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The first one looked almost exactly like what was taught to me as Jo 1 while the other spinny stuff had elements of Jo 2 but not the same movement. My home dojo in Hawaii was a former Ki Aikido dojo that ended up Yuishinkai.
The first one looked almost exactly like what was taught to me as Jo 1 while the other spinny stuff had elements of Jo 2 but not the same movement. My home dojo in Hawaii was a former Ki Aikido dojo that ended up Yuishinkai.
Then we come from the same lineage! My late teacher, Gayle Fillman Sensei's, direct teacher was Richard Kahoalii Sensei in Humboldt County but with ties to the folks in Hawaii and she traveled there several times to train directly with Tohei Sensei both before and after "the split."
Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
Then we come from the same lineage! My late teacher, Gayle Fillman Sensei's, direct teacher was Richard Kahoalii Sensei in Humboldt County but with ties to the folks in Hawaii and she traveled there several times to train directly with Tohei Sensei both before and after "the split."
O'Sensei's jo misogi was a spiritual practice - calling down the kami - and some believe it was also a part of his internal strength training do develop aiki - CF Ellis Amdur "Hidden in Plain Sight" so the idea of tenshi - "heaven and earth" - as in standing on the bridge btwn was both a spiritual and a martial concept.
You asked the purpose of twirling and leaping by Tohei Sensei and my reply was, and is, he was a direct student of O'Sensei and got it directly from O'Sensei for whatever reasons O'Sensei did it.
Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
Tohei Sensei was also a student of Shin Shin Toitsu which was a spiritual discipline, and a lot of the movements he developed were designed to help unify the mind and body. Ki is an example of a spiritual/internal concept, although it can be easily misunderstood. Still working on understanding myself, but I seem to be able to use it at a basic level.
O'Sensei's jo misogi was a spiritual practice - calling down the kami - and some believe it was also a part of his internal strength training do develop aiki - CF Ellis Amdur "Hidden in Plain Sight" so the idea of tenshi - "heaven and earth" - as in standing on the bridge btwn was both a spiritual and a martial concept.
You asked the purpose of twirling and leaping by Tohei Sensei and my reply was, and is, he was a direct student of O'Sensei and got it directly from O'Sensei for whatever reasons O'Sensei did it.
By the same logic, and given posts #2 and #4, you are "calling down the kami".
As far as I understand it by now, Ueshiba's misogi no jo - i.e. spiritual movement - was different from his aiki jo - i.e. martial movement.
Plus, I understood, that the spiritual practice of Tohei sensei - i.e. Shin shin toitsu dô - was different from that of Ueshiba - i.e. Ômoto kyo.
So allthough I am not competent to judge the movement of Tohei sensei's jo shown in this vid, I'm pretty sure that it is different from Ueshibas misogi no jo. The more so because Tohei sensei emphasized that he did not follow Ueshiba's spiritual way.
Last edited by Carsten Möllering : 01-23-2015 at 02:58 AM.
My understanding is that the founder was a religious person and a part of an organized religious group (Ômoto kyo) for most of his life. My understanding is that at some point Tohei was part of Shin shin toitsu dô (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinshi...8Ditsu-d%C5%8D) which is described as Japanese Yoga. Calling them and their practices "spiritual" is probably correct and not very useful.
I know Shin shin toitsu to some degree because I used to practice from time to time with an actual member of Tempukai who is living in our region. Also my first teacher was a student of this member of the Tempukai and adapted some or their practice.
And yes: It is spiritual. Misogi is an important part of it. Also chanting. And some other Elements at least I understand as "spiritual".
I know Shin shin toitsu to some degree because I used to practice from time to time with an actual member of Tempukai who is living in our region. Also my first teacher was a student of this member of the Tempukai and adapted some or their practice.
And yes: It is spiritual. Misogi is an important part of it. Also chanting. And some other Elements at least I understand as "spiritual".
I am guessing that Tohei didn't claim to be possessed by a deity the way the founder did, which puts him on a different "spiritual" shelf in my mental library at least.
Can your knowledge of Shin shin toitsu contribute to the understanding of twirling and jumping?
I am guessing that Tohei didn't claim to be possessed by a deity the way the founder did, which puts him on a different "spiritual" shelf in my mental library at least.
Well, yes. That's exactly whtat I tried to say, when I wrote: "So allthough I am not competent to judge the movement of Tohei sensei's jo shown in this vid, I'm pretty sure that it is different from Ueshibas misogi no jo. The more so because Tohei sensei emphasized that he did not follow Ueshiba's spiritual way." Isn't it?
Quote:
Can your knowledge of Shin shin toitsu contribute to the understanding of twirling and jumping?
I am guessing that Tohei didn't claim to be possessed by a deity the way the founder did, which puts him on a different "spiritual" shelf in my mental library at least.
That's really all any Japanese martial art was ever for....to be possessed by a deity and embody her qualities. Until the modern period anyway.
Well, yes. That's exactly whtat I tried to say, when I wrote: "So allthough I am not competent to judge the movement of Tohei sensei's jo shown in this vid, I'm pretty sure that it is different from Ueshibas misogi no jo. The more so because Tohei sensei emphasized that he did not follow Ueshiba's spiritual way." Isn't it?
A word that comes to mind that describes the founder - a shaman. A proper chanting, stick twirling, spirit-possessed and vision experiencing shaman.
So I agree and think that the founder was a shaman, and Tohei wasn't.
Here is an #Aikido video of Koichi Tohei performing jo kata.
What are your thoughts on this video?
-- Jun
A film from the 1960's way before he split with Aikikia. O'sensei was probably still alive. I saw this and other films that my Sensei had in 1984. My Sensei was a student of Shuji Maruyama when he taught in Cleveland, Ohio.
Folks
Looking at this video and having some occasions to train with him here in California in the '70s....what I remember..... Tohei Sensei talked being practical....the quick movement seen in the video relates to movement without counting...which means movement without conscience thought. If you count you have to be in the thinking mind and that slows you down. Moving this fast requires that your footwork be precise or you can't make it happen.....you have fast precise movement without thought. As for the hopping...relates to jumping down, never up. A way to teach the idea and concepts of weight drop.
Talked with another friend of mine who spent time with Tohei Sensei in Hawaii as well as in the San Diego area during the same time frame and he agrees with the above......though this was not all of what Tohei Sensei was about.......