What is Aikido?

Aikido of the San Juans

Aikido is the martial art of harmony

Aikido is a non-competitive martial art that uses circular movements to blend with and re-direct energy in a way that neither partner is hurt. We train in hundreds of hand techniques including holds, punches, joint locks, rolls and throws, and also train regularly with bokken (wooden sword) and jo (wooden staff).

Aikido promotes peaceful conflict resolution, with principles and philosophy that are used in countless applications on and off the mat, in physical and mental situations.

Morihei Ueshiba, also called O'Sensei, founder of aikido, said,

There are no contests in the Art of Peace. A true warrior is invincible because he or she contests with nothing. "Defeat" means to defeat the mind of contention that we harbor within.

If all you think about is winning you will in fact lose everything. Know that both you and your opponents are treading the same path. Envelop adversaries with love, entrust yourself to the natural flow of things, unify ki, body, and mind, and efface the boundary between self and other. This opens unlimited possibilities. Those who are enlightened to these principles are always victorious. Winning without contending is true victory, a victory over oneself, a victory swift and sure. Victory is to harmonize self and other, to link yourself to the Divine, to yoke yourself to Divine Love, to become the universe itself.