Strange, Odd and False Theories of 'Aiki'

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[Chris Li]

New blog post!

"Strange, Odd and False Theories of 'Aiki' - Masaru Takahashi Sensei on explaining Aiki (http://www.aikidosangenkai.org/blog/archive/2013-05-05/strange-odd-and-false-theories-of-aiki)"

Best,

Chris

[JW]

Thank Chris, for more good reading.
Anyone know the identity of the authors criticized here?
Obviously "aiki is love" is familiar as one of O-sensei's favorite homonyms.

What about "to split the opponent's strength into two halves and then balance those forces?"

Also, this is the first time I have seen the Nenokichi Sagawa notebook quote in Japanese, thanks! What kanji might that note "合気をかける" refer to? I used wiktionary and nothing was obvious for "to apply." But, the first result was 掛ける. (To lock or suspend) Could it mean something like to lock in a state of balanced intent? (make it so that you actively maintain a state of balanced force even as the uke tries to struggle?)

[Chris Li]

Thank Chris, for more good reading.
Anyone know the identity of the authors criticized here?
Obviously "aiki is love" is familiar as one of O-sensei's favorite homonyms.

What about "to split the opponent's strength into two halves and then balance those forces?"

Also, this is the first time I have seen the Nenokichi Sagawa notebook quote in Japanese, thanks! What kanji might that note "合気をかける" refer to? I used wiktionary and nothing was obvious for "to apply." But, the first result was 掛ける. (To lock or suspend) Could it mean something like to lock in a state of balanced intent? (make it so that you actively maintain a state of balanced force even as the uke tries to struggle?)

I'm not sure where the splitting quote came from.

You've got the right kanji for "kakeru", it's often used in terms of applying a technique (just any old technique).

Best,

Chris

[Bernd Lehnen]

Thank you, Chris.
I wonder why it is so difficult to admit, that , most of us, really haven't got any idea, until we came in direct contact with aiki.

Best.
Bernd

[Alex Megann]

"Aiki is to make the power of the enemy into nothing, and to apply an attack with the focused power (集中力 / "shuchu-ryoku") of Aiki to the enemy in that state. Aiki-no-jutsu is a method of making the enemies attack into nothing when defending, making the enemies power of resistance into nothing when attacking, and attacking and neutralizing the enemy through the focused power of Aiki"

This seems to sum up a lot of what I feel is important in aikido. To make the attacker's power into nothing is paradoxical and beautiful. If you have felt this yourself, the draw of attempting to find it is hard to resist.

Just because Ueshiba was fond of stating that "Aiki is Love", it doesn't mean he wasn't aware of the other aspects too.

Alex

[Chris Li]

"Aiki is to make the power of the enemy into nothing, and to apply an attack with the focused power (集中力 / "shuchu-ryoku") of Aiki to the enemy in that state. Aiki-no-jutsu is a method of making the enemies attack into nothing when defending, making the enemies power of resistance into nothing when attacking, and attacking and neutralizing the enemy through the focused power of Aiki"

This seems to sum up a lot of what I feel is important in aikido. To make the attacker's power into nothing is paradoxical and beautiful. If you have felt this yourself, the draw of attempting to find it is hard to resist.

Just because Ueshiba was fond of stating that "Aiki is Love", it doesn't mean he wasn't aware of the other aspects too.

Alex

Hmm, oddly prescient of the next blog.... :D

Best,

Chris

[sorokod]

I guess Aikido practitioners can feel privileged as Morihei Ueshiba is the only person explicitly mentioned to get "Aiki" wrong.

[IvLabush]

Thank you for sharing!

[Chris Li]

Thanks to Ivan Labushevskiy, "Strange, Odd and False Theories of Aiki" has been translated into Russian (http://www.budo-forums.ru/blog/71/entry-2069-strannye-neobychnye-i-oshibochnye-teorii-ajki/)! The original English version is available here (http://www.aikidosangenkai.org/blog/strange-odd-false-theories-aiki/).

Best,

Chris

[Chris Li]

Now available in Spanish (http://www.aikidoenlinea.com/blog/teorias-extranas-falsas-aiki/), courtesy of Aikido en línea​. The original English version is available on the Aikido Sangenkai blog (http://www.aikidosangenkai.org/blog/strange-odd-false-theories-aiki/).

Best,

Chris