Thread: Takemusu
View Single Post
Old 05-30-2005, 06:33 PM   #4
Rupert Atkinson
 
Rupert Atkinson's Avatar
Dojo: Wherever I am.
Location: New Zealand
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,013
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: Takemusu

Quote:
Stefan Stenudd wrote:
How would you translate takemusu, and how would you explain takemusu aiki?

This is how I do it (and I might be very, very wrong):

Take = bu, martial
Musu = improvisation (appx.)
aiki = blending/joining energies

Thus:
improvised martial art, according to the principle of joining energies (instead of opposing them)
I disagree - I would say takemusu means 'birth of martial' (as that is what the characters literally mean) and such pertains to the idea we have to create 'the martial' in our training. It also, for me anyway, contains the idea that while aiki itself can mean harmony / fluidity etc., there is also a strong 'martial' element that needs development, hence takemusu-aiki. It has been said by many to be the idea of creating spontaneous technique, and I agree with that, but I also see it as more than that, i.e. the kind of harmony with your surroundings that, for instance, both a tiger (the hunter) or the deer (the hunted) have in order to survive. Nature is in balance, and being 'martial' for us, means becoming in tune with that nature (that we have long since lost). There is no winner or loser - just balance - just the martial nature of nature.

  Reply With Quote