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-   -   Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle) (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12457)

eano 04-25-2007 11:15 PM

Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
I `ll be very thanksful if theres some one outhere knows about symbol :circle: :square: :triangle:
wich one is AI, KI, and DO?????
and how to read it? From left to right or right to left?????
Thanks alot.

jennifer paige smith 04-26-2007 12:09 AM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
Quote:

Eano Sydi wrote: (Post 176611)
I `ll be very thanksful if theres some one outhere knows about symbol :circle: :square: :triangle:
wich one is AI, KI, and DO?????
and how to read it? From left to right or right to left?????
Thanks alot.

I submit the following story
"One day, everybody in the dojo got into spring cleaning. We were really going at it, tearing the place apart. It was a gorgeous day and I found myself alone with Osensei on the Veranda. We had just finished a job and it was obviously time for a break, so we sat down together.
I thought, what the hell, one question in six years ain't so bad. I asked him, "Sensei, I notice when you teach you frequently mention circle,square, and triangle. I've thought about a while and I don't understand the meaning of these symbols. I wonder if you could help me solve this problem. Please explain." He looked down, he looked up, and he looked around. And I'm waiting, right?
He said,"Terrusan,you know you should go find out yourself." Then he got up and walked away. And I thought, "That's a piss-off, you know? All you have to do is say a couple of words, you don't have to be so Zen all over the place."-Terry Dobson

batemanb 04-26-2007 12:58 AM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
Quote:

Eano Sydi wrote: (Post 176611)
........wich one is AI, KI, and DO?????

I don't think any of them are, but of course I could be wrong.

jennifer paige smith 04-26-2007 01:17 AM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
Quote:

Eano Sydi wrote: (Post 176611)
I `ll be very thanksful if theres some one outhere knows about symbol :circle: :square: :triangle:
wich one is AI, KI, and DO?????
and how to read it? From left to right or right to left?????
Thanks alot.

http://books.google.com/books?id=ApL...GH2Ms#PPA32,M1

This is a link to a page (page three) describing O'Senseis principles of triangle,circle,square. Good luck.:)

Gil Fitts 04-26-2007 11:47 AM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
The three geometric shapes represent principles of movement and thought. Not related to the word aikido at all.

Here's an interesting tidbit. Look carefully at the Japanese character for "ai" or harmony. You will see a roof over a square representing a mouth or house. Also there is the dash for "one".

all together this is - "under this roof we speak with one voice" or harmony.

odudog 04-26-2007 12:15 PM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
That's not quite right Mr. Fitts. Although harmony does contain the first kanji charactor written in Aikido. This charactor is actually the second charactor in the word harmony and its meaning in this sense is to unite, to join. The first charactor in harmony is totally different and can be used all by itself to mean harmony. The Japanese somehow can take the reference from this one charactor to mean harmony so says my wife when I received this one charactor as a caligraphy from my mother in law.

As for the symbols. They don't mean Ai Ki Do as was stated before. Each symbol represents principals but that will be determined on how you see the art. My meaning for the triangle might be different than your meaning.

Erick Mead 04-26-2007 02:27 PM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
Quote:

Mike Braxton wrote: (Post 176677)
As for the symbols. They don't mean Ai Ki Do as was stated before. Each symbol represents principals but that will be determined on how you see the art. My meaning for the triangle might be different than your meaning.

John Stevens goes into some length about the various meanings of the triangle-circle-square in "The Essence of Aikido." The pertinent excerpt is here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/sitbv3/read...R yr/WrXC37I=
which is on pg. 31.with O Sensei's diagram

jennifer paige smith 04-27-2007 07:57 AM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
Quote:

Gil Fitts wrote: (Post 176676)
The three geometric shapes represent principles of movement and thought. Not related to the word aikido at all.

Here's an interesting tidbit. Look carefully at the Japanese character for "ai" or harmony. You will see a roof over a square representing a mouth or house. Also there is the dash for "one".

all together this is - "under this roof we speak with one voice" or harmony.

related to the characters, though.
check out :triangle: :circle: :square: in the context of kanji. Abe Sensei's work may be of some light.

jennifer paige smith 04-27-2007 08:06 AM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
I prefer to defer to the founder.

O'Sensei didn't leave us completely dry on the subject. He defined the principles of triangle, circle, square on different occassion and you can find it in his written lectures (Saotome Senseis' book Aikido and the nature of harmony has a beautiful lecture regarding circle).

I find that when I do not have my own meanings for things I can keep my mind open to understanding the mystery of aikido as it is revealed. This does not mean I do not have operating understandings, it simply means I can rest from my meanings and opinions. This mind set has also served me well in accepting other learning levels and the learning levels of others.

nice thread.:)

Conrad Gus 04-27-2007 03:07 PM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
Try this page on Barrish Sensei's site:

www.tsubakishrine.com/kannagara.html

Qatana 04-27-2007 07:44 PM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
An extremely simplified view as practiced in my dojo:
Triangle-Entering
Circle-Blending
Square-Throwing( or pinning-completing the technique)

Michael Smith 10-03-2013 03:18 PM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
Quote:

Gil Fitts wrote: (Post 176676)
The three geometric shapes represent principles of movement and thought. Not related to the word aikido at all.

Here's an interesting tidbit. Look carefully at the Japanese character for "ai" or harmony. You will see a roof over a square representing a mouth or house. Also there is the dash for "one".

all together this is - "under this roof we speak with one voice" or harmony.

Per the Glose, the three lines in the upper portion represent the concept of 'many'. The lower portion of the symbol represents 'mouth'. Thus, 'three (many) mouths speaking together'.

Aikido Alive 12-10-2021 10:59 AM

Re: Need help for the meaning of symbol (circle,square,triangle)
 
Can we entertain these three (Sho Chiku Bai; square, circle and triangle) as:
1. Sho 松 Pine, being the ‘Earth’ base square of Ko-tai, solid form.
2. Chiku 竹 Bamboo, being ‘Man’ centred circle of Ju-tai, fluid form.
3. Bai 梅 Plum, being ‘Heaven’ oriented triangle of Ryu-tai, gaseous form.
A progression from the gross to the subtle, from the rough to the refined as indicated by the everyday usage of good, better, best quality in Japan?

1. The evergreen pine is associated with the Jewel, completeness, the square, and Katsuhayabi;
2. the sturdy bamboo is associated with the Sword, resilience, the circle, and Agatsu;
3. and the elegant plum blossom is associated with the Mirror, stability, the triangle, and Masakatsu.

�� The triangle represents ‘Iku-musubi’, the power of birth and creation, the gaseous dimension. It symbolizes initiative, the animal realm, and Masakatsu. Technically, the triangle represents entering and flowing movements (Ryutai).
“The triangle represents the generation of energy and initiative; it is the most stable physical posture.”

⏺ The circle represents ‘taru-musubi’, the enriching power, the liquid dimension. It symbolises unification, the vegetable realm, and Agatsu. Technically, the circle represents blending and soft movements (Jutai).
“The circle symbolises unification, serenity and perfection; it is the source of unlimited techniques.”

⏹ The square represents ‘tamatsume-musubi’, the power that fixes the soul in the physical body, the solid dimension. It symbolizes form, the mineral realm, and Katsuhayahi. Technically, the square represents control and firm or ‘hard’ movements (Gotai).
“The square stands for form and solidity, the basis of applied control.”

“When the triangle, the circle and the square become one, it moves in spherical rotation together with the flow of ki, and the Aikido of sumi-kiri (total clarity of mind and body) appears.”
–Morihei Ueshiba


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