no longer training, would you be ok with this tattoo? If so, you've got no problem.

[Rob Watson]

Would like to ask before I tattoo kanji for ki on my body. I study ki-aikido.... I would hate to dis-respect my dojo or the ki-society. Any thoughts???
:ki: Arigato gozaimashita... Case

Nah, Smack dab in the middle of the forehead is the best place for such a mark.

I was thinking about an inky koan "This space left intentionally blank" tat.

[Mikemac]

Tattoo it on your Johnson. That way, you can show a girl how you can extend your ki.

No need to thank me.

[Hebrew Hammer]

Tattoo it on your Johnson. That way, you can show a girl how you can extend your ki.

No need to thank me.

LOLOLOL! Don't forget to tip your waitress! Bravo...bravo.

[Mikemac]

It will be quite a trick to show her your unbend-able third arm. "Imagine it as a firehouse under great pressure"....LOL!!!!

[Rev.K. Barrish]

Mr. or Ms. Casey Lillibridge,

You may also wish to consider cultural feelings re: Tattoos----

The origins of the negative feelings re: tattoos in Japan.....: maybe the thinking about Tattoos is a cultural bias originating in the Meiji (modern) era ...during the Edo Jidai there were two names for tattoos 1) horimono - decorative tattoos and 2) ireizumi- tattoos used to mark the convicted criminal-- perhaps at that time there was no strong prohibition re: horimono.

However, in the Meiji Jidai tattoos were strongly prohibited. As the Japanese Society can be somewhat conservative feelings that likely originated in the Meiji era edicts still can be somewhat pervasive today.

Your group may or may not have a lot of direct interaction with parent groups in Japan, but still it is worth considering--- if you decide to train in Japan later you don't want to feel hazukashii/ embarrassed about a tattoo which you decided on with best intentions...

very best regards
K. Barrish
Tsubaki Jinja
www.kannagara.org

[Flintstone]

This isn't an aikikai forum.
Hopefuly.

(...) if you were no longer training, would you be ok with this tattoo? If so, you've got no problem.
You can leave Aikido, but Aikido won't leave you. So go for the tatoo (if what Rev. Barrish said doesn't bother you, of course)!!

[Michael Douglas]

... if you decide to train in Japan later you don't want to feel hazukashii/ embarrassed about a tattoo which you decided on with best intentions...
A serious point, which makes this ;
Tattoo it on your Johnson. That way, you can show a girl how you can extend your ki.
Really the only way to go.

[Tatsukage]

Reminds me of my old Sgt. who had his chaffrons and rockers tattoo'd on his member so he could pull rank every night.

[RED]

I like tattoos. They are cool sometimes. Depends who tats them, and where.

I remember a guy once who had a "what would Jesus Do?" sticker on his car's bumper. Well anyways, one day a woman in front of him in traffic wasn't paying attention and made him miss the light. You should of seen him; he was honking and cursing and causing a riot over the woman's careless mistake.
A few seconds later a police officer pulled the man over. The officer ran his plates and said "okay, you are free to go" The man said to the officer, "Why did you pull me over in the first place?" The officer replied, "Oh, I saw the "Jesus" bumper sticker on your car, and by the way you were acting, I just assumed the car was stolen!"

I say this as a means to say that I don't believe tattoos,(or bumper stickers for that matter.) should be tattooed lightly. It is an outward expression of something. Make sure you are saying to the word exactly what you mean to say, and make sure you can live up to what you are attempting to imply about yourself.

This rule of thumb I just stated is exactly why as a Christian and a hypocritically fallible human I've never dared to put a "Jesus" bumper sticker on my car. lol With my luck, the day I do some one will cut me off in traffic.

[Jake McKee]

Don't do it if you want to go to public baths or hot springs in Japan. There's a sign outside many (if not most) that say you're not allowed inside if you have tatoos. It seems that tatoos scare the locals :)

[niall]

In Japan tattoos are a mark of a yakuza so these prohibitions were a simple way to try to prevent gangsters scaring off normal customers.

But at most pools you can wear a surfing T-shirt to cover upper-body tattoos. And at public-run facilities they are not allowed to set rules (gangsters pay taxes too!).

The Aikikai hombu dojo is in a residential area of Shinjuku but not far from some entertainment districts where there is a noticeable gangster presence. If you go to a public bath around there you could easily be soaping your body next to a gangster with a full-body tattoo.

But I don't think Japanese people would worry at all about a tattoo on a foreigner. They might criticize the artistry of the kanji though.