Customer Reviews

The Spiritual Foundations of Aikido

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As a beginning student in the art of Aikido, I hardly feel capable of rendering any worthwhile judgments on the content of this book. It's value to me personally in achieving an understanding of the process of learning the art has been tremendous, however. Gleason Sensei's explanations and examples have helped me greatly in making the connection between Aikido training and the way of life which this art is truly meant to be. This is one of those books which, while reading, you will continuously say to yourself "Ah - now I understand!" or "Yes - this has happened to me!" It is a book which you will be inspired to share with your fellow students as well.

Unfortunately, I must in honesty say that Destiny Publishers has failed in their effort to provide a lasting medium for the words of William Gleason. My paperback copy of this book disintegrated into a handful of loose pages before I was halfway finished. It is truly a testament to the inspirational worth of this book to me personally, that I overcame my impatience and finished it despite this.

Still, I would rate this a "must read" for anyone seriously interested in Aikido - regretfully, I cannot lend you my copy.

A student of Yamaguchi Sensei at Hombu Dojo in Japan for many years, Gleason Sensei has succeeded in giving us the first comprehensive exposition of the spiritual beliefs of the Aikido Founder, Morihei Ueshiba. A great companion volume for Aikido and the Harmony of Nature, this volume expresses theses concepts in the terms that he Founder himself would have used. Not an easy read, this book is best digested in manageable pieces. For the serious student of Aikido this book provides a wonderful window on how the physical techniques of the art are really a form of spiritual expression and allows one to go far beyond the viewpoint afforded by the very smell amount of writing that has been translated from the Founder's own words into English.

This book is a most interesting review of and introduction to the spiritual aspects of Aikido. More than just aspects, William Gleason, the author, shows that without the spiritual, aikido would be a hollow physical shell. With grounding in Shinto, esoteric Buddhism and other spiritual fields explored and assimilated by the founder of Aikido, the author gives a good case for patience...In other words this is surely not a discipline for those hoping for enlightenment in a weekend. The only objection I have to this book which applies, I believe, to martial arts books in general, is that the aikido practice photographs are of doubtful value. Two dimensions will never do justice to three: you cannot judge distances, angles, positition and the rest by looking at these pictures. Or any other pictures, for that matter. Pictures of the founder of aikido are interesting because one look at his face and you understand that aikido is the antithesis of a murderous, brutal martial art. A true budo, a fine book.

As of this writing I am 67 years old and have only been training at aikido for just less than three years. And as O'Sensei recommends, I do now train every day and am learning to be more perceptive of everything around me. Although difficult to put into words, I believe I was attracted to aikido initially because I felt something was missing in my life and aikido seemed to present an opportunity to find out what that might be within the context of mind/body/spirit. For me, aikido has become a continuous and never ending process of becoming and existing more fully (beginner's mind) in each and every moment. I found what William Gleason Sensei has written in "The Spiritual Foundations of Aikido" helps to confirm what I have been discovering and has helped me to establish some of the initial structures (co-ordinated mind and body) I needed to facilitate the process, or flow, (spiritual) of blending, maintaining connection and becoming one with those with whom I train and all others .

Awesome, information packed, comprehensive encyclopedia on the shinto foundations of Aiki. I highly recommend this book.

Aikido should really be more about the spiritual aspects of the same rather than merely being a pursuit of martial arts expertise and this well written work by a life long adherent of the same serves as to open the doors to such an understanding for the aikidoka.

spirituality does not simply happen to one, although many a "sensei" seems to think that such does.

Spirituality and awareness must be sought and trained in just as the physical aspects of aikido must be trained in.

Morihei Ueshiba, O Sensei himself, stated that until one awakens to the spiritual reality of life he will never actually practice aikido.

I would and do recommend this book for all aikidoka, espeically for those who teach the art.

namaste

William Gleason is amazing. His book is so full of incredible information, it must be read and re-read many times. Unfortunately, the binding is of very poor quality and did not even withstand the first reading before falling apart. This book deserves better.