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Old 05-24-2012, 07:44 PM   #1
graham christian
Dojo: golden center aikido-highgate
Location: london
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,697
England
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Spiritual and i/p

Time for a differentiation, or should I say my differentiation between Aikido and i/p.

I notice lately it's become more 'regular' to use the word 'aiki' to represent i/p as if it is the natural aiki of aikido. This I believe is far from the case and thus the purpose of this thread.

I/P is given as tracing from chinese this and that and seen as being 'hidden' from the western or even those outside certain inner circles. This may well be the case in a lot of instances but the paranoia that goes with it I find amusing. Firstly because I think it doesn't apply to Ueshibas Aikido and secondly because it is possible for most in this day and age, if they are dedicated enough to go and find a good teacher of such things.

So what's the big secret? Nothing.

Back to Aikido. Here's the thing, Ueshiba's Aikido was not to do with internal power as per I/P or I/S. It was different. In fact I would say that i/p is more for health, body health.

I bet for some of you this sounds like quite a statement. Well when compared to the potential of Aikido and true aiki then that's what it looks like to me. In fact I will attempt to put it into a perspective which you may or may not agree with but nonetheless will see a perspective you may not have seen before.

Purpose. You would have to look at purpose. After the war Ueshiba gave a new purpose and said this path could be trodden through this martial art called Aikido. It was given as a spiritual path which would lead to enlightenment and bring peace and harmony to the world. A spiritual path.

Thus he told Hikitsuchi he was changing everything and that the truth was budo is love. Of course many didn't understand him and still today many don't but those on various spiritual paths do as it makes total sense to them and they may not even do Aikido.

Meanwhile, back inside the martial arts world for those induces by physical power and combat and neat tricks then they can but look elsewhere for these tricks to make their martial art more effective. Well, these tricks have been around for centuries and come under I/P.

The word 'tricks' is used here show the difference.

I/P and such, used in various chinese and and other arts can of course include the principles of yin and yang and 'chi' pathways in the body, and a whole load of stuff including connection to earth energy type things and thus is all well and good. Well, all of this is inherent in old texts to do with health too because that's where it has it's main purpose. That's actually what it's all about;

Now during his life being well into the martial arts and well connected Ueshiba no doubt learned all these things and to me no doubt mastered a lot of them before even the war, before Aikido.

So as far as Aikido goes I would say that it has a purpose which is spiritual, a path, but could include I/P as a minor project, one of many, but nowhere near the purpose. You'll get a healthier body, you'll learn neat tricks, you could go on to great things, but until the spiritual side is mastered then it's not the same Aikido.

I could even go as far as to say i/p is to do with the 'nature, or even 'mother nature' aspect of Aikido as with such things as tai chi etc. A connection with nature, from which your body comes and from which it will return. So lot's to learn there and harmonize with and that of itself will make you feel at least more spiritual or peep through the door at least. So I would call that the Earth side of Aikido which is universal and to do with Heaven and Earth, not just Earth.

Ueshibas Aiki was thus all embrasive, transcendant of those past i/p type things. I guarantee many of the top martial artists around knew of these things yet when meeting him found he did something completely different and thus wanted to learn. Different thus equals not like that which they had come across before and that includes all the i/p type things they had encountered in their lives.

To me it's obvious, it's hidden in plain sight. Why go backwards?

Peace.G.

Last edited by graham christian : 05-24-2012 at 07:48 PM.