View Single Post
Old 06-12-2003, 04:22 AM   #3
PeterR
 
PeterR's Avatar
Dojo: Shodokan Honbu (Osaka)
Location: Himeji, Japan
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,319
Japan
Offline
Re: What's the problem with Ki?

Hi Brian;

So who was the 6th Dan? Names my boy I want names. And good for you for a bit of cross-training.

That said you don't here the term at Shodokan (Tomiki's own dojo) Honbu either. Last I checked it wasn't in the West. Not that we don't know what it is or (side glance at Kelly) because we fear it, but simply because it has taken on a loaded meaning which is far better described through physical terms. We have a whole series of powers (movement, focus, etc.) and then the more mystical Ki. I believe in many Ki society dojos that term is more encompassing.

I once had a visitor from these forums at Shodokan Honbu who was Ki Society - his comment was that the deshi (apprentice) showed some very powerful Ki. That deshi had he heard would have looked over, shrugged and continued to train. It is not something we particularily dwell on.

I think the same thing could be said of the majority of Aikido dojos in Japan. Yes Ki does mean alot of different things but ---

Ki is often part of a paired kanji.

Tenki - weather

Aiki - well what we do.

It is rare to hear it in isolation even if wood would come up in the conversation. It is actually quite strange to hear Ki is isolation.
Quote:
Bryan Bateman (batemanb) wrote:
From another thread:

I often wonder why people say things like this?

Many people over here in the west seem to have problems with the word "ki", in fact a 6th dan from Tomiki Aikido said to me at the weekend that he never used or mentioned the word in his classes.

Ki is a Japanese word that has many meanings, amongst them:

"heart", "spirit", "mood", "mind".

It's right there slap bang in the middle of Ai-ki-do, why is it such a problem for some that do the art?

I can hazard a guess to why some dislike it, but since we use it in its native form, I'm very interested to know what the issues are here?

Love, light, joy and laughter

Bryan

Peter Rehse Shodokan Aikido
  Reply With Quote