Thread: Ki is Kindness.
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Old 12-03-2010, 04:55 PM   #13
graham christian
Dojo: golden center aikido-highgate
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Re: Ki is Kindness.

Quote:
Charles David Henderson wrote: View Post
Hi Graham,

Please call me David; "Charles" is a name I don't use, but rules is rules 'round here, so ....

I think being able to "relax" and access the kinds of physical performance associated with that (including aikido techniques done in that manner) does not require an intent to be kind.

In fact, if you find a really, really bad person, who enjoys inflicting pain, you may find they are quite relaxed and even enjoying themselves -- they get their fix giving pain, the pain is flowing, and so, to them, it's all good....

Takeda was famous for both his martial prowess and other reported talents, including being able to read another person's intentions, much in the same way you'll find O Sensei credited with seeing into a man's heart who bowed to him, hoping O Sensei would respond and give an opening for an attack....

But in him, this "talent" appeared associated with extreme distrust -- the kind of attitude that would enable one to be on guard against ambush and assassination. With Ueshiba, he projected a quite different persona. (But do keep in mind his position as a bodyguard in the Mongolia expedition).

O Sensei reportedly said that Takeda opened his eyes to true budo, but that O Sensei discovered "aikido" on his own.

"Ki," and indeed "aiki" may each in my view, be used to wield either a life-giving sword or a life-taking one, albeit with different consequences for the wielder himself.

In my view, the difference may lie more in the difference between
"jutsu" and "do," not "ki" or "aiki."

And, since I'm taking this long, I'll close by remarking that due to the inaccessibility of Ueshiba's religious beliefs, making aikido a "path" is problematic. The vessel is there, but what to fill it with?

Regards
Hello again David.
Well said. The exercise I said to do gives a person a feeling of good energy and a feeling of body relaxing. The explanation I gave in the original theme shows how it works in life which shows it's power. How to apply that to Aikido is a spiritual aspect of Aikido.(just one spiritual aspect of my Aikido)

Your explanation of someone really bad who gets a fix giving pain is flowing and very relaxed is very good. True, they can flow that negative energy and to a degree be relaxed but there are two differences here. It is not as sustainable as Ki or good energy and also their body is nowhere near as relaxed in comparison, the body instead of being tight and constricted is quite hard in comparison. Their energy is a kind of mad excitement. A different effect on or through the body.

So in my view that energy is not ki for ki is pure, they are negative energies of different kinds and if I were to say define them in terms of 'all energies are made from ki' then I would differentiate and say they are negative ki or polluted ki or impure ki etc.

Now, on your explanation of Takeda and O'Sensei and the two different views, thank you, I didn't know that but on reading it it does make sense to me. It makes me see that O'Sensei was not taught true budo by Takeda but through seeing the difference between what he could do and what Takeda could do was based on two entirely different 'ways' or principles it led him to his realization on Budo.

On the point of his religious beliefs being inaccessable I'm not sure what you mean there for buddhism, taoism is there to inspect. However that would explain why my approach to Aikido seems to be back to front to some because for me the spiritual 'religious' aspects were my starting realities.

This is easily mistranslated by many as meaning I was only interested in the airy-fairy side of it but I understand that view because I used to be disappointed by the false view that I thought all others wanted was the physical aspect only. Actually I wanted the harmony of all three elements of it- Physical-Mental-Spiritual. I realized O'Senseis Aikido had all three in equal amount.

So the path, which is a major concept in those religions, implies a self developing journey.

Aiki to me is to do with harmonious motion, motions which follow the path of good energy and thus are harmonious paths, and in Aikido translate into harmonious motions.

On the other hand a 'destructive' person is learning these ways of moving through studying the geometry of the motions and practicing them and so you coul see two people, one good and one bad doing the same harmonious moves but each has different intentions. One is Being Aiki, one is Following the path made by Aiki.

Finally may I expand on this view of mine. I also say that ki can be like a rainbow or like light which breaks up into many colours. So when say Kindness is Ki then I must now say that all GOOD energies are Ki and therefore innately harmonious which brings me to the point of true budo.

From my viewpoint Budo is love and whereas I explain Kindness as being non-resistive, harmonious yet definite and relate it to the sword in Aikido, Budo I see as love and thus infinitely accepting, non-resistive, all embracing and translating in Aikido as center and expanding out to kokyu.

Sorry if it sounds too philosophical but the western response to truths given in eastern philosophies is to disregard them by calling them 'nice philosophy.' Anyway, I enjoyed the communication.
Regards .G.
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