The Philosophy Behind Aikido

If you know about the fascinating history of Aikido, a Japanese martial art, you might now be itching to know and understand the philosophy behind Aikido. All your queries about the philosophy behind this art will come to an end in this article, as we unravel the it in detail.

Meaning Of Aikido

Aikido philosophy can be learnt in many ways and one of the ways to start it is to know the actual meaning of Aikido. The term Aikido is made up of three words, “Ai”, “Ki” and “Do”.

• * “Ai”: It means harmonizing.
• * “Ki”: It means universal life force or energy.
• * “Do”: It means an artful path of discovery.

The combined term “Aikido” means an artful path of discovering ways to gather and harmonize the universal energy.

The Word “Ki”

“Ki” is the most important part of Aikido. As per belief, human beings utilize and also share a common energy source called “Ki”, which helps in running and maintaining the environment for a better living. In Japanese, “Ki” has many meanings:

• * “Ten-ki”: It means heavenly energy or weather.
• * “Hon-ki”: It means original energy or truth.
• * “Yuu-ki”: It means brave energy or courage.
• * “Gen-ki”: It means root energy or personal health.

Origin Of “Ki”

Now, the obvious question that arises is that from where “Ki” originated. You may find it bit poetic, but “Ki” is said to be evolved from the same place from where the rest of the universe originated. As per Aikido beliefs, feelings with excess tension like fear, hatred, greed and anger take away the universal source of “Ki”.

“Ki Signature”

“Ki” has got many benefits for the spirit as well as for the mind. This freely available universal energy is said to be used differently by all individuals and this in turn is referred to as “Ki signature”. It is believed that no two persons have the same spirit and same mind. Aikido is an art that enhanced the “Ki signature” of the person who practices it.

Never Hurt The Opponent

Those who have read about Aikido must be wondering why this martial art opposes the idea of hurting the opponent. Unlike other martial arts, in Aikido, the person doesn’t kicks, punches or hurts the opponent. There are various reasons to the philosophy of not hurting the opponent in Aikido.

• * Since, “Ki” means that we all have a common energy, Aikido prevents attacking or hurting the opponent, as this will mean hurting a family member.
• * On the other hand attacking an opponent would also mean that we are trying to damage or interrupt the flow of the universal energy in the world.

Harmony Of Mind And Body

Another aspect of the Aikido philosophy is to attain a perfect harmony between mind and body. This non-aggressive and non-competitive Japanese martial art beliefs in spreading harmony within and outside. Its main focus is to improve the balance, coordination as fitness level. It helps developing the whole human being, his mind, body and soul.