WHAT IS AIKIDO?

using words  Defining Aikido seems impossible to me. It's like trying to describe a headache to someone else with words. Maybe it can say something about the headache, for example, 'My head hurts like it's going to burst'. But these words will certainly not be enough for the other person to experience the same headache. Same situation  It also appears when attempting to define Aikido. if  If you want to know the origin of Aikido, this is the only way  It is learning by doing and experiencing Aikido.

aikido  energy as a dictionary meaning  (NS)  attunement with  (ai)  way  (do)  Stop. Outwardly—beginners and those who are far from the subject often look at it from the outside—like Judo, a fairly common sport, and practiced in Japan.  Morihei Ueshiba  It is a form of self-defense developed by (1883-1969). For a master  Aikido is a way of becoming one with the supreme power in the universe. of a master  The words describing Aikido often confuse or make no sense to beginner students because their knowledge, experience and understanding of the subject has naturally not yet gained sufficient depth. For them  Aikido refers to techniques used to defend ourselves against someone punching us in the nose or jumping on us from behind. Whereas, for a master, it doesn't matter how an attacker attacks or even whether or not he attacks. With the awareness that he is a part of the cosmic whole, with his harmony and respect for this whole, he does only what is necessary in the face of a person who attacks or does not attack him, as if he were against any other obstacle, say, a wall or a door. If the door is opening forward, it opens the door by pushing and enters.  (unit)  or if the door opens towards this side, it will move aside and cause the door to open.  (tenkan)  and continues on his way through the opened door. Meanwhile, he does not try to punish the door for creating an obstacle for him. The door is not his enemy, it is just a simple phenomenon. Likewise, he does not see an aggressor as his enemy, even if he intends for his life. He does whatever is necessary to avoid the attack, but does not fall into the ego trap of punishing the attacker. He learned this on the way to mastery. He knows that if he harms the aggressor, he will also harm the cosmic whole, because like himself, the aggressor is also a part of the same whole.

aikido  Practicing the techniques allows us to learn to tune in, freeing us from our primitive (and immature) responses to power through power. Of course, we can also use the techniques we learned to protect ourselves, but seeing Aikido as a tool to be used only in fighting shows that we have not understood its true value.

In the superficial sense, the strength of the opponent  (NS)  adapt  (ai)  way  (do) we can say  Aikido, in its deep sense, is the supreme power in the universe.  (NS)  adapt  (ai)  is the way  (do).  aikido  Techniques are physical exercises that teach us this way and this harmony and train us spiritually. Initially we use these techniques to defend ourselves, as we master we begin to use harmony, not techniques, to defend ourselves. Increasingly, harmony becomes our way of life. Enemies are no longer enemies, even if they think and act that way. Thanks to our harmony, they are no longer capable of being hostile towards us. Adapting to the strength of the opponent and flowing together  'invincible'  we will be. We become invincible not because we can resist and resist him with our strength, but because he cannot find the strength to defeat him. As our opponent tries to beat us, he beats himself. Thus, there is no longer any need to be afraid of the enemies or to try to protect ourselves by stiffening in panic in the face of an attack. We can listen and try to understand the enemies attacking us. We can approach them with forgiving compassion instead of 'putting down' with anger, grudge, hatred. Being vigilant against attacks is a good approach, but the point to be noted here is that what you need to do is dodge the attack, not punish the attacker. Now, the initial self-defense techniques are gradually taught to be respectful to one's self and life.  It has become a 'road'. By walking on this path, we learn to control our ego and to reveal the power that the ego hides, the love within us. This power is the greatest power in the universe. When we are attuned to this power, there is nothing that can harm us.

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It may not be easy to see when you're at the beginning of the road, but  To think that aikido is just a fighting method  Not being able to see the depth of Aikido, as well as his whole life  devoted to Aikido  To Sensei Ueshiba and  It is disrespectful to Aikido itself. Not only that, but instead of teaching us to control our ego, this approach will cause our ego to be fed and strengthened, and will set us back on our way.  Aikido is a way of power that comes from self-awareness, creativity and being in harmony with nature. It is a way of aligning with the divine life energy within us and in the universe, that is, around us, through certain warfare techniques. This power is not a power that allows one person to harm another person, but a power that allows a small plant shoot to reach the light by making its way into itself even in a rock. Harming someone or something, even to protect ourselves, weakens us, feeds fear with its violence, causing the attacker to become even more aggressive. Whereas  Aikido's understanding of 'harmlessness', which holds us responsible not only for our own lives but also for the lives of the attacker, is the path to true freedom.

maybe three  Samurai  You may have heard this story about:  Samurai  While passing through the forest, a bandit appears before him. He says 'your money or your life' but  Samurai  Without even interrupting his walk, he draws a wide circle with the sword he pulled from its sheath, lays the attacker on the ground at that moment and continues on his way without looking back. Second  Samurai  While walking through the forest, he encounters a robber and uses his kicks and fists to continue, leaving the robber half-dead behind. Third  The robber, who confronts the samurai, threatens him with a big knife in his hand and tells him to give him what he has, or he will kill him.  Samurai  'Poor man. By the way, you must be hungry. I have enough food and drink. Take these. Besides, there is an inn around here, if you want, I can take you, you can eat well and rest. Don't worry, I'll pay,' he says and does so. The point that interests us in this story is which  your samurai  that he is a better fighter. First  Samurai  although the master wields a sword, he would not have killed that attacker if he had truly trusted his mastery, if there was not a fear within him that was not easily noticed at first glance. Second Samurai  Although he was a little more self-confident than the first, his heart was filled with fear instead of love. Third  Samurai  for him the robber was not an enemy to be destroyed. Being nice to him wasn't meant to hurt himself or to beg for mercy. He did not try to prevent the attacker as an enemy who would steal anything material and moral from him, with his 'fearlessness' stemming only from his true mastery, or he did not try to defend himself against him out of fear. When there is fear in our hearts, there is no room for love.  Anger,  hate,  horror  Emotions like these poison us internally and make us weak. Unless these negative feelings are replaced by an unshakable and unbreakable fearlessness, it is not possible to talk about being a true warrior. A warrior's main battle is not with others, but against his own fears, which hinder his freedom and the divine power of love. That the warrior does not unnecessarily harm others is a measure of his mastery. This harmlessness is not a weakness that comes from powerlessness, on the contrary, it is an expression of love and harmony, an irresistible force nourished by respect for life.

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This non-harmful self-defense characteristic of Aikido,  It is an important difference that distinguishes Aikido from other martial arts. Being extremely attentive to others and being prepared for possible attacks is a very important point, but if we make it into paranoia, we exclude another equally important point: harmony and love.

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Haluk EMCIOGLU,  AIKIDO  (An Art of War and the Way of Love)