The aikidō I learn is constructet differently, uses different paradigms.
Quote:
Mary Eastland wrote:
Nage earnestly leads. Uke sincerely follows.
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Tori connects to uke and moves him. Uke does not have to follow or has the choice to not follow, but uke is moved by tori. Tori affects the body structure of uke and takes over the controll of his movements to a certain degree.
To do this, tori creates or uses what we call 'atari': A connection at a certain point or region of the bodies of tori and uke.
A basic form is that tori uses lao gong to create atari/connection. Or uses, like in katate dori, the lao gong of uke to create atari/connection.
Quote:
As nage outlines the path, a void is left for uke to fill.
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When I attended a class of
ki-aikido (Yoshigasaki) here in Germany, the techniques indeed were created this way: Tori moved, uke tried to follow after this movement and this movement led into a 'void' / gap / emptiness, where I should have to fall.
The aikidō I know moves in the "reverse direction": Tori is "behind" uke and the movement goes from tori into uke to connect. As if "pushing" uke. And often through uke to throw him. This is like cutting through uke with the ken.
Quote:
The motion and connection created is Aikido.
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The motion I experienced when practicing ki-aikido (Yoshigasaki) was completely different from what I call aikidō. And it didn't work on me because it was required that uke gave up his balance, that he didn't stay centered and grounded in his own sphere. If uke (I) did ukemi in the latter sense (staying centered, grounded, giving nothing away even in the attack ...), there was technically no way to move or lead uke (me).
This was not due to the skills of my partners but due to the paradigm of the behaving of tori and uke.
If I didn't play my role as uke in a way that supported toris role, he couldn't throw me.
In the aikidō I know, the support from uke is an educational tool, depending on the skills of tori.
In the ki-aikido I experienced it was part of the paradigm of the uke-behavior.
So the the two ways of understanding the roles of uke and tori just didn't fit together. And aikidō, ki-aikido (Yoshigasaki) in this case could only be created if the acting person wanted it to evolve.
(I tried to do my best that day, because I had asked for teaching me what ki-aikido is in the view of that teacher.)
Quote:
Uke ... offering energy for nage to perceive, move with and eventually throw uke.
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I don't know what you understand in detail as to "offer energy". But in my paradigm the action of tori does not depend on uke offering something.
It is one possibility, that the atari is created by uke, when his ki comes to tori.
But far more interesting it is, and much more can be learned, if uke tries to not offer anything so tori himself has to do the work of connecting to uke and controll and move him.
Quote:
... Often the throw is perceived as the goal. ...
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Although following a different paradigm, as far as I understand yours, we very practice without actually throwing uke. We work on our own ballance and structure. We work on getting a connection to uke and hold it. We work on guiding uke by this connection. And some other things. And indeed: If everything works fine, the throw itself, kind of evolves, if tori leads his feeling/kimochi down to the ground. Maybe tori can ad momentum if he wants to.
Even if the paradigm of understanding most throws as cutting through uke (which can very clear be seen in irimi nage or
tenchi nage) doesn't leave much room for other outcomes.
Quote:
Instead the goal is the feeling of connection and harmony. The throw is the result of the connection and uke's loss of balance.
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So this is imortant and true in my world also.
It think the different paradigm is about what connection is, about the roles of uke and tori, about following and guiding.
And I think the different paradigms come from or lead to different goals.
And - to be honest - I have great difficulties to accept the way of performing the techniques, that is shown in the video I linked above, as aikidō.
AT the moment I am not shure whether I have to learn to accept it.
Or whether it is time for me, to learn to be more clear in my distinction.
Thank you for your thoughts about what aikidō means to you!