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Glossary
- Aikido
- A Japanese internal energy-based martial art. Aikido was created by Morihei Ueshiba in the 1930s from a unique blend of Daito Ryu aikijitsu (a form of jujitsu), sword techniques, and the teachings of a mystical Shinto-like religion that included mantra and sound work called the Kototama. In addition, aikido incorporates certain realizations encountered by Ueshiba during his journey towards his own spiritual enlightenment, and (as hypothesized by the author) ba gua chang and other chi gung methods learned by Ueshiba during his time in China.
- Aikido styles
- Originally aikido was only one school, where its founder Morihei Ueshiba taught and where members of his family continued to teach. This is called the Hombu style, which means headquarters. As time passed, Ueshiba’s senior students created their own different styles. For example, the Tomeki style, a fusion of aikido and judo, emphasizes competitive practices. Other formal styles include the Yoshinkai, Ki Society, and Iwama.
- Alchemy
- The process of changing one substance into another. In the esoteric field, alchemy has two main branches—external and internal. External alchemy occurs in a laboratory in order to focus human spiritual energies to transform ordinary herbs and minerals into super medicines, to change base metals into gold, to create the Philosopher’s Stone (which alchemists believed conferred physical immortality), and to gain direct knowledge of God. Internal alchemy (known in Chinese as nei dan) seeks through meditation and certain mind/body/spirit exercises to: (1) work with the consciousness of an individual in order to become aware of the cellular vibratory energetic level of the body to heal disease; (2) raise, bring out, and transform normally hidden capacities of the body/mind; and (3) elevate ordinary consciousness to higher and more refined levels of superconsciousness until the mind expands to encompass the whole of the |universe. All this is done inside an individual’s mind/body/spirit without the use of any external laboratory equipment.
- Application
- The practical use or range of uses of a particular technique in the martial arts, Chinese medicine, or meditation.
- Aura
- The energetic or bioelectric field that surrounds the living human body. See also Etheric body.
