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Old 02-28-2012, 08:23 AM   #15
Chris Li
 
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Dojo: Aikido Sangenkai
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Re: Fingers spread or together?

Quote:
Alex Megann wrote: View Post
Gozo Shioda says in one of his textbooks that the hand should be open with the fingers apart "like a Morning Glory flower". This is (perhaps not surprisingly) what Kanetsuka Sensei teaches too. All the Aikikai shihan I have seen keep the fingers open.

I don't think I have seen anyone demonstrating with the fingers together. Are there any examples on YouTube of this?

Alex
「手を常に朝顔のように開け」
"Always open your hand like a morning glory ("asagao")"

-Sokaku Takeda

And here's one by Yukiyoshi Sagawa that I think has not generally been made available in English:

8/28/1971
I was told by Takeda Sensei to open my hand in the way that a Morning Glory ("Asagao") blooms, but I think that this means to open the hand while rotating slightly. I conceived of my Aiki while thinking about this kind of thing.


Best,

Chris

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