Benefits in Daily Life

This saying reminds us of a fundamental principle: we are already part of the Universe. When we face challenges and feel anger or fear, or experience despair, it's because we've forgotten this connection. We start to believe in a small, separate self that has to fight against the world.

The practice is to return to the feeling of Oneness. There is no need to "get" Ki from somewhere else or to try and blend with someone else's Ki. There is only the Ki of the Universe, flowing through everything and everyone. When we are in conflict with a partner, for example, we do not try to "unify with our partner's Ki", but rather we can realize that the same Universal Ki is flowing through both of us. By returning to this understanding, we can face any obstacle with a clear conscience and a calm spirit, because we are aligned with the way of the Universe itself.

Below, we'll unpack this saying layer by layer from the Japanese original through to its roots in classical Chinese philosophy to understand not just what it means, but how to embody it in our daily practice.

Table of Contents

• Benefits in Daily Life

• Unpacking Ki Sayings 

  • The Original Japanese Text: 

  • A More Literal Translation: 

• Commentary & Analysis 

  • Ki ni Gassuru no Michi (氣に合するの道): The Process of E …

  • Zettai no Tenchi wa Hitotsu, Kore o Shoshite Ki to …

  • Ware, Tenchi no Ri o Manabi (我れ、天地の理を学び): We study …

  • My Life or Our Lives? (我が生命 / Waga Seimei) 

  • The Courage of Conviction (千万と雖も我れ征かむ / Senman to …

  • The Foundation of Practice 

Unpacking Ki Sayings 

The Shokushu (誦句集), or Ki Sayings, are the crown jewels of Soshu Koichi Tohei Sensei's teaching influenced by, among other things, his reading of Saikontan (菜根譚) as a young man. We often read one of the Ki Sayings before class, and it's easy to let them wash over us without washing through us. So I want to take time to chew on each of them in depth so we can soak more deeply in their meaning.

There is a challenge here. These Ki Sayings are experiential teachings, written in Japanese many years ago and not updated significantly even as Tohei Sensei’s own experience and pedagogy progressed through his life. The English version was translated early on by students whose own level of understanding was still developing, so, even with small revisions over time, the English version can sometimes be misleading and sound like commands or a distant goal.

In this series of articles about each Ki Saying, I will do my best to present the Japanese original, the standard English translation, a more literal translation, and an exploration of the deeper meaning. The real teaching, however, is not about the meaning of words, but about experiencing the Oneness of Bodymind now, now, now, in every moment.

The Original Japanese Text: 

三、氣に合するの道

絶対の天地は一つ、これを称して氣という。我が生命も肉 体も、天地の氣より生じたのである。 
我れ、天地の理を学び、天地と共にあり、何をか憂い何を か怖れん。
我が進む道は、如何なる障碍苦難もはばむ事の 出来ない天地の大道である。

A More Literal Translation: 

3. The Process of Experiencing Oneness with Ki

The Absolute Heaven and Earth is one, we call this Ki. My life and body are born from the Ki of Heaven and Earth. I, learning the principles of Heaven and Earth, am together with Heaven and Earth, what is there to grieve, what is there to fear? My path forward is the great path of Heaven and Earth, which no obstacle or hardship can prevent.

Commentary & Analysis 

Let's break down the key phrases to deepen our understanding.

Ki ni Gassuru no Michi (氣に合するの道): The Process of Experiencing Oneness with Ki 

The title itself is a profound teaching, a dynamic rephrasing of our art, Aikido (合氣道). Let's break it down:

• 合する (gassuru) takes the kanji for harmony, 合 (ai), and makes it an active verb. A precise interpretation is not merely "to merge," but "to be in sync," or "to get on the same wavelength as," or better yet, "to experience Oneness with."

• 道 (michi) is the "Way" or "Path." However, in a discipline like Aikido, a 道 is not a fixed road to a set destination, but a path walked for a lifetime. Because the journey never ends, the focus shifts from arriving somewhere to the act of walking. It is, therefore, a continuous "Process."

This transforms the noun "Aikido" into a verb phrase: "The Process of Experiencing Oneness with Ki." It tells us that Oneness is not a static state, but a continuous attunement. Ki ni gassuru is the lifelong process of matching the Universe. It reminds us that we are not trying to create unity, or create coordination, but rather to actively realize the Oneness that is already there. Tohei Sensei is telling us what Aikido practice actually is: a systematic method for realizing, in every moment, our inherent Oneness with the Universe, not just a way to throw people around and crank on some wrists.

Zettai no Tenchi wa Hitotsu, Kore o Shoshite Ki to Iu (絶対の天地は一つ、これを称して氣という): The Absolute Universe is One. We call this Ki. 

As the introductory quote from the Saikontan asks, "Is the distance between Heaven and man very great?" This Shokushu answers with a definitive "no." The line "The Absolute Universe is One" is a direct statement of this non-duality. The original Saikontan text makes this even more explicit with the line: 心體便是天體 (shindai sunawachi tentai), or "The substance of the mind is precisely the substance of Heaven."

This is the core teaching. There is no separation. 絶対 (Zettai) means absolute or unconditional. 天地 (Tenchi) is Heaven and Earth, the Universe. The first clause establishes that the Universe is a single, unified entity. The second clause、 これを称して氣という (kore o shoshite Ki to iu)、 gives this Oneness a name: 氣 (Ki). It explicitly states that this unified, absolute Universe is what we call Ki. This is a crucial point; Ki is not a force within the Universe, it is the Universe itself in its totality.

Therefore, there isn't "my Ki" and "your Ki" and “their Ki” as separate things. There is only the Ki of the Universe, always in motion, manifesting as you, me, trees, mountains, rivers, the moon, the stars, the air we breathe, the whole kit and caboodle. The poetic idea that "the omnipotence of Heaven resides in man" is a direct expression of this. When we think in terms of blending with "someone else's Ki," we are creating a false duality that doesn't exist. The practice is to dissolve this sense of separation and realize we are all expressions of the same Ki.

Ware, Tenchi no Ri o Manabi (我れ、天地の理を学び): We study the principles of the Universe

 我れ (Ware) is a formal way of saying "I" or "we." 理 (Ri) means principle, logic, or reason. 学び (Manabi) is "to learn" or "to study." This is not an intellectual exercise. We "study" the principles of the Universe not simply by reading books, but through our dedicated practice (shugyo).

It is crucial to understand that these principles are not rules telling us how we should or ought to act. Rather, they are a description of how a person naturally acts when they are experiencing Oneness. The Four Basic Principles, for example, describe this state—a calm center at the one-point, a body free from undue tension, natural stability, and expansive energy. We study them to recognize this state, not to impose a set of commands upon ourselves.

When we embody these natural laws, we are 共にあり (tomo ni ari) - "together with" the Universe. When we are one with the Universe, what is there to fear? What is there to be sad about? The saying concludes by stating that our path forward (我が進む道,waga susumu michi) is the 天地の大道 (Tenchi no Daido), the "Great Way of the Universe," which no obstacle can hinder. This makes the connection explicit: by studying and embodying universal principles, our personal path aligns with and becomes the Great Way itself.

My Life or Our Lives? (我が生命 / Waga Seimei) 

The Japanese word 我が (waga) is another formal pronoun that can be translated as "my" or "our." While the standard translation uses the plural "Our lives," it's powerful to consider the singular "My life."

When we read, hear or recite this in the plural, it can sometimes allow us to feel off the hook as individuals. "Our" lives can feel abstract, like a collective responsibility that doesn't fall squarely on any one person's shoulders. But the path to Oneness with Ki is intensely personal. The challenge of this text is to let it permeate our specific, individual lives. We must ask, "How do I experience my life as being born of the Ki of the Universe? How do I live in accordance with its principles?" The shift in perspective from the collective to the individual is a vital step in taking responsibility for our own practice.

The Courage of Conviction (千万と雖も我れ征かむ / Senman to iedomo ware yukan) 

The Shokushu closes with a powerful line: 自らかえりみて縮くんば、千万人と雖も我れ征かむの氣慨をもとう。 (Mizukara kaerimite naokunba, senman-nin to iedomo ware yukan no kigai o motou.)

This is a quote from the Book of Mencius, a foundational text of Confucian philosophy. As we know from his devotion to the Saikontan, which synthesizes Confucian, Taoist, and Chan/Zen thought, Tohei Sensei was deeply immersed in these classical traditions. By quoting Mencius, he is grounding this Ki Saying in a millenia long discussion on the nature of courage.

A plain translation is: "If, upon looking into myself I find I am right, I shall go forward even against thousands and tens of thousands. Let us have this spirit."

The term for the opposition here is 千萬人 (senman-nin). The characters literally mean "a thousand ten-thousands," or ten million people. However, the phrase is also used idiomatically to mean any immense, countless, or overwhelming number. Whether translated as "10,000 opponents" or "ten million people," the meaning is the same: to stand firm in your conviction even when faced with insurmountable opposition.

This is the ultimate expression of confidence that arises from experiencing Oneness with Ki. It is not arrogance, but the calm, unshakeable inner authority that comes from knowing you are aligned with the "Tenchi no Daido," the Great Way of the Universe. This alignment is the heart of the Taoist concept of Wu Wei (無為), or effortless action. Just as we learn that Universal Principles are not rules to be imposed, Wu Wei teaches us not to impose our own will upon the world. When your conscience is clear and your spirit is calm, there is no longer any distinction between your path and the Great Way. You cease to struggle against headwinds (which are of your own making anyways) and instead feel the powerful tailwind of the Universe carrying you forward.

The Foundation of Practice 

The order of the Shokushu is not random. It is a deliberate pedagogical path, building a complete foundation for our training. Understanding this sequence is essential, without this clarity, our practice has no meaning.

• Shokushu #1:The first saying establishes our North Star: "to experience the original and natural Oneness of Bodymind and realize that we are now, always have been, and always will be, One with the Universe." It tells us what we are doing.

• Shokushu #2: The second saying grounds this lofty goal in our personal reality. It affirms that we, as human beings, have the unique capacity and therefore the personal responsibility to undertake this journey..

• Shokushu #3: With the goal set and our role defined, this third saying provides the foundational principle that makes the entire endeavor possible. There is no separation to begin with. The Absolute Universe is One, and we are born of it. The work is not to connect/unify/coordinate/blend, but to realize the Oneness that has always existed.

This principle has to come before all the subsequent teachings. Without it, Bodymind Oneness and Ki Development are just ideas, and Aikido is just a set of physical movements. With it, every practice we do in the dojo, every moment in our daily lives becomes a direct experience of the non-dualistic flow of Universal Ki.

The question, then, is not "How do I unify with Ki?" but rather "How do I remember that I already am One with the Universe?" This is our daily practice. When you find yourself struggling ask yourself: Am I trying to force my way forward against the Universe, or am I aligned with it? The answer shows up in your body. Tension, resistance, and effortful striving are signs of separation. The answer shows up in your mind and emotions. Anger, fear, and anxiety are signs of separation. A calm center, living relaxation, natural stability, and expansive energy are signs of Oneness. The Ki Sayings are not aspirational poetry. They are descriptions of what is already true, waiting to be recognized.

Reflection text

Upcoming Events

April 24 - 26, 2026 “Ki Ga Tsuku in Daily Life” with EKF Chief Instructor Rich Fryling Sensei hosted by Minnesota Ki-Aikido

I look forward to seeing you on the mat (and in daily life) soon!