I can only speak about what I know at the moment and you know how things change so...wadoka wrote:When you say intent, are we talking about sen?
And I think this is more of a Reg question I think. He is very knowledgeable about these things from my experience.
For me, when I express intent there are physical things that occur under the covers.
If I express intent in my arms, the arms do not move but there is tissue movement under the skin to say the least.
So for example in the context of what we do in Wado, when you grab me in idori for tedori - I express intent from my arms through your arms and I am able to lift you without me doing anything right?
It looks like magic since I don't even move my arms.
In junzuki, when I stand with for example left foot forward, left hand out.
What I teach is that I tell everyone to have loose ankles and loose front knee.
Then I tell people to physically extend their left arm forward a bit.
And if they have a somewhat connected body then their center of gravity should shift slightly forwards - just enough to overcome the initial inertia so it makes stepping forward easier.
I then tell people to follow that up by bringing the back knee forward to complete the step. I remind them NOT to step forward with their feet but instead to just bring their knee forward.
I even have people practice just the initial weight (center of gravity) shift without stepping. I tell them to extend the arm in their minds.
Well. That is what I teach. What I actually do is a bit different I think. All I do is fire intent out my front arm. That's all I need to overcome my inertia.
Then my right psoas activates and brings the backleg forward. I don't bother with the knee at all.
That initial firing of intent out my arm is enough to break the inertial hold because my body is connected.
The psoas is enough to bring my back leg forward. But I can't teach this because people will get stuck on the very first step since they can't express intent at all.
Takes practice.
But intent comes in handy more when you are pushed on or when you are grabbed or when you reach out to touch.
Toby Threadgill once wrote that what he does is touch and as he touches he fires his intent into you and can feel your (fill in the blanks) and make that internal (fill in the blanks) fail.
And no, I can't even come close to doing that. Have not acquired that level of intent and sensitivity.
So in summary.
Intent is created by the mind.
Thru intent you create internal movement without necessarily having external movement or visible external movement.
Intent then leads ki.
Ki then leads movement.
Mind leads intent leads ki leads movement.
This invisible movement is what is referred to as Movement in Stillness/Stillness in Movement.