Ki (as in “The Force”)

[Mario Gunter Frastas]

Ki (as in “The Force”)

It is relatively easy, so to speak, to explain how Aikido techniques work.
And it is also easy I suppose, to explain the philosophy that lies behind those techniques.
But even if someone would use his Ki power to walk through walls, people would still misunderstand what Ki is and how it works.
On top of it all, you have active Aikido practitioners who still don’t get it, or when they do, they “confine” their Ki ability into their Dojo walls.
Meaning:
When you start controlling your Ki (which is the greatest start of all) you should improvise with it in your daily life and not keep it just for the “throw around people” routine.

A Martial Art that makes no prime use of Ki within its techniques looks like controlled violence.
A Martial Art (any Martial Art) that is based on Ki power looks like magic and I would like to explain why.
As I often say, Ki power is invisible to the eye but its effect is unbelievable to the eye!
People look at it and say “that just can’t be happening” or at least say so until they join in…
Now imagine how it feels to the one applying it, or better don’t, because it is beyond words and imagination. So, let’s leave it at that.

There are detail explanations in “The Book In Between” about the use of Ki power, which are supported by a number of photos, and there is a Video demo two clicks to your left… but what’s the use?
Still people, and I mean the majority of them, express their thoughts to me about their experience they once had by reading a book or books, lessons they took with a “guru”, organizations of “enlightenment” they joined, “mind control” seminars they had, and much more of this than I care to remember!
And all this from the comfort of a chair or (believe it) while lying down on the floor.
Looks like I missed something a few decades ago, when I took it up to learn the Arts, and since then torture myself and my students with practice!
Now I know, I have finally seen the light, I should have stayed… lying down!

People who are interested in Ki power matters and everything that goes with it (and it’s a lot!) are often more confused and lost than the ones that aren’t interested in anything all together.
So, what do we do now?

If experience, ability and solid proof can’t make it, what else can?
Maybe a fairytale can! So here you have it.

A long time ago in a galaxy far,
far away…

I don’t know if we should thank George Lucas for his Star Wars or just go ahead and… sue him.
His concept of the Jedi Knights order, the peace warriors code, the training and use of the Force, is soooooooo much Aikido like!
The master-apprentice relation, the ability of insight, the light saber… ok that’s enough let’s sue this guy…
Maybe this fantasy is closer to any reality, at least any reality that can be explained and stop being misunderstood.

In this fantastic dialogue (that stands in the way just about every other day) after having explained for about two hours what Aikido is, comes the bomb question:
-So, you are into Zen and Karate (at this point making gestures and funny noises) and you eat only Sushi?
-No… (desperate) we are training ourselves into something that resembles more to the Jedi Knights.
-Oh! Do you “have” Dark Sith Lords too? (wicked smile)
-If you push it… you never know!

So, by fairytale or not, what is Ki after all, and how can we approach it?

…you must unlearn what you have learned…
Life creates it, makes it grow
Its energy surrounds us and binds us
You must feel the Force around you
Here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere
Yoda​

(from the motion picture The Empire Strikes Back)​

(This text first appeared on MarioAikiBook.com, January 18, 2006)​

 

[Mystery Mom]

Mario you have not even..

gotten to the edge of this subject.

In something I wrote in a book a long while back I tried to describe the precognitive ability of an individual in terms an uninformed could grasp, at least in a simple concept.

I quote that part of my book here as an example:

"It’s a spiritual thing, like walking through waves in the ocean. How can I describe it to you? You’re in the water and there is an oil slick on the surface. You are walking around and the fine film of the slick floats against your skin. Some of it sticks to you. That’s the best analogy I can come up with. The feelings, emotions and thoughts of these people are the oil slick. You are at the crime scene walking through it and some of it you carry with you when you leave. Only the slick is live and changing as the psyche of the person moves on with their life."

Such is Ki as you try to explain, but do not. Added to this is the fact that you, yourself add to the 'oil slick' floating around you. The waves wash up and down you, adding and taking, as your energy is changed and exchanged with that around you.

While our mind tries to struggle with the complexity of the thought it wastes itself, for the complexity is simple and has been said many times by many others in words that we allow to pass us by as simple sayings.

Summarily, the words of "Yoda" are very powerful and full of truth.

In simplicity ki is.

And, I am.

You understand.

Myst

 

[tigerfeet]

So, is ki then something that is intuitive?
Something, maybe, that can only be experienced and not understood in an intellectual or rational sense?
What would be the relationship between ki, and love? (in the sense of, I forget the right word here, but a kind of universal and unselfish, undemanding love). I only ask because it seems to me that both require similar "keys" (he he, no, no pun intended, really) to unlock their full potential. I am thinking that in both cases, you need an openness to the universe, and a willingness to be open to experiencing other people's (and other than human ways of being's) lives.
Am I even close to the right track??

 

[Mystery Mom]

to tigerfeet

Ki (pronounced chee) is.

…you must unlearn what you have learned…
Life creates it, makes it grow
Its energy surrounds us and binds us
You must feel the Force around you
Here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere
Yoda

These words are the opening door to understanding.

You must understand without words,
You must accept without words that explain.

That is why Zen riddles are so enigmatic, foolish sounding, yet at the same time, so mind blowing.

I quote you here: "you need an openness to the universe, and a willingness to be open to experiencing"

There is nothing more than that. You attach nothing else to it and everything is attached to it.

It is a paradox in that it begins and ends with nothing.

Remember the parable about four blind men describing an elephant as they all stood in different places around the beast? In the end they all were wrong and they all were right. The elephant, on the other hand was still an elephant. The elephant is.

Ki is
I am
and if you relax your mind, you will understand without words

 

[Kotegashi]

In regards to the fairytale:

The Jedi order is actually based on the Japanese samurai warriors, the word jedi is a derivate from a japanese word.

As we all know aikido has its basis in the samurai culture. A lot of techniques are based on sword techniques used by the ancient samurai.

The Force is also based on chi.

Since Lucas has admitted/stated the above in numerous articles and interviews it would be pointless to sue him. We should honour the man for promoting the budo way in such a grand way.

Peace

 

[steeven]

Where did chi/ki/prana originally 'originate from? Was it the middle-east or asia? Is there actually a more advanced master of ki than "O'Sensei" Morihei Ueshiba? Is it true that it takes a student of ki forty years to master or tap into ki? From what i've heard from Sensei Steven Seagal's experience with ki, he has already tapped into ki with his aikido and other martial arts he has mastered under the so-called 'forty years' made by some masters of 'flowing energy. I think there are a few of Steven Seagal's movies where his film characters' uses "QiGong" to repel attackers. I've never heard of any other akido instructors possessing intrinsic power into their aikido, only Sensei Steven Seagal. That's what i like about Sensei Steven Seagal, he "Freely" shares his extensive ki and aikdio experiences with his fans and dojo students, he doesn't try to hide the 'reality of ki from anyone.

 

[tigerfeet]

Where did chi/ki/prana originally 'originate from? Was it the middle-east or asia? Is there actually a more advanced master of ki than "O'Sensei" Morihei Ueshiba? Is it true that it takes a student of ki forty years to master or tap into ki? From what i've heard from Sensei Steven Seagal's experience with ki, he has already tapped into ki with his aikido and other martial arts he has mastered under the so-called 'forty years' made by some masters of 'flowing energy. I think there are a few of Steven Seagal's movies where his film characters' uses "QiGong" to repel attackers. I've never heard of any other akido instructors possessing intrinsic power into their aikido, only Sensei Steven Seagal. That's what i like about Sensei Steven Seagal, he "Freely" shares his extensive ki and aikdio experiences with his fans and dojo students, he doesn't try ot hide the 'reality of ki from anyone.

I may be way off base here, but my sense is that it is not so hard to tap into ki to begin with, but it is nearly impossible to fathom its full depths.
Qi Gong intrigues me. I would like to do some research into different forms of martial arts and how they involve ki. I'll do that in my spare time, ha ha.

But yes, I agree with you, one of the wonderful things about Sensei Seagal is that his energy is so apparent, and he does not try to mysticise (sp??) it at all.

 

[CaseyF*ckinRyback]

I may be way off base here, but my sense is that it is not so hard to tap into ki to begin with, but it is nearly impossible to fathom its full depths.
Qi Gong intrigues me. I would like to do some research into different forms of martial arts and how they involve ki. I'll do that in my spare time, ha ha.

Of course, I'm waving my own flag here, and it's obviously down to getting a good (nay - great) Sifu... But I have been studying Chen Style Tai Chi for just over a year now, and am blessed with a truly amazing Sifu... But for a key to the mysteries of Qi and the first steps on the road to discovery it can't be beat. The key is breathing correctly, relaxation... I introduced the group to the term 'Path without thought' which is an almost perfect description of the almost meditative state that puts you in 'the zone' shall we say.

In my experience, Qi Gong practice not only revitalises the body and mind, but at these early stages has already yielded amazing results. I had my first experience of 'seeing Chi' a few weeks ago (which started out as scary, I honestly thought I was on the verge of passing out after a hard dojo session, but was assured that was not the case), and had one successful (after many, many unsuccessful attempts!) of using controlled internal force against a human target (3 people lined up in single file, all place hands on the shoulder of the man in front... Pushing the first man and projecting Chi through into the second man).

The Grand Master of our school (Grandmaster Konji Gou) has said that true control of one's Chi can take up to a lifetime to master, although daily Qi Gong practice for 5-7 years will yield spectacular results as the first step on the journey.

It IS important to mention that one's own mastery of Qi is not simply a matter of training all day every day... You can't 'push' internal arts like you can external arts. If you train 12 hours a day at Wing Chun for example, you will get very good very fast, but Qi is not about quantity of training, but quality. Also factor in Tao-ist and Buddhist principles of Ancestry and personal enlightenment into the mix and you begin to see a small part of the almost miraculous opportunity that 'the empty force' can provide.

(For the record, I'm into developing my healing energy in the long term... As a wise man once said "You wanna hurt people? Or you wanna be great? Hurting people is easy, but to heal...")

Keep training hard, people! :yin:

 

[ORANGATUANG]

And here i was thinking that there was just one kind of martial arts boy have i found out alot and always more coming out .. and every kind of martial art so unique one of an kind ..i just have alot of time for people whom want to put there bodies through what they do now that real determination..