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Old 02-09-2011, 05:33 PM   #35
graham christian
Dojo: golden center aikido-highgate
Location: london
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,697
England
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Re: Spiritual Discipline Driils-Ki (ip?)

Quote:
Jon Reading wrote: View Post
I think this is kinda my point. For example, this thread began with a post from you implying, yet not confirming, a video clip was internal strength training. Yet in this thread you claim there is nothing missing from your training. If internal strength training is part of your training, and you know the exercises for IP/IS training, then I think you are sending a mixed message. If you don't know what is IP/IS training and you are proposing an exercise about which you are soliciting advice that is a different matter. In that case, you are correlating the video exercise with what you believe to be internal strength training. Why not just ask an IS/IP guy if you are unsure? While I wouldn't hang em upside down and whack 'em with a stick, they all seem professional and amiable to answer a post now and then.

Where was IP/IS in the principles you share with your students? In your post you cited several principles but did not include internal strength. So again, is IP/IS part of your training, or is it not; is it a smaller part of a larger component, or a larger component unmentioned? We are so unspecific in our curriculum and "principles" we can't even keep them straight.

I am trying to limit my comments to the discussion of IP/IS in aikido, with some overlapping observations I have about aikido at large. Internal strength training is a good topic right now because we are breaking through some of the prejudices facing it. But if we cannot even be honest with ourselves, we have no chance of having the necessary conversations to figure out what we are doing. If I were tutoring a student in math, would I be able to use the response, "it's all good. you'll see the answer when you're ready."? Of course not. No, at some point in time we have an obligation to our students to teach them something concrete. Again, understanding that for a period of time, "I don't know" is acceptable as an answer. What happens when "I don't know" becomes "I don't care" and you never find the answer to why "center" principle works...

Right now, I believe Ikeda Sensei is the most humble man on the mat. You look at a guy doing shihan aikido and he breaks himself down and starts working to improve his aikido (and how to disseminate it), in front of everyone. I see people rethinking their aikido and I am impressed, not only by what they are doing physically...they can explain the stuff better, too. I am following the aikido that can be explained to me because I want to learn it. Nothing mystical, nothing magical. Creepy, yes.
HI once again Jon. In the title I did pose the question but that's all. I did not say that what I do is what the IP guys call IP. I don't know exactly what they call IP but from what I've read on these forums about it I don't see anything new to me.
I see the mention of ground force and when I hear it explained I recognise it, it's what I've been doing for years as Koshi. When I hear center line mentioned I recognise that too and have done the same. When I hear about center and one point and connection I recognise them also and once again have been teaching that for years.
So, having learned these from Aikido and then hearing people like yourself saying it's not in Aikido then I can but wonder.
So the comment on it's all good was on comment on this view that I see what they seem to be explaining already in Aikido. So saying it's an answer to a student is a bit off.
If you want to be honest then I would say that is a correct attitude so I would ask for those studying IP to be honest from this viewpoint:
When talking about center are you talking about a physical thing?
When talking about one point, which has been shown on the discussions can be moved for example to the hand, is that a physical thing?
Is center line a physical thing?
No.
Honesty would in fact lead one to understand the physical, the mental, the energy and the spiritual in equal measure. If one cannot see this or understand it then so be it but does that mean I call them dishonest and deluded? No. Yet for me understanding the physical and more, for those only interested in physical could say I'm being vague or unreal and in fact imply dishonesty. Mmmm. I can only smile and understand their view, It's not for me to make anyone wrong and so as I said I let them be.
If someone in IP feels they can learn something from me then they can ask me or if they feel it is totally different from what I do then they can tell me so, then I'll know so I don't see any problem.
The purpose is what I look at. If it's in order to beat someone or overpower them or win a contest then I'm not interested. If it's how to harmonise completely then I am already well advanced in this. As with anyone else on the planet if I see something I'm looking for of course I'll ask about it so again no problem there.
I assume nothing about you yet you appear to assume something about me. What can I say? Only keep on your path and you will find what you're looking for.
Regards. G.
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