Notes From The Tiger’s Cave

Musubi: Keeping Yourself Centered And Strong

The verb musubu means to tie-up or bind up, and the use of the substantive form of this word to describe a Japanese rice-ball (o-musubi) reflects on the stickiness of Japanese rice, which can be “bound up” into a ball and wrapped in a sheet of dried seaweed to make a light, convenient, healthy and nourishing snack.

Musubi is also a concept used in the Japanese martial art of aikido (literally translated as the “way of harmonizing the spirit”) . Musubi expresses the concept of there being a link between the attacker and the defender, a continuous energetic connection which facilitates a free flowing and graceful spontaneity of technique and movement. It is a state of deep awareness that emanates from a practitioner who is himself centered and calm, like the eye of a storm.

It was by applying the concept of musubi that Koichi Tohei was able to amaze his audiences in the 1950s when he introduced aikido to America.  Focus your power by breathing deep into the hara, two inches below the navel, bend your knees and feel your connection to the earth. This is also a part of musubi. 

 Gravity is the root of lightness

calm is the master of excitement. 

Tao Te Ching, 26 (trans: Thomas Cleary)

How do you focus and apply musubi in your everyday life?

David Hurley

http://grasp-the-nettle.com