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| The
Development to KI |
| Patrick
Augé (7th dan, Shihan,
Yoseikan Aikido) is the Technical
Director of the International
Yoseikan Budo Federation for North
America. He started studying martial
arts in 1962 in judo. He lived
for seven years as the uchideshi
of Minoru Mochizuki sensei from
1970. He is currently in Los Angeles.The
following was written by Patrick
Augé Sensei: |
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According to the Langenscheidt Japanese
Dictionary, Ki means:
1- spirit, soul; 2- feeling; 3- intention,
inclination.
The mystical sense means the life force
that animates the universe.
Ki
is part of many compounded words in daily
Japanese language, such as "ki ga au"
(feel comfortable or compatible with. Same
ideograms as Kiai and Aiki!), "ki ga
chisai" (timid, literally "has
small spirit"), "ki o tsukeru"
(be careful, literally "put on spirit").
All these expressions have different meanings
but originate all from the same source.
Ki is a common word of the everyday Japanese
language, and most people use it without
knowing its deeper meaning. For this reason,
foreigners are often surprised at the evasive
answers they receive from native Japanese
speakers whenever they question them about
Ki. Like many beginning Budo students, I
too was curious about this subject.
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| Thirty
years ago, shortly after my arrival
in Japan and settling at the dojo, I
found a book in English on Ki in daily
life. The book gave many interesting
explanations and practical exercises
to develop Ki. My teacher saw me reading
the book and laughed: "Very strong
man!" he said of the author, exposing
his own biceps, "but strange here!"
he added poking a finger at his head.
It took some time before I learned |
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through
the Japanese Budo network that the author
of the book did not live according to his
teaching, in spite of his great technical
skill.
In
the meantime I practiced some of the book's
exercises. One exercise recommended that
one should taste food before adding salt
to it in order to develop an awareness of
its real taste. I applied the same principle
to some other ingredients we often mindlessly
add to food. As a result, I started to like
more things, even foods that many foreigners
tend to avoid. The same principle could
be applied to other senses, such as hearing
for example: living in silence, listening
to sounds and music with mindfulness. It
could be applied to seeing: surrounding
oneself with natural colors, using peripheral
vision, watching nature, stars. It could
be applied to smelling: avoiding perfumes
and cosmetics, cigarettes, chemicals etc.,
noticing smells while breathing in. It could
also be applied to feeling such as shaving
without mirror and changing hands while
shaving; because of total presence and awareness,
it resulted in a better quality shave and
fewer cuts.
These are exercises to help tune up the
physical senses. But how can honing the
physical senses apply to Aikido training?
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First
of all, we need to have a clear understanding
of what Aikido is in order to find our
direction and stay on track. My understanding
is based on my teacher's teaching, his
example, and my own study and practice.
It may not apply to everyone outside
of our group although I believe that
many students of Budo may benefit from
others' experiences.
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Aikido
is the path to be consciously connected
with the universe through Budo. Budo is
the path to transform the body-mind-spirit
in order to become a compassionate, wise,
and strong person for the mutual welfare
and prosperity of all living beings. Consequently,
Aikido and Budo are one.
One may ask the question: can't one become
a compassionate, wise, and strong person
for the mutual welfare and prosperity of
all living beings without the use of martial
techniques?
If we develop compassion only, we may misuse
it (due to ignorance) and not be able to
achieve our intended goal. This is why we
need also to develop wisdom in order to
know when and how to use it effectively.
But we also may be unable to use it if we
are perceived as weak. Thus, we need strength.
This is why martial techniques, such as
Aikido techniques, which are not intended
to cause any unnecessary damage, are essential.
We
learn and practice these martial techniques
in the dojo. The dojo is a laboratory of
human behaviour. We can test and practice
new patterns of behaviour such as kindness,
respect, patience, etc. without having to
worry about others' reactions. When we are
completely familiar with the new patterns
we can apply them with confidence in our
daily lives. This may be quite difficult
to do in our daily environment.
| Most
aikido schools have their own versions
of Ki exercises. I am familiar only
with the Yoseikan style. In Yoseikan
Budo, Tehodoki, their variations, and
Nigirikaeshi are the kinds of exercises
we use to develop Ki. Next, after being
able to perform fundamental techniques
with one partner at a time, we have
Shitei Randori (designated practice)
and Jiyu Randori (free practice), which
are done with several partners |
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attacking
from different directions. In order to be
effective and lead to progress, these exercises
require mindfulness on the part of the partners.
This means that Uke (the attacker) must be
sincere and apply the proper amount of determination
and energy according to his partner's level
and needs. Mochizuki Minoru Sensei is famous
for scolding students who lack mindfulness
on and off the mats.
When training, our body should be like a transmission
"in drive, " firm but not stiff
or flabby. This is the meaning of filling
oneself with Ki. Our eyes should be level,
in peripheral vision mode, in order to be
sensitive to any move or signal (body language)
on the part of our partners. If our partners
are sincere in their intention to attack,
they create a sense of urgency, and we learn
to read the signals, just like a new driver
becomes very soon "one with his car"
since mistakes in appreciation of space, speed
and timing (maai) can result in disaster.
For this, driving is also a good opportunity
to practice Aikido.
When we look deeply into phenomena and analyze
their nature, we become aware of the fact
that everything is connected with everything
else, that nothing occurs by itself. Every
phenomenon is the result of causes and conditions,
both direct and indirect, which are themselves
the results of other causes and conditions,
and the deeper we search for their origins,
the more causes and conditions appear endlessly,
like a huge mesh. After training ourselves
to look at phenomena in this way, we become
much more sensitive to details that escape
the untrained person. We see people and events
differently, and we have more control over
our emotions, which clears the way to make
better decisions.
| Sensei
taught us the following story, which
dates back to the time he was an uchideshi
at the old Kobukan Dojo. "Ueshiba
Sensei was able to sense our level of
concentration by observing us. One night
we (the students) went out and came
back late, laughing and making noise.
As we entered the dojo, the first fellow
in got hit with a bokuto. Ueshiba Sensei
went back to sleep. After that, we became
very careful to be |
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quiet
and would check before entering the dojo and
got in without problems. However, a couple
of weeks later, Sensei must have noticed something,
for when we came back that night, we forgot
to check and someone got hit again. It never
occurred again. This was my best lesson in
Ki training ever." This kind of Ki can
be developed.
Some of the old members of the Yoseikan remember
also another story. Ueshiba Sensei frequently
dropped in at the Yoseikan Dojo in Shizuoka
when he travelled back to Tokyo. One day,
after practice, the students were sitting
around Ueshiba Sensei when suddenly he said:
"There is someone looking for me at the
station; could one of you go to pick him up?"
The Yoseikan is several kilometres from Shizuoka
Station. A student drove to the station, asked
around if someone was looking for Ueshiba
Sensei, found him, and took him to the dojo.
According to Mochizuki Sensei, Ueshiba Sensei
could perceive people's thoughts quite naturally,
even at a distance. However, he insisted that
Ueshiba Sensei was the only person he knew
who had that ability, which explains why he
could defeat his attackers with quite simple
techniques. Can this sort of Ki be developed?
Everyone at a time or another receives an
extra sensorial message. This is something
I have felt consciously a few times in my
life. It always occurred with people with
whom I had strong affectionate ties. And in
all cases, we were thousands of miles apart.
We receive a lot of messages of this kind,
but our lifestyle is the major factor in determining
whether or not we are in "receiving mode"
which makes the difference between being aware
or not.
| If
we take life's experiences as opportunities
to develop ourselves, we become more
sensitive to the signals that precede
what is going to happen. Also all those
exercises have little meaning if their
application stays within the confines
of the dojo. Life provides plenty of
opportunities to practice mindfulness.
Another major obstacle is material comfort.
This kills our desire to improve and
makes us dull. I have noticed |
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that
students who face hardships with determination
show much better awareness while training
and this results in sharper techniques. The
problem is to maintain the momentum after
things have become normal again. For this
reason, we should train ourselves when everything
is calm in order to stand a better chance
to face difficulties when they occur (and
they will).
According to Mochizuki Sensei, the more we
rely on intellectualisation to learn, the
more stupid we become. That is why he has
been discouraging his students from learning
with books and tapes. It's only through experience
that we can internalise knowledge. After that,
it's all right to use books and other media.
That still does not answer the question whether
or not we can cultivate Ki. However, by maintaining
a simple lifestyle, caring for others, and
striving to develop our human qualities along
with our martial skills, we stand a better
chance of being receptive to this phenomenon.
But this is only a by-product that occurs
as a result of developing other qualities.
Otherwise it is nothing more than another
obsession.
©
Patrick
Augé
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