氣が強い
Ki ga tsuyoi
To have strong energy
Do you have strong Ki (氣)? Ki is, for lack of a better explanation, one’s life-force or energy. When a person has strong will, the Japanese say that they have “Yaruki” (遣る氣). Likewise, when a person has no desire, ambition or willpower, they are said to have ki that is not working or “Ki ga kikanai” (氣が効か無い). In training, this idea of one’s ki is present as well. When we are fully focused and there are no openings in our movements, we are said to be in a state of jitsu (実) and that is where we have yaruki and our ki is the strongest. When we lose our concentration and are open to attack, we are in a state of kyo (虚) or where our ki loses power or when we have lost our will. Throughout class, our energy ebbs and flows and modern day people attribute this to how the class is taught. If the teacher or students talk too much and the students move too little, then this opens the students up to kyo or they lose concentration. This type of kyo only happens to less experienced practitioners. In the old days of martial arts or with more experienced practitioners, regardless of how the class is taught or what is being taught, the more ardent never lose concentration. That is why in budo some say that “The best teachers are the most unreasonable.” It is human nature to rationalize why it is someone else’s fault. However, the most unreasonable are the best because they don’t allow us the opportunity for excuses. Unreasonable teachers force the students to improve despite the quality of the teacher, the curriculum, the situation or if they talk too much which they shouldn’t. We alone allow our ki to lose its focus or let it impact our willpower. Martial artists aren’t superheroes or special. They are just people who do their best to live their lives to the fullest and that means with the strongest ki or effort that they can produce.
Today’s goal: Remember, everything in life is a test or lesson. Don’t allow anything to affect your energy.