HISTORY

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This section will gradually research and bring to you the origins of Aikido.

We are intending to fully explain where Aikido came from, and to comment on its current position and possible future directions.

If you find an article or information to help us in this endeavour, please visit our chat forum or email us the details. You will be mentioned on our site!

[PLEASE BEAR IN MIND, these articles are not mostly written by paid-academics who have the time to research the accuracy or minutiae of details herein - they are mostly by honest students who are trying to find out that which enriches their and our appreciation of aikido. Some have come from hearsay, or books, videos, web &c. If you have greater evidence to disprove or support writings already shown, then please do so IN A SPIRIT OF HARMONY - by emailing us your SUGGESTIONS as to what may be 'better put'. Thankyou, the Editor. ]

Article 1: Our Founder - O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba - Profile

This article will contain video clips and useful information about our Founder, writing in reverse order of events: that is to say, the most recent aspects of his life of import to us (his proponents). Why reverse order? Well, may we suggest that as we get older we get wiser? If this is so, this article prioritises by his demeanour as fully developed, first.

The last available footages of O'Sensei's practice were in colour. They show that he started to concentrate more on Ki and centre-responses. Bearing in mind that he was at one time of rather bigger stature, this shows that he was beginning to reduce his aikido to the smallest possible outward movement, and considerable 'mind-leading' with 'commentary' endings. Bearing in mind the ju-jitsu's as practiced in his earlier years, his endings are not demonstrating destructive end, but harmonious conclusions. His aims for aikido were for universal harmony and 'uniting with the gods'.


Words of the Founder:

We should control our opponent, whilst protecting ourselves. In other words, we can control our opponent without being hurt physically, if we lead him with our minds.

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In true budo there is neither opponent nor foe.
True budo is uniting with the centre of the Universe.
It is the work of love.
It is neither fighting nor killing.
Rather, true budo gives life and nurtures all things.

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Prior to Daito-Ryu

Although O'Sensei developed an art to unify the world and bring greater peace, it is nevertheless interesting to see those arts in which he was surrounded during his early life - the martial way of Japan as then taught. It was from these types of arts that he probably both adopted (and discarded as inappropriate) aspects in the development of his NEW WAY - the way of Aikido.

Whilst in the Imperial Army, O'Sensei practised Yagyu Shingan Ryu Jujutsu. Many video examples exist and here are just a sampler.

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It is noted that O'Sensei practised for several months, at an early age, the art of Tenshin Shinyo Ryu Jujutsu in Tanabe.

Article 2: Words of Our Founder

In the old days, there was a method of swordsmanship where whilst letting your opponent cut your skin, you cut his flesh; whilst letting him cut your flesh, you cut his bone. Nowadays, however, we should not even let our opponent cut our skin. To let our opponent cut our skin, means to hurt and endanger ourselves - that should not happen. We should control our opponent, whilst protecting ourselves. In other words, we can control our opponent without being hurt physically, if we lead him with our minds.


Master the techniques of aiki, the Way of the Gods, And no foe will ever attack.


The divine offspring of Amaterasu o mikami and Susanoo no mikoto represent the beginning of the Japanese race.
These are spirits which emanate from the deities and I am one of them.
I am training myself through my body, spirit, and soul.
After perfecting my body and spirit, I train in holy places which serve as my dojo.
When I merge with the divine spirit and train myself, I become the spirit of Izunome - the vital energy of all existence.
This produces the true power of the Japanese spirit.
Then, I become one with the Universe which also serves as my training ground.
Thus, for the first time, life emerges. Aikido is the shortest path for training to reach this stage.


How do we develop ourselves and the great Universe through aikido?
This Universe is the expression of the passion of a spirit of the Creator.
All spects of the Kingdom of Heaven - mountains, rivers, threes, plants, and the great spirit of love towards all things - are the expressions of movements of spirits and forms.
My goal is to lead people in the foundation of a universal nation. This is miogi, or purification.
We don't discard the martial ways of the past which were created based on the extensive skills and knowledge of the great masters.
We must make Japanese martial arts independent - with these traditional arts as their foundation.
We must cause man's spirit to bloom and nurture a Japan where life is worth living.


In true budo there is neither opponent nor foe.
True budo is uniting with the centre of the Universe.
It is the work of love.
It is neither fighting nor killing.
Rather, true budo gives life and nurtures all things.

ARTICLE 3

THE SPECIFIC HISTORY OF JOHN HARDING, Sensei

Picture: John Harding as Uke to Andy Allen Sensei – escaping Tenchin Nage.