Welcome to the Rhode Island Ki Society
The Rhode Island Ki Society is dedicated to the practice, teaching, and advancement of Ki Aikido and Ki Development as taught by the founder of Ki Society International (Ki no Kenkyukai) Master Koichi Tohei Sensei (10th dan).
Rhode Island Ki Society is a satellite dojo of the St. Louis Ki Society which is a member of Midland Ki Federation under the direction of Chief Instructor Koichi Kashiwaya Sensei. The Midland Ki Federation is affiliated with Ki Aikido USA under Ki no Kenkyukai headquarters in Japan.
What is Ki?
The word Ki can be defined as mind, spirit, or heart. In martial arts, its meaning can be translated as energy. Ki can be thought of as connecting with someone, or a strong intention. Ki is not only something that we use on the mat in the dojo but it is also something that we can use in our daily life. We can learn to extend Ki while walking on a slippery sidewalk or smiling at a stranger.
Ki Development
Sometimes referred to as Japanese Yoga, Ki Development training helps to teach the student how to unify mind and body. By using principals such as visualization techniques, meditation, breathing, stretching and movement, students develop a positive mental attitude and learn the power of relaxation. Practicing Ki Development can help one to improve posture, develop greater stability, and build confidence.
Aikido
Aikido can be translated as “the way to union with Ki”. Ki-Aikido is a defensive martial art of Japanese origin considered by many to be the most gentle of the arts. Students are taught to move out of the way of the attack, and using the attacker’s own energy, redirect them while remaining calm and focused. Most Aikido techniques end with the attacker being thrown or being taken down to the ground. Techniques often include some type of wrist lock and being pinned. There is no retaliatory striking in Ki-Aikido and none of the techniques are designed to cause any type of injury. The “art of falling” or ukemi is a vital part of everyone's training. We all learn how to fall safely and receive any Aikido technique. In addition to self defense, we also learn how to negotiate many different situations in our daily lives as well as how to respond to conflict and emergencies.