Tag Archives: breathing

Dutch, Translation

Sagawa Yukiyoshi, Masaru Takahashi en Adem Training in Daito-ryu [Dutch Version]

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Yukiyoshi Sagawa werpt Tatsuo Kimura (links) en Masaru Takahashi (rechts) *This is a Dutch translation of the article “Sagawa Yukiyoshi, Masaru Takahashi and Breath Training in Daito-ryu“, courtesy of Ernesto Lemke of Seikokan Aikido / Aikido Leeuwarden – you can also find him on the Aikido Leeuwarden page on Facebook. 「陰 陽合気法」は呼吸法によって臍下丹田に気を充実させ、気力集中をはかって精神統一をするというもので、五指を握り、静かに入息するを「陰」、五指を強く開 き、出息するを「陽」と呼ぶ、とあり、この呼吸法を続けることによって、頭脳明晰となり、眼力は鋭く、「心」「気」「力」一致し、大勇猛心を養い、特に両 手十指それぞれの活用により、神通力を高める。 “In-yo Aiki-ho“ vult de Seika Tanden met Ki door Kokyu-ho en … Continue reading Sagawa Yukiyoshi, Masaru Takahashi en Adem Training in Daito-ryu [Dutch Version] »

Translation

Sagawa Yukiyoshi, Masaru Takahashi and Breath Training in Daito-ryu

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Yukiyoshi Sagawa throwing Tatsuo Kimura (left) and Masaru Takahashi (right)
「陰陽合気法」は呼吸法によって臍下丹田に気を充実させ、気力集中をはかって精神統一をするというもので、五指を握り、静かに入息するを「陰」、五指を強く開き、出息するを「陽」と呼ぶ、とあり、この呼吸法を続けることによって、頭脳明晰となり、眼力は鋭く、「心」「気」「力」一致し、大勇猛心を養い、特に両手十指それぞれの活用により、神通力を高める。
"In-yo Aiki-ho" fills the Seika Tanden with Ki through Kokyu-ho and strives to concentrate Ki-ryoku through mental concentration. Closing the five-fingers, inhaling quietly is called "In" ("Yin"), opening the five fingers strongly and exhaling is called "Yo" ("Yang"). Through the continuation of this breathing method the mind becomes clear, the vision becomes sharp, the "spirit", "ki" and "power" are unified, a courageous spirit is developed, and especially – the various practical applications of the ten fingers of both hands gives rise to superhuman powers.
– Tokimune Takeda – son of Sokaku Takeda, and Soke of Daito-ryu Aiki Budo
Masaru Takahashi (高橋賢) entered Sagawa Dojo on May 5th of Showa year 47 (1972).
As one of the senior students of the famous Daito-ryu instructor Yukiyoshi Sagawa, who was himself one of the senior students of Sokaku Takeda, he instructs at the Sagawa-den Daito-ryu Aiki Budo Sagamihara branch dojo (佐川伝大東流合氣武道相模原支部) and at the Daito-ryu Sagawa Dojo hombu (大東流佐川道場本部) in Kodaira city.
He has also published a number of books and articles researching the Japanese martial arts and Daito-ryu.
This article is an excerpt on breath training in Daito-ryu from Takahashi’s book "The Truth of Daito-ryu Aiki" (大東流合気の真実), which was published in Japanese by Fukushodo Co. Ltd. in September 2007.
The characters 調息 ("Chousoku" / "Regulating the Breath") are used to refer to the method taught in Sagawa Dojo – the same characters used in Chinese to refer to "Tiao Xi", Chinese Daoist breathing methods.
The legendary Zhang Sanfeng (張三豐), the legendary Chinese Taoist priest often credited with originating Taijiquan, talked about "Tiao Xi" in the 13th century "Daoyan qianjin shuo" (道言淺近說):
"When the heart/mind stills and goes below the navel is called the emptied heart/mind, when the breath gathers and goes below the navel it is called the regulated breath (調息)."

Dutch, Essay

Aiki, Iki, Kokyu, Heng-Ha en Aun [Dutch Version]

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Kongo-rikishi beelden aan de poort van de Horyuji Tempel
*This is a Dutch translation of the article "Aiki, Iki, Kokyu, Heng-Ha and Aun – Some thoughts on breathing in Aikido training.", courtesy of Ernesto Lemke of Seikokan Aikido.
De Kongo-rikishi beelden die de poort naar het binnenste heiligdom van de Horyuji Tempel bewaken zijn de oudste in Japan. Van deze ‘Bewaker Koningen’ wordt gezegd dat zij meereisden met Shakyamuni Boeddha om als zijn lijfwachten te fungeren.
De rechter (Misshaku Kongo) heeft zijn mond open, symbolisch voor de eerste letter van het Sanskriet alfabet (’A’). De linker (Naraen Kongo) heeft zijn mond gesloten wat de laatste letter van het Sanskriet alfabet voorstelt (‘un’).
‘A-un’ wordt normaal gesproken gebruikt om de ademhaling van het bestaan voor te stellen – het Universum zoals die bestaat tussen de gecombineerde In-Yo tegenstellingen.
In het Westen wordt dit soms uitgesproken als het Indiase ‘Om’ of ‘Aum.’
In China wordt dit geassocieerd met Heng-Ha ademhalingsoefeningen binnen de….krijgskunsten. Er zijn beelden genaamd Heng Ha Er Jiang (哼哈二将, de twee Generaals Heng en Ha).
Om terug te keren naar Aikido – hier is iets interessants van de Aikido Grondlegger Morihei Ueshiba: 
武産の武の阿吽の呼吸の理念力
De krijgskunst van Takemusu is de kracht van het principe van A-un ademhaling (kokyu)

Essay

Aiki, Iki, Kokyu, Heng-Ha and Aun, Part 2

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Heng Ha Er Jiang (哼哈二将, the two Generals Heng and Ha), from Fengdu China
Above are two more Kongo-rikishi ("Guardian King") statues of the type that we talked about in Part 1 of "Aiki, Iki, Kokyu, Heng-Ha and Aun".This time the statues are from the ghost town of Fengdu China – which is an entire city modelled on the Chinese Hell of Taoist mythology, built more than 1800 years ago. The City of Ghosts was a place of worship before the flooding of the Three Gorges due to the Three Gorges Dam Project.  Today it mostly lies underwater – except for the sections that have been reconstructed (with some of the original structures used) for the tourist industry.In the picture above the General Heng stands on the right – 哼, for inhaling. Note that his mouth is closed and his abdomen is contracted (this is the Naraen Kongo in Japan, with his mouth closed in the "un" syllable of "Aun").The General Ha stands on the left – 哈, for exhaling. Note that his mouth is opened and his abdomen is expanded (this is the Misshaku Kongo in Japan, with his mouth open in the "A" syllable of "Aun").

Essay

Aiki, Iki, Kokyu, Heng-Ha and Aun – Part 1

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Kongo-rikishi statues at the gate of Horyuji Temple
The Kongo-rikishi statues that guard the gate to the inner sanctum of Horyuji Temple are the oldest in Japan. These "Guardian Kings" were said to have traveled with Shakyamuni Buddha, in order to act as his bodyguards. The one one the right (Misshaku Kongo) has his mouth open in the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet ("A"). The one on the left (Naraen Kongo) has his mouth closed, representing the last letter of the Sanskrit alphabet ("un"). "A-un" is generally used to represent the breadth of existence – the universe existing between the combined In-Yo opposites.In the west this is sometimes pronounced as the Indian "Om" or "Aum". In China this is associated with Heng-Ha breathing exercises in the practice of…martial arts. There the statues are called the Heng Ha Er Jiang (哼哈二将, the two generals Heng and Ha).Getting back to Aikido – here’s a short tidbit from Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba:
武産の武の阿吽の呼吸の理念力
The martial art of Takemusu is the power of the principle of A-un breathing (kokyu)