Abstract
Proposed is an aural reading strategy for selected dōka by Ueshiba Morihei (O’Sensei), hearing the sequence te+ki—the conjunctive particle te (て) plus ki (気, “vital spirit”, “energy” etc.)—as a phono-semantic pivot shadowing, the graphically distinct teki (敵, “enemy”). Building on waka poetics of kakekotoba (掛詞, 懸詞; “pivot words”), classical bungo grammar accounts of the conjunctive te, discussions of kotodama (word-spirit) in Shintō discourse, and in Ueshiba Morihei’s compiled writings, this I analyze three poems that thematize teki. Argued is cadence and adjacency (… て き…) inviting an aural double exposure: “enemy” (敵) and “continuous energy” (て+気). This reframes tactical injunctions—”fight the many as one”, “behind my figure”, “rousing a foe, many surround”—as instructions consolidating multiplicity into one “line”of breath (kokyu; 呼吸; i.e., [redacted]) and intent (gyo; 業) refactored to zeal (shōjin; 精進) sans self-taking (c.f., anatta; 無我). To operationalize the reading, bungo waka is presented that surfaces the te+ki layer while preserving classical diction.
Notes
Originally drafted by Latex G.N.R. Space-Coyote, and edited by OpenAI ChatGPT-5 Pro (i.e., humanity).
Citation (APA)
Space-Coyote, L. G. N. R. (2026). Translation appendices: Hearing te + ki in Ueshiba Morihei‘s Dōka: Continuity 「-て」(-te form particle) and Vital Spirit 「気」as an aural pivot on teki 「敵」(Print Preview). Shugyōkai, 1(1), 201–204. https://shugyokai.org/325d
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