坪井香譲の文武随想録

時に武術や身体の実践技法に触れ、時に文学や瞑想の思想に触れる。身体の運動や形や力と、詩の微妙な呼吸を対応させる。言葉と想像力と宇宙と体の絶妙な呼応を文と武で追求。本名、繁幸。<たま・スペース>マスター

やわらを入れる 〈号外〉

「翼」号外1
 「翼」について、あるアンケートに書く機会があったので、それを載せます。

 「直立二足歩行」を人間の原点とし、身体、意識、言語の初源を探ってきた。立ち上がるとは、実は半ば〈翼〉を有して翔ぶことだと最近気付いた(3.11の衝撃もあって)。剣術の奥義を天狗が授け、アニメは飛翔の夢に満ち、神や如来と人の間には天使、天人…菩薩が飛ぶ。
 翼は意識、言語、想像力を支える力、その隠された構造だが、現実に人体の骨格、筋肉と密に関わる。翼の自覚と実現の方法にようやく到ったが、これは「理性は精神にではなく、身体にこそある」と断じたニーチェに連なって、さらに転じるものと思う。(以下略)



「翼」号外2
 以下は英文ですが、本2012年の秋にドイツ、フランス、ベルギーで講座をするための参考資料として、私が一気に書き上げた短い文です。このブログ「やわらを入れる」は、ベルギー在住の鵜戸玲子さんが、少しずつ英訳してくれています(英語版参照)。しかし、これは急ぐため、オーストラリアで∞気流法を指導しているJulie Rogersさんが、私の慣れぬ英語を修正してくれたものです。(この機会に二人に感謝します)。参考に載せます。



Human beings , standing and ‘wings’ - the ultimate freedom of mind & body.


Foundation - Relaxation is Concentration.

First of all, it’s important to consider that to carry out body activities well and efficiently we need good relaxation. Good relaxation benefits not only activities of the body but also the mind. Therefore we start ∞Kiryuho classes with a relaxation method called the ‘3R’s’. If you do this exercise you will notice that good relaxation is connected with good concentration.

Also through this exercise you can realize that the whole of your body is connected; meaning that each part of your body is related to each other.
For instance, even if you move your right little finger you can feel the connection with the muscle near your pelvis. If you stretch the skin and muscle between your eyebrows instead of tightening your brow in a frown, your breath will become deeper, because the pit of your stomach will be more relaxed than before.

Through the ‘3R’s’ exercise of relaxation you realize that your whole body can be more refined and concentrated and also that your body is connected with the earth and space around you. Your five senses become more clear and opened to the world! The synthesis of mind and body are deeper.
You can experience good practical effects.


Next step - autres pas - The real meaning of the standing posture.

Human beings developed into human beings because they started to stand and walk on two feet. This meant that the relationship between humans and gravity was completely transformed. Consequently, almost all of the activities carried out by human beings are deeply connected with a vertical posture.
It’s common knowledge that when humans began to stand, a freedom of hands developed as well as language abilities and the use of tools and fire etc. However, it’s not commonly realized that human beings also started to ‘fly’ by starting to stand up and walk!

When standing, we have to maintain a very unbalanced position. Even if our feet touch the ground and we step to walk, our upper part of our body is in some meaning, ‘flying’ or ‘floating’ in space even if we are very near to the ground. From ancient times, we have had flying heroes in mythologies, fairies with cute wings in folktales, angels and Ten-nin (a heavenly being) in religious texts. In Japan, legend has it that dancers of some traditional folk dances were taught ultimate techniques by Tengus (something like powerful fairies who live in the mountains and have wings to fly). Also many famous schools of ancient Budo (Jujitsu or Kenjutsu), kept books on their art in which the figure of Tengus appeared in the last pages.

Flying with wings symbolize the strong impulse of freedom and unity with space or the universe. Of course, our body itself can't fly physically but the deep and strong impulse to fly, to be free and free from gravity can't be stopped. This is why human beings actually can now fly by glider or airplane. It is artificial technology. However many body artists with a deeply well trained body and mind are thought to be able to ‘fly’ or ‘float’ in space.

Tibetan wind ascetics, do exercises to walk like the wind. Chinese Kung-Fu masters do Kei- Kung which makes it possible to jump like a bird or run on top of many eggs without crushing them. Many japanese traditional martial arts schools when they teach about standing say you should stand like < Ukimi > - a half floating body. This means non attachment to the ground even if your foot touches the ground. The founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba said many times "I stand on the heavenly floating bridge". That bridge is explained in the Kojiki - Japanese oldest book which tells of the mythology of the beginning of the world and nation. The name of the bridge is Ameno uki hashi. It is between the infinite heavenly world and this limited actual world. This bridge is the symbol of non - attachment to relativity, but non- attachment also never means non concern for it.

We are always with gravity, we can't be against the gravity. Following gravity is the best way for efficient body activities. This means that we accept gravity as our destiny. If your posture in aligned to surrendering to gravity, gravity makes it possible to carry out activities well. At this moment, subjectively or symbolically you can ‘fly’. But this flying is very concretely connected with our body movement, condition and posture.

It is especially connected with our shoulder blades which have a deep connection with our breathing organs and hands which do many things.Therefore in classes, we learn about the point at the shoulder blade which is called ‘Tsubasa ne’ - the points in which the wings of angels come out of in the mythological images. If you realize these points, your breath, your posture, your movement, your relaxation and concentration will be transformed.
Dancers know themselves that their art is transformed and Aikido masters know themselves that their art is much better than before with the consciousness of ‘wings’.

However the most important thing is if people recognize the origin of their wings, their existence itself will be very free. People feel the most fundamental delight like enlightenment of a Zen priest.

We Japanese or may be other contrie’s people also - ‘Wings’ are the metaphorical way of expressing the freedom of imagination.
However it's not only for mind activities, it's connected to the actual body structure and the consciousness of it. Human beings start to stand and at the same time they start to ‘fly’..... they have the impulse to have the most essential freedom with ‘wings’.
So I repeat that the wings of imagination are in fact connected to the structure of the body.

                             Kajo Tsuboi.
                          6th of June, 2012

proofreader : Julie Rogers.(8th of July)


(つづく)
平成二十四年七月十二日