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My Spiritual Aikido.
This is a brief description of the spiritual side of Aikido according to yours truly. Different to how you have been taught maybe, nonetheless, my view and my way.
I'll give a few facets, principles and thus a look into my world. Love. Ah, budo is love. Love is firstly to do with space, yours and the others spiritual space. We all have spiritual space. To translate ie physically and geometrically you would start by recognizing and feeling your own spherical space around you. The whole concept of Japanese bowing rather than shaking hands I put down to this respecting of personal space. So the operating principles which go with this are 'being with' and 'oneness.' Co-existence. So we have a loving space, expansive, all embracing, the 'heart' of Aikido. It is hard to believe that space as such can have any effect and yet the more real it gets to you the more effect it has and thus comes about reality of Kokyu. As the spiritual principle thus is 'be with' then there cannot be any against. Thus I say there is no against in Aikido and thus there cannot be opposition. To be with, share as one space. Thus you enter in order to be with and be one with. Eventually you are being space, loving space connecting with the others space and 'heart' and it is very non-physical. You are aware of the inflow and outflow, the yin and yang for as space you feel it like breathing. Kokyu. The next facet I give you is light. The soul as I call it is not related to space although they all work with each other and is Aikido discipline wise related to the center line and the sword. The effect is opening. The correct spiritual feeling you put through the sword or focus with from center line is eventually light. Thus we get light and the warmth of love of Kokyu is heat. Prior to that I would say the feeling is degrees of calmness, calm focus. It opens as does a sword. It opens space. Thus you can cut through and by doing so you are opening. The sword that cuts through self is opening your heart and soul. This feeling is developed through practice of tegetana and bokken. Center. From center Ki flows. From center Ki enters. Center is the gateway, the gateless gate between the void and heaven, the spirit of Aikido. Centre is also the place of stillness, an infinite stillness and relates to the energy of life itself, thus Ki. The principle with center is acceptance. With acceptance you can fel, perceive, blend with. With acceptance you can also allow and let go of. Thus from center and stillness can you see the pathways of Ki and love and light and understand the motions. Whilst center line connects heaven and earth, center is the gateway to all, the center of the cross. Whilst center is non- resistive acceptance center line is neutral. Koshi. Some may call this the lower dantien or various things. Spiritually koshi is the void, emptyness, the 'u' of kotodama. It is what brings about weight underside in Ki Aikido. It is the nothing from which comes everything. It is the connection with mother nature and all forms physical and life forms. It is what you become aware of and feel when you truly let go. Whereas kokyu is space then koshi is infinite capacity thus can receive anything. The ground force or gravity effect is thus all to do with Koshi. Thus from Koshi you can give and receive. You can receive into nothing and you can give nothing. You can find this nothing is not 'nothing at all.' Now each of the above could be considered different forms of power for they are all effective. Koshi has the added thing of finality, completion, and thus feels much more powerful, or can do, especially to the receiver. For instance a nikkyo done with Koshi is the nikkyo the other goes down with complete certainty and feels like a ton weight did the nikkyo. A nikkyo done with kokyu the person goes down with complete certainty yet wonders why for they feel good. Yet all in all there is another spiritual principle which comes from Koshi and that is non-disturbance. It like using power to non-disturb and yet move the mountain. Another strange feeling at both ends for the doer and the one being moved. Hara. Together these form Hara and bring about humility and compassion and non-resistance. They bring about in life and Aikido the spirit of joy from hara. The way of peace. These are some of the spiritual facets and principles which of themselves when adhered to through discipline bring harmony to the mind which in turn brings harmony to the body. Spirit, mind , body. A brief outline for your indulgence. Peace.G. |
Re: My Spiritual Aikido.
a lifefe is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all. No man can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire.
Thomas Merton Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/au...QyuHgHgip1L.99 |
Re: My Spiritual Aikido.
Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony. -- Thomas Merton
I prefer this one. Peace.G. |
Re: My Spiritual Aikido.
The depth of ones spirituality is directly proportional to their closeness to the experience of death. You want real deep spirituality? Hug death.
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Peace.G. |
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Merton was pretty good at that. So was Bede Griffiths. And boy did they get opened up in the process. namaste, Chris |
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The mind however produces many fears and negatives Including the concept of death. Being attatched to such ways of thinking we may feel it's good to hug death but to me that's mental not spiritual. An interesting thought I offer you: I said earlier that in the way I do Aikido it goes spirit-mind-body. In that order and indeed I would say that order of importance and that order of magnitude. Now for those who believe in a different order then this is what generally happens. They have the mind leading the spirit. Thus they have the spirit doing negatively according to the minds instructions and thus against it's true nature. Thus ego rules. Peace.G. |
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Facing a near death experience is indeed a very spiritual experience and not 'dark' at all. Those who have had such were also hugging life wouldn't you say? Hugging death thus may be wise when it is necessary but meanwhile hugging life is the or should be the daily course. Peace. G. |
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Those unable to lovingly embrace death have no aptitutde to truly love.
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If I may ask, was it a left brain stroke or a right brain stroke? Have you read, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's book "Stroke of Insight"? http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0670020745 Or seen her talk on TED? http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_...f_insight.html Could you relate to the spiritual opening? Bede Griffiths' mystical consciousness skyrocketed after his stroke. Many of the Christian mystics had suffered strokes as well. Gratitude, Chris |
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By the way, Tuturuhan Joe Ariola, A student of Princess Josephina's soft style of Eskrima, Chinese arts, and a contrinutor to this site several years ago, suffered a stroke. I recently visited him (April) at his home. Here he is jousting staff against Tai Chi sword. Joes' world has flourished immensley since his stroke about two years ago.
One mark of a Shaman is that most have had near death experiences. He is now moving freely between both the linear and timeless fields. His mystical downloads are spot on. Truly an amazing man. Puha Chris Attachment 1022 |
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I wish you a speedy recovery! I've got family who had a stroke and while I know it can be difficult, what I've come away with is how amazing the brain is at adaptation; learning new ways of doing things; growing. Take care! Matt |
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Who knows? Surely not me...and if I do, I'm not aware of it. :D Take care, Matt |
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Thank you for the food for thought...er...spirit! :D Take care, Matt p.s. sorry for so many posts right after each other. |
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Coming close to death, your own or another's, is truly a IHTBF thing. My advice is to not think about it, not speculate about it, and above all not reach for it; it will come to you soon enough. And once it does, my advice is to go back to life, don't think about it, don't reach for it, don't hold onto it. It is not your time.
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In my own Buddhist practice, I have specifically meditate upon death and impermanence as a priority as a means of fully experiencing my many attitudes that are hidden within me. In fact, I have conducted experiments in lifestyling to support this meditation.
For instance, I took my food budget for 6 months and donated it to a homeless food kitchen. I only ate what they served. For six months I gave away my agency as to when I ate, what I ate and with whom I ate. It was amazing what arose within me; how many feelings I had repressed about disease, the smell of poverty, the psychic pain of hopelessness andy prudish preferences as a organic food snob. Some of the results of this action is that I chose to live in an inner city community. Our non-profit organization we created helps people in crisis. I now donate nearly 50% of my income annually to the non profit and, after taxes, live on about 23% of my income. Most of the food I eat comes from the garden. We have 2,000 veggie plants this year. And folks who help in the garden are changing their eating patterns from KFC and McDonalds to fresh home cooking. Their kids are getting their hand in dirt; learning that actions have consequences and care produces immediate results. This all came out of meditating upon death and impermanence. Now, living simply and simply living. Namaste, Chris |
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Thanks for sharing. The first partial quote from the original entry and the second partial from a later entry seems to me to open space to ask a question about the how of the body. Putting aside the order of things, i.e. Spirit, Mind, Body......how do you work the body to allow it of be an effect part of the whole when doing nikkyo? How do you train (drills, etc.) to have the body work in doing nikkyo using your Koshi approach? Is it different training for the Kokyu approach? For me doing nikkyo is a body closing activity on my part and I am trying to effect the other persons feet. I want them light on their feet . With uke my intent goes through the their elbow, through the lower back and through the leg to the ground, breaking the connection, My hold on the uke's wrist and such is like a hug that can't be broken, their is a weight drop, a weight shift, I keep my center/dantien pressurized and I close...a feeling to my light drawing in rather than expanding. For all of these elements there are drills, some of them solo drills. A whole bunch of folks provide these kinds of practices to help with the whole. what kinds of practices or drills do you use for your body practice? Thanks Gary |
Re: My Spiritual Aikido.
Hi Chris,
That is very humbling! Thank you for sharing that! It's amazing to me how comfortable we get with our own part of the world and how uncomfortable we can get when we experience something distinctly different. I was lucky enough to take part in a "charity tour" in Cambodia and it was interesting to see how people resonded to the deprivations we were witness to. In particular, I thought it was interesting that some folks were surprised when an overt expression of resentment was displayed (a child drew his finger across his throat at us). One person said, "that was odd." I thought I understood it right away. As nice as it is that we were there to help in some way, the sense of dignity of those we sought to help wasn't much of a consideration. We were outsiders coming in on an air-conditioned bus and snapping pictures of people in their daily lives. Imagine someone coming to your home and looking with pity as they make you the object of their interest. Some folks are naturally going to resent it, whether out of a sense of shame, or pride, or what have you. That such an idea never seemed to occur to some folks initially made me resentful. I by no means grew up in poverty, but I lived closer to it than most Americans do and part of me found it outrageous. After thinking about it I had to admit we're all limited by our experiences, and some of us simply have few points of reference to form much understanding. So where I've come to with all this is the idea that spirituality is another way of finding universal qualities...or put another way, of connecting to disparate realms of this very vast reality. I tend to think spiritual endeavors have a purpose of finding what connects us all and operating from there to arrive at greater understanding and greater cohesion of interaction. To my mind this is very much in keeping with kaiso's vision for Aikido and why I've been so attracted to it as a medium for fostering spirituality...despite being somewhat uncomfortable with sharing in my spirituality. I can see a parallel here with Graham's idea of starting from the spiritual and proceeding to the mental and then to the physical. ...For what it's worth. Take care, Matt |
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A preference to "hug life" is, from a buddhist perspective, a classic example of dualistic thinking. For those who might be interested:
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From the Gospel of Phillip, something markedly similar: Quote:
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David,
You are certainly right about dualism. Nondual mind is a rare thing in this world. For the moment we use words, most of us make differentiations, judgements and thus, become dualistic. In my practice, I have chosen to make friends with our dark side. I embrace both evil and good, clean and dirty, life and death. By not repressing it, they emerge in their raw form. They are me. I am everything. Non-dual manifests, if only for a moment. Namaste, Chris |
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Matthew,
I think Graham is on to something. This whole struggle between him and the IS/IP folks is likely about something other than his spiritual experience of Aikido. I have used my own Aiki practices as internal yogas of the heart, and by doing so, gave augmented my understanding of compassion and non-judgment. Chris |
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If we are to find common ground we need to understand each other starting with what is the easiest to get to....".....how do you train your body to work as part of the whole?.....what kind of practices do you do to effect the body's functioning to do these things? How do you condition your body? Spirit and mind can be strong...weak body means nothing good happens. And you know that John has drills to help with this, that is what Dan is talking about at this stage is the body work, and that others are out there offering their approaches. Graham likely has drills, solo training and partner training....other than just waza... to effect the conditioning... that is what I am asking. Gary |
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I agree that spiritual consciousness can be obtained through body yogas. Hatha yoga is a prime example outside of the Aiki world. But as I experienced Bakhti yoga (Love and devotional service) while living in an ISKON ashram in the late 1960's, i noticed that one can go directly to the spiritual source - yes, it can often leave the body in an acstatic limbo to be sure. The Bakhti folks critique the Hatha folks as being too slow in their a process. I began to live with this idea. My experience of the spiritual are encompassed within three forms that are bound together. Together, they ensure balance. I must have: 1. Some form of mindful experience. For me it is about clarity, acstatic/mystical seeing, and awareness of heaven and earth. 2. Some form of ethics. For me it is the faith of Jesus (not faith in Jesus) and the 14 precepts of engaged Buddhism http://viewonbuddhism.org/resources/14_precepts.html 3. Some form of practice. For me, it is sacred activism http://www.andrewharvey.net/sacred_activism.php , my martial and internal gung and meditational training. I am not convinced that body training will necessarily lead to mindful compassion or ethical living. Mindfulness alone can lead some into a denial of the body and sometimes a complete rejection of the world. Ethics alone can make one self righteous judges over others. Thus the three provide balance - Heaven and earth meeting within the center (lymbic system) of the body. (There is, however, a fusion of tantien, heart and mind that is very important for manifesting things) There are many ways to bow and kiss the ground (Rumi). As for me, I follow this 3 fold path. Aikido is a part of that path and helps to inform all three elements. Namaste, Chris |
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I am talking about Aikido and only the body aspect of it.......not talking about kissing the earth or someone's @%&. What is Graham doing to train his body? I understand the connections, in interdependence, the intertwining...I am talking about body work....... Does John talk anything but body work & mechanics? ...not what else he may hold? just me Gary |
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As you know my emphasis is spiritual drills. There are also mental drills. There are also physical drills. On the mental side I usually start off even with beginners asking them questions and getting them looking and seeing there is another way. For example I can grab them, grab their wrist hard, squeeze hard, hold with two hands, all kinds of holds and ask them what they are trying to do as a response and why? Inevitably they say they are trying to escape and the why is varied but basically to escape being trapped. This is considered normal yet in my Aikido is not. The mind says escape, fight, etc. So the first drills are to show not to use that mind and how to use another way which doesn't equal such reaction and leads to new thinking. Anyway back to body. The first drills are Aiki taiso. Body movement and body movement whilst keeping center and extending Ki. The purpose is to allow the body or cell memories to get used to the body motions involved in Aikido. So from taisabaki, tenkan, ikkyo, funokogiundo, ukemis backwards, forwards, (sidewards) etc etc. Then geometry of movements in Aikido. At first the concentration is very much on correct body movement for the beginner but the emphasis given is still more on the spiritual principles and the geometry. In other words why are you doing Ikkyo exercise? What does it do? Where does it come from? What principle should you be using when doing it? So although these are body movements the whys and wherefors have to be adhered to as more important. Whilst doing these things using Ki and with tests then many body adjustments and awarenesses of happenings in the body are come across. However, the aim is to do eventually based solely on principle application and what feels like nothing happening within the body, as if it is an empty vessel. The only changes are in energy feelings. I cannot escape mentioning spirit, mind, body in that order here because within my philosophy is firstly as I said before spirit brings harmony to mind and body. So now secondly and importantly I say eventually you have to trust the body as it knows what to do so you don't interfere and try to make it do. Like with a weapon be it a sword or whatever, if you learn the correct principles to adhere to and are thus in tune with then your job becomes letting it do what it 'wants' to do, like it knows what to do. Therefor by using Ki and space and kokyu etc. spiritually the body gets used to and does what it needs to do. You merely become aware of the subtle changes and thus aware of when you are applying the principle concerned or if you only think you are because the body energy feeling or energy location is out. That said I will go to the nikkyo question etc. in separate post. Peace.G. |
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That rather redefines the topic of this thread. The topic was "my spiritual Aikido". As such, I believe Graham is onto something. He is on his spiritual path. In this context, I am disagreeing that body yogas are the easiest place to start as you suggested. If it was, the experience would be ubiquitous. I am sorry you misunderstood my context. Regards, Chris |
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Nikkyo from center: This nikkyo is done by extending Ki out of the finger (usually index finger for beginners) and around the wrist and back to own center. Principle of circle or even a 'u' shape. The emphasis is reaching out from center, around and back to own center. So it's not so much a body drill except for the how of the technique, the technical corrections of elbows and shoulders and position etc. It's exercising center. Nikkyo from center line: This is nikkyo with tegatana. Extending through the center line of the other, cutting through their center line, done. It's a sword cut. It involves lifting the sword and cutting the sword. Once again it exercises center and center line. Whatever happens body wise 'internally' is the result of these two things. Nikkyo form kokyu is done with a flat hand, fingers spread, wrist soft, extended Ki, like a fan. This is a space exercise so you are exercizing your space. Center line and center are there too of course but emphasis space. With each the principles are different. For instance with the first the principle of invite, with the second the principle of neutral, with the third the principle welcome. So the body being the effect part of anything is based on all drills where you are to learn to be happy effect. You learn in all drills to receive comfortably. So it's not really a matter of which part of the body it's more a matter of which principle you use which in turn allows the body to receive comfortably. Center for example accepts and gives and that is for me a basic Aikido meditation and something which should be more and more there all the time like breathing, energy is continuously going in and extending out. Any force given thus goes into center so the body remains energetic and relaxed. Any tension goes into center, etc. Thus energy in the body, especially the lower half is doing what it should naturally. Develop center line and the upper part of the body internally goes into alignment energy wise. For me Nikkyo wise on the wrist for example I am not interested in the other persons feet or whatever physically. What I would call the standard would be the sword, or tegatana nikkyo. Therefor I am only interested in aligning my center line with theirs, aware of their energy and mind movement showing them the 'blade'. Any thought of moving or energy change I cut through their center line, done. What they do internally, externally, of no importance. I am concentrated and aware only of my center line and center and space, as well as theirs. The body drills which fit such would actually be those like ikkyo exercise done from those principles. Four direction ikkyo, eight direction ikkyo, Picking up tegatana for nikkyo should feel no different than doing ikkyo in essence. Koshi I do drills where they must feel the gravity and more importantly an empty space below them, a space that has infinite capacity, can take everything into it. Sometimes as if it's a big bowl below ground that if you connect to takes everything into it. This relates to the base of the lower spine relaxing, opening. So nikkyo done from such I am actually connecting our koshi's. I do not 'break' connection, I connect. I do not say connect to their center and disrupt it. I say connect to their center and then anything you are truly doing from center will cause motion for you are together. Thus I have drills of connecting with center, connecting your space with their space, connecting your koshi with their koshi, connecting you with them. Prime directive is 'to be with'. To be with and you can feel they may be doing all kinds of strange things with their minds and energy and internal movements but all subservient to being with and being at one. Then and only then what you do they follow. The exercises of closing and opening, condensing, expanding I don't do as such for I say both should be happening at the same time, yin and yang. Thus we never 'pull Ki in' or tense 'constrict Ki' We allow. We allow expansion and allow condensing, Ki out or ki flowing from out to in. The principle is that as you flow. extend out then Ki automatically according to the laws of yin and yang flows in. So there is no need to tense or constrict. Allow the principles to do their jobs is the key. All Aikitaiso and indeed all techniques can be done from center. They can be done from koshi. They can be done from kokyu. Thus the body exercises done from said facets produces different internal effects and different external effects on the other person. So we don't concentrate on the internal body parts or energy paths but rather the principles and the resultant effects internally or externally. So for me it's universal. Any more thoughts on the matter I shall put into a different post. Peace.G. |
Re: My Spiritual Aikido.
right brain stroke left side of body is f***ed up!
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Re: My Spiritual Aikido.
Here's an example of principle. As written above center does certain things, it has certain qualities.
The main principle I have said goes with center is acceptance. This means when accepting you are centered, when not you are not centered, you have 'lost' your center. Thus you can apply this principle to all things in all walks of life. When you are accepting you are centered thus when something happens in life that makes you other than accepting, be it angry or whatever, then you are at that point not centered. Thus you can apply Aikido to life. When you are not accepting then your mind and spirit are not unified and the result of your body is some form of tension and disharmony. When you are accepting then your mind is bright and clear, spirit is joyful and body is relaxed and energetic. Spirit, mind , body unified. Centered. Peace. G. |
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perhaps I'm not writing down my thoughts clearly
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My last post was general, to anyone, not with relation to your previous post. Peace.G. |
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Stephen,
I, for one, would love to hear more about your experience of the stroke, how it has changed you, and what you have discovered. I would be honored to hear these things privately or publically. Regards, Chris |
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Peace.G. |
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Nicely put. Thanks!
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If one was wanting to run a 2:10 marathon...... the body needs to be conditioned to carry the spirit and the mind on the run.....otherwise it won't happen..... To do do any Aikido the body has to be able to carry the spirit and mind..... Gary |
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i'd bbe happy to speak privatelywith you call me in the usa215 9 06 9515216 906 95-15
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