tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post2247260580851321460..comments2024-03-15T00:52:20.774-07:00Comments on The Dragon's Orb: Aiki 合気 definedErik the Strangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-49525109946201807142011-10-17T20:00:13.043-07:002011-10-17T20:00:13.043-07:00you can't always go by the modern dictionary d...you can't always go by the modern dictionary definitions of the characters because often times the words take on special meanings when used for martial arts.<br /><br />as one example, 六合八法. liuhebafa. most commonly translated as six harmonies and eight techniques or methods.<br /><br />at any rate, like i said i believe that the idea of 'unify' or 'union' is what's implied.<br /><br />'many mouths as one' in a musical context would be harmony, but also, 'balance' is important in considering 'harmony' as in harmony no one voice is more important than another.<br /><br />as my Sifu often says about our training "it's a dialogue".<br /><br />in an extreme case we have peng which i can't even find in the online dictionaries i use, but is 朋 preceded by the radical for hand. i can;t remember for sure but in everyday use it means something like 'bounce' but doesn't encompass the real meaning in a martial arts context. <br /><br />the real guy to ask is Omar from RSF as he speaks fluent Chinese, or even Fong. They can discuss the difference between every day use and martial arts use in endless depth.ashe higgshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01240166327636352423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-63653644638167428622011-10-16T07:22:20.931-07:002011-10-16T07:22:20.931-07:00Falling Leaves, I have been checking out Chinese d...Falling Leaves, I have been checking out Chinese dictionaries. I cannot find 合 as harmonize/harmony.<br /><br />合- one-tenth of a peck, Chinese musical note; fit; to join<br /><br />These characters seem to be more of the harmony, harmonize idea - 燮,和,咊Erik the Strangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-86881189253155366882011-10-16T07:21:24.394-07:002011-10-16T07:21:24.394-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Erik the Strangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-78971756512691952382011-10-15T18:11:15.664-07:002011-10-15T18:11:15.664-07:00Awesome comment Falling Leaves. I might hack it a...Awesome comment Falling Leaves. I might hack it apart and put it in the main body of the text if you don't mind. Interesting.Erik the Strangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14719361294346916751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-85583885251712034612011-10-15T15:50:55.535-07:002011-10-15T15:50:55.535-07:00i forgot to add that the implication is that part ...i forgot to add that the implication is that part of this skill is tied to the breath, as the breathing can condition the mind, but also be used to maintain a certain balance in the body by recognizing when some action begins to interfere with our breathing we are reaching the limit of that action and need to change.ashe higgshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01240166327636352423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-23037944176136582092011-10-15T15:47:18.846-07:002011-10-15T15:47:18.846-07:00i think it's helpful to look at the Chinese
合...i think it's helpful to look at the Chinese<br /><br />合 ai (he) is most often translated as "harmony" or "harmonize / unify". the literal translation of all the radicals (strokes) is "many mouths as one", so although like most English words it can mean slightly different things in different contexts, the idea of "a unit" is clear throughout.<br /><br />気 - is a slightly simplified version of 氣 which itself is composed of several radicals that combine the characters for 'rice' and 'vapor', (i.e. what we breathe) which when the two combine give us "vital energy". even in English, the concept of "spirit" is there in the Latin ænima, the root of words like animated, but ænima was also tied to the breath.<br /><br />氣 by itself can imply some kind of energy that can get something done, for instance 電氣 dian qi, is electric qi, i.e. electricity and tian qi 天氣 is heaven's qi (weather).<br /><br />i believe that aiki is the same as what they call taiji in the Chinese arts. it's the skill of unifying yourself internally , both mentally and physically, as well as externally with space and change(opponent and with environment.)<br /><br />its a skill that allows you to flow with the change without being swept away by it, because you can always maintain your center.ashe higgshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01240166327636352423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-11525351651380115112011-10-14T22:17:08.501-07:002011-10-14T22:17:08.501-07:00Ueshiba Sensei reportedly did occasionally write &...Ueshiba Sensei reportedly did occasionally write "aikido" using the kanji for "love" as "ai." I believe he also lectured on the dual meaning as something he intended. Probably this would have been in his later period.RAhttp://www.rariora.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-57317033535774258382011-10-14T22:14:52.042-07:002011-10-14T22:14:52.042-07:0010. Confluence
11. Synergy10. Confluence<br />11. SynergyRAhttp://www.rariora.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-77207487294303027372011-10-14T20:11:13.301-07:002011-10-14T20:11:13.301-07:00In other words, "finding the fit":
http...In other words, "finding the fit":<br /><br />http://cookdingskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/12/finding-fit.htmlRick Matzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09699550034693340637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6315333410007118561.post-75527185074070200312011-10-14T12:49:55.226-07:002011-10-14T12:49:55.226-07:00Sagawa reports that AIKI was defined by Takeda as ...Sagawa reports that AIKI was defined by Takeda as a specific technique that could be taught quickly, therefore he was very careful about whom he showed it to.Jack Bielerhttp://www.dentonaikido.comnoreply@blogger.com