So far in this article series, we've explored both Kiko and Reiki (with an emphasis on the latter). In part 1 (click here) I focused on the benefits of Reiki for physical healing, and in part 2 (click here) we dove into the the emotional and spiritual aspects of Reiki, including why it works, how it can be dangerous, and the Scriptural justifications for its usage. Part 3 will relate all of this back to the martial arts, specifically Aiki Jujutsu, but there is a significant aspect of the spiritual side of Reiki I feel must be addressed first. 

To summarize, spiritual healing through Reiki is not meant to provide salvation or the forgiveness of sins. We established that healing through touch is an ancient form of medicine used by Christ Himself, and that by gaining a true understanding of Ki rather than a mystical one, we can begin to correlate this instinctual practice with commonly accepted forms of medicine and therapy. All of that being said, there is another part of traditional Reiki practice that I will concede is largely contradictory to Christian faith. 

During his lifetime, Dr. Usui revealed four symbols that "aid" the practitioner in administering the healing touch (pictured above). These symbols were meant to be drawn in the mind, or with the hand, when performing a Reiki session. Further, he advocated the practices of Jumon/Shingon, and Kotodama. In essence, these practices center around the ritual use of vocalization.

In the first installment of this series (click here) I described the practices of Kiko and Reiki as modalities for physical health, but as every martial artist is familiar with, we train the spirit, mind, and body. As such, our healing practices should address the same. Reiki especially is often used to promote emotional and spiritual healing, but this is where things can go wrong or even be dangerous, and it's this aspect of Reiki that I'd like to address today. Please forgive me, as this may be one of my longest articles to date, but I feel it's necessary to do justice to the subject. 

Electricity is one of the four elements that are collectively referred to as Ki, and the human body creates its own electromagnetic field which Dr. Ann Baldwin, a professor of physiology at the University of Arizona's College of Medicine, refers to as the "biofield." On a physical level, Reiki works through the interaction between two human electromagnetic fields which guide bodily functions. 

According to this article from the Institute of Integrative Health, Reiki was better than a placebo in activating the parasympathetic nervous system, as measured by reduced heart rate, reduced blood pressure, and increased heart rate variability. The article also states that Reiki is more effective than a placebo for patients with chronic health conditions for reducing pain, anxiety, and depression, and improving self-esteem and quality of life.  

​Multiple studies, like this pilot study performed in 2017, find that recipients of Reiki often show significant reductions in pain, blood pressure, respiration rate, and anxiety. Another study focusing on cancer patients that had completed chemotherapy found that fatigue decreased within the Reiki treatment group over the course of treatment, and quality of life showed significant improvements. Daily symptom monitoring before and after each treatment session demonstrated significant decreases in tiredness, pain, and anxiety (click here for source). With numerous studies and testimonials of how Reiki has helped people struggling with depression, anxiety, and psychological trauma, why would you not seek it out?

For as long as codified martial systems have existed, and probably longer, some of the most prominent martial artists have also been healers and physicians. It's only natural that those who study how to destroy the body become experts in how to fix it.

​In our system of American Yoshinkan Aiki Jujutsu, the study of Kappo (healing methods) is essential to becoming an instructor. ​Injuries are an inevitable part of training, and having the ability to tend to them quickly makes a drastic change in the overall outcome of the situation. Beyond the normal CPR and First Aid certifications every martial artist should have, we teach the following as part of our Kappo training:

• Anma - Massage
• Shiatsu - Acupressure
• Sekkotsu - Bone setting
• Kiko - Breathing/meditation
• Reiki - Energy healing

It's the last two, Kiko and Reiki, that I'd like to focus on in this series of articles, but before I continue I must clarify that we are not medical professionals and do not perform these as services for monetary compensation. Engaging in or receiving instruction or service in any of the healing modalities listed above is done with the full consent of the practitioner/recipient, and done so with no guarantees of effectiveness. These healing modalities listed above are meant to complement, not substitute or replace, the practitioner/recipient's full health and wellness program and they should consult a licensed physician or healthcare provider prior to engaging in one or more of practices listed above.

In the past, we've explored the various explanations of aiki used both in our system of American Yoshinkan Aiki Jujutsu and the internal community at large. In part 2 of the "Is This Aiki?" mini-series (click here to read), I included generalized definitions of common terms such as: 

• Aiki no Rentai
• Aiki no Inyo'ho
• Aiki no Jutsu
• Aiki Jujutsu
• Aiki Kenpo

However, there is something important we need to consider. In all of these terms, aiki is the adjective. It describes what is happening, but it is not the thing. Our art is not simply aiki, but rather aiki jujutsu, and it's on this I'd like to explore today. 

My last several articles have been dedicated to defining aiki as we use it in American Yoshinkan Aiki Jujutsu. However, aiki is not a concept unique to the myriad of systems that ultimately stem from Daito Ryu. While Takeda Sokaku (the founder or rejuvenator of Daito Ryu, depending what you believe) may have been the first to attribute this concept to a physical, conditioned state of being, the origins of aiki go back much farther and I'd like to briefly dive into that history. 

We first see written accounts of aiki, often written 相氣, as early as the late 1600s, and was used to describe the moment in time when two swordsmen would find themselves with the mutual intention of attacking at the identical time and space. It was taught as something to be avoided, as this could only result in mutual death if they proceeded with their attack. 

Fast forward to the late 1890s, and the book Budo Hiketsu: Aiki No Jutsu was published by Kondo Yoshizu, where aiki was described as the highest level of mastery in Japanese martial arts. It's unclear when and where the shift in perspective happened, with aiki once being something to avoid and now defined as the pinnacle of Budo, but this interpretation would significantly influence the development of the aiki arts. 

In my latest mini-series entitled "Is This Aiki?" (click here for part 1), I mentioned a concept in internal martial arts known as the Six Harmonies. Originally derived from Taijiquan, the Six Harmonies are:

1. Hands harmonize with the feet
2. Elbows harmonize with the knees
3. Shoulders harmonize with the hips
4. Heart harmonizes with intention
5. Intention harmonizes with Ki
6. Ki harmonizes with movement

The three external harmonies describe how to move the body as a cohesive unit to express coordinated power (集中力 shuchu ryoku). The three internal harmonies describe the relationship between your intent and your actual, physical movement. Together, the Six Harmonies are the key to balancing In (Yin) and Yo (Yang) in the body, and ultimately creating what is known as the aiki body. However, because the Six Harmonies are largely a Chinese concept, practitioners of Japanese internal arts may mistakenly overlook them. 

​In the image above of Takeda Tokimune, son of Takeda Sokaku and the late Soke of mainline Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu, we can clearly see the kanji for Jusoku Rikugo 充塞六合, "Fulfill the Six Harmonies" (written in the classical manner of right-to-left). The more I research into the history and training methods of both our system of American Yoshinkan Aiki Jujutsu and our related/parent aiki arts, it has become clear that the development of Chinese and Japanese internal martial arts were more intertwined than we are led to believe. While the scroll displayed in Takeda sensei's dojo is the only written reference I have seen from an official Daito Ryu source to the Six Harmonies, taking into account the ryu's adherence to secrecy and obscurity, it would not surprise me if like the very nature of aiki itself, it was hidden in plain sight. 

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] ​