Aikido's "Takemusu Aiki,” UNLIMITED CREATIVITY

There are many misconceptions about Aikido in the Western mind.  To most, it is purely a defensive combination of martial art and religion.  The average practitioner in America today has been led to believe and think that Aikido is a non-aggressive system without strikes or punches, and not at all well suited for self-defense.  Nothing could be further from the truth. With a lot of hard work, along with an open and creative mind you can adapt all most all of your Aikido techniques for self defense on the street.

Your Aikido training has incorporated within it a multitude of principals.  Such as;  “KI” energy, getting off line, speed, timing, entering, Maai (combat distance and position), just to name a small few.  It is said that there are approximately 5,000 basic technique variations that you should become very proficient with.

Aikido is essentially, an art where as the opponent’s force is used against him.  The entire concept of all martial arts is training to overcome an attack from a larger opponent.  In spite of what most styles teach, “If he does this you do that” and in spite of what most “classroom warriors” preach, the vast majority of unarmed attacks on the street begin with the attacker attempting to rush, grab, or enter with a flurry of unpredictable kicks and punches.

 Most American Aikido Sensei’s tell you that Aikido does not work on the street in combat.  What these “classroom warriors” seem to forget that even though O’Sensei developed a reputation for being a kind and gentleman, he was also very well respected as an awesome and devastating fighter.  O’Sensei could easily defeat multiple attackers with little or no effort.  You should note that even the great Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, was so impressed with Aikido that he sent his top students to train with O’Sensei.

 You should remember that during your Aikido training you should not lose sight of your self-development and self-discovery, your “Takemusu Aiki”, which can best be defined as “UNLIMITED CREATIVITY”.  However it seems that more often then not this pursuit is often discouraged, distorted or completely ignored or lost.

While researching the history and philosophy of O’Sensei from many different sources one thing has become very clear.  The founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba (O’Sensei) believed that the practice of Aikido must be allowed to change and develop multidimensionally.  The practice of Aikido must not become stagnant but should develop day by day transforming itself naturally as everything in nature does.

Aikido helps you understand the freedom from conformity that other styles of martial arts have.  Free yourself by observing closely what you normally practice.  Do not condemn or approve; merely observe.  Remember that awareness is without choice, without demand, without anxiety; in that state of mind, there is and will be perception.