Aikido Basics. Phong Thong Dang

inhales as a training partner approaches, creating a breath vacuum, or emptiness, to receive the partner's ki. The aikido practitioner exhales with the execution of movements and throws. This adds a dimension of ki into the kokyu-nages, or breath throws.

      Ki, as energy, exists in all things and is the common element linking us all together. Ki allows us to feel connected with one another. Ki training develops your sensitivity to the movement of others and to your own power, by connecting and harmonizing the ki.

      Do: The Way, or Path

      It is often through a life of discipline that one finds the way of nature and the natural course that the essence of all things follows. This principle of do is the way into, and beyond, your individual life to what is natural and universal. Do is the basis of personal identity and the loss of that identity into the greater way of the universe. The awareness of the greater way is the basis of spirituality in aikido.

      The imagery most often used is that of water. Water does not need to decide what direction to flow. It simply follows the natural lines of geography. It uses the principle of gravity and flows to the lowest point, along the line of least resistance. Having the way of water allows you to have the flexibility to flow around obstacles without direct confrontation. Yet, if confrontation occurs, water has the ability to wear down even the toughest rocks to forge great valleys and canyons.

      Omoto: The Great Origin, or Beginning

      O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba was spiritual by nature and a follower of the Omoto religion. Omoto literally translates to "great origin." It was a new religious sect founded by an illiterate, but enlightened, woman named Nao Deguchi (1871-1947). This Shinto sect picked up popularity during the early twentieth century until the Japanese government suppressed the movement, destroyed their property, and imprisoned their leader. O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba became a believer in 1919 and maintained his relationship with them until his death in 1969. Many consider the influence of the Omoto religion to be the philosophical and spiritual foundation of aikido.

      The four teachings and four principles, or rules, of the Omoto religion influenced O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba and the development of aikido. The divine plan teaches human beings to lead a significant life. The basic teachings are (1) to harmoniously align ourselves with life and the universe, (2) to receive a revelation of celestial truth and its lessons, (3) to know the innate patterns of behavior for man, society, and the cosmos, and (4) to become aware of our instinctual creative drives. The four fundamental principles are (1) to gain purity of mind and body, (2) to maintain our optimism by believing in the goodness of the divine will, (3) to strive for progressive social improvement, and (4) to find the unification and reconciliation of all dichotomies. These principles are manifested throughout the universe. By practicing them, an individual can live in harmony with the universe and lead a heavenly life in spirit and body.

      Some would say that the experience of war is what prompted O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba to remove the deadly strikes from aikido. Others would say that it was the spiritual awakening of his Omoto faith that led him to devise an art of resolving conflicts aligned with philosophical and spiritual truths.

      Sangen: The Triangle, Square, and Circle

      The triangle, square, and circle are central to the philosophy of aikido, and symbolize important aspects of the art. The triangle represents fire and water, and symbolizes various trinities such as mind-body-spirit and past-present-future. The triangle represents the flow of ki and a stable physical posture. The circle is the universal symbol for infinity, eternity, serenity, and perfection. The circle is fluid with no beginning and no end. As you accept and understand the principle of the circle, you will find that it is big enough to apply to your whole life, yet small enough to apply to your aikido techniques. The square is stability, order, and applied control. Together, they represent and symbolize the interrelatedness and harmony of humankind (triangle), earth (square), and heaven (circle).

      Another interpretation (Dobson and Miller 1993, p. 153) uses the triangle, square, and circle to illustrate different ways to handle conflict. Attack is always fear-based because, without some type of fear, there would be no reason to attack. The triangle represents an attack. Two triangles, facing point-to-point, represent the fight response. A triangle facing away from another triangle (the original attack) represents the flight response. Flight is also fear-based. The freeze response, another fear-based response, is a square just sitting there letting the triangle attack. It is only the circle that blends and flows with the attacking triangle. The circle blends with the attack by not directly resisting it but moves out of the way in a spiraling circular pattern along the triangle's line of attack. This is both symbolically and literally the way aikido faces conflict.

      The triangle represents the aikido ready stance, often referred to as the triangle stance because the feet are positioned as a triangle for balance. The triangle stance is established by placing the lead foot facing forward and the rear foot at a perpendicular ninety-degree angle slightly behind but aligned with the front foot's heel. This forms a triangle which provides balanced support and maneuverability. The circle represents the pivoting footwork (tenkan) that gives aikido its grace and power. The square represents points of balance and remaining firmly grounded. Enter with the sharp point of the triangle, move as a circle, and suppress with the firmness of the square (Fujita 1997, p. 24).

      Beyond the Mat

      The philosophical side of aikido, as a way of harmonizing spirit, is not only a way of war or fighting, but also a way of life. The consistent and persistent practice of aikido not only changes the way you move, but also the way you think.

      Due to the nonaggressive philosophy underlying aikido, its benefits easily carry over into other areas of a practitioner's life outside the school. Aikido training teaches one to stay relaxed and calm in stressful situations, and to take things one step at a time. Already several books and organizations apply the philosophy of aikido to other areas such as psychotherapy, education, relationships, mediation, and communication. After you have trained in basic aikido for a time, you will begin to see the unique philosophy of aikido helping you in all areas of your life.

      The learning and practice of aikido are ongoing. O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba was a great believer in continuous and repetitive practice. Eventually, as you master the skills, you will discover the principles behind them. As you read this book, you will find that some themes and points are consistently and continuously repeated. That is because learning takes continuous and repetitive practice.

      THE NAME AIKIDO implies that there is only one art, the aikido of O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba. However, those who studied with O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba at different times learned different ways of illustrating the same aikido principles and techniques. Some of these students modified those ways and applications of techniques based on their own temperaments, physical limitations, and abilities. These differences have given rise to different styles of the same art of aikido.

      Different Branches

      There are two major styles stemming from the original aikido of O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba. The first is the Aikikai branch, directly affiliated with the Aikido World Headquarters, the Aikikai Foundation, and Aikikai Hombu Dojo, established by O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba and his successors. The second, the Ki-Society style, is in affiliation and association with Sensei Kochi Tohei. Tohei Sensei was a top student and instructor under O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba.

      Classical aikido is referred to as Aikikai, the organization