Kiseme

[AlexM]

Hello all,

I'm translating something (kendo related) and I'd like to know what "kiseme" means. Any ideas? Could it be a combination of ki and seme (as in making one word out of two)?

Thanks for the help.

[Nishi]

Hey Alex..I believe your right Ki-Seme is a compound word...i believe the word translates as KI-internal power/universal power and Seme-pressure. I have read a very interesting chapter in a book about this, the chapter was called "Seme, phyisical or manifest?" and the book looked at the two possibilities of seme, one bieng to physically pressure your opponent by moving his shinai or pushing forward for centre line, and the other possibility, to pressure your opponent using Ki.From the little i understand about kiseme, the kendoka's left hand was crucial in ki seme, as ki is generated two inches below the navel in an area called the tandem,ki travels threw the left hand/fist which should be fixed in place infront of the tandem. Ki then travels through the shinai into your opponnent..and apparently,your opponent can feel this.For the opponent this feeling is supposed to feel as though he is being pushed back or pressured(seme)by somthing(ki), and should break his kamae apart sufficiently...hence Kiseme.But i think this is the mystery at our(my) level of kendo, is seme physical or is it pressence,ki,spirit?...i hope this info helps!

[AlexM]

Cool. Thank you for the info.