Kisei and Kiai

The appearance of kyryoku (the energy of life) in the body is known as kisei (spirit) and the appearance of that in the voice is known as kiai. Although, “spirit” maybe all right as a translation for kisei “shout” will not suffice for kiai. For kiai is a concentration of spirit in an action. In that sense one could use “spirited yell” as a translation, but only if one remembers that kiai is an act to concentrate the spirit.

The physical basis for kisei and kiai begins with breathing in and filling the tanden, settling Ki and flexing the tanden. This is the way to unify mind, Ki, and strength. You will feel strength throughout your body; this is the fountain of kisei and released as kiai.

Kiai is not simply making a loud yell. It must, instead, be a natural, easy manifestation based on brimming Ki. However, beginners will have great difficulty achieving this: to start with beginners should practice letting out yells. In order to achieve even greater effect than with voiced kiai, one must train the spirit and the skills, beginning from voiced kiai and moving to the level of fukumi kiai or unvoiced kiai. Through mental and technical training kenshi must progress from the level of voiced kiai in order to achieve greater effects then are possible with voiced kiai.

To many Easterners the centre of a person’s spirit and strength is a point within the abdominal cavity two inches below the navel. This special point is called thetai ten, tanden, tan-tien, tan, seika-tanden, or simply “the one point.” In addition to being your body’s centre of gravity, the one point is also the centre of Ki— energy, spirit, aura, vitality, life force, inner strength.

The way to draw the power of ki is to concentrate your mind fully on your one point. Look at your stomach and find the point two inches directly below your navel. Now press it hard with your finger. This will leave a residual feeling of where the one point is. Then simply visualize.

Don’t look at it, just imagine it as a point, a dot, and concentrate on it.

Now that you’ve located the one point, practice beginning your everyday actions with your attention on it until it becomes second nature to you. Before starting any task, any task at all, first think of your one point—sitting down at your desk, starting a meeting, going to a party, entering a sales conference, starting a race—whatever. If you devote yourself to concentrating on your one point, it will gradually become a habit. Until it does you will have to remind yourself: “Hey, concentrate on your one point.”

When you’re able to remember to begin at least some of your acts from the one point, become a little more ambitious. Get in the habit of concentrating on the one point when you’re upset or irritated. You’ll find yourself becoming calm and tranquil and strong at the same time.

After you’ve started the habit of one-point concentration, begin to use it during times of more severe tension and nervousness. When you’re troubled and your thoughts and emotions are shooting around like rockets, or you are facing an inner or outer block, concentrate on your one point.

When you’re discouraged and are thinking, “This time I’ve reached rock-bottom; everything is against me now,” simply concentrate on your one point. Don’t think of yourself as a discouraged person; think of yourself as a strong person with powerful ki.