AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.
Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the
world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to
over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a
wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history,
humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.
If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced
features available, you will need to register first. Registration is
absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!
Ayrton Senna by Iwao used under creative commons licence
On a given day, a given circumstance, you think you have a limit. And you then go for this limit and you touch this limit, and you think, 'Okay, this is the limit.' As soon as you touch this limit, something happens and you suddenly can go a little bit further. With your mind power, your determination, your instinct, and the experience as well, you can fly very high.
Ayrton Senna
I like smoke and lightning
Heavy metal thunder
Racing with the wind
Steppenwolf, Born to be Wild
No speed of wind or water rushing by
But you have a speed far greater. You can climb
Back up a stream of radiance to the sky,
And back through history up the stream of time.
And you were given this swiftness, not for haste
Nor chiefly that you may go where you will.
But in the rush of everything to waste,
That you may have the power of standing still
Robert Frost, The Master Speed
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.
Mario Andretti
I watched Senna recently. It's a 2010 documentary movie about Ayrton Senna, the brilliant Brazilian Formula One racing driver. By chance it was just about the anniversary of his death. He died on 1 May 1994 aged 34. It's a moving film. There is a shot of three Japanese F1 announcers breaking down in tears as they gave the news of his death.
Something about Ayrton Senna struck a chord in Japan. He was one of the most popular foreign athletes ever. He was talented and charismatic but it was deeper than that. He lived his racing - and his life - as a spiritual quest. Always to be a better driver. And always to be a better human. For many martial artists that will be familiar.