View Single Post
Old 06-08-2015, 03:31 AM   #5
JW
 
JW's Avatar
Location: San Diego CA USA
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 561
Offline
Re: The Fundamental Principle of the Circle

Circles and spirals are two different things, and the founder discussed both.
I don't understand the sentiment in the above posts, are you saying the founder was mistaken to be concerned with the idea of a circle? Or is it just cool to say "spirals" whenever possible?

Or maybe you believe the word "circle" is a mistranslation of the original Japanese? I don't think so. Circles enclose space and have a center. Spirals do not. This text is clearly not discussing spirals.

I think the excerpt simply has nothing to do with the spirals of your body, or the spirals in the application of martial arts. More likely, this and the famous "first draw a circle... in other words, opposing powers. ... Just to be able to do this one thing takes about ten years" quote are just much more general, big picture ideas.

Of course the workings of the body ultimately are relevant, so the ideas should be connected if you are following his teachings. But you can train spiral connections all you want, it doesn't mean you are necessarily training to stand in the center of a circle.

It sounds to me like the idea of the circle (the "fundamental principle") is of primary importance, and it encompasses all the details. The spirals of the body, and spirals in martial application, are important details but still just some of the many details.
  Reply With Quote