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In
Balance- A Series of Thoughts (Part One)
Irimi - Tenkan |
Balance
is defined as a force counteracting the effect
of another force. Harmony is defined as an
internal calm or a pleasing arrangement of
parts. Uke attacks and nage blends with the
force in a pleasing arrangement of parts and
then through balance nage's force upon uke
is counteracted by the effect of the earth
on uke's body in nage's technique. Through
good ukemi uke brings balance or counteracts
the effect of the earth. If uke's fall is
bad or incorrect ukemi, he or she will discover
harmony or cause a pleasing arrangement of
uke's parts (pleasing that is to nage) through
the impact with the earth.
I understand that this does not seem the usual
way we understand or interpret the words'
balance and harmony. Similarly the way we
interpret or understand irimi-tenkan is to
shorten the term, just like we do when my
first name Eugene becomes Gene, irimi- tenkan
becomes tenkan. However, I see this habit
we all have has become more than just shortening
the spoken technique name. The very power
and meaning of the technique's name is out
of balance and the full concept of irimi-tenkan
seems lost.
I only recently came to understand the effects
of our technique name shortening habit while
attending a Saotome seminar. During that seminar,
Saotome Sensei had mentioned watching a well-known
Hong Kong martial artist in a martial art
film. And even though Saotome knew the fighting
was for entertainment, Sensei said he kept
wondering why the actor did not do irimi-tenkan.
Irimi-tenkan! I never remembered Saotome calling
it tenkan! The term was always irimi-tenkan.
But it seems like all the students, including
me, shortened the term. Back at the Dojo,
Messores Sensei always described tenkan as
irimi-tenkan, in other words entering or meeting
then blending with the attack. In order to
have balance one has to meet the uke's force
in order to counteract the effect. Let us
take a moment to look at or think about balance
and in doing think about irimi-tenkan.
Enter East, Turn West The Asian symbol for
yin and yang is well known as the two opposite
colors and equal shapes. Balance. This seems
true in every aspect of Aikido this "constant
of opposites" this harmony. Irimi is
often referred to as choosing to enter and
face death. The moment of now becomes the
moment of creativity or life, or the moment
becomes death. Life or death in that moment
it is in balance. That moment is occurring
on several levels all at once in the body,
mind, and spirit. In regards to the spirit
I suppose we might find references in Buddhism
regarding that moment, instead let's take
an intellectual irimi-tenkan, step forward
east and turn west. In Mysticism: Christian
and Buddhist the Eastern and Western Way by
D.T. Suzuki, (Macmillan 1957) Suzuki Sensei
writes about Meister Eckhart's (a western
Christian thinker/teacher/minister) sermons
where Eckhart talks about God's day and soul's
day in which in God's day all time is contained
in the Now-moment. The balance of God in that
now is isticheit -western or tathata -eastern,
God's is-ness (forever is) and enlightenment
in understanding God's being - non being.
Balance. What, you may be asking, does this
have to do with irimi-tenkan and Aikido? It
is irimi-tenkan. In regards to the mind within
that moment when uke's attack begins and nage's
response occurs, the first paragraph's explanation
of balance and the resulting harmony help
explain how to see the moment. The harmony
or internal calm of your spirit entering and
becoming life and death. Your life, his death.
In The Principles of Aikido by Mitsugi Saotome,
(Shambhala 1989) Sensei asked who would know
more of the true value of life than the one
facing death. In entering free of the entanglement
of possessive thoughts (i.e." I have
this to lose if I do not do this right!"
or " I will not look good if I do not
do this right!") Instead one steps forward
past their fear, steps forward past the hate
of the enemy, into and past even the realm
of control the enemy's spirit and into that
moment of is-ness that is the Way of Aiki!
Wait!
What about the tenkan part of irimi-tenkan?
That has not changed. You have counteracted
the effect of the force attacking using
irimi and gained balance. Tenkan directs
the force to its harmonious conclusion.
Harmony and balance occurs from beginning
to end in the technique called irimi-tenkan.
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Gene
Martinelli Sensei
Gene
Martinelli (Associate Instructor)
has a 3rd degree black belt in Aikido.
Martinelli Sensei has trained in Aikido
since about 1985.
Gene
is a professional teacher. An avid
muscian, proficient in guitar and
has an interest in both making and
playing Native-American flutes and
the shakuhachi (Japanese flute).
"To
those studying Aikido and those interested
in studying Aikido, remember in your
life's journey toward enlightenment.
It is the journey that is your life's
enlightenment."
Jihonjuku
Aikido Academy of Warrior Spirit
http://www.theaikidodojo.com
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By
Gene
Martinelli. Copyright © 2004 Jihonjuku
Academy of Warrior Spirit.
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Interview
with Student Ashley Scholefield
by Paul Swainson |
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Receiving
technique
by Ian Upstone |
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The
Ki of Aikido
by Charlie Badenhop |
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