As part of our Aikido training we talk about the concept of Ki.
Aikido is translated roughly as “the way of harmonising with Ki”
So we what exactly is that?
Ki is not a commonly talked about concept within our culture and in general it is not something easy to explain or understand.
Tohei Sensei came up with 4 principles of mind and body co-ordination as part of his Ki Aikido training.
1. Keep one point (focus the mind at a point just below the belly button)
2. Extend the mind
3. Relax completely
4. Keep weight underside.
We should try to establish these principles into out Aikido training within every technique we practise.
What has been interesting to me over the years is finding other traditions that mirror these concepts.
Not long after the start of my Aikido journey, I was in India with a friend and picked up a book by an author called Stuart Perrin. He was a meditation teacher from New York who spoke about how he trained with his teacher.
His system involved focusing the mind at a point below the navel which he called “the 3rd chakra”. He believed that our tension can be brought here to turn into chi. I was fascinated by the similarity of the concept.
Recently, I’ve followed some of the ideas of a Daoist and internal arts practitioner named Damo Mitchell, originally from England. He shared this recent post:
“In classical Daoist Nei Gong, the Lower Dan Tian (下丹田) is not something we are born with—it must be cultivated. Located in the lower abdomen, it is the energetic storehouse that fuels deeper internal practices.
“How do we build the Dan Tian?
1️⃣ Correct Breathing – Soft, deep, reverse breathing helps condense Qi in the lower abdomen.
2️⃣ Sinking the Mind (Yi) – Attention (Yi 意) must lead Qi (氣) to the right place.
3️⃣ Structured – The body must be aligned, relaxed, and connected to the earth via a sunk centre to allow Qi to gather naturally.
4️⃣ Jing → Qi Transformation – True Dan Tian development comes when essence (精) is refined into Qi rather than scattered.
5️⃣ Stillness & Repetition – Like water carving stone, daily practice is key”
Once again, I found it interesting to see the similarity across another tradition.
This either points to all these traditions coming from one source, or perhaps all of these traditions finding the same truths over time.
Tohei felt that the development of Ki was so important to Aikido that he made it a focus of his training. We still follow this method of training largely today.
It is always good to look at different ideas, styles and traditions. At the same time, it is only through a commitment to training that we will start to uncover for ourselves the benefits that can be gained from Aikido training.
If you are interested in learning more about the club you are welcome to contact me:
You are welcome to come to our class on Mondays at 7.30pm. Palace Of Art, Glasgow.
Keep Extending Ki,
Sensei Ronnie Smith
Aikido For Glasgow 