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Old 02-27-2008, 05:34 PM   #88
eyrie
 
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Location: Summerholm, Queensland
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Re: why focus on internal power

To address Mary Eastland's original post... and generally...

How you choose to interpret what "internal power" or "internal strength" means and how it pertains to the (general or specific) practice of Aikido is up to you (or what your teacher told you). Hence aiki-"do" and not "jitsu".

However, I believe the "internal power" under discussion is a learnt physical skill (i.e. jitsu). It is not character development nor has it any bearing or relation to the moral character of a person, although in one sense of the "ideal" of budo, one would hope that the acquisition of such skill leads to one becoming a better person. It doesn't - personalities and egos do not necessarily change for the better as a result of power acquisition - internal or otherwise. If anything, it's the other way round... for someone to begin to acquire such power and skills requires a progressively deep-seated change in one's innate being towards a sort of "egoless-ness".

Hence the reason why knowledge and transmission of internal skills development has traditionally been a closely guarded secret, particularly from persons "deemed" to be "not of requisite character".

The sort of "internal strength" that comes from acquisition of internal skills is not the same thing as having "intestinal fortitude", or strength of moral character, or the scope of compassion that would put the Buddha to shame. It is, in the context which it is mostly being discussed here, a physical "how-to" skill - like carpentry or skateboarding is a learnt physical skill - and specifically pertaining to physical combat and martial pursuits, which is but one aspect of internal power application.

In terms of why people seek such power varies according to each individual's personal reasons, the primary motives are usually to gain an added combative advantage, or to improve and maintain one's health well into old age. Again, based on whether you practice Aikido as budo or bujutsu... or both.

That such internal power can be (or should be) part and parcel of the (core) practice of Aikido, is beside the point. Whether one chooses to, given the choice, is up to them. Although, that choice is limited if you aren't being taught how to do it (properly). Based on the posts (and tone) so far regarding this general topic, it is clear that some know what they're talking about (to whatever degree), and some are trying to get a handle on it. And then there are some that think they already do it but are really in the category of most that don't have a clue.

Short of turning Aikiweb into a cyberdojo where everyone checks their egos at the login screen, I do think discussions, particularly those relating to the more "controversial" subjects, could be far more productive if people tried to focus on the topic at hand rather than the personalities.

Ignatius