What is Aikido?

Aikido is the creation of Morihei Ueshiba (1883 – 1969), affectionately known as O-Sensei (or Great Teacher).

Master Ueshiba (pronounced 'oo-eh-she-ba') was born in 1883 in a Japan which had not fully emerged into the modern world and where many of the martial arts were still taught by masters in the old tradition. In his early manhood, he mastered several martial arts including swordsmanship and various forms of unarmed self-defence. At the same time he developed into a deeply religious person and envisioned a new system of budo (the way of the warrior) which would provide a basis for both physical and spiritual development. This he named Aikido: the way (do) of harmonising (ai) the spirit (ki).

Martial arts are studied for self-defense and self-improvement, but Aikido is different from other martial arts in that the practitioner seeks to achieve self-defence without injury to the attackers. The basic movements of Aikido are circular in nature; most attacks are linear. The Aikidoist (practitioner) harmonizes with, rather than confronts, an aggressive line and converts it into a circular motion that renders attackers helpless.

Various wristlocks, immobilisations, or unbalancing throws are employed to neutralize aggressors without serious injury, and have therefore been adopted into the training regime of many police forces throughout the world.

By ki is meant the creative, life spirit of the universe; one's own life energy. "True budo is the way of great harmony and great love of all beings" wrote Ueshiba. It is clear that he meant Aikido to be more than a method of self-defence when he says,

"I want considerate people to listen to the voice of Aikido. It is not for correcting others; it is for correcting your own mind".