Aikido
Aikido is a defensive Japanese martial art that diffuses (and defuses) the energy of an attack, perhaps even causing an attacker to reconsider his intentions before he has begun. It has been described as the most complex and difficult martial art to learn, the thoughtful martial art, a lot like dancing — take your pick!
Its founder, Morihei Ueshiba, said, "The secret of Aikido is to harmonise ourselves with the movement of the Universe and bring ourselves into accord with the Universe itself.". The word means the way of harmony with universal energy. The 'martial' can be interpreted as the discipline of not needing to fight.
When I discovered aikido, I was immediately hooked because it felt so right, like coming home after a long absence or finding a soulmate, and because it is inherently beautiful — graceful and elegant in its philosophy and its movement, infinitely complex yet innately simple. And oh, so difficult to do!
It is serious study, continual practising and commitment, yet it is full of joy: maybe it's the element of play — our practice has many laughs and grins!
I find aikido in everything I do, from opening a drawer to teaching communication, from shifting a load to sawing wood, in a traffic delay or mediating in conflict, in handling a frightened animal, coping with pain, facilitating a meeting, moving through a crowd, or healing through touch.
Aikido is life.
For more on aikido, see Kettering Aikido.
