From: U55870@uicvm.uic.edu (David James Alexander Hanley)
Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts
Subject: Re: On Explaining Aikido
Date: 3 Oct 92 22:30:34 GMT
Article-I.D.: uicvm.92277.173034U55870
 <3678@master.CNA.TEK.COM>
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago

In article <3678@master.CNA.TEK.COM>, danbe@tekred.CNA.TEK.COM (Dan Beougher )
says:
>
>******how do you explain ki to your Aikido students?
>
>Can you?  Do you really need to?  It seems that perhaps you could
>teach them to fish rather than feed them.

  ??? This is a very disjointed thought.  Could you please clarify?

>
>You can relate it to something rather than explain it.  Western
>thinking sometimes gets in the way.

 If you're trying to believe in fantasies, ANY thinking gets in the way.
 ;)

> I study a form of Gung Fu
>called Gohn Dagow.  This summer I was working on a technique
>called Peacock, a rather "active" movement.  There was a hummingbird
>feeder about two meters away.  When I was in touch with my chi, they
>would feed with me whirlwinding around.

  More than likely you felt in touch with your ki when the bird stayed
there.  Or you did your technique better when you stopped focusing
on the stupid bird.

> Our class has proven this
>many times by working out with deer feeding nearby.  When the energy
>of the class was in sync, they would ignore us, but if we would fall
>apart they would move away.

  This is NOT proof.  Note my last remark.  Proof would require
repeated tests under controlled conditions.

>
>The other example someone gave me is when you feel another person
>staring at you.  In Viet Nam, recon people were not to stare at
>the enemy for any length of time, or they would "feel" it.

  'Feeling' another person staring at you is a bunch of hocus-pocus.
If the recon personel were taught such backwards techniques this may
explained why we got our asses kicked in 'nam.

>Although this may not be ki in the strict sense, it was explained
>to me that it is an "energy", and that similar affects can be
>identified, developed, and used, whether they be mental or physical.

  Unfortunately, theynever seem to be identified under scientific
conditions.  I wonder why that is?

>
>The religious aspect is a toughie.  We normally open our classes with
>a meditation.  When our teacher did a class at the college, the
>word "meditation" was frowned upon.  It was then referred to as
>a "clearing", or a "focus time", etc.  Since this is a monk form,
>as one advances in the art it becomes readily apparent there is a
>higher self within us, and a higher being above us.

  Perhaps this becomes 'apparent' if you a pathetic sheep incapable
of original thought.  Never became apparent to me.

> Is that so
>different from some of the organized religions?

  Hmm.. They take money from people, decieve them... No, not unlike
organized religion at all.


> Our Sien Seong has
>stated repeatedly that Gohn Dagow is not a religion, but can help
>you in whatever faith you believe.

  Great.  Just what we need.  More comitted zombies.

>
>Good luck.
>
>dB



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