Customer Reviews

The Spirit of Aikido

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i read this book before i knew anything about Aikido. I must say that the ideas That Doshu expresses in this book are incredible. After finishing the book i saw in the back that there was a Dojo in Berkeley right near where i live so i went to watch and have been training since that day everyday for three hours. The expression and clarity in the book are ones that not all martial arts books can do. If you are interested it will be a most enjoyable read, if your not interested you'll still enjoy it.

A well written overview of Aikido,its beginnings its philosophy from someone very close to its founder,his son. This book has been with me for 10 years and I read it constantly. It helps me in the Dojo at home and work. Spiritually its uplifting and I am always concious of its content. One has to read it to gain their own reflection. I have a long way to go. An absolute must for any Akidoka or persons wanting a full life.

This book is an excellent resource for anyone who is interested in finding out what makes Aikido different from other martial arts, or one who wants a little history on this relatively young martial art. The goal of this book is to let the reader know what makes Aikido stand out in relation to other martial arts, and to explain the overall goals of Aikidoka, or practitioners of Aikido. It doesn't spend much time discussing movements or katas, but rather tries to impart the very nature of Aikido, which is the harmony of mankind through martial arts. Aikido differs from many martial arts in the non-aggressive nature of its movements, and its non-violent attitude. The idea of Aikido is to disperse an attack without harming the attacker, or allowing one's self to come to harm. Written by the son of the founder of Aikido, its authenticity cannot be challenged by anyone within the martial arts world.

If you are interested in getting to know more about Aikido, this is the book for you. However, if you are looking for a how-to book on Aikido, this one isn't what you're looking for.

A well written overview of Aikido written by the founders son. This is a book that you will pull off your shelf many times over the years. One must truly read this book to gain their own insight. And that is a sign of a great book. It is an absolute must for any martial artisit.

There is no doubt that Kisshomaru Ueshiba was one of the greatest martial artists of all times. Even forgoing his phenomenal aikido skill, this book will always be a treasured tome, held dear by Aikidoists everywhere. No other book is so concise, with such poetry combining with the technicality. My first reading opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of the arts, a book written so humbly, yet packing electrifing knowledge.

I picked this book after becoming interested in Aikido due to a fiction book I was reading at the time. Its reasonable price and small size was what caught my attention versus other introductions to the Martial art. The only thing that I had a problem with was the list in the back with locations for lessons. It didn't offer a great many resources and that was what I was looking for. Other than that the book was really useful in sharing the authors opinions and approach to the art.

Aikido book report: the spirit of aikido by kisshomaru ueshiba published in 1984.
By Kai

My 7th dan teacher expressed "that was a good book report" which is a part of the class to offer other students varying perspectives on aikido to consider with the intention of influencing their relationship with aikdio. this is why i share the book report as a review. none the less it is necessary to say that conceptualization of aikido is a part of it, but personal experience is completely necessary to get a sense of the complex, refined, and evolved practice that is aikido.
my sense is that in mediation you get an experiential 'knowing' of reality. Through aikido practice you get a experiential knowing of 'interpersonal relationship'
enjoy:

note: there may be some quote throughout where i missed a quotation mark... the majority is a paraphrasing of the book- whatever statement is necessary to not be accused for plagiarism and i condone it. that being said this book report is not about me or my ego- i dont care about credit. i simply want to share for the potential benefit of those seeking.

I really enjoyed reading this highly evolved book. He delivers his perspective in a really intimate and skillful way. It becomes clear the caliber of person he is.

The book begins discussing general aspects of aikido and addresses the politics of competition that is sometimes voiced at aikido. It proceeds in expressing core values and beliefs that form the structure of the philosophy of aikido.

Discusses ki quite comprehensively

Ultimate goal of aikido Is the unification of ki-mind-body.

Synchronize ones individual ki, through the breath with universal ki.

While the conceptual understanding of ki can be helpful, it's not enough. True understanding can only come through experience.

A quote from the first chapter effectively emphasizes this.
Ki then is two fold: the unity of individual-universe and the free spontaneous expression of breath-power. The former inherits the idea of ki held by ancient Chinese thinkers, but it is to be realized through unifying ki-mind-body in aikido training. In the process of training oneness with the ki of universe is achieved spontaneously without effort.

The next section: the power of ki- goes into some subjective experiences of ki. It is followed later by a scientific analysis of ki.

The next chapter is called: Nen and Mind-body clarity

The essence of aikido- the unity of ki-mind-body is to be understood holistically. "if we grasp it merely as a spiritual reality, we may become doctrinaire and fall into abstraction. If we see it only as a matter of technique and physical prowess, then we become satisfied with a simplistic explanation of motor movements."

An importance to realizing this is a "one pointed concentration of the spirit as it seeks union with universal..." genuine reality from which all arises. This principle is called Nen.
Furthermore, "Nen is the line that connects ki-mind-body (individual ki) and universal ki.

The next chapter is called: young practitioners and aikido basics.
He discusses aikido for children


Ultimately- and the largest intension of aikido is as a spiritual path which aims at cultivating "the realization of harmony and love."

He discusses aikido in relation to woman. Which culminates on expressing that aikido is for all people.
- great quote on this on page 62 (if it seems like there is time)

In the next chapter: mastering mind, cultivating technique
He goes into depth of sword making

Which he uses to demonstrate that "through dedication, training, and penetration, Devine performance will be born."
he continues to emphisize the importance of the following intentions to the fruition of realization through aikido.
"1. Training to harmonize one's mind with the activity of all things in the universe.
2. Training to harmonize one's body with the activity of all things in the universe.
3. Training to make the ki that connects mind and body harmonize with the activity of all things in the universe."

- practicing and realizing these 3 points simultaneously, not merely theoretically but actually, in the dojo and at every moment in daily life.

Poems by the founder are found later in this chapter.

Later, the intimacy of aikido and swordsmanship is discussed.

Next chapter is called: strength in living with nature

Discusses students training in the context of different weather experiences. More discussion into students in relation to training in the mists of whatever arises in their experience.
He expresses the importance on joyful training. A sense of training with a light heart trusting in the organic process of enlightenment to unfold.

When discussing different types of students (of course defined by their mindset and intentions) he expresses that based on his experience

" the number of how many Truly enjoy a pleasant and joyful training experience, I cannot say that the number is that great. Many practice aikido using excessive force, others with grim resolution, and still others with lack of confidence and practice very tentatively.
It is a delight to see practitioners who really enjoy their workout. Many have been practicing for five, ten or more years, following their own pace and making aikido part of their daily routine. They appear at the dojo, preform without much ado, throwing and being thrown, quietly following instructions, and leave when the class is over. They seem uninterested in promotion and have the manner of people who are enjoying themselves. They make the best aikido students."

The next chapter is called: inheriting the founders aspirations

He gives a brief history of the founder and then of the evolution of aikido.

The next chapter is called: aikido takes roots in the world

It's about the internationalization of aikido

'Spirit of Aikido' is a small volume written by the (then) Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba which looks at the philosophy and development of Aikido. It looks at how O Sensei founded the art and on what ideas he based his training. This has many poems and excerpts from O Sensei's writings, as well as clear and lucid explanations of Aikido ideas from Kisshomaru. This also has some excellent photography of both O Sensei and Kisshomaru which compliments the text perfectly and shows the art in action. Some of these are overhead shots and are an interesting way to view techniques you don't see in many other books. This isn't an instructional book and focuses very clearly on the ideals behind Aikido. If you seek a book showing the techniques then I suggest you search out some of Moriteru Ueshiba's excellent books, like 'Best Aikido' or 'Progressive Aikido'. This may not be the best place to go for those new to the art, but it is one that should definitely be read and added to your Aikido bookshelf at some point.

Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.

This is not a book on how to perform Aikido techniques but rather an introduction to the philosophical foundation of this martial art. The author is the son of the founder Morihei Ueshiba, and is the direct heir to this system. This book was initially published in Japan for Aikido students, but fortunately, it was published in English so that all Aikido students can benefit from reading this book. This book covers the deeper philosophical and mystical aspects of Aikido. This book is for anyone interested in Aikido.

Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Wakizashi-Jutsu Official Manual-of Bushi Satori Ryu)).

This book describes the spiritual basis and spiritual history of Aikido. It is not a book about physical technique and it does not really discuss the physical or mechanical reasoning behind Aikido techniques. It is a thin book and a quick read. That's a good thing because it will probably be re-read every year or two.

There is some discussion of the development of the art and it's different phases while under development. The discussion concentrates on the Founder's quest and teachings but not so much on what martial arts he studied and when he studied them.

It does discuss spiritual concepts and it relates certain techniques and entries to those concepts. Most notably, Kisshomaru Ueshiba discusses aspects of harmonizing mind and body with each other and the universe such that ki flows. From that center he discusses the popularity of Aikido and why it appeals to such a wide range of practitioners. This is contrasted to other more competitive arts in which the strongest rise to the top whereas in Aikido the most ... joyful? ... stand out.

What I found enlightening is that the words in the book gave meaning to some of the things that more advanced practitioners have said to me. Things about breath and reaction times and blending and relaxing. Things that bear directly on applying the techniques as well as understanding the spirit or ki underlying all the techniques.

Most of all, while reading this book I came to realize that I don't spend enough time in the dojo.