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Old 11-22-2011, 09:52 AM   #67
Ellis Amdur
 
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Join Date: May 2003
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Re: Ueshiba's Golden Lights

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I think this is an important distinction, however, I this does lead me to another question -- could you clarify what "Internal Power" is versus "aiki?"
First, I'm not the fricking arbiter of these phrases.

I noted that my friend noted that aiki, from a DR perspective, is the expression of internal power as it applies to another person.

Other people would say that this is internal power. Internal power is an English phrase, and it's many people's approximate translation of Chinese terms, in this case neikung, I believe. Probably not.

There's a certain point - which is frequently reached on Aikiweb - that it's all angels dancing on the head of a pin.

Let's sum up: specialized training, usually, but not exclusively solo, to forge the body (tanren) in specific ways - and result of this is, as Ueshiba said in the early twenties, something, like, "aiki is the ability to make others do what you want." (See, Dueling with Osensei, first chapter)

And for Ueshiba, all this was braided with his spiritual beliefs and <originially> religious shugyo practices.

That's all I know on the subject

Ellis Amdur

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