1. Consider the Source
In the late 19th century, a young boy in Japan set out to teach himself how to fight because his father was getting beat up by the local thugs. He tried all the martial arts and earned a number of belts in them. When young Morihei Uesheba still felt dissatisfied and uneasy, he turned to religion to find some solace. Aikido came about as the young man found a way through his anger and need for revenge by combining the spiritual and physical aspects of his training.
2. Change With the Times
Today, no dogma is attached to aikido and it tends to be a very loosely organized form of marital arts. Modern-day practitioners use aikido for physical training and to relieve stress. Self-defense is the core strategy behind the moves you'll learn in aikido, but getting along with people is the discipline you will be taught. In aikido, you will learn to laugh at yourself as you learn to hit the mat after being thrown. Laughing is not only allowed in the aikido dojo, but strongly encouraged.
3. Get in the Act
The best way to get involved in aikido is to find a local dojo. Typically the leader or master teacher in the dojo is a sensei. The dojo is merely the name for place where the aikido is taught or practiced. You can easily find a dojo near you online, as most will offer websites and contact information. A great source for international listing of dojos is aikiweb.com. Visit the dojo a few times before joining though. Because the aikido experience is so personal and goes beyond simple physical moves, you'll want to be sure your dojo has the right feel for you.
4. Feel the Love
Aikido emphasizes the moral and spiritual aspects of enlightenment more so than the physical side. You can get to the other side by training and disciplining your body, say the aikido teachings, but physical strength for its own sake is useless. Translated in to English, aikido means "the way of harmony and spirit." Many different styles of aikido are taught around the world and no one style is considered superior to the other.
5. Don't Worry, Be Happy
Competitions in aikido are rare. This martial art is not a sport in which you go to tournaments and are rated for your performance. The winner is the man or woman who finds inner peace while walking freely, knowing the power of self defense lies within themselves. The secret that the masters want their students to achieve is to find a oneness in all the universe, which leaves no room for one-upmanship.
Member Comments