Well Part II To Cato

Guess I'll be a disappointment for MOST of my friends since I DON'T subscribe to the mystical, supernatural idea of KI. KI IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD IN TERMS OF "PARTICLE-PHYSICS"! Look, electrons are the basis of all electricity, splitting atoms are the basis of splitting worlds via warfare, sub-atomic factors have already been identified as the basis of allergies; WHAT'S SO PECULIAR ABOUT "KI" BEING THE BASIS OF LIFE AND VITAL PROCESSES INCLUDING VIVIFYING MARTIAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND HEALTH? THINK about it, perhaps the Gurus of B'harat and the Senseis of Old Aikido were NOT wrong!
Greetings, Brother!

Eh?

I don't understand!!!! You know this ki thing is what you get out of it. They say when you do accupuncture, if you don't buy in to the whole Chineese medicing thing, it doesn't work. You have to have a belief system in tact, and know how to use your Ki. There are non-martial ways to use your Ki also, like in massage(kiatsu), or healing. I once used my ki in a medical procedure so not to have to be put under, and stayed awake for the process. Just took myself somewhere else. The Dr. was just amazed at my pain threshold, but I didn't try to explain. you just have to have a belief system, and know how to control your ki, and there are many ways to do that. Disappearing, and creating lightening though are not one of them.

If we are describing Ki as a mental function, rather than as some kind of mystical "force", then I have no problem accepting it. We know only a little about the mind, how it works or what it can do. We know that it works through nueral pathways, and that these pathways can be established through repetitive practise, so perhaps people can "control" their pain threshold to some extent.

The problem with discussing ki, chi, qi or whatever else you want to call it, is that no-one seems able to define it. It is shrouded in mystery. All most people ever do is make claims to what it can do, citing amazing feats that can only be explained by recourse to ki. But where's the proof?

It's all very well claimimg ki as the basis of life, or a "vivifying martial consciousness" (Whatever that is) but without evidence those claims have no substance.

I might just as well claim that the basis of life is in fact, chicken. That all civilisations throughout history have eaten chicken and this is how they survived. Clearly that would be a ridiculous claim, yet had I said it was ki, and not chicken, that kept life going, plenty of people would nod their heads sagely in approval. Add a bit of mysticism and suddenly it's acceptable.

Far too much BS for me I'm afraid.

Budo

May I mention Gentlemen that KI has helped overcome serious illnesses and demolished nasty eating and drinking habits including overweight! There is NO substitute for KI control of vices and unlawful passions. DON'T deprive yourselves of this blessing!
PS READ Tohei Sensei's 2 volumes on Ki in Daily Life and the sequel. YOU WILL THANK ME FOR RECOMMENDING THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok I acknowledge anyway you want to feel about Ki, Chi whatever. I think it's a personal way of looking at it. i have read Tohei Sensei's book and personally did not like it. I feel he sees it too genrally in every day life. everbody does have ki, but if you can't cultivate it, use it and direct it, you haven't got it. The whole Tohei Aiki principles I have a hard time with. Ki exists, but techniques work without it as well. The world does not revolve around ki in my opinion. In a real fight, you don't have time to build your ki up, either you got it in you or not