Aikido
Ai = meeting, joining, connection
Ki = Life force, energy, vitality
Do = way, path, discipline
Aikido is a modern evolutionary development of older traditional Japanese Martial Arts – primarily drawn from several schools of jujutsu (grappling); and also, the ways of moving found in ken (sword), yari (spear) and jou (staff) arts. What differentiates Aikido from these predecessor combat-focused arts is the ethical foundation found in the words of Morihei Ueshiba, the Founder of Aikido – “The true purpose of Budo (martial practice) is the loving protection of all beings in a spirit of reconciliation”.
Morihei Ueshiba (14 December 1883 – 26 April 1969) developed and formulated what would become “Aikido” starting the late 1920s, and continuing all through his life, by drawing on and synthesizing these older martial arts systems and techniques which he had studied, reshaping them according to his ethical ideal and moral insight.
In this way Aikido developed as a primarily defensive system to control and contain attacks, ideally without harming the misguided person who has attacked. This psychological attitude of not seeking to defeat an attacker, but to reconcile the physical conflict without anyone coming to harm, underlies most modern versions of Aikido.
Today there are many distinct schools and styles labeled as “Aikido”, most of which trace their origins to the art and insight developed by Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei (Great Teacher). Some hark back to the Martial/Combative roots of Aikido, while other styles embrace the ethical insights of the Founder and teach Aikido as a way of Life seeking to heal a broken and turbulent world.
Ki-Aikido — Shinshin Toitso Aikido
One of the most significant styles of modern Aikido is the school of Shinshin Toitsu Aikido, (Aikido with Mind and Body Unified), which was founded by Koichi Tohei Sensei in 1974 as an independent style. Outside Japan this school is often called Ki-Aikido, and it is taught by the Shinshin Toitsu Aikido Kai (Mind and Body Unification Aikido Society) organization and its branches. Outside Japan the organization is usually just called “Ki Society”.
The Aikido of Ki Society is based in the Aikido Tohei Sensei learned as a long-time student of O-Sensei, over a 40 year period, eventually being awarded the highest rank of 10th Dan, and appointed as Chief Instructor of O-Sensei’s Aikikai organization. But Ki-Aikido is also suffused with principles and practices of Ki Development and Awareness which Tohei Sensei learned from another famous teacher, Tempu Nakamura Sensei, known as “the Father of Yoga in Japan”. As with O-Sensei, Tohei Sensei became a top-level, highly respected student of Nakamura Sensei; he continued to study with both these teachers until they died, and worked to integrate their different teachings into his own understanding.
Tohei Sensei has credited these teachers with basic lessons which transformed his own understanding and shaped his Art of Ki-Aikido.
He said the essential thing he learned from O-Sensei was “Relaxation” – O-Sensei was completely relaxed (i.e. no extra tension or hardness) even in the midst of throwing his students with very powerful techniques.
The essential thing Tohei learned from Nakamura Sensei was that “the Mind Moves the Body”: therefore, to control a larger, more powerful opponent, move their mind (which weighs nothing) and their body will follow.
This set of insights were so fundamental that they are the essential foundation of Tohei Sensei’s Shinshin Toitsu Aikido (Ki-Aikido). We train to have Oneness of Mind and Body in our daily life. Our practice of Aikido is a laboratory to learn and develop Mind and Body Oneness.
Of course, Ki-Aikido practice is also fun, invigorating, dynamic, and a highly effective system of Defensive Skills. It also teaches us how to resolve conflicts of an emotional or psychological nature.
Understood in this way, it is easy to see that Ki-Aikido is a True Do, or life discipline.