aikido is...

I talked about the English naming of aikido in a blog post http://www.aikiweb.com/blogs/moon-in...f-aikido-4049/. Finally I went with aikido is the way of truth. Maybe that's too heavy or too far from the physical martial art - so what is it for you?

Recently a Japanese budo teacher gave me his English copy of Budo - Techniques of the Founder, translated by John Stevens and published by Kodansha. I already have it so I will send my copy to the person who gives the best answer. It can be short or long, serious or not, definition or impression or memory or story - anything. If you don't actually do aikido 'Budo is...' is OK too.

Aikido I believe is one of many paths to the 'truth'. In fact anything worth learning is a path to the truth, be it mathematics, sciences, martial arts or even poetry.

Personally for me, Aikido is way to train my mind, heart and body. Especially the heart because, whilst the body can make the techniques work in certain conditions, the mind makes it even better and easier to perform, it is the heart that ultimately elevates the practice of Aikido beyond the physical wrestling of control and power.

In the end, out of the thousands of reasons to train, the heart of Aiki decides whether we will ultimately achieve the result.

Onegaishimasu, Aikido is ageless harmony.

In gassho,

Mark

For me, Aikido is 'effortless struggle'

regards

Mark

A tool and opportunity.
Nothing more.
What I make of it is up to me.

Aikido is bujutsu, ( physical practice of an art or science of war), for self defense. It can be used as one tool in a toolbox of other martial arts.

It can be used in a larger context of budo ( culturally, a Japanese way of life for warriors).

It can be part of a way of living that helps to understand the relationship between ethics, religion, and philosophy.

Batteries not included.

dps

I already put kind of an answer to this in "Real aikido is not just for the dojo" Maybe I can add something.
With aikido I'm not just training my body, but also my mind: I must concentrate, and my heart connecting with uke. I always thought you must treat uke as your best friend he lends you his body to train, if there is no uke you cannot train, if you treat him bad he likely will hide from you when you are looking for someone to train.
Aikido changed my whole life. At work, before aikido I got stressed when I saw how it accumulates and I could not finish because of so much phone calls that prevent my concentration, now I go calm step by step knowing that I always will have enough time to finish everything. In my house beeing relaxed delegating on my children more responsibility, it is also good for them, nobody will do their work when they'll have their own home. I became stronger not only in the physically aspect but in my character, more confident in myself to deal with everything.
In my naiveté I thought all aikidokas got the same of Aikido, but meanwhile I unfortunately knew many aikidokas who were lets say not that good as a human beeing, their aikido does not come from their heart, if they progress adequately? only they will know.
Finally I like to share this, Niall I know you like to compare with music, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...040401721.html
one of the greatest violinist in the world playing incognito outside a metro station and only a few people stopped to enjoy the beautiful sound. Like Aikido you must also listen to the music with your heart, if people in their hurry would have done it, they would have enjoy one great moment. So listen and do Aikido with your heart, searching the truth and beeing sincere and honest.

Aikido is... whatever you want it to be.

...the way to join the individual will with the universal will.

In other words: the way of the universe.

FUN!!!

William Hazen

Graham Jenkins wrote: ...the way to join the individual will with the universal will. In other words: the way of the universe.

Does this (individual will joined to universal will) implies a form of determinism?

Demetrio Cereijo wrote: Does this (individual will joined to universal will) implies a form of determinism?

Nihilism, I would say.

Aikido is an art so nebulously defined that it has become the equivalent of a Rorschach test for the belief system of the person studying the art.

Wow, Keith. Just wow. I mean, I agree 100%, but yet there's people insisting in that Aikido is their own interpretation of their Rorschach test.

*draws a large circle* Whatever that is to you.


OR

What the guys at Aikikai hombu say it is. Which probably means most of us aren't studying Aikido and so the question becomes pointless.

Keith Larman wrote: Aikido is an art so nebulously defined that it has become the equivalent of a Rorschach test for the belief system of the person studying the art.

Aikido is the elephant that the blind people are trying to describe.

Niall Matthews wrote: I talked about the English naming of aikido in a blog post http://www.aikiweb.com/blogs/moon-in...f-aikido-4049/. Finally I went with aikido is the way of truth. Maybe that's too heavy or too far from the physical martial art - so what is it for you? Recently a Japanese budo teacher gave me his English copy of Budo - Techniques of the Founder, translated by John Stevens and published by Kodansha. I already have it so I will send my copy to the person who gives the best answer. It can be short or long, serious or not, definition or impression or memory or story - anything. If you don't actually do aikido 'Budo is...' is OK too.

For me Aikido is the way to true self. We are all spirit with a mind and a body and it is only due to our lack of awareness that we sink into believing we are a body with a mind and a spirit.

Harmony is of the spirit. Ki is of the spirit. The way is to practice these principles of the true self in order to realign and rehabillitate and restore your true self.

Believe only in physical and you become just a body.

Believe only in mind and you become a robot, a database, a clever but not intelligent identity.

Take responsibility for spirit and you at last are beginning to take responsibility for yourself and how to get yourself your mind and your body co-ordinated.

Aikido helps in this journey.

Such is my faith. G.

Demetrio Cereijo wrote: Does this (individual will joined to universal will) implies a form of determinism?

Possibly...you'll have to explain your question a little, though, before I can know exactly what you mean, and answer accordingly.

Alex Lawrence wrote: What the guys at Aikikai hombu say it is.

Why so?

Graham Jenkins wrote: Possibly...you'll have to explain your question a little, though, before I can know exactly what you mean, and answer accordingly.

If the individidual will has joined the universal will, then the individual has lost his own free will.

Is losing your free will what is aikido about in your definition?

aikido is

Demetrio Cereijo wrote: If the individidual will has joined the universal will, then the individual has lost his own free will. Is losing your free will what is aikido about in your definition?

I don't think joining with universal will means completely losing individual free will...at least not a whole lot more so than joining anything else that has an effect on behavior. Do cops lose free will when they join the will of law? Did Yoda lose free will in becoming one with the force? If I do something for/with you, have I lost free will?
My will might be affected/changed, but not lost. Perhaps Aikido is learning how to be a part of something bigger than you without losing yourself to it: in joining with Great Nature (universal will?) we consciously move with it instead of unconciously being moved by it. In this sense I see it as increasing the freedom of my will.

Matthew Gano wrote: I don't think joining with universal will means completely losing individual free will...at least not a whole lot more so than joining anything else that has an effect on behavior. Do cops lose free will when they join the will of law? Did Yoda lose free will in becoming one with the force? If I do something for/with you, have I lost free will? My will might be affected/changed, but not lost. Perhaps Aikido is learning how to be a part of something bigger than you without losing yourself to it: in joining with Great Nature (universal will?) we consciously move with it instead of unconciously being moved by it. In this sense I see it as increasing the freedom of my will.

Can you obtain that through painting, dancing or playing music? If the answer is yes, does it still keep defining what Aikido is?

Matthew,

Then you consider things like the Law, the Force, the Great Nature or the Universe (human mind constructs) having will.

Is the will of these constructs free? If is not and we join our individual free will (of course assumming we have it) to their's, how that can be seen as an increase or our free will?