Aikido, the way with Aiki (part 2)

Taking some steps back, let me shortly explain why I prefer to translate "Aikido" into "the way with Aiki".
To do this, let's first 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

 

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 you, is really up to each of you. You have to find out for yourselves by means of your own training and your own thinking. To do the actual work is up to every single person itself. Because, even a thousand volumes of explanations won't get no one to understand without the own body having made the experience of Aiki, which can only be found through real practice. In the end it all comes down to the use of Aiki in our Aikido.

 

"Without Aiki,
there is no Aikido"

 

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 this Aiki, I started to put it into my Aikido. Although this way of expressing it isn't really accurate and it doesn't really correlate with the actual functioning of this Aiki, since it's not so much about what we put into it, much more it's about what we don't put into it.

Acting with Aiki 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 in Aiki, 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.

 

"the Aiki which I'm talking about in this blog, the principle of non-resistance, is the principle that's 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 this particular kind of Aiki, the Aiki which I'm talking about in this blog, the principle of non-resistance, is the principle that's 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.

Page first published on 09.09.2023
Page last updated on 24.09.2024

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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.

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