“Aikido is about expressing who we already are : timeless, immovable, harmonious beings with a limitless capacity to respond with Life. Placing our attention on surrendering to the discovery of that being, trusting the intelligence of that being, and placing all or our faith into the birth of this being in this moment, we are Free. Then the creation of what is known as Takemusu Aikido becomes possible. We can not take credit for it. We are it. We can not improve it. It improves this moment. We can not do it. It does us. We can create space for it to awaken. We can choose to be available to it. We can study and create a language for it to speak with. But we can not control or use it. Finally in the end we disappear into It and we then are It; Free finally to create and contribute to the rest of Life that is who we are as well. ”
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“Morihiro Saito, 9th dan, shihan, and our aikido Sensei and friend, was with us from March 31, 1928 until May 12, 2002. Let’s follow photographically how this strong young farm boy developed into the man who continues to inspire us.
“For a long long time, I was not able to draw parallels between Aikido and every day life. I imagine that I am not alone in being unable to relate a series of martial arts moves to the things that come up in everyday life. If you are also in this boat, fear not, for realisation will come after more training when you will view aikido not as a ‘jitsu’ (method), but a ‘do’ (way).
“In point fighting there is a “strike first and win” mentality that allows you to disregard the loss of both tactical and defensive advantage during an overcommitted attack. By contrast Aikido in a similar scenario, you utilize this over commitment as the foundation of the attack, thus persevering yourself.