Aikido, the way with Aiki

To have come to my current understanding of the principle of non-resistance has taken me more than three decades of Aikido training and Aikido practice. Although this principle can't be transmitted or taught directly, it is thanks to my teachers and their methods of training and practice, it is by letting me feel their techniques, making me think about things and making me do the actual work which has brought me here. Ever since I came about to realize about the existence and the functioning of the principle of non-resistance, my Aikido training is focused on refining my Aikido practice in accordance with this principle.

Well, sometimes it makes me wonder where would I have to place all of this. Evidently even if this all means a great deal to me, it most probably doesn't really has to mean anything to anybody else. Then again, looking at the videos available showing the Aikido of O-Sensei and also reading the founders explanations on his Aiki and his Aikido, I pretty much feel encouraged to continue following this 'way', a way which, since I came about to realize about this principle, I'm absolutely intrigued about.

From the explanations given by founder and also from what can be seen, and more particular from what can't so much be seen and found in his Aikido, the principle of non-resistance seen as the key to Aiki makes perfect sense to me. I stand under the impression that O-Sensei mostly always used this principle in his Aikido.

"O-Sensei mostly always used
this principle in his Aikido"

So well then, one question that still has me pondering: if Aiki in Aikido really is more akin to what I think it's supposed to be according to O-Sensei's explanations, then, is martial excellence, as it's widely promoted in the Aikido community, really the one and foremost important thing to look for in Aikido?

 

"Aikido is budo,
Aikido is love"

 

O-Sensei clearly states that Aikido is budo. So the logic of budo must be respected. He also states that Aikido is harmony and Aikido is Love. If we understand budo to be the way of the martial arts or the way of the fighting arts, then this may really sound like a contradiction, doesn't it? Though if it isn't a contradiction, then what kind of budo is O-Sensei talking about and referring to? 

By thinking more deeply about O-Sensei's explanations on his art and also about his explanations on his understanding of budo, at least some aspects of his art may become more understandable. I think, to understand the Aikido of O-Sensei we not only need to study the techniques of his Aikido, but indeed, we also need to study carefully what he had to say about his art. 

According to my experience, Aikido can only be understood through our very own body-experience, our very own perception. Real understanding in any body art, such as Aikido, I reckon, is based on body experience. A real understanding cannot be gained, when based on theories and thought constructs alone. Once the body understands, the mind will be able to follow and understand as well. This, I reason, leads to real understanding. Therefore the Aikido techniques as given to us by the founder allow us not only to physically experience and understand the body concepts of the art but they may also lead to an understanding of the philosophical and spiritual aspects too.

 

"we need a critical 
and also kind of
scientific thinking mind"

 

With the development of our abilities we will gain insight and also gain confidence (in our understanding and abilities). To do so we need a critical and also a kind of scientific thinking mind. Although it is important to fully trust in our teachers teachings, we should at the same time not just follow blindly and believe in what we are taught and told, but we should, for a better understanding of things, analyze and verify ourselves, the best we can.

Sometimes things are not what we think they are, as we can't see them for what they really are. This may be because we aren't, whatever the reasons, capable of seeing things clearly. Taking budo perception as an example: just because yesterday I wasn't able to perceive an opening or suki 1, doesn't mean that there was no such thing. Of course it was there, I just wasn't able to perceive it. Well, this is just an example to illustrate the difference between a personal reality which depends on one's own perception (with personal filters and distortion) and reality itself (without personal filters and distortion). By developing my perception abilities, today I'm able to perceive that same kind of opening which before I didn't even knew it existed. 

Therefore, what I regarded as being the truth about Aiki and Aikido yesterday is not necessarily the same as I do today. Also, what I regard as truth today, tomorrow I might not necessarily do so anymore. Although, since the principle of non-resistance is based on the laws of nature itself, it will most certainly not change, but my understanding of it may evolve and deepen nevertheless. Aikido really has the power to change people, that is, if people are willing to let those changes happen. To make real progress, we need to change. We need to let go our fighting mind and we need to let go of our spirit of competition.

 

"To make real progress,
we need to change"

 

All the things I’m talking about here, I am well aware, certainly may only be one of many more parts when it comes to give a complete explanation of Aiki in Aikido. But really, I can only talk about those things which I have come to understand myself, to the degree I understand them, that is of course.

"our Aikido too, could come
closer to be the Aikido,
as it was designed, explained
and practiced by the founder"

By thinking deeply about the founders explanations on his Aiki and his Aikido, we might be able to find out more about theses subjects. And by following the founders directions, I beliefe that our Aikido too, could come closer to be the Aikido, as it was designed, explained and practiced by the founder.

 

"Aikido, the way with Aiki"

 

Taking some steps back, let's have a look at some possible translations of the Kanji in "Ai-ki-do":

合    AI = love, harmony, unifying

気    KI = energy, breath, nature, spirit

道    DO = way, path, tao

 

Since the Kanji can have several meanings to it, different translations of the term "Aikido" can be made:

• the way of harmony
• a way to harmony
  
• the art of peace
• the harmony of nature
• way of combining forces
• way of unifying energy
  

There may be many other interpretations and translations of the term "Aikido". All of which may have a reasonable meaning to it. Nevertheless, starting to understand Aikido as "the way with Aiki", at least to me, has proven to be an important point in the process that brought me to my current understanding.

To find out what "Aikido" really is or what it really means or what it means to us, is really up to each of us. We have to find out for ourselves by means of our own training and our own thinking. To do the actual work is up to every single one of us. Because, even a thousand volumes of explanations won't get no one to understand without our own body having made the experience of Aiki, which can only be found through real practice. Our teachers may give us the right directions and indications, but it's up to us to make good use of it.

 

"to do the actual work is up
to every single one of us"

 

By understanding the term "Aikido" as "the way with Aiki", I started to look for an understanding of the term "Aiki". Once having understood the functioning of the principle of non-resistance, I started to put it into my Aikido techniques. 

Acting in accordance with the principle of non-resistance means that our action is in harmony with the (physical) laws of nature. It is not so much, as we often hear in explanations about Aikido, about being in harmony with our opponent. Although when done correctly, we will certainly also be in harmony with our opponent or training-partner. But first of all, we have to be in a harmonious state ourselves. Without this, harmony with anything around us, what or whoever this may be, won't be possible.

 

"the principle of non-resistance is the principle
that to be in Aiki, always got to be there,
but we have to understand how it works
and we also have to be able to work with it
so that we can use it in our Aikido"

 

The way I see it right now is that the principle of non-resistance is the principle that to be in Aiki, always got to be there, but we have to understand how it works and we also have to be able to work with it so that we can use it in our Aikido. 

Ever since I started training in Aikido, I have asked myself the same question over and over again, and I still do at times: What is this thing called Aikido and what is it good for? When I started with Aikido, at first I understood Aikido to be a martial art ment for self-defense. Soon enough I learned more about some of Aikido's aspects and concepts, such as the importance of:

• having no openings
• no pushing, no pulling
  
• relax completely
• natural breathing
• not waiting for the attack
• guiding your partner
• body coordination
  
• unity of the body
• perception
  

(all points given in no particular order) 

These points all lead me to the conclusion, that Aikido maybe really isn't only about self-defense, but there's more to it. Although lacking the experience to understand these points, nevertheless I understood quit well the importance of these points. Therefore these points helped me a lot in my training and served as guide lines on what to do and how to do and also on what not to do and how not to do.

 

"what is the core,
what is the essence,
what is the innermost truth
of Aikido?"

 

What exactly did the founder, O-Sensei, Morihei Ueshiba have to say about his Aikido, what did or do the different senseis, mostly direct students of O-Sensei say about their Aikido, about Aikido in general and also about O-Sensei and the Aikido of O-Sensei? And then, how does all of this fit together with the Aikido practiced in the dojo? What I really wanted to understand is: according to O-Sensei, what is the core, what is the essence, what is the innermost truth of Aikido?

Well, I still haven't gotten there yet, obviously, and most probably never will, but over the years, all the experience in Aikido and Aikido related training together with all the information received, a coherent picture and understanding gradually formed.

Again I want to point out that in a body art such as Aikido, it's not only about the mind that has to understand, it's also about the body which has to understand as well. Only then a real understanding can be accomplished. To get the body to understand those things, many years of training need to be done. Even so, when the body understands, the mind needs to be ready to accept those understandings too. Therefore we could be saying that the mind moves the body 2 and the body teaches the mind. 

"the mind moves the body
and the body teaches the mind"

 

Although Aikido is practiced with one or more partners, Aikido is a very personal thing. So to me, really it's all part of my own and personally experienced body-mind-reality. Nevertheless, I very much assume that the things I can perceive and understand with my own (human) body and my (human) mind, with my own (human) senses, that this, my own reality, might as well hold some truth, at least to a certain amount, to other persons too, as they are human too and most probably basically function in the same human ways as I do.

However, the topic of Aiki seems not to be an easy one at all. Looking at the modern Aikido presented in todays media (Youtube, Facebook, Instagramm etc.) I would say that the principle of non-resistance (which I see as the key to Aiki) and its uncompromising use isn't really overly represented. While some people may use it at some point or another in their techniques, others don't really use it at all. Although we might be looking at wonderful or also spectacular Aikido techniques, we don't see so much of this principle as it was well demonstrated by O-Sensei. But then to do Aikido with Aiki, we would need to use this principle from start to end, even before the technique and after the technique. I am absolutely aware that it might well only be my arrogance or ignorance as well as my limited understanding of things that make me do say the things which I'm saying. Therefore please note: No offense is intended to anyone !!

Of course, I still might not see the whole picture, I'm pretty sure I don't. Also, I absolutely take into account the possibility that my understanding of things could all just be completely wrong. Still, from what I'm able to see, that's exactly what I see. Which kind of makes sense, doesn't it, since we rarely see the things we can't. Anyway, leaving everything aside, isn't it like Aiki should most definitely take an important part in our research to understand Aikido?

 

"Aiki, the essence of Aikido"

 

So, after giving it more than just a few thoughts, I brought myself to write this blog, hoping of perhaps being able to contribute something to the understanding of Aiki and perhaps also serving as an inspiration to one or two other persons by maybe motivating them to do their own research on the subject of Aiki, the essence of Aikido.

 

 

 1  suki = jap.: opening, gap, vulnerability, moment of inattention (explanation taken from Two Cranes Aikido)
 2  Koichi Tohei quotes Tempu Nakamura. Quote taken from an Interview with Koichi Tohei as published in Aikido Journal online.

  

Page first published on 06.09.2023
Page last updated on 31.03.2026

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Disclaimer: everything presented in this post only represents my personal opinions based on my personal  knowledge, understanding and experiences made regarding the matter in discussion except where quotes are made. Other opinions are highly respected as long as they can withstand the argumentation. Some of the points presented may be purely speculative on my side due to the lack of evidence known to me. Any evidence presented to help clarify the points in question is highly welcomed. The post may still undergo little changes, although the content will mainly remain the same.

Notes on Copyrights: None of the content was written by AI. Neither text or parts of the text may be used or published elsewhere without the consent of the author. It is OK though to quote with correct references made to this text.
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