Two Hundred and Thirty-seven

Correct feeling isn't akin to feelings as in emotional or sensory feelings. Correct feeling is a state of being. When in the state I refer to as correct feeling, that is when mind and body are tightly coordinated and Ki is decidedly manifest, I am aware that it's not the same as my walking around town state of being. So what are some of the characteristics of the correct feeling state of being?

Correct feeling is characterized by:

1. A contracted frame of reference and a corresponding expansion of awareness.
2. The absence of conscious thought.
3. Emotional neutrality.
4. A heightened state of physical and mental relaxation.
5. The ability to project presence.
6. An increase in perceived mass (as felt by my partner when we come into contact).
7. The ability to effect my partners balance and disturb his structure at the moment of contact.
8. A way of moving that involves the entire body acting in concert that isn't what I would term consciously directed.
9. A profound connection with my partner.

There's more, but I just wanted to provide a brief outline some of the characteristics of correct feeling in order to convey the fact that it's about feeling as being, not feeling as part of a stimulus/response loop. With mind and body tightly coordinated the perceive-process-order-do sequence occurs faster than my ability to be consciously aware of it happening.

The important realization to take away from this is that correct feeling is attainable via Aikido training. Ki exercises/testing, technique practice and weapons work all contribute to the process whereby correct feeling is first experienced then, with repetition and increased loading, strengthened.