Aikido is a Japanese form of martial art, which means that students are obliged to learn and use the terminology of the system, as well as learn the disciplines of the society form which it came. This obligation is partly to respect the art and partly to give students the opportunity to broaden their horizons and learn from the culture.
Aikido’s relation to Japanese Culture
Japanese culture is steeped in tradition going back to the feudal era and beyond. The partial arts themselves derive from the order and traditions of the samurai. The traditional honor and respect for one’s superior is of utmost importance in everyday Japanese life, as well as the dojo or training hall. One never uses someone’s first name unless veryw ell acquainted, just as Westerners address each other by surnames such as Mr. Smith or Ms. Smith. When greeting one another, people use a traditional bow from the wast, much like the Western tradition of shaking hands. It is in this traditional culture that Aikido draws its strengths from, and incorporates in its theories and application.
The Principles of Aikido
There are unique principles of Aikido that differentiate it from other martial art systems, particularly hard styles such as Karate and Taekwondo. In order to practice Aikido, one must learn to flow with and blend with an attack, just as a sapling bends under the weight of snow or with a strong wind. It survives because it is flexible and goes along with the more powerful force rather than trying to resist it. Many strong oak breaks under the same pressure because it is rigid and unyielding. When meeting force with force, the stronger prevails; when giving way and redirecting force, the weak can overcome the strong.
1. YOTTO (YIELD)
a. To properly practice Aikido, you must first learn not to resist an attack , but instead to yield to it or “submit to your attacker’s force. Nonresistance is the key to overcoming your opponent’s attack. There is no need to meet force with force. It is not necessary to overcome through overpowering the enemy. By simply redirecting your enemy’s force, she will, many times, actually throw herself with little help on your part. In deflecting or redirecting an opponent’s attack, the student will gain complete control of the attacker and the situation. By yielding to and redirecting the opponent’s motion, the practitioner draws the attacker off-balance. Once the balance is broken, a controlling technique or throw can be easily executed.
2. MUSHIN (NO MIND)
a. In each self-defense situation, it is necessary to gain control mentally first. If your mind is properly prepared to deal with a confrontation, then you will have no anger. Anger has no place in a defense situation. Anger will cause a loss of awareness and will cause you to make mistakes. A mind at peace will not react with aggression but with clarity of thought. Many fights have been avoided and many lives saved by one person’s ability to remain calm and not react to the aggressive actions of another.
b. Mushin is a level that a student must enter normally before attaining master’s rank (fourth dan or higher) , in which response to attack or danger seems to be automatic. The mind basically shuts down at a conscious level and lets the subconscious take over to produce a totally clear mind. This clear mind processes information very quickly and employs instantaneous rational thought. It is not unusual for practitioners at this level to have no recall immediately after a confrontation. It can frequently take hours and the input of witnesses to piece together details of how the attacker was disabled.
3. YOWASA (WEAKNESS)
a. Weakness, gentleness, and passiveness are not terms usually associated with martial-arts training. Indeed, most people associate training in the arts with developing awesome power, building muscle mass, getting into top physical condition, improving endurance, and toughening their bodies. These are all admirable goals and are very valuable for the students of most martial arts.
b. Aikido , however, is very different in this respect. Aikido is much more scientific in its approach. It uses the weakness of the human body against itself by attacking those points with only a slight amount of pressure. Students are constantly amazed that they can learn to cause much more pain with just the touch of a finger. This technique is something students can learn, but it takes time and practice.
c. By design, Aikido is well suited to men and women with less strength because it requires no muscle power to execute. Power actually works against the practitioner and makes the techniques ineffective. The hardest lesson many students have to learn is to turn off their strength and be gentle. It is totally inconceivable to most students that all the muscles they have spent a lifetime building are of absolutely no use in this type of self-defense.
4. KI (POWER)
a. The term ki is one that many Aikido students do not find easy to understand. According to Eastern Philosophy, Ki is the human spirit inhabiting the flesh body. It is part of a higher spiritual force of which the entire universe is mad up. Ki, or as the Chinese say, Chi, is a flow of energy that comes from the universe and returns to the universe. It is the life force that inhabits our bodies at birth and returns to the cosmos when our physical bodies die. Humans have a trinity of existence: a mind, a soul and a spirit. The spirit is ki or chi.
b. To appreciate ki, one must have an understanding of the principles of Eastern religion, the concept of reincarnation and the existence of each of us as an immortal spiritual being.
5. EN (CIRCLE)
a. The circle of is an all-important part of Aikido. The concept of circular (mauri) motion is the very basis of Aikido techniques. Although it is necessary in combat to use much smaller motions that in the dojo, the circle is still of the utmost importance. To fully understand the importance of the circle to martial-arts training, think about the operation of the wheel. As the wheel turns, notice the way the axle or center of the circle actually seems to rotate fairly slowly compared with the outer edge of the circle. Just as the wheel has a center, the Aikido practitioner becomes the center of the circle. As the practitioner controls the opponent and begins to move in a circular pattern, the attacker is forced to move at a much greater speed to keep up with the center of the circle. This, of course, is impossible , resulting in the attacker’s balance being broken and allowing the defender to easily throw the attacker to the ground or otherwise render her harmless with a lock of some kind. Its use must rely on the lack of strength because circular motion cannot be accomplished by brute force.
6. SEN (LINE)
a. Linear motion has its place in Aikido. Linear motion is used as a more push or pull to break an attacker’s balance and help facilitate a throw or help maneuver him into a joint lock or break.
7. KUZUSHI (BREAKING THE BALANCE)
a. Balance is the ability to keep your obdy in an upright and stable position against the forces of gravity, motion and kinetic energy. There are two ways of breaking balance in Aikido:
i. Happo no kuzushi
ii. Hando no kuzushi
Reference:
Cotter, M. J., & Henley, J. A. (1997). The philosophy and practice of aikido: Implications for.. SAM Advanced Management Journal (07497075), 62(1), 14.
Lothes Ii, J., Hakan, R., & Kassab, K. (2013). Aikido Experience And Its Relation To Mindfulness: A Two-Part Study. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 116(1), 30-39.
Tanega, J. (2013). USA: Aikido Ethics--A Reflection on Grant B Cooper. Legal Ethics, 16(2), 386-389. doi:10.5235/1460728X.16.2.386
Chapter 3: Language And Principles Of Aikido. (1998). Aikido Techniques & Tactics (Pp. 25-41).
. The one thing that they all have is common is eventually with a good teacher you reach mushin no shin
