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Old 02-26-2008, 11:30 AM   #30
Cady Goldfield
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,035
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Re: why focus on internal power

Quote:
Chris Parkerson wrote: View Post
Beautiful thoughts Jen,

I have always wondered how misrepresented the word "meek" became in the Christian tradition. The "meek" that Jesus was talking about were not mindless sheep being lead to the slaughter.

They were hard-scrabble farmers, shepherds, fishermen, and street urchins. Their survival skills were honed through a life of overbearing taxation, no social security system and the threat of becoming a slave or gladiator if they fell into the wrong hands.

Yet, they had "overcoming" spirits. They were willing to focus on an internal kung that developed "Shen" or "spirit" rather than just the powers of the lower Dantien. This is the unification that I also practice building.
Chris,
"Meek" doesn't necessarily imply "weak," however, the kind of "internal power" you and Jen, and George, are talking about is not the internal power being discussed in the threads that perplexed Mary Eastland and caused her to open this thread.

Turning the other cheek is noble to those who understand the meaning of the gesture, but if the person you are turning it toward intends to kill you, and enjoys the prospect of killing you, he will kill you. Your noble gesture of calm defiance will still result in your death. And if the killer has no morals, nor understanding of the meaning of your gesture, it will have been lost on him. At best, you will have had the satisfaction of making that gesture before you died. Perhaps that would be of sufficient value to you, but wouldn't it be nicer to be able to subdue the would-be killer (maybe even without seriously harming him), and continuing your life on Earth?

William,
The internal power that is discussed in threads about the things Mike, Rob et al.discuss, is a tangible, physical-mechanical process that one trains within one's body. It's "simply" a physical tool that makes the body structurally more stable and able to receive and re-transmit energy from an attacker if one so chooses.

The reason why it causes such a cacophony whenever it hits the forums, is in part because few have been exposed to it and know what it is; because of its controversial presence in Ueshiba's own personal practice of aikido (and how, later in life, he used it to advance his philosophical leanings); and the even more controversial argument advanced by some that it is absent in most present-day aikido, even at the highest levels.

Again, it's not "inner strength" as in personal spirit and moxie, or spiritual strength. It is a basic, physical condition. Additional confusion churns up when the two different things get mixed and discussed together.

Last edited by Cady Goldfield : 02-26-2008 at 11:33 AM.