| Originally martial arts were a system of combat | | | | religion whose followers have a belief in the |
| training recorded in murals and documents and studied | | | | beautification of the world through art. This art is what |
| over time. Nowadays you have people using martial | | | | they believe brings people closer towards nature. |
| arts for various purposes including self-defense, | | | | Followers of this religion also advocate peace over |
| physical well-being and exercise. In terms of the | | | | war. This practice is what is what links the religion with |
| different existing martial arts, there is one that's differs | | | | Aikido. The Aikido spirit is also referred to in some |
| from the rest in the way that it is applied. This martial | | | | quarters as the art of peace. People tend to wonder |
| art emphasizes the use of a passive approach in | | | | about this since martial arts can hardly be considered |
| order to counter brute force. The essence of Aikido is | | | | as peaceful but Aikido enthusiasts claim that winning |
| to cultivate a mien of relaxation and serenity in normal | | | | over an enemy through the martial art can be termed |
| life. The ability to use these techniques in combat is | | | | to be the art of peace. Despite this definitions |
| also part of the training that Aikido offers its students. | | | | however, what Aikido is all about is keeping the person |
| Aikido is quite modern though and has its origins in | | | | who is practicing the art in a constant state of |
| Japan where it was founded sometime in the second | | | | relaxation. |
| decade of the early 20th century. One thing to be | | | | With the relaxed state of the Aikido expert a person |
| considered about this martial art is that the Aikido spirit | | | | can carry out difficult throws and maneuver easily as |
| is engendered in students so these students benefit | | | | has been shown by the martial art. The relaxed state |
| from a spiritual and philosophical development all at the | | | | of an individual can be linked with a peace that is |
| same time. All this becomes part of the foundations of | | | | seemingly free from aggression. The concept shows |
| the combative art of Aikido. Currently people who | | | | that when a person is tense and not in a state of |
| practice Aikido will tell you that the art affects every | | | | relaxation, excess energy is wasted on the use of |
| aspect of their lives from seemingly unrelated activities | | | | aggression. Going with the flow leads to a state where |
| such as gardening to others like cooking. This forms a | | | | a person is not afraid of the consequences of their |
| link between the way of life and the combative training | | | | actions. The peace and relaxed state a person |
| that takes place in the dojo. | | | | remains in gives a person a demeanor whose benefits |
| The philosophy and the spirit behind Aikido helps these | | | | can easily be seen. With the spirit an Aikido practitioner |
| people relax better and control aggression properly. | | | | has they can have a certain mental discipline, have |
| The nature of this training is associated with the | | | | great character and the ability and calm that people |
| background that the founder of the martial art had in | | | | need in order to achieve their end goals. |
| the religion known as Omoto-Kyo. Omoto-Kyo is a | | | | |