What is the biggest misunderstanding about Ki?

The biggest mistake is to think of Ki as something magic or supernatural. In fact Ki is as natural as air and water. Some people teach that they can ”use Ki” to make people fall down without touching them, but this tends to work only on the teacher’s students. I teach people to be natural, and have never taught anything else. I do demonstrations when I teach, that some people might consider out of the ordinary, such as making your body unliftable even by several strong people, or being centered so that no one can push you over. However, none of these things are supernatural, and all of my students can do them as well. It does not require an assistant who will cooperate to make the trick work. This is why I always call people out of the audience whom I have never met to do the demonstration. People who see this without understanding it might call it supernatural, but I have never promoted myself in this way.

Most people assume that if someone pushes on your body, you have no choice but to move or receive it. In fact, if you are relaxed and unified it is relatively easy to redirect the incoming force into your One Point and be stable as a rock, even with several strong men trying to push you over. The same thing happens when they receive mental pressure. They convince themselves that they are tired, and literally talk themselves into a state of exhaustion. This is only natural, because mind follows body. That is why I won’t permit my students or children to use negative language. It is only asking for trouble. Young people today have the bad habit of making excuses, ”Yeah, but…” ”I cannot.” How can you say you cannot without first trying? If you think something is difficult, the most important thing to do is search for a solution, not to just give up. Why talk yourself into a corner? Too many people give up at the first sign of resistance.

Sensei Koichi Tohei