AIKIDO A WAY OF HARMONISING WITH THE SPIRIT

Aikido is Japan’s most modern and traditional martial art. It was founded by O Sensei (Great Master) Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969). Aikido is a combination of three words and three concepts. Ai means harmony; Ki means spirit; Do means way — “it is the way of harmonising with spirit

- STANISLAUS LOUIS

A new student is taught to harmonise his spirit with the universal spirit of nature through a system of exercises, both physical and mental, designed to think from the belly, to harmonise with an attack, lead it to a point of exhaustion, and then neutralise it with a throw, a joint lock, or an immobilisation technique.

Why Choose Aikido?

In the words of Bruce Jegner, “Aikido is the most beautiful of the ritualised, weaponless fighting arts.” It is a good exercise, aesthetically pleasing to perform, intriguingly exotic, and as dramatic as fencing.

Aikido movements are soft and smooth. After watching O sensei perform for the first time, Kochi Tohei (9th Dan) wrote, “Every movement was so smooth it looked like a Japanese Odori (dance).” On effectiveness, he reminisces about him attacking O Sensei suddenly at the same performance and finding himself lying on the mat and unable to remember how he was thrown or what part of his body O Sensei had touched.

Why is Aikido Preferred?

Aikido movements are intricate, giving the practitioner a feeling of satisfaction at being able to execute them without the use of physical power or strength. These practitioners train to build one another rather than compete. Aikido is best for people who do not like competition. It is ideal for those who do not like as much body contact as judo. It is enjoyed by those who do not like the harshness of karate. Due to the lack of physical power and strength, it is apt for folks of both genders. For the elderly, it is appealing as an ongoing, lifelong activity.