Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > AikiWeb System

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 01-23-2002, 02:20 PM   #26
cconstantine
 
cconstantine's Avatar
Dojo: Kinokawa Aikido
Location: Pennsylvania USA
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 49
United_States
Offline
Re: Re: Re: Re: a more subtle meaning...

Quote:
Originally posted by Sarah
<There's more, but it's a bit long to repeat. You can go read it upthread.>

Um - having read and reread your reply I am still at a loss as to why uke blends.Your answer doesn't seem to address this at all. It just says that when you take ukemi you try to blend.

Come to think of it, I would also like to know what you mean by 'blending'. I thought I knew but I am becoming less and less sure that I do.
First: Follow your dojo and your sensei. :)
If my expressed thoughts really strike an idea in your mind, ask your sensei or instructors. I'm not in any way trying to preach. I'm really just trying to air my ideas to see what others think. (AND my apologies up; This is a MONSTER of a post.)

Chris Satori <upthread> also expressed a counter opinion. I was going to speak to his points, but didn't have enough time to spare at work that day. hehe... I'll try again now (to explain more clearly).

#0 (numbering at Sarah's suggestion)

Uke's primary concern, really, should be the personal safety of oneself and of nage. This is the distinction been practice (by definition) and "getting jumped in an alley." To this end, uke often does things no real attacker would do. Witness pulled atemis and puches, break falls, and basically ukemi in general. Obviously, high level nages need no "carefulness" from uke -- but it's still an important concept when training.

For non-newbie level ukes and nages (say, uke and nage are abouve 3rd kyu). #0 becomes pretty trivial. Uke is well practiced at taking ukemi and this becomes second nature. Uke can aproach closer and closer to the "fine line" between practice and a REAL attack.

Now I'm going to ignore all this stuff under #0 for the rest of this message. Personal safety is not the reason I keep saying "blend uke, blend." :)

#1 (my original #1 upthread)

My purpose, when I'm in the dojo is to train, and I train for self improvement. I'm specifically NOT there to stroke anyone's ego, show off, do neat techniques that look cool, etc. In the dojo I am priveleged to have the opportunity to grow and improve in many ways; Uke waza, Nage waza and acting in the traditional instruction role to name just three obvious ones. (In our dojo, the ikkyu students are sometimes asked to teach the classes with "less advanced or newbie students" when a regular instructor is unable to attend. This doesn't happen often and is normally arranged in advance of the class. I digress...) Nage waza and instruction are off topic. So here, I'm focusing on uke waza.

How do I grow through uke waza? It's quite simple (in principle.) By practicing the same things that I hold fundamental in all aspects of my aikido training. Extend ki, keep one point, and blend. ("blend" being the wishy washy topic of my discourse). Ki and one point aren't the topic at hand here. So, on with "blend". What do I mean by "blend" and why blend at all.

Aikido is not, and cannot be performed in a vacuum. Chris pointed out upthread that O'Sensei did not require nor care about cooperation from uke. But, saying "uke blend!" does not mean "uke, cooperate with nage so nage can throw you!" I agree with Chris (aikido works, cooperation from uke is irrelevant.) Witness O'Sensei and countless examples I'm sure we've all seen in our own dojo.

Ok, Craig, what exactly then, is "blend"?

Aikido implies, by definition (ai ki), that you should be one with the universe. You cannot ignore uke -- O'Sensei certainly didn't ignore uke.

"one with the universe". That's a little too ethereal for me to grasp. So I start by thinking of this in layers. On the most trivial ("least important", not "most simple to master") layer, certain techniques will operate a certain way in certain situations. So it's important to stand correctly, move correctly, do the technique correctly while still being able to adapt (stance, movement, technique) slightly or greatly as is appropriate for the one moment you are in. To me at this level it's: uke attacks, nage applies a technique, uke is dead/immobilized/disarmed/on-the-floor/whatever. Uke's cooperation is irrelevant. Nage wins. Period.

At the next deeper level, nage's ki and extension blend (blend in the plain english sense) with uke's. My(nage) ki and your(uke) ki are the same ki in a kitchen blender. I have learned that I can't keep one point, or extend ki unless I get beyond the previous "trivial" layer I discussed just above. (ie, do it without thinking)

Ok, so now I'm moving and applying techniques as I'm nage. I'm trying not to get in my own way of being one with the universe. And my ki is blending (plain english sense) with uke's. To me, these concepts are obvious because uke has ki wether uke knows aikido or not. Aikido uke's have lots more ki and they extend too, but it's still just ki.

Now let me flip over to being in the uke role. The first layer still holds. You can't throw a shomen uchi, tsuki, whatever you like unless you move, keep one point and extend. ..well, you can, but it's more powerful if I do those things, and I'm certainly not going to practice NOT extending ki and NOT keeping one point when I throw strikes. And, regardless of what I do, my uke ki blends(plain english) with nage wether I want to believe so or not.

(staying in uke's role here..)

Now, if I am extending ki as uke, how can I NOT be and do all the things that I do as nage when I extend ki. As uke I feel nage's ki, I know where nage is, I know where nage is leading my ki, where nage is leading my mind. To me, there is NO time when I am not "living aikido". So no suspention of aikido just because I'm an uke. (I hope that doesn't make me sound like an aikido nut. :)

Now two uke examples:

(call this "top" of a rainbow spectrum)
I uke for a 4th dan. I attack honest-to-goodness-no-bullshit. I try to keep one point, but try to take their head off. (blur) I'm on the floor. :) #0 of course saved my ass from injury without thought.

(and this "bottom")
Next, I'm uke for a college girl (imagine she's 10+ years and 130+ pounts my junior. Note: I'm a big burly sweaty 250 6' teddy bear) during her 20th class. I attack with focus, keeping one point of course. I slow the attack down but still bring the intention to the situation. She moves, she extends a little teeny tiny bit of ki, she takes my one point, I fall, finish.

Obviously, I've got the two extreme ends of a rainbow there. Blend (not the plain english "blend" here on out) means keeping my ki feelers out there from the bottom example to the top example. I'm blown away (blur, whack) at the top, I'm totally-aware at the bottom. In fact at the bottom, I can work with nage to set them up to extend ki, to set them up to find my one point, to feel my ki, etc.

"cooperation" are those annoying uke's who take a dive, or fall over at the touch of a finger.

To blend is to sense uke's ki. At the bottom, blending lets me intentionally stay just on the verge of losing one point to kindle that little tiny bit of nage's ki that's extending. At the high end, through blending I learn to sense nage's ki. (blur whack) no clue what happened. A few months later (blur whack) hey, I felt nage's ki. I understand what he did when HE blended with me. This encourages me to extend more ki, to notice when I've lost one point and to regain one point. Suddenly, my uke waza is a critical to my "whole life aikido training" as is my nage waza.

Blending gives uke power (not "strength".) Power to be sure #0 functions for safety. Power to present nage with a SURPRISE! brick wall. smack. Aha nage, wasn't extending... "cooperating" ukes can do none of those things.

Chris wrote
Quote:
You can practice Aikido, or you can blend. Sadly you cannot do both.
It's my opinion that you cannot practice aikido UNLESS you blend at all times. I can't practice by saying "I'm doing technique foo and you're going down." It's different every time, I can't ignore uke. I have to be aware of uke, feel uke, be in one point.

'Blend' is much easier to say.

What I cannot tell is if Chris and I have the same idea but our language(that "blend" word) is different. It sounds to me that he's saying what I believe. O'Sensei simply "was". He didn't have to "do". Uke attacked, O'Sensei blended with uke's ki, led uke's ki, etc etc etc. (blur whack). (My language, definitely not Chris's.)

aside: this took an hour to write. I think I just saw an email that sarah just posted more, so this is going to appear after her post, even though I haven't read it...

-Craig
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 02:58 PM   #27
Sarah
Dojo: Aikido Shinryukan Canterbury
Location: New Zealand
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 21
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by Erik

WRT imaginary nages



Yes!
Fun isn't it! Silly, but fun.

Cheers
Sarah

Makes yonkyo less painful too
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 03:29 PM   #28
Erik
Location: Bay Area
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,200
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by Sarah
Fun isn't it! Silly, but fun.
Believe it or not, I'm actually being serious (mostly) which is probably the part that will scare you.

I'll start a thread on it one of these days.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 03:56 PM   #29
guest1234
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 915
Offline
Me too... and as hard as irimi nage is to be 'nage' for, it is even more of a challenge to be uke for an imaginary nage...
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 04:42 PM   #30
Sarah
Dojo: Aikido Shinryukan Canterbury
Location: New Zealand
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 21
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by Erik


Believe it or not, I'm actually being serious (mostly) which is probably the part that will scare you.

I'll start a thread on it one of these days.
I think we already have Yes I have done the imaginary nage thing in all seriousness, although not with yonkyo. It does give you an alternate perspective, paticularly on things like iriminage and kotegashi. Ikkyo is interesting, too.

I believe that things can be useful, fun and yes, a bit silly at the same time - its not uncommon for people to burst into laughter on the mat.

Cheers
Sarah
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 07:11 PM   #31
Mares
Location: Australia
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 89
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by Sarah


I think we already have Yes I have done the imaginary nage thing in all seriousness, although not with yonkyo. It does give you an alternate perspective, paticularly on things like iriminage and kotegashi. Ikkyo is interesting, too.

I believe that things can be useful, fun and yes, a bit silly at the same time - its not uncommon for people to burst into laughter on the mat.

Cheers
Sarah
Well we should enjoy our training. If you flick through O'Sensei's book Budo, you'll see he actually smiles whilst doing some techniques. However perhaps rolling on the floor clasping your stomach in fits of laughter is taking it a bit to far.

Regards
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 08:06 PM   #32
Edward
Location: Bangkok
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 803
Thailand
Offline
I guess none has yet reached the highest form of training, with both imaginary Nage and Uke, while sipping a cocktail on the beach
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 08:08 PM   #33
Erik
Location: Bay Area
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,200
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by Mares
Well we should enjoy our training. If you flick through O'Sensei's book Budo, you'll see he actually smiles whilst doing some techniques. However perhaps rolling on the floor clasping your stomach in fits of laughter is taking it a bit to far.

Regards
Really? It happens in the kid's classes all the time.

Wouldn't it be hilarious if one of the instructors at the Aikido Expo did an entire class of kid's games. 100 serious Aikido students laying on the ground laughing would be an awesome sight. Might shake the roots of the art, bring O'Sensei back from the grave and have Doshu on a plane to put a stop to it.

Kid's got this stuff figured out. It's the rest of us who take it too seriously.

Last edited by Erik : 01-23-2002 at 08:16 PM.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 08:14 PM   #34
Erik
Location: Bay Area
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,200
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by Sarah
I think we already have Yes I have done the imaginary nage thing in all seriousness, although not with yonkyo. It does give you an alternate perspective, paticularly on things like iriminage and kotegashi. Ikkyo is interesting, too.

I believe that things can be useful, fun and yes, a bit silly at the same time - its not uncommon for people to burst into laughter on the mat.
Actually, imaginary uke's have been a staple for some time where I hang out. Most of the time I'm iffy with it but one day I was teaching a class and did it. The before and after with the imaginary uke's was remarkable. Don't know why, and wouldn't consider one time to be hard evidence, but there was a very clear technical improvement that time.

If nothing else, it's an odd place to hang out, which makes it the type of thing to interest me.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 08:23 PM   #35
Sarah
Dojo: Aikido Shinryukan Canterbury
Location: New Zealand
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 21
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by Mares


Well we should enjoy our training. If you flick through O'Sensei's book Budo, you'll see he actually smiles whilst doing some techniques. However perhaps rolling on the floor clasping your stomach in fits of laughter is taking it a bit to far.

Rolling (check)
on the floor (well where else?)
clasping your stomach (not usually!)
in fits (only little ones)
of laughter (Yeah!).

I really need a tongue-in-cheek icon.

Cheers
Sarah
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 09:35 PM   #36
akiy
 
akiy's Avatar
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 6,049
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by Sarah
I really need a tongue-in-cheek icon.
I guess all I have is a "stick out tongue" smilie, huh? I went and looked for a "tongue-in-cheek" smilie that I liked, but I couldn't find one.

However, I did go and add a few more smilies and icons...

As for the invisible uke thing, I may just have to try it out tomorrow night.

-- Jun

Please help support AikiWeb -- become an AikiWeb Contributing Member!
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 10:04 PM   #37
Erik
Location: Bay Area
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,200
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by akiy
As for the invisible uke thing, I may just have to try it out tomorrow night.
Seriously, you've never done that?

  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 10:20 PM   #38
akiy
 
akiy's Avatar
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 6,049
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by Erik
Seriously, you've never done that?
I've done it myself (both with an "invisible" uke and nage (solo shihonage breakfalls, anyone?)), but never for a class I was leading...

-- Jun

Please help support AikiWeb -- become an AikiWeb Contributing Member!
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2002, 10:48 PM   #39
guest1234
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 915
Offline
At one dojo, we had a version of this that involved stopping our movements when sensei said, and hold ourb position (of course, if falling, hitting the ground was permitted ) as a way to evaluate (self- and sensei-) your balance as uke...

Another variation was to do this with a partner...and he'd let us stand there for some time looking for any signs of waivering, pointing out a nage or uke (or both ) who lacking balance was leaning on a partner...
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2002, 06:50 PM   #40
[Censored]
 
[Censored]'s Avatar
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 119
Offline
'Blend' is much easier to say...

Is it?

...this took an hour to write.

To convey your intended meaning, you spend an hour refuting or qualifying the commonly understood meanings of the word, quite possibly missing some very important points in the process.

If I was administering this forum, I would select one of these often misused and misunderstood words every month, and automatically filter it out of all new posts. (Blend, ego, and ki are on my short list.) I would like to believe this would lead to more interesting and productive dialogue.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2002, 09:17 PM   #41
Sarah
Dojo: Aikido Shinryukan Canterbury
Location: New Zealand
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 21
Offline
Originally posted by cconstantine


First: Follow your dojo and your sensei.
If my expressed thoughts really strike an idea in your mind, ask your sensei or instructors. I'm not in any way trying to preach. I'm really just trying to air my ideas to see what others think. (AND my apologies up; This is a MONSTER of a post.)



Is it ever a monster! Hey Craig, I looked at your website and one of the first things on it is how much you like to write.
So again, in the interests of bandwidth and people's patience I am going to snip large bits.

Please don't worry that I am going to take your ideas at face value and base all of my personal aiki-philosophy around them. I don't do that with my instructors let alone random people on the internet.


Chris Satori <upthread> also expressed a counter opinion. I was going to speak to his points, but didn't have enough time to spare at work that day. hehe... I'll try again now (to explain more clearly).


Frankly, I had similar concerns as Chris' - that your aiki was a bit fluffy-bunny for my taste. I did however want to find out a bit more before completely sticking my foot in it so I posed a couple of hopefully fairly unbiased and non-confrontational questions.

Now what I think is that although we would probably train in a similar manner we do not share the same English vocabulary WRT aikido - probably as a result of differing lineages and dojo cultures. I've been thinking and I cannot recall ever hearing the word "blend" in my home dojo. Join up, join with, kimasubi - these are all used for a similar set of concepts. Language guides thinking....

I'd be interested in hearing from other posters - do your teachers use the word "blend" frequently?
How about "one point" and "extend ki". Are there any other words you see used here that aren't part of your usual dojo vocabulary?


It's my opinion that you cannot practice aikido UNLESS you blend at all times. I can't practice by saying "I'm doing technique foo and you're going down." It's different every time, I can't ignore uke. I have to be aware of uke, feel uke, be in one point.

'Blend' is much easier to say.


When you share the same set of assumptions... Sometimes you have to come right out and say - pay attention to what your uke is and what she's doing.
The number of times I've felt the urge to tell my nage to stop trying to do their technique on some imaginary tall person (I'm 5'3").

It's also possible that for you, a self-described bear, it's true that without lots of give or blend in your practice you wouldn't get much useful training done at all.

I am also terribly uncomfortable with the amount of mysticising that goes on in the vicinity of aikido. Sure sometimes aikido seems to be just well, magical, but it's ordinary, everyday, repeatable stuff that anyone who is inclined to can practice and succeed at. I don't feel the need to wrap it up in appeals to "become one with the universe" or "feel the flow of ki".

In fact I sometimes think WRT martial arts,
<Cue corny kung-fu movie accent>,
"Ah so, "ki", ancient oriental sports psychology..."
<offered with sincere apologies to anyone offended by the racist stereotype>

Getting back to point zero -

When you're working with a semi-skilled and strong nage - you want to give enough energy to challenge but not enough to frustrate. This is where I feel giving, blending, going with, whatever term you like to use, for self-preservation is really at its most obvious.

I feel the spirit behind this interaction carries through into the two scenarios you've described, although as they are extremes
it's not clear how. Your college girl is unlikely to break your wrist if her kotegaishi comes on unexpectedly hard and fast through overmuscled frustration, neither are you really likely to seriously annoy your yondan by giving them one too many strong attacks they can't handle. (If in the unlikely event they can't handle your attacks safely they should at least have the self control not to get violently po'd.)

So I think that in the beginning and in the end - we give good ukemi to enable the practice of aikido without being injured. It's quite simple really, nonmystical and even a little selfish.


aside: this took an hour to write. I think I just saw an email that sarah just posted more, so this is going to appear after her post, even though I haven't read it...

-Craig


Is trivia, I wouldnt worry about it. The fun to be had with imaginary nages, who are even less likely to break your wrist.

Cheers
Sarah
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2002, 08:34 PM   #42
Chiun
Dojo: None at this time
Location: Westchester
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 1
Offline
If I were in perfect balance, I could not throw myself.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2002, 08:37 AM   #43
cconstantine
 
cconstantine's Avatar
Dojo: Kinokawa Aikido
Location: Pennsylvania USA
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 49
United_States
Offline
Quote:
Craig wrote:
'Blend' is much easier to say...

Is it?
Well, it's definitely easier for me to say "blend" than it is for me to say everything else I've said all week here. But *clearly* I'm the odd ball attaching these meanings to this particular word.

These are the hazards of training at only one dojo. Which is one of the reasons why I like to come here and swim in the bigger Aikido thoughts pond.

Quote:
To convey your intended meaning, you spend an hour refuting or qualifying the commonly understood meanings of the word, quite possibly missing some very important points in the process.
Clearly then, everyone (at least you, but I presume many others ) use blend to mean something else -- if not completely different.

Do you mean simply the normal english meaning, or something else? (If you care to ellaborate, that'd be great. If not, is the information ellaborated somewhere else that you can just point me to?)

Also, aside from your clearly taking issue with my use of the specific word *blend*. Do you have issues with the concepts and ideas that I mean when I say blend?

Quote:

If I was administering this forum, I would select one of these often misused and misunderstood words every month, and automatically filter it out of all new posts. (Blend, ego, and ki are on my short list.) I would like to believe this would lead to more interesting and productive dialogue.
...I don't think literal filtering would work, but a section on the site (maybe there already is one? Jun?) where the nuances of those key terms is at least nailed down.
I might discover their "definitions" are different from those to which I'm accustomed, but then I could correct my vocabulary (before barging into the forums) and use the common/correct vocabulary.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2002, 09:01 AM   #44
cconstantine
 
cconstantine's Avatar
Dojo: Kinokawa Aikido
Location: Pennsylvania USA
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 49
United_States
Offline
Quote:

Please don't worry that I am going to take your ideas at face value and base all of my personal aiki-philosophy around them. I don't do that with my instructors let alone random people on the internet.
...yeah, I don't know why I wrote that. (I should know aikidoka would never do such a silly thing.) When I was done writing that monster post, I thought the post sounded like I was trying to jump up on a soap box and preach to little kids. I tossed that bit trying to make sure everyone understood that I feel more like the little new kid at class blurting out my ideas to see what everyone else thinks.

Quote:

... we do not share the same English vocabulary WRT aikido - probably as a result of differing lineages and dojo cultures. I've been thinking and I cannot recall ever hearing the word "blend" in my home dojo. Join up, join with, kimasubi - these are all used for a similar set of concepts. Language guides thinking....
Bingo! This is exactly what I'm trying to sort out. I'm clearly not using the same vocabulary. It seems plausible that I'm expousing on the same ideas though.

'kimasubi', what's that? Jun! Word number two for that new section "simple aikido terms that have significant meaning"...

Quote:

I'd be interested in hearing from other posters - do your teachers use the word "blend" frequently?
How about "one point" and "extend ki". Are there any other words you see used here that aren't part of your usual dojo vocabulary?
Our staple diet of vocabulary words would start with (most frequently served first ): keep one-point, extend ki, and weight underside. (I'm ducking here, because I haven't seen that vocabulary ANYWHERE else.... How about "relaxed and heavy" instead of 'weight underside'?) My version of "blend" wouldn't make my top three list...
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2002, 10:21 PM   #45
Sarah
Dojo: Aikido Shinryukan Canterbury
Location: New Zealand
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 21
Offline
Originally posted by cconstantine


Well, it's definitely easier for me to say "blend" than it is for me to say everything else I've said all week here. But *clearly* I'm the odd ball attaching these meanings to this particular word.

snip

Clearly then, everyone (at least you, but I presume many others ) use blend to mean something else -- if not completely different.

Do you mean simply the normal english meaning, or something else? (If you care to ellaborate, that'd be great. If not, is the information ellaborated somewhere else that you can just point me to?)

The Pocket Oxford dictionary lists 4 meanings which may all have relevance to discussions about aikido. Which is the normal one?

Also, aside from your clearly taking issue with my use of the specific word *blend*. Do you have issues with the concepts and ideas that I mean when I say blend?


Now I dunno about Chris, but it's references to `deeper meanings' that actually sets my `kook alarm' off. Blend can start to mean any thing to them, as you seem to be aware as you put a bit of a disclaimer in one of earlier posts.

Paticulary when someone in the dim distant past said something along the lines of `Aikido is blending', sounding as though he was sharing wisdom from on high and expecting the rest of us to chant 'amen'. While, I might add, implying that my initial comment was somehow shallower than his convoluted ramble.

(OK, so I was a little peeved about that. I felt that you missed possibly the most important word in the post in your headlong rush to correct a mistake that wasn't actually in there! And there weren't even that many words >:| )

I now believe that the kook alarm registered a false positive in your case

The problem is that if we have different meanings for the word blend, without the hours of explanation it is futile to even try to discuss concepts. We have to share a vocabulary first!



...I don't think literal filtering would work, but a section on the site (maybe there already is one? Jun?) where the nuances of those key terms is at least nailed down.


I don't think that these terms get 'nailed down'. They just get argued about. Often people end up agreeing to differ.


I might discover their "definitions" are different from those to which I'm accustomed, but then I could correct my vocabulary (before barging into the forums) and use the common/correct vocabulary.


There is already an interesting language section on this site -look to the top left of the page. I paticularly liked Jun's bit about common instances of ai and ki in everyday Japanese.
Personally, I think your vocabulary is not so much incorrect, as not so strictly defined as you'd perhaps like it to be.
'frinstance `blend'. (Are you as sick of that word as I am yet?)
WRT aikido, you say 'what happens in a food mixer'. I say 'what a watercolour artist may do with colours'. Already we've got a slight difference in connotation. Gotta love English!

FWIW, I didn't even vote in the poll. There wasn't a box for "maybe".

Cheers
Sarah

Last edited by Sarah : 01-26-2002 at 10:29 PM.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2002, 07:38 AM   #46
guest1234
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 915
Offline
I don't think 'Aikido is blend' is any more of a 'kook' (is that a word?) statement than 'Aikido is atemi'. What is entertaining is people's reactions to those statements, usually because either the speaker or the listener inserts a percentage (most often 95% )...

Instead of rushing into battle to defend the word and percentage so near and dear to one's own heart, why not take the entertaining route? I am fairly confident I can identify the sytle preference and/or personality traits of those who go for the 'percent' statements involving 'Aikido' and 'is' with usually one or two other words. And let it be. We all know there are different ways of seeing and doing, no need to label those do not who follow one's personal preferences as 'kooks'.

Last edited by guest1234 : 01-27-2002 at 07:58 AM.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2002, 08:20 AM   #47
guest1234
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 915
Offline
PS to Cconstantine,

I would define "MUSUBI" as a harmonious connection, or unity. "KIMASUBI", as someone else states above, well, it's new to me...perhaps similar to musubi, or perhaps what Tanto called the Lone Ranger...
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2002, 01:44 PM   #48
Sarah
Dojo: Aikido Shinryukan Canterbury
Location: New Zealand
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 21
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by ca
PS to Cconstantine,

I would define "MUSUBI" as a harmonious connection, or unity. "KIMASUBI", as someone else states above, well, it's new to me...perhaps similar to musubi, or perhaps what Tanto called the Lone Ranger...
It could well be kimusubi. Or ki musubi. My spelling is pretty bad in English and non existant in Japanese. The translation/explanation my instructor gives is 'to tie a knot in ki'.

Cheers
Sarah
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2002, 03:38 PM   #49
Sarah
Dojo: Aikido Shinryukan Canterbury
Location: New Zealand
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 21
Offline
Originally posted by ca
I don't think 'Aikido is blend' is any more of a 'kook' (is that a word?) statement than 'Aikido is atemi'. What is entertaining is people's reactions to those statements, usually because either the speaker or the listener inserts a percentage (most often 95% )...

Then there was the person who tried out the free class at my dojo, and then proceeded to tell a few of us about this sort of delayed action vulcan death grip, by which you can shake someone's hand and a week later they fall down dead. (As far as I know noone teaches this at my dojo.)
I consider that definitely kooky.

Instead of rushing into battle to defend the word and percentage so near and dear to one's own heart, why not take the entertaining route? I am fairly confident I can identify the sytle preference and/or personality traits of those who go for the 'percent' statements involving 'Aikido' and 'is' with usually one or two other words. And let it be. We all know there are different ways of seeing and doing, no need to label those do not who follow one's personal preferences as 'kooks'.


Yeah I know - I've even trained with Shodokan folks - and enjoyed it .

For the record - I thought that Craig might be a bit on the kooky side - I am glad to find that I was wrong about this.

I don't think I have ever made a statement of the form 'Aikido is [X%] Y', but you're welcome to take a stab at style preference etc. I'll let you know if you get it right.

Cheers
Sarah

Last edited by Sarah : 01-27-2002 at 03:41 PM.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2002, 03:57 PM   #50
guest1234
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 915
Offline
Sarah, you are right, you did not say X percent, you were one of those who heard X percent, or you would not have thought there was something wrong with thinking blending is a part of Aikido, any more than atemi is a part. Just how much a part is what gets some people in a frame of mind that calls those with a different frame 'kooky'. Or do you truely think that any degree of blending is out of the question in Aikido?

Telling Craig he was out of line to use blend, then use Kimasubi (sic)? THAT certainly cleared things up. And by the way, what exactly is 'tie a knot in ki?' Is it in any way meant to be similar to tie together with ki, or to to join ki?

Believing a Vulcan death grip can kill is not (probably) reasonable. But there are many styles of Aikido besides yours, and they are just as reasonable as yours. The fact that YOU don't enjoy them (if you have actually tried them) does not make them 'fluffy-bunny' or 'kooky'. They are simply not what appeals to you--which is probably good for all concerned.
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Poll: What do you usually do with your breath during a throw as uke in your aikido training? AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 4 03-22-2004 01:44 PM
Poll: What do you usually do with your breath during a throw in your aikido training? AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 29 03-16-2004 07:26 AM
Poll: Outside of specific kaeshi waza (reversals) training, do you ever throw your partner when you AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 20 06-25-2003 12:40 AM
Hip Throw? Thor's Hammer General 20 06-05-2003 04:41 PM
Zen poems B4 training! PhiGammaDawg Spiritual 19 11-19-2002 07:17 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:26 PM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate