Ki Society.....

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[Vincentharris]

Maybe I'm out of line here but I got a book on Ki exercises for my anniversary. The book was put together by the "Virginia Ki Society" but all of the techniques/pics are directly Aikido related. There are several Aikido references but I'm wondering what the difference between a regular dojo and a Ki Society is. Do you simply announce that your forming a society or what ?

God Bless.

[Judd]

I'm still green, but I think I can answer your question. We train under the 5 principles of Aikido AND the four principles of Ki, laid out by Tohei Sensei. It's still Aikido, though a larger focus is on the development of Ki in addition to technique. We actually have seperate Ki classes entirely. The idea is that instead of developing mind and body harmony on your own through years of study and training, it is practiced from the very beginning, so it's more integrated in to the foundation of skills...I think. :)

The "Ki Society" is simply the organization of the style, national and international. I don't really know what the dojo does to become part of it though.

PS - (Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong)

[tedehara]

...There are several Aikido references but I'm wondering what the difference between a regular dojo and a Ki Society is. Do you simply announce that your forming a society or what ? ...For a group to become part of the Ki Society (http://www.geocities.com/tedehara/), they need to be affiliated with a local/regional head instructor, just as you would affiliate to an organization like USAF (http://www.usaikifed.com/) or ASU (http://www.asu.org/) that is within Aikikai (http://www.aikikai.or.jp/Eng/index.htm).

The Ki Society has its own style of Aikido called Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido (Aikido with Mind and Body Coordination)aka Ki Aikido (http://unofficial.ki-society.org/). This is an evolving style, in that there are changes made continually. These changes are designated from Japan (http://www.ki-society.or.jp/) and transmitted through the National Instructor's Seminar or the Chief Instructor in the USA (http://ki-aikido.net/).

They have also developed a taigi contest. This consists of nage and uke doing a series of throws and getting scored like a gymnastics meet. The winning team is the one with the highest score. Scores are based on things like rhythm and timing.

They also teach weapons, bokken and jo, like some Aikikai dojos. However like Judd mentioned, it is the non-Aikido activities where they greatly differ.

Classes on ki development include testing, exercises, breathing exercises and ki meditation. A form of accupressure healing known as kiatsu is also taught.

The Ki Society is a centralized organization that practices one style, whereas the Aikikai (mainstream Aikido) is a decentralized organization that encompasses many different organizations that practice their own style of Aikido.

Clear as mud? :confused:

[opherdonchin]

I had no idea that Ki Society had started including competition as part of AiKiDo. Can someone help those of us who would see this as problematic understand the logic and the wisdom behind this move? Also, when did competitions get introduced in to Ki Society training and what sort of focus do they get during training?

[Judd]

There are no competitions in our school, that I know of. The instructors made it pretty clear when I started that the school was devoid of competitive aspects (which is partly what attracted me). Maybe it's a regional/individual school thing?

[akiy]

Judd, you'll note that one of your instructors listed on the website for your school is said to have been "awarded two third place medals in the 2000 International Taigi Competition in Tochigi Japan."

As far as Opher's question, I'm sure others in Ki Society can provide a much more robust explanation for taigi. There are some threads on this subject here in the AikiWeb Forums, too, including:

http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=2047

Also, you can read some of Kashiwaya sensei's thoughts on Taigi in the interview I did with him here:

http://www.aikiweb.com/interviews/kashiwaya1200.html

Hope that helps...

-- Jun

[Judd]

Wow, I never saw that before! I stand corrected! :)

[Vincentharris]

I was just curious. Thanks to all.

God Bless.

[tedehara]

I had no idea that Ki Society had started including competition as part of AiKiDo. Can someone help those of us who would see this as problematic understand the logic and the wisdom behind this move? Also, when did competitions get introduced in to Ki Society training and what sort of focus do they get during training?The Ki Society has actually been doing this since 1978. However, what surprised me was that according to the guys in Japan, all major branches of Aikido hold similar events (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=22730#post22730). This appears to be a trend, at least in Japan.

You can read more about USA Taigi Contest (http://ki-aikido.net/TAIGI/Taigi.html).

We've basically ignored taigi training. However some dojos will devote one night a week to practicing them. Taigi peformance has also been incorporated into the black belt testing for the Ki Society.

If you look at Jun's interview with Kashiwaya Sensei, he says, "My personal understanding is that Taigi was not originally formed as competition. Tohei sensei designed the forms as a gift for his instructors so they wouldn't 'screw up' [laughs] during a demonstration."

[MattF]

The Virginia Ki Society is indeed a member in good standing of the Ki Society founded by Koichi Tohei Sensei. We're in Merrifield Virginia, which is in the Washington DC metro area. We've been around since 1974 - I'm the public relations guy for the dojo (you can find us at www.vakisociety.org).

FYI, the books you mention feature line drawings of dojo members. There are two books, each by C.M. Shifflet, who is a long-time menber of the VKS. The two books are Aikido Exercises for Teaching and Training, as well as Ki In Aikido.

As other posters have said, the major difference in the Ki Society is that we actively integrate ki development in our training curriculum along with Aikido techniques and weapons.

Matt

[Chris Li]

The Ki Society has actually been doing this since 1978. However, what surprised me was that according to the guys in Japan, all major branches of Aikido hold similar events (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=22730#post22730). This appears to be a trend, at least in Japan.
I was just at an Aikikai demonstration the other day where the individual groups were awarded prizes. However, they were really sort of make-believe prizes - like the ones in elementary school where everybody gets a prize for something. Even the names on the "prize" certificates had been filled in beforehand...

Japanese folks love to hand out certificates and tokens of participation for all kinds of events, and I think that this is an extention of that rather than a true "competition" (at least in the Aikikai). I'd just as soon live without it, though :).

Best,

Chris