"Through the way of the sword, Heaven, Earth and Man constantly cut through the negative energies arising from the principles of Heaven and Earth, following the movement of time and thus purifying this world with beauty."
Morihei Ueshiba – Introduction to Budō
This is the true translation of the Japanese text. He who holds a sword in his hands binds Heaven and Earth within himself and cuts with them through their own negative energies.
He cuts with happo giri (the eight cuts) in the six directions (roppo). The video shows one of these directions; there are five others:
"When the opponent's sword rises, you must clearly imagine within yourself the line (direction) that will guide the momentum of your attack – straight or diagonal, according to your choice – unite your whole being in an authentic sword, and advance to strike the opponent."
Morihei Ueshiba - Budō
This is also the true translation of the Japanese text. O Sensei is talking here about the importance of choosing a direction, any one of the six directions (roppo). In order to be able to choose a direction, to "imagine it clearly within yourself" as O Sensei writes, you must first know the possible directions, and in order to know these directions, you must learn them. To know how to move, one must understand the unique movement system of Aikido. Without correct displacement, no technique works.
How many teachers nowadays are able to clearly show on the tatami the six possible directions (roppo) from the hanmi-irimi position?
