The relationship between the teacher and student, like all relationships, is very complex and deep. I think we all know, more or less, how to get along with our friends, mates, and family because this is how we are raised and live, but few of us have experience to create a strong relationship with a teacher or Sensei.

In the old style, the relationship is complex because it is distant and detached and, at the same time, very close. With the Sensei, there is no blood connection as with your family and parents. With the Sensei, there is no romantic relationship as with your mate or spouse. With the Sensei, there is no relationship of equality as with your friends.

The relationship between the teacher and student is a "spiritual" relationship based on the desire to learn and a quest to cultivate one's life on the part of the student. And, on the part of the teacher, the desire to pass on the teachings. The relationship is kept proper by numerous rules and code of etiquette. Of all relationships, the one between the teacher and student can be very beautiful because it is based on our deep spiritual quest.

I rarely see this kind of relationship today. Students do not really appreciate the role of the teacher. Teachers, through lack of respect and appreciation of their students , decide to focus on the material aspects of the art, such money, prestige, and power, and gradually, through this gross misunderstanding on both sides, the precious art becomes a business.

Art as business is very atrtractive to us today. Money is exchanged for services rendered - it is not necessary to be committed or perservere in one's efforts - it is simply an exchange of money and there is no need of any kind of responsibility for the other party, no loyalty, no sense of right, no honor.

However, you must understand that in a relationship based on money - the spiritual quest is gone, the depth of a strong relationship is gone and there is no more heart to heart communication. How can you convey the art in such an environment? - you cannot. And it is for this reason, that we are losing the art today. . . . .

About Ki. By Kaoru Tamura, 1st Dan.

Japanese "Ki" Idioms

In studying a foreign language, we often encounter idiomatic expressions that

reveal a lot about the way people think in that culture. In the Japanese

language, there are many idiomatic expressions that use the word "Ki." It

seems that some people who study aikido approach "Ki" as some kind of a

mystical force, as if it were some magnetic field out of a "Jedi religion"

invented in Hollywood Sci-Fi movies.

However, looking at the many "Ki" idioms used in the Japanese language, it

seems that "Ki" is not regarded as something mythic, weird or extraordinary,

just as there are many mundane idiomatic expressions in English with the

words "mind" or "heart" which we use everyday without really thinking about

them (for example: "heart on the sleeve," "change of heart," "lose heart,"

"bleeding-heart," 'take to heart," or "on my mind," "crossed my mind," "Mind

your own business," "Would you mind...?" "I've made up my mind," and "Never

mind").

I do not intend here to downplay the mystery of the human "Ki," nor to

suggest that the concept of "Ki" in the Japanese language is anything like

the concept of "mind" or "heart" in the English language. But I've listed

here some common colloquial "Ki" expressions, because it may help us to get a

sense of what "Ki" means in the context of ordinary usage in Japanese.

Of course, none of this information helps us to practice aikido any better.

So... don't mind me!!

Japanese Expression Literal Translation English Meaning

Ki ga tsuyoi To have a strong Ki To be brave, headstrong

Ki ga yowai To have a weak Ki To be timid, fainthearted

Ki ga ookii To have a big Ki To be magnanimous, big-hearted

Ki ga chiisai To have a small Ki To be parsimonious or small

Ki ga omoi To have a heavy Ki To be heavy-hearted

Ki ga hayai To have a fast Ki To be over-hasty, rash, premature

Ki ga nagai To have a long Ki To be patient, to think in

long- term

Ki ga mijikai To have a short Ki To have a short temper

Ki wo tsukeru To put one's Ki on To be careful

Ki wo torareru To have one's Ki taken To be distracted

Ki wo torimodosu To take back one's Ki To regain oneself or one's

composure

Ki ni sawaru To touch one's Ki To annoy, irritate

Ki wo kubaru To distribute one's Ki To be mindful, to look around

Ki ga chiru For the Ki to be scattered To be distracted, bothered

Ki ga chigau, For the Ki to differ To go insane,

Ki ga hen ni naru, For the Ki to become to be out of one's mind strange

Ki ga fureru For the Ki to be touched To go insane

Ki ga fusagu For the Ki to be closed up To be gloomy, melancholic

[or for the Ki to be effective]

Ki wo harasu To clear up the Ki To recreate, to divert

oneself

... ni Ki ga aru To have a Ki for... To have a crush

on..., to be interested in someone/thing

... Ki ga nai To not have a Ki to... To not feel like

something, to not be interested in...

Ki ni naru To become the Ki To be on one's mind

Ki wo nomareru To have one's Ki swallowed To be overpowered, awed

Ki ga raku For the Ki to be easy To be relaxed or without

worry or comfortable

Ki ga tatsu For the Ki to stand up To be irritated or on edge

Ki ga suwaru For the Ki to sit down To be calm or settled, to

make up one's mind, be

determined

Ki ga hikeru For the Ki to withdraw To feel inferior or

insecure or withdraw

Ki ga muku For the Ki to turn toward... To be inclined to...,

to feel like

Ki ga ki de nai For the Ki not to be Ki To be very anxious,

worried

Ki ga tsuku For the Ki to turn on To become aware, to

realize, to be attentive, conscious

Ki wo yurusu To permit one's Ki To let one's guard down

Ki ga nukeru For the Ki to be drawn out To be depressed or have

no energy (person), to be flat (beer or soda)

Ki wo mawasu To spin one's Ki To cogitate, to

speculate needlessly

Ki ga jyo-bu To have a durable Ki To be brave,

strong-minded

Ki wo haru To stretch/tense up Ki To concentrate, to be

fully alert, to be tense

Ki wo yurumeru To slacken one's Ki To relax, to ease up

Ki ga noru For the Ki to ride To be enthusiastic, to be

into

Ki ga kawaru For the Ki to change To change one's mind

Ki ga susumu For the Ki to go forward To be predisposed to

or be inclined to

Kiokure ga suru For the Ki to fall behind To be daunted

Ki wo momu To knead one's Ki To worry, to fret

Ki no ii To have a good Ki To be good-natured

Ki ga seku For the Ki to hurry To be anxious, frustrated

Kimochi ii To hold the Ki well To feel well, or for

something, to be refreshing

Kimochi warui To hold the Ki badly To not feel well, for

something, to be creepy or grotesque

Ki ga to-ku naru For the Ki to grow distant To feel faint,

overwhelmed

Ki ni kakaru To hang on the Ki To cause worry, to

create anxiety

Ki ga meiru For the Ki to collapse, To be daunted, to

feel defeated, or to implode

Ki ga sasu For the Ki to point out To feel guilty

Ki ga togameru For the Ki to blame, or For the conscience to

be for the Ki to find fault bothered

Ki ga au For the Ki to agree or match To get along