Quote:
|
Mark Gibbons wrote:
Quote:
|
Erick Mead wrote:
...
The principle of juji tells me that aikido technique is applied without any component of force in-line and directly resisting. ...
|
Erick,
Could you give a little background on the principle of juji? New term for me and google wasn't giving anything that helped.
Thanks,
Mark
|
Such a simple question ...
Juji [ 十 字 ] is the "cross shape." It means perpendicularity; the number ten; symbolizes connection without conflict; complementarity; the meeting of of heaven (vertical) and earth (horizontal), which intersect at the center.
Those all suggest the physical or mechanical manifestations of technique according to the juji priinciple. There are deeper and more psychological aspects of this teaching that confirm my interpretation, at least as I see it.
O Sensei, in one Doka, even referred to the art as [ 十 字 道 ]"jujido" "Way of the Cross-Shape" and mentioned the Cross-Shape in several other places in the Doka also.
From Abe Sensei's translation:
Quote:
|
O Sensei Doka wrote:
The spiritual essence of the Heavens and Earth
Congealing becomes the Way of the Cross-Shape +
Harmony and Joy make up the Floating Bridge
That binds this world together.
The "Cross Of Aiki" (Love-Ki)
Of the structure of the Great and Swift God
The meritorious deeds (samuhara) of the
God of the Eight Powers.
Ah, the precious Izu and Mizu
Together, the Cross of Aiki
Advance with courage
In the voice of Mizu
|
The eight powers are the hachi-riki. of the formula "ichi-rei, shikon, sangen, hachi-riki." "One spirit, four souls, three origins, eight powers." The One Spirit is the One Creator God (according to Omoto/Shinto metaphysical teaching) or the True Self according to other more psychological interpretations.
According to one interpretation (Stevens) Izu and Mizu symbolized by the joined lines are the male and female principles, in/yo, Mother and Father figures of creative aikido technique. According to another ( Abe Sensei) Izu and Mizu are the ura and omote principles of the Ichi-rei - Mizu is principle manifest, Izu is principle hidden. An image of Earth/Heaven or Tenchi intersecting at the center.
Juji can thus also be metaphysically (or psychologically) considered (based on the second Doka) to represent the intersection of the Shikon (four souls) as one Spirit. The four souls can be mapped onto the eight powers as an in/yo exposition.
The four souls are:
Ara-mitama -- prinicple of boldness, willingness, resolve, perseverance, diligence, and fortitude.
Nigi-mitama -- priniciple of affinity, peace, discipline, order, governance and association.
Sachi-mitama -- prinicple of love, benefit, creation, production, evolution, and nurture.
Kushi-mitama -- princple of wisdom, skill, sensibility, observation, awareness, and enlightenment.
The eight powers are (in roughly the same order as their relationship to the four souls)
Moving -- Stilling
Contracting -- Expanding
Dissolving -- Congealing
Combining -- Dividing
The sangen (three origins) in Omoto thought are aspects of this cyclic connection function of musubi:
Iku-musubi: harmonization, vapor, fluidity;
Tara-musubi: inhalation, liquid, unification;
Tamatsume-musubi: exhalation, solid, solidity;
O Sensei identified the image of juji with the concept of musubi "connection"
These map onto another formula of O Sensei's "Masakatsu Agatsu Katsuhayabi." "True victory. Self victory. Day of swift victory."
Quote:
|
O Sensei "Take musu Aiki" wrote:
Masakatsu represents the masculine fire element of the left; Agatsu stands for the feminine water element of the right; Katsu-hayabi is the perfect combination of both that empowers the techniques.
|
Musubi takes "self" (vertical) and "other" (horizontal) and joins them into a whole (juji) without destroying the essence of either.
Understood in this way, the juji + image ties the whole "Ichi-rei ..." formula together and links it with several other of O Sensei's prominent teaching concepts.
So to comport with the principle of juji from the metaphysical or pscychological interpretation - aikido movement and technique must be at once bold, orderly, accommodating and calculated.
Or expressed differently, determined, non-conflicting, accepting of change, and subtle.