| Aikido..... the quiet martial art. | | | | it, the samurai would be of no use to his master, he |
| Ai = harmony, blending. | | | | would slink off the battle field and take his own life. |
| Ki = spiritual or life energy. | | | | When there were no wars to left to fight, the martial |
| Do = way or path. | | | | forms were still practiced diligently, but as Do's rather |
| Aikido is a philosophy to be applied to everyday living. | | | | then jitsu. Kata's of movement, with or without |
| The physical training in the dojo (school) is the forum | | | | weapons were practiced, not for the battle field, but |
| through which these lessons are taught. | | | | for personal growth. Simply for the purpose of training |
| Aikido translates as "the Way of harmonizing spiritual | | | | one's mind and body. They were used as a form of |
| energy". Through physical training, we learn to | | | | meditation, constant repetition for reaching that state |
| harmonize with the energy of uke (our training partner). | | | | of single mindedness, oneness, the path to spiritual |
| Flowing dynamic motions are used to 'control' uke. | | | | enlightenment. |
| From here we learn to harmonize our own energy | | | | After world war II, the allies administering Japan |
| with the world around us to take control of our lives. | | | | recognized the power of these arts, and their |
| Aikido techniques were developed by the Samurai to | | | | destructive potential. Thus all the arts were banned, at |
| encompass weaponless combat. They were designed | | | | least publicly. From then on, they were only allowed as |
| to attack an enemies' joints and balance to negate | | | | sports. Hence Karate-do simply became Karate etc. |
| their armor, relying upon circular flowing movements | | | | Right on up to modern times, these arts are still |
| combined with joint locks and pressure points to effect | | | | practiced as sports, much of the philosophy was lost |
| control. Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei combined these | | | | from one generation of Sensei's to the next. Some |
| principles with the philosophies of Bhuddism and The | | | | teachers try and include what little they know of the |
| Way of the Samurai to create modern Aikido. | | | | old ideals of martial arts, but for the most part, a martial |
| Martial Arts are a way of life, they are not about | | | | arts school is a place to go for a work out and |
| fighting. The Do in Aikido means, a Way of life. Karate | | | | participate in competitions breaking bricks and scoring |
| used to be called Karate-do, the artful form of jiyu-jitsu | | | | points with punches. |
| is called ju-do. Jitsu and Do are the two forms of all | | | | The modern, current form of Aikido was developed |
| martial arts. The jitsu style of any martial form is the | | | | well after this ban, when relations between Japan and |
| war like techniques. This is the way one would use the | | | | the allies were on a much more friendly level. So it |
| techniques on the battle field. The jitsu form of Aiki | | | | didn't have these restrictions. |
| techniques would use joint locks for the purpose of | | | | O-Sensei took the Aiki-jujitsu techniques, and combined |
| destroying an opponents joints. If you could break a | | | | them with the philosophies of Bhuddism and Bushido |
| samurai's elbow in the battle field, you would not have | | | | (the Way of the Samurai) to create a peaceful, |
| to kill him. A broken elbow would never heal properly, | | | | benevolent art. The philosophies are the art of Aikido, |
| thus the samurai could never again wield his sword. | | | | the physical training is the medium used to impart these |
| The sword is a samurai's life, without the ability to use | | | | teachings. |