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Comments from ElisabethAndel

Hello Danny,

I don't want to make this a blog, just respond to your email and make
a couple of hopefully helpful comments on the levels as I understand
from Maruyama Sensei's teaching, and his personal communication to me:

1. Kotai level means 'static' level, where the whole technique is put
together from individual steps (ko = solid). Both nage and uke are
learning the technique, step by step.
2. Juntai means flowing level, where the technique is carried out in
exactly the same way as on Kotai, but all the movements flow into one.
This is also started from the static position.
3. Ryutai means a fluid level, where the attack comes from a distance
(e.g. 5 m), nage presents him/herself as target, uke attacks and nage
flows with uke's energy and brings uke to a fall, still more or less
carrying out the techniques as taught at the static level, but in a
much more fluid, energetic motion.

The next levels (O-sensei levels) are not as easy to describe in the
form of techniques, and when I asked about putting the techniques into
writing, Maruyama Sensei said it could not be done. Sensei says "how
can you describe the feeling", it has to be taught and felt in person.
I'll try to put it in words, but it has to be experienced ...

These levels actually start with meditation - developing ki , e.g.
sitting in gassho for at least 5 minutes, breathing with ki awareness
in the palms of your hands. Nage needs to feel uke's ki - and deal
with it at the ki level -

4. Kutai level: 'ku' means 'nothing', 'empty space', 'sky' (you may
have noticed the sign for ku in parking places - meaning there are
some spaces empty). In aikido terms, it means, as at the previous
level, nage presents as the target and initiates the attack, taunting
uke, maybe presenting a hand when uke reaches ma-ai, however at that
point, the hand disappears again, and uke is drawn into a void, the
techniques being finished according to whatever techniques is supposed
to be carried out. Since the full technique is carried out in the mind
before uke even enters nage's space, physically it will be a very
shortcut version, but there can still be physical touch involved.

5. Now Kontai level: kon = soul - and how can one put 'soul' into
words .... Sensei explained, that it means, you have 'to destroy your
ego', like when a chicken grows inside the egg, it needs to break the
shell, to become free. If you are bound by ego, you will be like
enclosed by a shell, you will never be free to perceive the universal
soul around you, and this is what you need to be able to do to
function at kontai level.

As for aikido, when you are acting on the soul level - you feel uke's
ki from a distance, get an inkling of an attack in uke's mind and the
techniques has been finished in your mind even before uke sets his
attack into motion. Physically what you see is maybe the flash of a
hand in front of uke's face, or it could be invisible, maybe just
nage's breath (kokyu = breath, but also knack, trick or secret). It
may still mimic a certain hand position of the intended technique, uke
may feel the technique and flow with it (uke has to be also of this
level, as his attack has to be carried out in his mind). For example,
Maruyama Sensei told us, that he has done the following experiment
with Okajima Sensei, both just sitting in meditation and Okajima
carrying out an attack in his mind, and Maruyama Sensei carrying out a
technique. He then asked what the attack was, and what the technique
was, and they had both communicated perfectly.

Maruyama Sensei also explained about how, for example, when you first
hear of a big offshore earthquake on the radio, you should not go down
to the ocean to have a look, but take this first warning and head for
the hills, tune in to the universe, the universal soul etc., etc..

So as to Kutai and Kontai levels for ikkyo, this is all a bit cosmic,
and probably not easy to show on Youtube.

Please let me know, what you think of this explanation, I had not put
it into words before, but had a few talks with Maruyama Sensei about
it on my travels. Sensei teaches these techniques at seminars, just
to show the way ... but they are only for upper level Yudansha. Many
people do not understand what Sensei is talking about, but they will,
when they are ready, this is the secret of Aikido. I am only just
starting to see some things a bit more clearly, but then we are always
only at the start of comprehending, probably even as we draw our last
breath (now this is getting morose? :)

All the best,
Elisabeth

(If you feel some of this suitable for the blog, you may use it - as I
see it has actually become quite an essay ...)