I am practicing Aikido, a Japanese martial art.

Aikido has many aspects that are best understood by practicing it. It is a “budo”, Japanese for “martial art”, it is spiritual and can be physically very demanding.

Again, it is difficult to write about it, unless you have seen it or practice Aikido yourself.

Aikido has been created by Ueshiba Morihei. Most practicing members like myself, belong to “Aikikai”, the worldwide Aikido federation with headquarters in Tokyo Shinjuku.

Aikido is written with 3 Japanese letters, AI meaning “to meet”, KI is the oriental “ki-power””, sometimes also written as “CHI” and often translated with “energy” or “spirit”.  DO is the “way”. So Aikido is a way to live (and practice) how to meet the KI of the partner in practice, and in a wider sense to live to be in harmony with the KI of the people you meet and in a general sense with the KI of the universe. The pronunciation of the character “AI - to meet” is the same as that of a different character, i.e. “AI - love”. Therefore, the meaning “love” also resonates with aikido.

The round and very smooth movements in Aikido are very powerful as techniques in the Aikido as a martial art. In its round movements, often described by circles or spirals, Aikido has similarities with dance and in the subtleties of its movements it is close to the  Japanese Noh (theater). It is not difficult to describe aikido as an art. The beauty in its movements, the power that extends through them make it an art, a truly martial art.

I am very grateful that I can practice Aikido in the Toyonaka Shosenji Dojo under the guidance and teaching of our Shihan (Master) Shimamoto.