Guest Author - Caroline Baker
Aikido derives from Japanese forms of Martial Arts. It has roots in several other Japanese styles, such as Jujitsu and Judo. Aikido specifically refers to the style of Martial Arts that can be traced back to Morihei Ueshiba, known to Aikido students as O Sensei.
An accomplished martial artist, fencer and athlete, Ueshiba came to create Aikido during a time when the world was in great turmoil, the 1940's and World War II. As his story goes, while he excelled in the physical aspects of all he did, he felt something missing. It wasn't until he turned to religion, including Shintoism, that he began to see martial arts as not only a physical training but a way to be one with the universe.
Roughly translated, Aikido means in Japanese "the Way of Harmony and Spirit". While the founder did find his focus in religion, it is not about religion that the student learns on the floor. Characteristic to Aikido, a practioner uses whole body unity in their movements in order to dislodge but not injure their opponents. Aikido movements are subtle, graceful and effective. As with many of the older budo styles of Japanese Martial Arts, it focuses on developing both the internal and physical aspects of its students.
Aikido has also gone by the name Aikibudo and Aikinomichi. Today, there are several different schools of teaching for Aikido throughout the world. The most well known ones are: Aiki-budo, Yoseikan, Yoshinkan, Aikikai, Iwama-Ryu, Shin-shin Toitsu Aikido.
For more information on Shintoism, please refer to the articles in our Japanese Culture site.
