I have mentioned several times before that I took piano lessons when I was a child. The other day, after 35 years, I had the opportunity to take a piano lesson again from the same teacher who had instructed me back then. As I sat down at the keyboard once more and listened to my teacher’s words, the memories of what I learned back then came flooding back.
For example, when the sheet music had a forte indication, back then, as soon as I saw “forte,” I would simply play loudly, exactly as instructed. My sole focus was on following the instruction, and I didn’t realize that I was disrupting the flow of the music.
Then my teacher said to me, “Forte isn’t just about playing loudly. Do you understand why this part is marked “forte”?”
Having solely focused on following instructions, it was at that moment that I first learned the importance of understanding “why” those instructions were given. Simply following and mimicking the instructions causes us to lose sight of the context, resulting in forced/ strained, abrupt sounds. It is only by understanding the “why” through all the senses of our entire body that the true resonance of the piece comes to life.
The same can be said for Shinshin Toitsu Aikido practice. When an instructor demonstrates a technique by saying, “This is the form (movement),” most people focus on accurately reproducing the visible form. However, simply mimicking the form is not enough to truly perform the technique. Only when we understand the underlying principle of “why it takes that shape“ through our body can we truly perform/acquire the technique.
For example, when instructed to “pull your foot in,” instead of simply moving our foot, we should ask ourselves “why is this necessary?”, and then actually try it out using our body. By doing so, we should be able to truly understand that this is a preparation for being able to move instantly in any direction.
If we focus solely on following instructions, we will cut our Ki and our body will tense up, and our movements will become stiff and awkward. The urge to think we “got it!” just by looking at the form (movement) may stem from a desire/impatience to quickly arrive at the correct answer. The point is, if we become content with merely mimicking the superficial form, we will stop growing.
People who grow steadily ask themselves “why” countless times. Moreover, they do not stop at just thinking about it; they strive to truly understand it through their entire body. If the instructor merely demonstrates the form and the learner simply accepts it as mere visual information, the movement will never truly reflect the intended technique.
The important thing is not to be limited to the immediate cause-and-effect relationship of “if we do this, this will happen,” but to understand the underlying principle of “why it happens” through our own body. This is precisely the moment when “imitating” the movement is elevated to “truly embodying ” the technique.
This is extremely important in the context of training/teaching/nurturing/developing/ mentoring people. In training, what matters more than simply imparting knowledge and information, is guiding the other person to constantly ask “why.” It is easy to just present a “method” as a technique, but that is merely a temporary fix.
Why is that particular word of encouragement necessary? Why does that approach/attitude contribute to the other person’s growth? Only by understanding the underlying mindset (“where we place our mind”) and “our attitude/posture/approach toward” the other person, can we truly reach/connect with the other person’s mind/heart.
For those providing the training, this approach requires more effort than simply providing the correct answers, because I believe this is what true training/nurturing/developing/ mentoring is all about. When the other person asks “why,” the trainer is forced to deepen their own understanding, and as a result, a relationship is built in which both parties learn together.
Constantly asking ourselves “why” may sometimes feel like a roundabout way of doing things. However, it is this accumulation of small steps that builds the skills we can rely on in any situation. Even now, I myself continue to grapple with countless “whys” and search for the answers with my own body.
Why not take a moment to ask ourselves “Why?” about the “procedures” and “instructions” we follow every day without a second thought?
Translated by Mayumi Case
Edited by David Shaner
Eastern Ki Federation
https://easternkifederation.org/
Original article in Japanese: ｢なぜ｣を問うこと (“Naze” o tou koto)
May 1, 2026
https://shinichitohei.com/japanese/01-%e3%82%b3%e3%83%a9%e3%83%a0/36784/
