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Old 09-05-2014, 08:01 AM   #364
Cliff Judge
Location: Kawasaki, Kanagawa
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,276
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Re: Demonstrating aiki, demontrating aikido.Same thing ?

Quote:
Jon Reading wrote: View Post
I'm not sure where this comment is supposed to lead. Specifically, I was talking about the point at which the exercise of defining the aiki body becomes a regular part of your body movements. And if I am wrong, it will be neither the first time nor last time. In addition to my comment about aiki being a perishable skill, I would also add that it is a quantitative skill (i.e., you can have more than me). There is a photo of O Sensei standing with a gentleman (Kuki Takaharu). In the photo, O Sensei has clearly been pulled off balance; notable because it is one of the few photos or videos that show O Sensei being compromised by his partner. I think a solid piece of evidence that even O Sensei had peers in aiki. Amusing because you can tell by his face the opportunity was not planned. A great demonstration of aiki with no tatami in sight.

Why do you look at this picture and think Osensei has been off balanced? It looks to me more like he is leaning on his friend. They are both probably drunk. That's probably the only Aiki on display here - too old men, drunk together.

I think a lot of the IP/Aiki mythology that has developed on the internet is the result of reading too much and too selectively into anecdotes, folklore, and translations that may be biased.
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