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Old 11-21-2012, 02:12 PM   #69
ChrisMoses
Dojo: TNBBC (Icho Ryu Aiki Budo), Shinto Ryu IaiBattojutsu
Location: Seattle, WA
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 927
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Re: Is aiki a clash of forces?

I realize that to some, a degree of radio silence and repeated cries of IHTBF! may seem as if some elitist clique are simply avoiding answering direct questions, being disingenuous with their efforts or even being intentionally vague to drum up all that sweet sweet seminar cash.

Personally, I don't go into details much on public forums because 1) I've tried, and my comments are often misunderstood, 2) I think it's nearly impossible to discuss this stuff in detail without some degree of physical contact and 3) everyone thinks they do that too and tries to relate it to what they already know (which leads back to #1).

I really believe that there's NO point to going into details on open forums. They're great for drumming up interest and connecting with folks who want to play. That's it. Even with videos and all the detailed verbage we can muster, it's just going to end badly. This is why we can't have nice things...

Now, I can have some pretty meaningful conversations with folks who I have previously had physical contact with or who have even had contact with similar people. What Hunter has offered makes complete sense to me and I'm almost positive we could have some pretty detailed and fruitful conversations long distance. I've met him in person, but I don't remember if we've ever even done pushout together. Lorel and I have never met in person, but we've had some really good conversations and both offered some interesting lines of study to each other. Even then, sometimes we hit the, "I'd have to feel it..." point in the conversation. I'm so bummed I was super sick this summer when I went to Hawaii, because I really wanted to meet and feel Chris Li. Maybe next time...

In 2005(?) I commented on a video of Ark and Rob and said, "yeah, we do that too, looks totally familiar..." then I went and met them, and came back and said I was wrong. Sure, what they were doing LOOKED really similar. I know folks have watched some of the short videos Jeremy and I have thrown out there and said, "yeah, we do that, looks about the same" but you never REALLY know until you feel it. "But wait!" you cry, "all you elitist IP/IS snobs sure like to comment on OTHER people's videos and say you DON'T see IT!" Yes, fair enough. I would say that with a certain amount of understanding, you do become able to see *to an extent* what we're talking about in videos. Sorry, but that's the best I can do on that one. That probably seems really unfair.

Another piece that I think gets lost in the anatomical deconstructs/hypotheses is that a LOT of the training that folks are doing centers on various visualizations. It's fine to talk about the psoas and fascia chains, but it's another to actually start to propriocept and control various parts of the body that are in play. The body is a complex system and it's not helpful to simply isolate down to a particular muscle group. The body exists as a system and this is in many ways an exploration of treating the body as a system rather than an assembly of parts. I think this is one of the reasons that western style weight lifting is so counter productive to internal skill training. But most of us haven't felt the kind of coordination that we're talking about, so again, you have to feel it, then humbly go back to what you're doing and admit, you ain't doing much! Then you shut up and get back to work. Actually, that's not entirely true, I usually just keep asking questions until Dan threatens to make me pay extra for hogging all the time.

Chris Moses
TNBBC, "Putting the ME in MEdiocre!"
Budo Tanren at Seattle School of Aikido
Shinto Ryu Iai-Battojutsu
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