Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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Could I stop someone in their tracks if I wanted to? Maybe so... but that seems usually unimportant to me in a dojo atmosphere where useful cooperation can add to everyone's progress. It didn't cross my mind except with one guy who was being a jerk, but I let it go. Every workshop has a few guys who need to pee on the fire hydrants. Oh, and "help" people? I was there to take a workshop as a student, Dan. Shaner Sensei was giving the workshop and he did a very good job. There's nothing worse than a guy at a workshop who thinks it's his duty to offer advice and demonstrate to others. Think about it, if you were an instructor, etc., at a workshop and there was some guy who needed that kind of attention... what would your impression be? I'll write up something later about my perceptions of the Ki-Society's approach to ki-mechanics, but in terms of discussing whether anyone there could do this or do that, I'd rather just stay general and within the realm of how some things, in my opinion, affected the outcome of some of the students' techniques. And don't get me wrong... I don't want to spend a lot of time critiquing "what those guys did wrong", because I thought there was a nice range of ability represented. There were a lot of "external" guys, some people that were making some good progress, some absolute beginners, some "True Believers" who chanted the opening recitations fervently, and so on. My interest is in the ki/kokyu mechanics and I certainly don't want to give the impression that what knowledge I have of those mechanics makes me somehow skilled in Aikido. It doesn't. So generally instead of worrying out loud about whether anyone could "take my center" or "take my breeding rights" or anything along those lines, I'd prefer to just warble out loud about the ki/kokyu mechanics. ;) Regards, Mike Sigman |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
Here's probably what should have been the lead-in to the thread:
At the suggestion of someone on AW, I decided to go see David Shaner Sensei teach at a workshop in Denver. What actually sold me on the idea of going was that Shaner was a Japanese-speaking westerner, high-ranking in the Ki Society, etc., that could probably show and explain in idiomatic English what the thrust of Toheis commentaries, training, etc., were about. It was a nice workshop, although it turned out to be one of those that accidentally flooded the dojo space so that when techniques were practiced you had to be careful on the ukemi or you might crack your widdle noggin. I went in an old gi with a white belt and determined that I would more or less keep my mouth shut, without being too obnoxious about it, so that I could hear not only Shaner Sensei's opinions on the workings of ki-mechanics, but also the opinions of various yudansha (on how they perceived/did ki-mechanics) at the workshop. I also made an effort to say that I "didn't understand the technique, could you tell me what to do" a great number of times so that I could hear the verbalizations, from white-belt up to the yudansha levels. There were various interactions and impressions I could mention about the workshop (we've all been to Aikido workshops, for the most part, and it was the usual assortment of interactions, nice people, people wanting to work the pecking-order stuff, and so on), but I want to focus my discussion purely on the ki-mechanics stuff, since that's all I really went there to observe. After listening to Shaner Sensei's explanations on the Four Basic Principles and watching a little bit, I began to get a feel for the direction of the perspective that the Ki Society has and how it differs from my own viewpoint... so I thought I'd toss my comments out there for discussion, rebuttal, etc. Shaner Sensei was very personable and articulate, but at one time he made the comment that Tohei Sensei described the ki-mechanics "scientifically"... a point I would argue is not really true, although I think I appreciate the fact (and I've said this before) that at least Tohei made an effort to systematize Ki-Aikido in respect to the ki-mechanics. How successfully he's done it, politics, etc., are all other discussions. For what it's worth, I thought the workshop was the most explicative and focused qi/jin or ki/kokyu workshop I've ever seen in Aikido. Actually, just to get it out of the way, there has never been any doubt in my mind that the ki-mechanics Tohei talks about and the qi/jin mechanics are the same thing. It's so much of a given, that it's not worth any prolonged discussion. I also noticed that during his talk and references to thinks that Tohei had said, a number of very famous Chinese sayings came into the conversation, although Shaner Sensei may not have been aware of that. The lead comment at the beginning of the workshop was the term "Fusoku Furi", which he translated as "No Contact; No Separation". The famous Chinese saying in relation to the qi/jin skills is often translated as "No Resistance; No Letting Go". I tried to think of several very simple remarks to make, so I'll make 4 quick ones: (1.) Shaner Sensei was very clear about the jin/kokyu force related to weight. Although he referred constantly to "keep weight underside", he was very clear at one point in saying that the point of contact with the opponent was directly connected to the center of the weight. Here we agree completely. I tend to say that there is a "path" or "connection", which I stress in not breaking and not using muscle to effect, but the idea was the. (2.) The jin/kokyu forces (Ki-Aikido seems to call all things "Ki", but that's part of the problem, I think, which hampers people from really understanding what's going on with the actual mechanics) from the ground (rather than the weight-derived one in the comment above) are simply referred to a "coming from the one point". My comment and suggestion would be that if more people in the Ki-Society simply understood that the "one point" conveys the forces in as pure a way possible from the ground, they would probably go ahead by leaps and bounds. (3.) The idea that you only have to relax, keep a good attitude, and so on is nice, but it's not the whole story. Missing from the story is that the "connection", the "path", whatever can be developed by not using the primary musculature, but the "connection" needs to be developed and strengthened over time. Instead of developing the connection and so forth, too many people in the Ki Society probably spend a bit too much time focused on just relaxing. Yet I know anecdotally that Tohei himself has done "connection"-type exercises. So I think this should be brought out more as a focus of practice. Just as an example of an ancient traditional exercise in China for the down-weight (heavy-side under) exercises, they used to float an inflated goat's bladder bag in a tub of water and rest the hand on the float, holding it down slightly using just the center. The purpose of the exercise was to strengthen that "connection". (4.) I watched quite a few times as Shaner Sensei pulled Uke "straight down", etc., etc., and was very "relaxed", etc., etc., but what he did was pull Uke's center into a "hole" where there was no balance. Yet he never mentioned it except once in passing. Meanwhile I watched a lot of people continue to try to pull Uke down into a place where there was no hole and Uke had support under his feet. Anyway... those were 4 quick comments in the line of suggestions I would personally offer with the intent that they be helpful. Did I learn something. Yes. I saw a relationship that I vaguely knew about but which I generally ignored because I used something of a different mindset. When Shaner Sensei explained it a la Tohei, it suddenly clicked... so a nice thing that I had way under-utilized will now be worked on. It's not something I can describe briefly and it has to do with a type of jin skill I use, I'm just going to avoid the lengthy (and probably unproductive) attempt to describe it. Regards, Mike Sigman |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
Of your 1772 posts, Mike, that's the first one I find useful in the practical sense. Please go visit some more places and add more comments :)
Cheers. |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
Hi Mike,
thanks for both of your posts above, interesting, balanced and objective. Did you have an oportunity to take ukemi from Shaner Sensei? Did he in your opinion have the ki/kokyu skills that you talk about, in other words does he walk his talk? Although I practice 'ki' aikido a la Tohei Sensei, my own teacher has translated some of his sayings into phrases which he feels are perhaps easier to embody. An example would be 'keep weight underside' he changed to 'have a light posture'. Different phrase but similar outcome. I guess as we are not part of the Ki Society, he is free to interpret his own experiences and try put them accross to his students as he sees as being most useful for learning. I can see your point about 'terminology', and at the end of the day the hoped for end result is to help people gain the 'correct' mind/body state that is required to perform aikido as it was intended. It seems from your posts that people were making progress in the right direction, which has to be a good thing, doesn't it? or am I reading you wrongly? I'm glad you came away with a positive view on how you can utilise what you learnt into your own understanding/search/future explanations. ;) regards, Mark |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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I did not take ukemi from Shaner. I had originally planned to, but during some of the practices, he came around and demonstrated the partial technique we were working on and I could feel what his power was. Oddly enough there was one person in the room whom I had never met who waited for the proper opportunity (protocol-wise) to touch me for exactly the same reasons. I had to smile... see? you can find surprising things at a workshop. There is often something like this going on in martial arts, as I am used to it. Often, only a handshake is needed; sometimes you only have to watch someone move a little bit. I felt like I learned what I wanted to learn without formally taking ukemi. Quote:
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One of my perceptions was that some of the attendees shifted their practice to accomodate Shaner's instructions, but with the feeling that as soon as they got back to their home dojo they would revert to the "real stuff" (tm). In other words, the ideal, hoped-for end-result is always fighting many, many factors. I feel like the Ki Society is making some progress overall, but I think that many of them would have progress far more if the terminology and knowledge were made clearer. The "One Point" idea is OK, but the "One Point" does not float by itself in space; at all times the "One Point" is supported by the ground... it IS the ground. And from the One Point there is always a radiated solidity of the ground going to all parts of the body. At the same time, the "One Point" is also always the full weight of the body potential to all parts of the body (that weight will always be on the underside, of course). These are the two basic powers from which all powers come, Heaven and Earth. We are stretched out between them. There is some progress.... my comment is that there should be much more progress. Certainly there are a lot of skills beyond the simple ones that everyone kept hovering around. (Not that I am an expert in all the ki/qi skills, BTW... I'm a dabbler). Regards, Mike |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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I feel comfortable with the concept of One Point 'now' but it has taken along time for me to get to this point, and although I use the term often when I am trying to teach, I realise how ephemeral it is for new students (and some old timers alike ;). I find myself more often now, actually placing my hands on a students pelvis and shifting their weight as I feel that they should, at the same time trying to keep their hands 'solid' in relation to their hips. Through this 'hands on' approach they can often get the sensation of where the power is coming from - not the hands or arms, but their centre, which is as you say itself part of the ground. I am still constantly amazed at how little effort is needed when all the 'connections' are made to move another person. And I am also aware that although this 'direction' deals with the mechanics of it, I know that the 'mind' aspect makes up the rest of the equation. It's my conjecture that the greater the skill in putting the body in the right 'frame/form' the more the mind's side can be brought into play. thanks for the reply, regards, Mark |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
Thank you for the review, and taking the time to let us in on what transpired.
Best, Ron |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
I have to add that to be fully honest in the evaluation, it has to be accounted that my own perceptions can skew things a little bit. For instance there were a couple of "ki test" things that were, IMO, pretty vague in the explanations (I feel safe saying this because I could see a number of other people having probles, etc.). The first time or two I would try to do exactly the type of visualization that I *thought* Shaner Sensei meant, but then I'd finally go with "heck, I'm pretty sure all he wants is this" and I'd do what I would normally do. My partner (sometimes partners) would clap me on the back and tell me I was getting it. In a couple of instances, this got pretty funny, but those are beer stories. My point is and was that I think a lot of these things can be described and approached far more clearly than through vagaries and the "Ki of the Universe"...BUT please bear in mind my own potential preconceptions when I say those things. And I mean these commentaries in a good, constructive way, not as an aspersion.
Another thing I noticed a few times was that some "instructor" would lead me through how to do an exercise (and he/she would speak slowly, clearly enunciating the words, since I was a white-belt). What would happen was that they'd do something one way and/or have me do something one way (while they told me exactly what to do) and then they would do it another way and ask me if I didn't feel the difference. Now some of these are valid changes and expositional explanations, even though the points were vague to start with, but in some cases, these "now try it this way" things can be very bogus, the way they were doing those examples and changes. There are some "tests" that are used by kinesiologists, chiropractors, etc., which suggest the relative strengths of joints, muscles, etc., that are somewhat valid... but there are a whole host of similar tests that have been shown to be bogus and which rely on psychology, limb-positioning, physics, etc. What I'm getting at is that some of the Ki-tests with the "now try it this way" were uncomfortably close to bogus, psychological, limb-positioning tests. I'm not saying anything about, though, other than the fact that the validity of tests and demonstrations is something that an astute student should always be analyzing. Far too many "demo's" in the martial arts happen to depend a lot on psychology, the desire to please, positional/physics situations, and so forth. FWIW Mike |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
Anything positive to contribute, or just taking swipes again??? :(
B, R |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
First of all Mike, thanks for the very insightful review. Nice to see comments from a knowledgeable source, from-outside-looking-in.
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I've pretty much stayed out of most of these discussions, especially when something sounds remarkably familiar. I'd hate to be labeled as someone who's saying they've "been-there-done-that." ;) But it's nice to hear that maybe some of my instincts are correct when I'm attempting to apply some of the solo-training exercises I've heard described in these forums. thanks, Adam |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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Oh, I wasn't implying that anyone was being deliberately bogus. Sometimes we simply don't want to question any facts which might support our beliefs. And we're all guilty of that at one time or another, so I was simply mentioning the caution. ;) Quote:
All the Best. Mike |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
Mike,
I didn't read anything deliberate (or negative) in your post. I just wanted to relay that I've recognized many things that I have tried, or thought I was practicing, as 'bogus'. Most of the time this was due to the fact that I thought I knew something, when I didn't. I also recognize how ambiguous something like a 'ki test' can be ... depending on who gives it. thanks, Adam |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
There is nothing wrong with being critical. It's not being negative - just critical. You have to doubt to progress. I am always critical of every class I've been to. Can be risky in an open forum like this, but person to person I'll say exactly what I think. And I am sure people are critical of what I do - I just wish they would tell me :)
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Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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Best. Mike |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
Thanks for your review Mike.
Your comments brought back some memories of classes in which we did connection exercises that seem to be in line with what you describe. That hole you mention where they have no balance is I think something that I agree should be more explicit. When I have had the chance, I have always enjoyed Shaner Sensei's classes. It was interesting to to read your response as someone coming at it from a different angle. good stuff, best. Craig |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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Well, it was pretty interesting. I have been thinking about the Ki-Society approach these last few days and I pretty much still have the opinion I voiced previously on the thread that I think a clearer focus and explanation would tremendously enhance the Ki-Society perspective.... although, on the other hand, a clearer and more analytic approach through physics might actually conflict with some of the more esoteric beliefs about the "Universal Ki", etc. One point I will make though, which I think is important to note. Tohei's approach may not be fully clear and it results in a lot of Ki-Society people missing the fine point and staying always at a fairly basic level, etc....... BUT, Tohei's approach through relaxation and softness is the correct one for the really high-level route, IMO. This is not to say that there are not exercises and explanations that are needed (and I daresay it's a certainty that Tohei used some for the in-door disciples)..... what I'm stressing is that relaxation, not tension, is the road to the higher-level stuff. So kudos for that part of the Ki-Society perspective. "From great softness comes great hardness". Best. Mike |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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I'm just throwing this idea out there to express an opinion that I thought was interesting. Regards, Mike |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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Since you're mulling things over and since I know little to nothing about Tohei's background, where do you think he got his "ki" ideas from? I guess that question is open to everyone. :) Mark |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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Tohei studied Judo before he studied Aikido. Through contacts in Judo, Aikido, other martial artists from other arts, from the common lore, etc., Tohei would have known generally what Ki was and that it contributed to power... at the very least. Tohei studied outside of Aikido in several places which could have given him some of the Ki training. Most of his "opened my eyes" material probably came from Tempu Nakamura, the guy they say did the "Japanese Yoga" (I bought a book about it a few years ago, but it was typically superficial and unfulfilling). I have some indications that Tohei probably has training methods that are not shown to everyone in the Ki Society. Gernot Hassenpflug posted some comments from one good source that supports that. Some earlier students have told me of things that they saw. And so on. I wish I had been in a position to actually get a feel of Shaner Sensei based on me not having to worry so much about decorum and protocol... maybe in the future... but my impression of Shaner's abilities was (and this is a guess) that while he may be "Okuden" level, there are probably some training methodologies that Tohei doesn't show everyone. The "Relax" stuff will only get you so far. After that you need specific training in order for the body skills to increase and those skills take a while to develop (mine are only moderate, at best, BTW, but in the Kingdom of the Blind.... ) . At one point in his demonstration, Shaner Sensei was showing how to simply leave your arm in someone's grasp, relinquish it, and walk away (I'm not totally sure what the point was, but I assume it was something he thought beginners should be made aware of). Then he briefly showed once how he could walk into Uke even if he didn't relax and relinquish the arm. He said it was an "advanced" technique, indicating that someone had to be trained in order to learn how to do it. Well...... why couldn't he just "relax" and do it? See the point.... "relaxation" has its place, but you will not discover everything by just "relaxing" and making yourself "one with the universe". There are levels of skills and ability and a person needs to be shown how to do these more "advanced" aspects of the skills. I *liked* what Shaner showed of Tohei's approach and I support it, with the caveat that I think they can do better (and I hope they do... the Ki Society has, IMO, the best shot at doing Aikido with Ki skills if they tighten up the focus and open up the information some more. Bear in mind, though, that just having good Ki skills does not mean that someone is going to be doing "good Aikido". However, "good Aikido" really only comes after these basic skills are in place, IMO (and I don't think I'm alone in that opinion). Best. Mike |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
This speculation is interesting. If, as others have written/speculated (and I'm typing this on the fly and admittedly not referencing/sourcing, so I'll own up to any errors/misremembering), Ueshiba's core art was Daito ryu where he started on the path to developing his body skills, then later supplemented with additional/other exercises involving the sword and spear (later modified to jo) and even (possibly) qigong-derived type body work from his religious studies/experiences, such that in his later years, his practice was uniquely his own.
Perhaps, by the time Tohei was developing his own practice under Ueshiba, what he was able to "feel" and "see" regarding Ueshiba's skills (I think I remember reading that somewhere in an interview Tohei mentioned learning most from Ueshiba was the ability to "relax") based on his observation was something that he was able to connect to in the manifestation of Ueshiba's religious qigong-derived bodywork (even if it didn't seem "martial"). No doubt Tohei was also able to connect the "relaxation" with the "release" into incoming forces that Ueshiba was able to demonstrate "martially" in his own practice. As a result, Tohei may have identified and used these different "building blocks" to get to a similar result in his practice, even if he wasn't being explicitly "told" how to do it. Anyhow, I'll be the first to admit that I don't know enough about any of this stuff to have a definitive opinion either way, I'm just tossing my speculations into the pool since I don't feel like working right now ;) . Additionally, I'm interested in the "paths" these greats have taken since they all seemed so keen on seeking out and/or "stealing" this information. Lastly, to semi-relate it back to the thread topic, I've heard very good things from friends that have trained with Ki-Society folks regarding the way they isolate and train some of the bodywork, so it's high on my list to get to one of the seminars in the next couple of years. Best/Budd |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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Shaner Sensei was an Otomo for Tohei Sensei when he was younger and liiving as an uchideshi in Japan. I think that was after he was following Tohei Sensei around on his tours of the states like a Grateful Dead fan in the 70's. Shaner Sensei was also a favorite student of the late Iwao Tamura Sensei, 9th dan Ki Society. Hard to believe he wasn't included on the inner side. |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
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Incidentally, I think I'll go copy a comment from the "relaxation" thread over to this thread and wait and see if it moves forward. There's actually a number of telling points that can be made in discussions that critically analyse the physical phenomena, although I'm well aware that you know this as well or better than I do. Regards, Mike |
Re: Ki-Society Workshop in Denver, Dec 06
Here's the post I'm copying from the relaxation thread and bringing over here because it better fits in this thread. If someone wants to get into discussions of exactly what's happening in some of the excellent Ki Society exercises, this might be a good place to do it.
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