[This Post is by Murray Loader] Everything. Aikido is Love. Nothing. It’s a martial art! One of the biggest problems the world-wide Aikido community has is an historically accurate understanding of “Aikido is Love”, i.e. what Ueshiba Sensei actually said and actually meant by that. As a result there is a major disconnect within […]
I have written this article because both Peter and Martijn have asked me to clarify the connection between Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, and Aikido Yuishinkai. I worry that people from overseas, who have grown up in a different culture, with different customs, may not fully understand the meaning of “true Aikido,” which the […]
True Intent Having the mind and will focused on a specific purpose. This is body, mind and spirit as one. In relation to budo, true intent focuses the spirit through the body, incorporating our will free from our mental attachment, true intent becomes the physical expression of mushin or no mind, in action it is […]
Half a lifetime ago I saw my first Aikido class, what I failed to understand at that point in time was that what I was seeing wasn’t what I came to understand much later as Aikido, but rather form, or kata. This is the way of training. Function is understood from form. Practice, repeat, practice, […]
This paradox of training in Aikido is a difficult one. Over the years I have met all types of people that train for many different types of reasons. Health, spirituality, martial prowess or just to attempt to find that thing missing in their lives. We are told Aikido has two dimensions, spiritual and physical. Just […]
Let’s take some time to consider the term Kuzushi, or balance breaking and its role in Aikido. Many people have come through a background in Judo where this term is very prevalent, as it is in Tomiki Aikido, it is also a term I have heard used frequently in Yoshinkan Aikido. This is actually quite […]
There are many paths to the top of the mountain. We are drawn to study Aikido for many reasons. A lot of people that study Aikido love the philosophical area of the art. Some are drawn to the founder’s teachings and beliefs on unity and world peace. Others still again believe in Aikido as a […]
Find a sword. Within its principles lie all principles of aikido What is intellectual aikido? Intellectual aikido is aikido that is practiced without understanding principles hidden in form of the technique. It is aikido that seeks to mimic the aikido techniques of others without understanding the basic principles that underlie the technique. Defining movement and […]
Recently I have had the opportunity to observe a lot of demonstrations of Aikido techniques sent to me on Facebook and YouTube. I thought it pertinent to make a few observations based on the rules that the FOUNDER put forward to those that wish to study Aikido. 1) A single moment or interaction in Aikido […]
No one can control another person. The best anyone can do in any interaction is control the space between them and the threat. The moment the mind has intention to do something to another person(attachment), it is captured and defeat is imminent. In essence this is the same mind as the attackers, it […]