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Old 03-24-2012, 05:09 PM   #3
Chris Li
 
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Dojo: Aikido Sangenkai
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Re: Heart leads mind, mind leads qi, qi leads strength

Quote:
Lorel Latorilla wrote: View Post
Posted from another board by me:

The heart leads mind, the mind leads qi, the qi leads the power". Sounds like a catchphrase hippies would say but I think this is something physical/phenomenal that applies to our daily training. I've been talking to this Daito Ryu guy and has been talking about intent a lot and how intent initiates movement--it actually leads the qi FIRST, the energy, which then leads the body to be configured in such a way that it becomes strong and stable. This expression refers to a sequence that occurs in movement. It is very subtle and probably happens in a millisecond. But our awareness of it is crucial for getting that "strength" that we want. The one thing that I am still unsure about is the "heart leads mind" aspect, something that occurs before intent "mind leads qi". You guys have any ideas on what this "heart leads mind" refers to in physical reality?
These are the three internal harmonies, from Chinese internal martial arts. In Japanese:

心と意の合・意と気の合・気と力の合

Usually people say "Mind leads intent, intent leads Ki, Ki leads power".

In Asian vernacular "mind" (the intellectual decision) and "intent" (the focusing of the mind on that decision) are seen as two separate actions.

If you Google it with relation to (for example) Taiji or other internal arts you should come up with quite a bit of information.

Some interesting pieces by Morihei Ueshiba that also cite the three harmonies (with just slightly different wording) may appear in my blog at some point.

FWIW...

Best,

Chris

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