In the Japanese language there is a saying “Ki is cut off”.
Amongst Ki Society members, there is a member who is a world-famous mountain climber.
He says that while climbing mountains most climbers tend to cut Ki flow when they reach the summit. And it leads to accidents when they start their descent. He says it is necessary not to cut Ki flow till safely coming back to the start point. He added that is also necessary to maintain the Ki flow even after the climb is over.
This also applies to everyday life and business as well. So in which situation do we usually cut the flow of Ki?
When going back to work or school after a few days of leave or holiday, we tend to cut the flow of Ki. If we are only caught up thinking about how to spend the holiday break, the flow of Ki is stopped and it will take a great effort of energy to return back to everyday working/ studying life. However, if we only “try not to cut the flow of Ki” and constantly think about work and school, we can not really rest or enjoy our holiday.
The point is to confirm the first thing we will do when we come back to work or school after the holidays, which means to check the status of the flow, and then forget about it. With this little check, we can keep the state of “Not cutting the Ki flow” and it will become easier to comeback to work or school even after a refreshing holiday break.
It is important to plan ahead with our mind, and not to cut the Ki flow.
Just as in climbing a mountain, after achieving a major goal, there is a moment where Ki flow is easily cut off. Similarly, when students gain entry into their preferred University, and begin life as a college student, and if they have no clear goals for the future, this is when Ki flow is cut off. If they enter school in April, it often happens in May.
When Ki flow is being cut, the feeling of wanting to complete tasks or work diminishes. For instance, this year we have the Olympics in Great Britain. After earning a medal, sometimes an athlete burns out for the same reason.
In order to avoid this, it is important to set correct goals and think ahead, so that the flow of Ki will not be cut. It is very important especially to instructors to lead students to always be aware that Ki flow is never cut.
In the case of leaders who accomplish big goals and success after big events, it is important to be able to lead and make sure that project members’ flow of Ki is not cut after each event or project.
Soshu Koichi Tohei Sensei experienced this during World War II.
Upon receiving news of the defeat of Japan during the war, the Japanese troops were shocked and many abandoned themselves to despair. However, Tohei Sensei (the captain) thought, even though the war is technically over, the Japanese soldiers were still under combat conditions in the locations where they were, and it was crucial for them not to cut Ki flow.
From that evening, night patrol was conducted by the captain himself, because everyone else was affected by the news of the defeat, which made them unable to extend Ki and patrol properly.
After a few days, when things started to calm down, some members found out themselves that they had been cutting the flow of Ki and offered to take over for the captain in his night patrols.
The moments when Ki flow was easily cut were actually the most dangerous.
Even after the war, when Tohei Sensei returned home, he was very careful not to slacken the flow of Ki.
He knew that coming back from the battle field where everyday lives were compromised, a safe environment moved people to unconsciously cut Ki flow and so, on the day he arrived back home, he decided to help with the farming.
His parents asked him, “Since you have returned from the war and have been through a tough experience on the battlefield, why don’t you take some time to rest and recover? But he continued the farming without any day off for the next few weeks.
The influence on the physical body seems to be huge, by cutting off Ki right after being released from a difficult period of time of hard situations. Unfortunately, some soldiers immediately started to become very weak and passed away without any known illness even though they were already in a safe environment.
To cut Ki flow without being aware is very serious. It is important to always be aware and realize in which circumstances you tend to cut the flow of Ki, and try to think ahead and extend Ki at each time.
Let us all train and practice not to cut the Ki flow.