A brief profile of aikido
The Japanese martial art of aikido was founded by Morihei Ueshiba (1883–1969). Ueshiba joined Japan’s army as a volunteer in Osaka in 1903 and served in the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905). Both before and after this period, he studied all the traditional Asian martial arts, including judo, jujitsu and karate, as well as sword and stick fighting. Aikido is a synthesis of these martial arts and incorporates elements from all of the other disciplines.
Ueshiba also spent many years studying religious, spiritual and philosophical ideas. It was on this foundation that he gradually developed his own martial art: aikido. At its core, aikido is not about destructive combat; rather, it embodies an aspect of love, namely the harmonious blending of vital forces.
The practitioners, referred to as ‘aikidokas’, must achieve harmony of body and mind within themselves, not only over the course of training, but also over the course of their life. Furthermore, aikido calls for this harmony between aikidokas and their fellow human beings, who are regarded as partners rather than enemies. Another integral part of the discipline involves having an awareness of being in tune with the whole world, an experience that can be accessed through meditation, for example. Today, many people practise this martial art simply as a sport. But once a certain level of proficiency has been reached, the practitioner cannot develop further without a Zen-like openness of heart and mind.
Unlike in judo, for example, there are no competitions in aikido. However, as in other Japanese martial arts, there are exams and grading systems. These serve to structure training and gauge the level of development achieved. There are six ‘kyu’ grades at the ‘student’ level, followed by ten ‘dan’ grades at master level. Practitioners who have achieved the first dan grade wear a black belt and the traditional black hakama (skirt-like trousers). The training venue is called a ‘dojo’. And, just as in judo, the floor is covered with mats to prevent injuries from falls.