AIKIDO

Ki in Aikido cannot be fully understood through words alone—it must be experienced. Without practice, intellectual knowledge of ki holds little value.

The Founder, Morihei Ueshiba, emphasized the importance of ki, though his explanations were often profound and difficult to grasp. Some followed his teachings, while others found them elusive. At times, he would speak extensively about ki, only to conclude with a smile, "It comes directly from the gods!"

Through sincere training, practitioners develop an intuitive understanding of ki. While some may describe it as “a deep sense of vitality and connection,” abstract definitions do little to convey its essence. The best way to understand ki is through dedicated practice.

Ki and ch’i share similarities but are applied differently. Ki is not exclusive to Aikido; many martial arts and philosophical systems describe it as "universal energy" or "life force." While Aikido and Chinese martial arts have commonalities, their approaches to energy are distinct and should be appreciated as independent systems.

Aikido breath power is much more than lung capacity. It involves utilization of the entire body. It is not simply breath, but the concentrated power that arises when body and mind are unified. Breath power is crucial for Aikido. Even if one's lung capacity is not increased, one can still attain great and liberating power through the unification of body and mind. Breath power and ki are the source of Aikido strength.

There are no human beings who do not breathe, and everyone does it unconsciously. If breathing ceases, we will quickly depart from this world. Breathing is the most natural of reflexes. Ki and breath power are indivisible, the very being of Aikido.

No. The Founder had very powerful legs, and on occasion, he demonstrated kicking techniques during a demonstration, but almost none of those techniques were incorporated into modern Aikido.

As we have mentioned several times, Aikido emphasizes being centered in mind and body, with both feet on the ground, literally and figuratively. Kicks or leg sweeps temporarily ham- per that good balance and are thus avoided.

Aikido techniques are not put into set patterns, and there is no "If that happens, do this" kind of instruction. We do not usually practice defenses against kicking attacks in Aikido, and many may view that approach as problematic. However, if one has a solid foundation in the basics, any kind of attack can be dealt with.

Here is an example. A local kickboxer challenged an Aikido instructor in Thailand. Even though the instructor tried to explain that there were no contests in Aikido, the challenger insisted. He launched a kicking attack that the Aikido instructor immediately countered. He then pinned the boxer with the ikkyo technique. The instructor, who had never trained against kicks, was entirely surprised by how naturally and effectively he had responded. He had no preconceived notion of how to respond, so he just reacted naturally. This reaction was due to his daily training in Aikido basics.

No, for the same reason, there are no contests. We never attack first in Aikido, and only move in response to an opponent's aggression, so two Aikido practitioners would not be able to spar. However, we do have a kind of freestyle training where one's partner uses a variety of attacks, and one is then free to use any Aikido technique.

You should not resist unduly. Many martial arts will not agree with this approach, but it is not a matter of passively executing the techniques. It is a matter of cooperation, and by working with a partner, you will learn to gauge how much pressure (and resistance) to apply. This is effective training.

Here is an illustration of how effective Aikido training can be. The wrestler Ichiro Yata once visited our dojo. Yata, who had been a competitor in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics and served as chairman of the All-Japan Amateur Wrestling Association, was in good shape and an experienced wrestler, but he was completely stymied when the Aikido nikyo pin was applied to his wrist. Since he had no Aikido training, he could not resist despite all of his physical conditioning. Aikido looks easy, but once you begin training, you realize how much forging is necessary to build a powerful technique.

If you believe that harmonizing your movements with your partner has no value in an actual situation and that by resisting, you make the technique more realistic, you are overlooking the essential characteristic of Aikido.

At present, in the Headquarters Dojo, there are about 50 fundamental and basic techniques. However, once these basic movements are mastered and the principles of Aikido are understood, the number of various applications is limitless. Aikido techniques are not learned externally by merely copying the movements. Just as it is impossible to fit everyone into the same mold, techniques emerge freely from within the wide-ranging Aiki movements.

The fundamental techniques are primary. If we draw a parallel with mathematics, the fundamental techniques would be akin to the Five Principles of Euclid. Those fundamental principles are the basis of applied geometry. Since the fundamental techniques are like maxims, there are no movements in Aikido that violate those principles. Basic techniques are those techniques deduced from the fundamental techniques, and during training, the proof of the maxims is clearly demonstrated.

There are those who like to make up their own maxims, but this is not possible in Budo. All the movements have to follow natural principles and cannot be artificially constructed.

Here is an example: If you drop a stone, it will fall to earth because of gravity, and that principle can never be challenged. It is a maxim that must be observed, and once that is understood as a base, it can be utilized. From that fundamental maxim, the basic movements emerge, and from the basic movements variations spring forth.

There are those who want to memorize every technique from the start or have everything explained to them first before they try it. If you think like that, however, it will be very difficult to learn by following the natural flow of Aikido movements and unifying body and mind. Excessive thinking will impede your progress. When someone says, "I cannot remember the techniques I have been taught. What should I do?" the reply is, "It is all right to forget. It is important to forget about your head and learn directly from your body."

To be sure, there are many systems that claim to be "such-and-such Aikido," even without really knowing what Aikido is. There are some splinter groups that have been established by former students of the Founder, with a few even going so far as to introduce organized competition, something that is totally contrary to the spirit of Aikido. Regardless of how similar the techniques appear, if they are divorced from the spirit of the Founder, it is not Aikido.

We do not like to think that there are separate schools of Aikido. If we draw too many distinctions between different interpretations of the techniques, the universal character of Aikido will be degraded.

Those practices are forms of misogi, a traditional Shinto ritual for purifying the spirit and body. The Founder was deeply interested in esoteric Shinto, especially kototama, the science of sacred sounds, and he also studied misogi under the Shinto shaman Bonji Kawazura (1862-1929). The Founder engaged in such esoteric practices both before and after WWII, and some of his disciples emulated his example.

To put it simply, misogi is a method of purifying the body and spirit. It is hard to see how such simple movements can transform one's character, but if one practices the misogi ritual sincerely, it will undoubtedly have an effect.

Etiquette is a human creation, and it is found nowhere else in the animal kingdom. The notion of what "proper" etiquette is varies greatly from culture to culture, and it is impossible to state that one particular standard of behavior is the correct one. The Aikido approach lets a sense of etiquette develop naturally through regular training, and there are no elaborate rules of etiquette at the Headquarters Dojo.

Here is an example: children training at an Aikido dojo in Hawaii were never told to put their shoes in order before stepping onto the mat. However, after a few months, even the messiest of the children were arranging their shoes neatly, something that greatly surprised (and pleased) their parents. The children naturally came to realize the importance of etiquette without being told by the instructor.

Any kind of etiquette that has to be rigidly enforced is not true etiquette. "Budo training begins and ends with respect" is a common saying, but even this does not have to be expressly stated. In Aikido, the best etiquette is the one that is most natural.

One must, for example, maintain good Aikido posture and movement throughout the day. More important, however, is to maintain a modest attitude and harmonize mind and body. In the realm of human relationships, one must avoid conflict and resolve problems in a harmonious Aikido fashion. In order to do this well, one must above all be modest and humble.