Aikido, the way with Aiki (part 3)

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
  

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 1 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 this type of 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 Aiki as it was well demonstrated by O-Sensei. But then to do Aikido with Aiki, we would need to use this Aiki from start to end, even before the technique and after the technique. I am absolutely aware that it might well only be my arrogance, 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  Koichi Tohei quotes Tempu Nakamura. Quote taken from an Interview with Koichi Tohei as published in Aikido Journal online.

 

Page first published on 12.09.2023
Page last updated on 02.09.2025

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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: 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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