The book Positive Aikido....

Hi Henry,

Thanks for your response. I don't doubt for a moment that Sensei Williams was a "hard man". I've seen his fired up, and have heard tales of the old days (nothing like as far back as your old days!)

I've left his organisation now, so can speak freely (Sensei Williams is not a fan of the internet). There are some very good people in the Ki Fed, but I agree with you about basics and think that most (myself included) have paid a high price for lacking even a little of the harder foundation that you guys received. My joke used to be that the ones most likely to use (ki) aikido effectively in a rough and tumble were those who could already fight before they started aikido. I suppose that if you're teaching it more as a way of life than a martial art then it might not matter, but that's another (off topic) subject.

For myself, I had a crisis of faith around the whole ki thing and a frustration with the insularity of the Ki Fed, so I went exploring. However, I did think it worth a mention that Abbe Sensei's top student became a ki man (hence the slightly teasy tone of my post, to which you did not bite at all.)

Anyway, I think it's fair to say that Sensei Williams's contribution to British aikido has been pretty massive, and it's nice to hear someone saying so.

I'll keep an eye out for the new book,
Jon

Jon

It is hard for people to understand how difficult it was in those early days to promote Aikido to a very unreceptive public.. The toughest of all were the Judo groups, yet, we could not have moved ahead as we did without their support, a support that we had to earn.
Some of the early teachers changed their direction, I couldn't ( wouldn't ) or maybe I just didn't want to..
I speak to Sensei Williams occasionally, I accept that he is not too fond of the internet, he has though shown an interest in the events we have held " Kenshiro Abbe 50th " and the " Masahilo Nakazono Event " ....He was also upset at the recent death of Haydn Foster Sensei... There is still a bond between Abbe Snsei's old students.

Henry Ellis
Aikido in MMA
http://rik-ellis.blogspot.com/

Graham Jenkins wrote: How does that contradict what I said?

To elaborate, the translation of "bu" as "stopping the spear" is based on an erractic notation in a Chinese text (Shunju Sashi-den). The character on the bottom which means "stop" in current usage is from the character for foot, and with the character for halberd the kanji "bu" originally meant "to advance with a spear (halberd)", which is a pretty good description of "war", if you ask me.

Best,

Chris

Christopher Li wrote: To elaborate, the translation of "bu" as "stopping the spear" is based on an erractic notation in a Chinese text (Shunju Sashi-den). The character on the bottom which means "stop" in current usage is from the character for foot, and with the character for halberd the kanji "bu" originally meant "to advance with a spear (halberd)", which is a pretty good description of "war", if you ask me. Best, Chris

Interesting...
I'm certainly not in a position to dispute that - knowing little about the etymology of kanji...however, the sources I took my definition from were Japanese, and life-long students of budo, so i'm loathe to cast aside their definition.

Graham Jenkins wrote: Interesting... I'm certainly not in a position to dispute that - knowing little about the etymology of kanji...however, the sources I took my definition from were Japanese, and life-long students of budo, so i'm loathe to cast aside their definition.

Yes, I know Saotome pretty well, and he's a student of budo but not a translator. Also, often Japanese are speaking metaphorically rather than literally when that "definition" is brought up.

Best,

Chris