Aiki lives within movement

O Sensei Moirhei Ueshiba was reported to have said, when asked about the meaning of aiki, "When I move around, that is what aiki is."

Much of what he said is up for interpretation - nobody knows just what he was thinking most of the time - and this one is no different.  But I'd like to offer a possible glimmering of understanding for this particular statement.

I think perhaps Ueshiba was saying something like, "Look! Aiki lives within the movements - not in the techniques!  It is the relative movements of uke's and tori's bodies that makes aiki."

I was watching an instructional video by Bram Frank, and he said something that put me in mind of this quote and led me to this interpretation.  He said, and I paraphrase, "This is all movement.  The techniques will not keep you from being cut.  Movement will keep you from being cut.  It is the movement that will save you - not the techniques."

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Patrick Parker
www.mokurendojo.com