He who has neither beginning nor end.
Who possesses the glory of Tiger, Lion, Garuda Dragon.
Who possesses the confidence beyond words:
I pay homage at the feet of the Rigden King.
Kami/Drala
Who possesses the glory of Tiger, Lion, Garuda Dragon.
Who possesses the confidence beyond words:
I pay homage at the feet of the Rigden King.
Kami/Drala
The following is from the first chapter of William Reed's book
Defining Ki
Japanese dictionary defines Ki as mind, spirit, or heart. It lists hundreds of expressions which use the word Ki; most of them ordinary ways of talking about human moods, attitudes, or character. It is sometimes given a more philosophical meaning. In the martial arts and Oriental medicine, the word Ki refers to a subtle form of vital energy. Ki is the life force; a source of internal strength. Like the words Zen and Satori, Ki has recently come into common use in Western languages. But though many books have been written in English on Zen, only a few books have addressed the subject of Ki. Deep concepts resist definition. Yet better definitions alone are no substitute for direct experience in achieving a better understanding of Ki.
The word Ki comes from the original Chinese concept of Chi or Qi, introduced to the West through acupuncture and the Chinese martial art of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. But the ancient Chinese way of thinking about life is so alien to our own, that it may not serve as the best reference in the study of Ki. Ideas are not more reliable simply because they arc ancient.
Some researchers have attempted to appease the demands of the modern intellect for tangible evidence of the unseen. Infrared photography, and pictures taken in a high-frequency magnetic field seem to reveal a picture of the human aura. Patterns of skin resistance to low voltage electricity seem to follow the meridians mapped out by acupuncturists to show the direction of Ki flow. But none of this research has really stirred the scientific community. Early Western philosophers attempted unsuccessfully to mathematically prove the existence of God. However the mind has always eluded attempts to search for and define its essence.
It is much easier to demonstrate Ki than to try to measure or contain it. Ki operates according to definite principles. Its operation leaves physical traces, which can be. easily recognized. These principles, and their operation in the human body, will be explained in this and the following chapters. For the sake of clarity, here is an operational definition:
Ki is a universal energy, capable of Infinite expansion and contraction, which can be directed, hut not contained by the mind.
Ki cannot be directly perceived with the senses or measured by a machine. However, Ki is not merely a concept. It is a real force which can be intuitively perceived and mentally directed. Though we live in and depend on the air we breathe, we rarely notice it or appreciate its importance. Like air and water, Ki is the very source of our vitality. It is the mysterious quality which distinguishes a healthy person from a sick one; one living from one dead.
Our Ki becomes weak when we fail to understand its original nature. Though every shred of scientific evidence points to the unity of mind and body, we act as though they were separate. The old philosophical notion, of Man as a ghost in a machine, may have gone out of fashion; but we still say that we "have a headache," and "drag ourselves out of bed," as though it were literally true. The best way to strengthen Ki is to understand and practice the unity of mind and body.
The Four Basic Principles of Mind and Body Unification
The mind and body are not exactly the same; nor are they entirely different. Changes in blood chemistry affect consciousness; and changes in attitude affect health. The body is the visible portion of the mind. When we look at a tree, we usually forget that half of it is below the ground. Problems begin when we learn to accept as real only that which is obvious.
The shape of the shadow cast by an object depends on the direction from which it is illuminated. The four principles which follow, offer two mental and two physical perspectives on Ki. These principles, and all of the other principles in this book directly related to Ki, were developed by Master Koichi Tohei.
1. Calm and Focus the Mind at the One Point in the Lower Abdomen: The point of focus for the mind is called the One Point. On the average person, it is located roughly 10 cm (4 inches) below the navel. However this point has no definable size or position. Its position shifts farther down, and even out of the body, whenever the upper body bends forward or leans back. Like the lowest point in a strong whirlpool, it funnels Ki in from the universe. Because Ki is capable of infinite expansion or contraction, the One Point acts like a miniature star; radiating Ki out or absorbing it in from all directions. The Ki exercises which follow make it possible to experience the One Point: but for now. consider it as a dynamic point of mental focus.
2. Completely Release All Stress from the Body: Complete relaxation should not result in a flaccid or collapsed state. Incorrect forms of relaxation involve only the larger muscle groups: resulting in a collapsed state in which the organs and blood vessels suffer under the unsupported weight of the upper body. It is impossible to develop strong Ki in this slate. However releasing stress from the body makes it light and buoyant: free from unnecessary tension or restriction.
3. Let the Weight of Every Part of the Body Settle Naturally at its Lowest Point: Gravity naturally keeps the weight of any object underside, without any help from us. The lowest point of an object at rest is on the bottom of that object. However, for a moving object the lowest point is not a fixed location. A golf ball trapped inside a rolling beach ball will roll freely in response to both gravity and centrifugal force. If we resist the natural disposition of weight in our own bodily movement, our weight will come upperside; resulting in a loss of stability, and in extreme cases, dizziness.
4. Extend Ki: Ki is free like the wind. It expands and fills space in all directions. It responds to our mental direction, but is impossible to contain. Physical objects present no barrier to Ki, yet it has the power to move them. Ki seems to accelerate and flow more powerfully at certain points in the body: the eyes, the fingertips, the One Point. Because Ki travels freely, like light, to the ends of the universe, we are only aware of it as it passes through us.
These four principles are the foundation of all Ki training. Principles 1 and 4, dealing with the One Point and Ki, describe the operation of the mind. Without shape, form, or physical restriction, the mind can be used freely and powerfully. Only imagination limits its potential. Ki is quicker than the hand or eye; quicker than the mouth. But strong Ki is present only in a calm mind. A spinning top appears motionless when it whirls the fastest. Principles 2 and 3, concerning relaxation and weight underside, describe the operation of the body. Physical laws limit the strength and development of the body. But a living body is more than a mere object; it is infused with mind and responds to Ki. The limitations of the body are largely set in the mind. Strong Ki resides in a body which is relaxed and settled, but buoyant.
Four principles, four ways of viewing the same thing; the state of mind and body unity. To understand one of them, is to know the other three. To lose one is to lose them all. The test of a theory is its usefulness. Though Ki can not be directly perceived with the senses or measured with a machine, it can be experirnced, tested, and strengthened. The body is the visible portion of the mind. Through the body we can know the mind. The stability, strength, and freedom
of movement of the body under pressure are measures of the mind. A Ki test is a controlled application of pressure or restraint, designed to provide a form of biofeedback on the quality and depth of mind and body unity. Each test helps the student to internalize the sense of Ki. In time, the student learns to recognize Ki without the Ki test. The person giving the Ki test may feel challenged to see how strong his partner has become; but it is a test, not a contest. Ki tests have the dual purpose of measuring and developing Ki.
The most effective way to develop Ki is to compare the way the body behaves with and without Ki. All of us have unconsciously developed bad habits of posture and movement. Somehow we fail to recognize how these habits gradually age and fatigue us; weakening our Ki with each day we grow older. As the flame of our Ki flickers and weakens, the body shows it with excess tension or slackness. Ki tests objectively compare the weakness and instability of our usual way of standing, sitting, or moving, with the strength of the mind and body unified...................
Defining Ki
Japanese dictionary defines Ki as mind, spirit, or heart. It lists hundreds of expressions which use the word Ki; most of them ordinary ways of talking about human moods, attitudes, or character. It is sometimes given a more philosophical meaning. In the martial arts and Oriental medicine, the word Ki refers to a subtle form of vital energy. Ki is the life force; a source of internal strength. Like the words Zen and Satori, Ki has recently come into common use in Western languages. But though many books have been written in English on Zen, only a few books have addressed the subject of Ki. Deep concepts resist definition. Yet better definitions alone are no substitute for direct experience in achieving a better understanding of Ki.
The word Ki comes from the original Chinese concept of Chi or Qi, introduced to the West through acupuncture and the Chinese martial art of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. But the ancient Chinese way of thinking about life is so alien to our own, that it may not serve as the best reference in the study of Ki. Ideas are not more reliable simply because they arc ancient.
Some researchers have attempted to appease the demands of the modern intellect for tangible evidence of the unseen. Infrared photography, and pictures taken in a high-frequency magnetic field seem to reveal a picture of the human aura. Patterns of skin resistance to low voltage electricity seem to follow the meridians mapped out by acupuncturists to show the direction of Ki flow. But none of this research has really stirred the scientific community. Early Western philosophers attempted unsuccessfully to mathematically prove the existence of God. However the mind has always eluded attempts to search for and define its essence.
It is much easier to demonstrate Ki than to try to measure or contain it. Ki operates according to definite principles. Its operation leaves physical traces, which can be. easily recognized. These principles, and their operation in the human body, will be explained in this and the following chapters. For the sake of clarity, here is an operational definition:
Ki is a universal energy, capable of Infinite expansion and contraction, which can be directed, hut not contained by the mind.
Ki cannot be directly perceived with the senses or measured by a machine. However, Ki is not merely a concept. It is a real force which can be intuitively perceived and mentally directed. Though we live in and depend on the air we breathe, we rarely notice it or appreciate its importance. Like air and water, Ki is the very source of our vitality. It is the mysterious quality which distinguishes a healthy person from a sick one; one living from one dead.
Our Ki becomes weak when we fail to understand its original nature. Though every shred of scientific evidence points to the unity of mind and body, we act as though they were separate. The old philosophical notion, of Man as a ghost in a machine, may have gone out of fashion; but we still say that we "have a headache," and "drag ourselves out of bed," as though it were literally true. The best way to strengthen Ki is to understand and practice the unity of mind and body.
The Four Basic Principles of Mind and Body Unification
The mind and body are not exactly the same; nor are they entirely different. Changes in blood chemistry affect consciousness; and changes in attitude affect health. The body is the visible portion of the mind. When we look at a tree, we usually forget that half of it is below the ground. Problems begin when we learn to accept as real only that which is obvious.
The shape of the shadow cast by an object depends on the direction from which it is illuminated. The four principles which follow, offer two mental and two physical perspectives on Ki. These principles, and all of the other principles in this book directly related to Ki, were developed by Master Koichi Tohei.
1. Calm and Focus the Mind at the One Point in the Lower Abdomen: The point of focus for the mind is called the One Point. On the average person, it is located roughly 10 cm (4 inches) below the navel. However this point has no definable size or position. Its position shifts farther down, and even out of the body, whenever the upper body bends forward or leans back. Like the lowest point in a strong whirlpool, it funnels Ki in from the universe. Because Ki is capable of infinite expansion or contraction, the One Point acts like a miniature star; radiating Ki out or absorbing it in from all directions. The Ki exercises which follow make it possible to experience the One Point: but for now. consider it as a dynamic point of mental focus.
2. Completely Release All Stress from the Body: Complete relaxation should not result in a flaccid or collapsed state. Incorrect forms of relaxation involve only the larger muscle groups: resulting in a collapsed state in which the organs and blood vessels suffer under the unsupported weight of the upper body. It is impossible to develop strong Ki in this slate. However releasing stress from the body makes it light and buoyant: free from unnecessary tension or restriction.
3. Let the Weight of Every Part of the Body Settle Naturally at its Lowest Point: Gravity naturally keeps the weight of any object underside, without any help from us. The lowest point of an object at rest is on the bottom of that object. However, for a moving object the lowest point is not a fixed location. A golf ball trapped inside a rolling beach ball will roll freely in response to both gravity and centrifugal force. If we resist the natural disposition of weight in our own bodily movement, our weight will come upperside; resulting in a loss of stability, and in extreme cases, dizziness.
4. Extend Ki: Ki is free like the wind. It expands and fills space in all directions. It responds to our mental direction, but is impossible to contain. Physical objects present no barrier to Ki, yet it has the power to move them. Ki seems to accelerate and flow more powerfully at certain points in the body: the eyes, the fingertips, the One Point. Because Ki travels freely, like light, to the ends of the universe, we are only aware of it as it passes through us.
These four principles are the foundation of all Ki training. Principles 1 and 4, dealing with the One Point and Ki, describe the operation of the mind. Without shape, form, or physical restriction, the mind can be used freely and powerfully. Only imagination limits its potential. Ki is quicker than the hand or eye; quicker than the mouth. But strong Ki is present only in a calm mind. A spinning top appears motionless when it whirls the fastest. Principles 2 and 3, concerning relaxation and weight underside, describe the operation of the body. Physical laws limit the strength and development of the body. But a living body is more than a mere object; it is infused with mind and responds to Ki. The limitations of the body are largely set in the mind. Strong Ki resides in a body which is relaxed and settled, but buoyant.
Four principles, four ways of viewing the same thing; the state of mind and body unity. To understand one of them, is to know the other three. To lose one is to lose them all. The test of a theory is its usefulness. Though Ki can not be directly perceived with the senses or measured with a machine, it can be experirnced, tested, and strengthened. The body is the visible portion of the mind. Through the body we can know the mind. The stability, strength, and freedom
of movement of the body under pressure are measures of the mind. A Ki test is a controlled application of pressure or restraint, designed to provide a form of biofeedback on the quality and depth of mind and body unity. Each test helps the student to internalize the sense of Ki. In time, the student learns to recognize Ki without the Ki test. The person giving the Ki test may feel challenged to see how strong his partner has become; but it is a test, not a contest. Ki tests have the dual purpose of measuring and developing Ki.
The most effective way to develop Ki is to compare the way the body behaves with and without Ki. All of us have unconsciously developed bad habits of posture and movement. Somehow we fail to recognize how these habits gradually age and fatigue us; weakening our Ki with each day we grow older. As the flame of our Ki flickers and weakens, the body shows it with excess tension or slackness. Ki tests objectively compare the weakness and instability of our usual way of standing, sitting, or moving, with the strength of the mind and body unified...................
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