The article below has been selected from the extensive archives of the Online Aikido Journal. We believe that an informed readership with knowledge of the history, techniques and philosophy of aikido is essential to the growth of the art and its adherence to the principles espoused by Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba.
During his later years, rather than teach, my father demonstrated movements which were in accord with the flow of the universe and unified with nature . Thus, it was a matter of students watching his movements, learning them by themselves, in that way understanding his technique. He wasn’t deeply concerned about teaching students… his movements were so spontaneous and natural. I think we should attain that point in the end. But since we have dojos, we tend to think in worldly terms, how to get people to come, how to develop a lot of strong students… and we get these egotistical, selfish things as a matter of course. But this was not the case with the Founder.
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…and good for Doshu Kisshomaru that he established Aikido on firm material foundations!
If we can accept that the Founder’s Aikido came from his study of all things “Aiki” as he knew it, can we not also accept that a study of his life is also a study of how he accomplished his goals?
The late Doshu was as close as anyone could be to the Founder, and granted, his portrait of his father was probably biased and forgiving of his human failings. Nonetheless, we would be negligent, disrespectful and clueless if we did not also acknowledge the rare and poignant glimpses into the Founder’s process gifted to us by the late Doshu.
I personally found Kisshomaru Ueshiba Doshu to be a true gentleman of Budo, passionately faithful to his heritage and legacy from his father, and always optimistic about how the rest of the world would benefit from applying the Aiki principles to their daily lives. On this point, he was not acting as a “Japanese”, but as an honest steward of the Founder’s mission and purpose. He was, and is, my teacher.