Now that we've explored the aiki body (part 1) and defined the various terminology of the aiki arts (part 2), let's get deeper into the actual techniques of Aiki no Jutsu. But didn't I say in my last article that aiki was something you have, not something you do? Like the art itself, it's complicated...

There is a subsection of techniques called Aiki no Jutsu, literally "techniques of aiki," that are meant to showcase the practitioner's expression of aiki without relying on the standard skeletal or muscular manipulations of jujutsu. 

Of these techniques, Aiki Age 合気上げ is the staple of Daito Ryu and its derivatives, to the point where if one cannot demonstrate at least the simplest variation of it, it's safe to say they haven't studied the aiki arts at all. 

In part 1 (click here to read), I briefly defined one interpretation of "aiki" as the moment in time when two opposing forces intertwine. I also began touching on Aiki no Rentai (conditioned aiki body), and it's on this subject I'd like to dive deeper. 

As I previously stated, Aikido founder Ueshiba Morihei functioned on a different plane from what we often see in modern Aikido. By all accounts, Ueshiba had the aiki body which brings me to the next interpretation: Aiki is something you have, not something you do or something that happens. To quote my friend Rob Liberti, "aiki in me makes aiki in thee."

When the aiki body is developed, the opposing forces we're talking about no longer refer to two separate entities but rather forces acting within one's own body. Through engaging the connective tissue of the body, we're attempting to create omnidirectional force by expanding in all (six) directions: up, down, forward, back, left, and right. ​The body, constantly being pulled in all directions, develops a tensile strength that neutralizes force acting upon it (often referred to as rooting or grounding). With that, an elasticity is also created that allows force to travel through the body without obstruction. ​

Few things in the martial arts have caused more controversy than the discussion of aiki. The general public, and majority of the martial arts community, dismisses aiki as some form of mystical "chi" power akin to the "no-touch knockouts" of George Dillman (with just as much effectiveness). Even those in the aiki arts, however, struggle to come to a consensus of what aiki is... And they're the ones that teach it!  In this article, I'll attempt to break through the shroud of mystery and disinformation (more on that later) surrounding the world of aiki. Let me apologize now, as this won't be a quick read. 

In order to understand what aiki is, we first must translate it into laymen's terms. The kanji which comprise it, 合気, are often translated as "harmonizing energy," but of course that doesn't say a whole lot. The first character, 合, is itself three kanji: 人 (person), 一 (one), and 口 (mouth). One of the best breakdowns I've heard for this character is "two people speaking through one mouth," referring to the instant that two opposing forces come together. This is also the inspiration for the Taiji (often called the yinyang or inyo symbol). It is not two objects crashing into and destroying each other, but rather dual opposing spirals whose paths intertwine. 

​The second character, 気, is the simplified version of 氣, which is essentially a drawing of boiling rice. "Where the translation of Ki as energy comes from is the fact that the energy from the fire below the stove boils the water which produces energy from the steam. This type of combustion is the basis for steam engines. However, it is not just the energy that causes the lid of the pot to lift. It is the relationship between the fire, the stove, the pot, the water, the steam, and the lid that makes it all work together. To this end, Ki is best translated as 'relationship' as opposed to 'energy.'"[1] ​