Product Description

Ki, the "Force" behind the Japanese martial art of Aikido, has much in common with Chinese ch'i, the Sanscrit prana, and the Greek pneuma, but all remain strange concepts to many Westerners.

Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido, founded by Koichi Tohei in 1974, emphasizes coordination of mind and body to produce inner strength and stability. It differs from other styles of Aikido in the formalized study of ki, relaxation and body mechanics.

Ki testing provides an unusual opportunity to actually test, measure, and evaluate many traditional concepts of mind and body which must otherwise be dismissed as "flaky New Age weirdness" or accepted on faith, despite secret doubts and fears.

Here are step-by-step instructions and illustrations of ki exercises and test techniques. This new edition expands the original First Edition chapters on breathing and meditation with additional information on modern biofeedback and the science of breath.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #148691 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-01
• Binding: Perfect Paperback
• 288 pages

Review
"A test's great value is that it lets you know what you do not know, and saves the embarrassment and danger of learning it later in life. Tests in this handy little book go even farther. It is the greatest advance in testing since the first Unbendable Arm."
- Jay Gluck, Author, Zen Combat

"I am thrilled with it. I will make extensive use of it, especially teaching in the dojo. This is certainly the best book I have read on the subject --so much good sense, so many helpful exercises. Great drawings!"
- Rev. Bill Bickford, Kingston Ki Aikido

"Not just 'do this' exercises, but class 'experiments' try this and see what happens. Then try this and compare results. The read

Review
"A test's great value is that it lets you know what you do not know, and saves the embarrassment and danger of learning it later in life. Tests in this handy little book go even farther. It is the greatest advance in testing since the first Unbendable Arm."
- Jay Gluck, Author, Zen Combat

"I am thrilled with it. I will make extensive use of it, especially teaching in the dojo. This is certainly the best book I have read on the subject -- so much good sense, so many helpful exercises. Great drawings!"
- Rev. Bill Bickford, Kingston Ki Aikido

"Not just 'do this' exercises, but class 'experiments'—try this and see what happens. Then try this and compare results. The reader is invited to explore just what Ki can do in casual, simple situations. I think this text will prove to be invaluable to beginners, advanced students, teachers, and everyone in between."
- E. Izawa

About the Author
C. M. Shifflett is a student of the late George Simcox, Chief Instructor of the Virginia Ki Society.

Customer Reviews

Marvelous, beautiful primer.
Most books on aikido suffer from some common flaws. They usually have a whole lot of small blurry photographs of techniques and a set of platitudes, with no way to relate them to either aikido practice or real life. This book has neither of those flaws.

As a beginner in ki-aikido, now forced to be in a town without a ki society dojo, I use Ki in Aikido as a regular reference to when I want to practice the ki exercises, which are clearly and comprehensively explained.

More importantly, she discusses the positive outlook necessary for success in aikido and in life. In a sense, it's both a primer on ki exercises and a self-help book for maintaining a "plus" attitude in life.

Also extremely witty and enjoyable to read. If nothing else, get it for the beautiful drawings of real live aikido practitioners.

The only danger with this book is that you may love it and become an evangelist and enthusiastically loan it to a friend, who will love it and never give it back. That would be bad.

An outstanding guide to Ki development
The concepts of "Ki" as taught in Ki Society Aikido schools is not easy for westerners to comprehend. I first started practicing it in 1990. Since then, outside of the writings of the founder, Koichi Tohei Sensei, I have not found a readily available and readable book that expliains Ki to westerners. Then came "Ki in Aikido: A Sampler of Ki Exercises" by C. M. Shifflett. In this easily manageable (size wise) book, Ms Shifflett gives a breif discription of Aikido and Ki then gets into the "meat of the matter". She explains Ki very clearly and gives lots of examples of how to incorporate it into your Aikido and your life. The art work is excellent and very aptly displays what is discribed. For my money, there is no better book for anyone: from the seasoned high ranking instructor to the novice to the curious onlooker. Anyone can get something from this book.

The Force is strong with this one
I earned my shodan during three years training in Japan (my instructors were wonderful people), and have taught for three years also (receiving permission from World Aikido headquarters).

This is an excellent little book. It is pleasant both to look at and read, and covers a lot of information in a well-paced and thoughtful manner. The elegant presentation reminds me of books on Japanese flower arrranging.

It is also concise, delivering not only what I understand to be a near-complete rendition of the various ki techniques and their applications in a straightforward manner, but also including brief notes on the various influences of aikido on cinema (The Seven Samurai, Star Wars), apocryphal tales about the founder Ueshiba Morihei, etc.

I enjoyed reading this book and consider it, unlike several other books on the subject, both well worth the expense and a useful addition to one's aikido library.