I have chance to teach Ki principles to over 300 people a year through seminars, workshops and KiAikido classes.
Until a few years ago, my experience was that sometimes my lecture was well received and sometimes it was not so well received. Of course, it is natural that there are differences in each seminar. However, in my case, the difference was extreme. First, I thought this big difference was because of the participants. If the participants sincerely wanted to learn, then the seminar would be well received . However, this view turned out to be wrong.
A few years ago, I had a chance to teach Ki principles at a large 5 day seminar.
My ability was not enough to please every participant at that time. (Even now, of course I am still developing my ability) However, I thought that once I was given this chance, I would do my very best to please the participants. And I did teach very sincerely.
As a result, at the end of the first day I received thunderous applause from the participants. Many participants were disappointed that the class was over for the day.
I felt that it was easy to finish that first day of the seminar without a problem. I had experienced success that first day and then I started to teach on the second day. (The participants were the same as the first day.) The seminar went very smoothly the second day because I was liberated from mental pressure as I remembered the easy success of the first day. However, this second day of the seminar was not received well. I was shocked, and decided I needed to re-create my mental state from the first day. With this mental state, I taught Ki principles with ease and sincerity. Then, as a result of this change in attitude, I received thunderous applause from the participants just like the first day of the seminar.
"Gee…there is rule." I realized.
Only the human mind can move another personﾕs mind when we speak to another person. It is important to develop a high level of technique, however, this is not always enough. The most important thing is to do our very best every time. This "very best" state of mind is the same as "Ki is extending" which Koichi Tohei sensei teaches us. On the second day of this seminar, I was caught off guard. Then I realized this. After that, I was able to finish seminar very successfully.
Koichi Tohei sensei says the following. "A person who acquires a high level of technique is called skillful. On the other hand, a person who can use own mind anytime anywhere is called a master." Even if a person is able to develop a high level of technique, if this person does not use his or her own mind clearly, then this person is not called a "master".
After this experience, I do Ki breathing every time before I teach to calm my mind. And I always teach in this same state of the mind. I always check myself to be sure that I am extending Ki.
I think teaching Ki principles is similar to acting on the stage.
When the audience feels the actor’s mind, they are touched by it. They will not be touched if only the actor’s technique is good. When we tell something to others from the heart, the others will be able to feel the heart. As a result, both of our Ki becomes one and we feel this oneness.
In many cases, even when we greet people everyday, we do not greet them with the same state of the mind everyday. Sometimes, we greet people without our mind. It is always important to check yourself to be sure that you are doing your very best, and see that your mind is in the correct state when you do a thing.