“In a world full of war we can still make a difference to peace both between us and within us.”
Every year, hundreds of peace-oriented organizations worldwide celebrate that day with thousands of Peace Day events.
We believe that Aikido practitioners around the world, inspired by the unique embodied peacemaking legacy of O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, will want to be part of the global celebration. This represents an opportunity to increase public awareness of Aikido as a joyful practice of reconciliation, compassion, and non-violence.
We also believe this celebration transcends the divisions of different schools, styles, and organizations, and that our collective action will make each of our efforts far more newsworthy than they would be in isolation.
Aiki Extensions is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the application of Aiki principles in situations outside the dojo. Aiki Jo Bideford is a member of this organisation.
Aikido - an Art of Peace
With grateful thanks to our friends in Aiki Extensions and
supporters of Aikipeace Week for these words.
Aikido is a non-violent Japanese martial art. Aiki is the core of Aikido. Aiki is a practical philosophy of peace. Martial practice is uniquely valuable for practicing peace because attack/defence drills offer the opportunity to train oneself to receive an opponent in an empathic and harmonious way.
Aiki means not going against the flow/movement (direction, speed, timing) of the attack, but instead sidestepping the power of the attack, joining into its flow (often called “blending”), then gradually adding to the flow so as to unbalance the attacker (often called “leading), and in the end controlling the attacker’s capability to move/attack. Aiki refers to a state of self-awareness, calm alertness, and compassionate power. Further, it refers to soft and full awareness of the environment, as well as respectful, compassionate and protective receiving of the attacker.
The term “aiki” is also used in discussing applications outside the self-defence area. One application is using Aikido patterns of posture and movement in non-martial art activities. For example one could teach how to hoe a garden using the same movements as a downward sword strike. Doing the movements in the Aiki way is safer, more efficient, and more effective.
Another application refers to an inner attitude of compassionate power and an orientation toward peace. For example, the common approach in a verbal dispute is built on a "No… But..." framework: no your idea is wrong, but my idea is right. The Aiki approach would be a "Yes… and..." approach. First blend with the content and energy of the opponent’s assertions; that is, find the core of the assertions and express understanding and appreciation for that perspective. And then gradually add new material to lead the discussion where you wish it to go.
Aiki Extensions (link)
Aiki Extensions is a non-profit founded in 1998 to network and support everyone interested in taking aiki principles off the mat and into the world in areas like youth violence prevention, K-12 conflict resolution curricula, business consulting, psychotherapy, and Middle East peace programs. Aiki Extensions is the sponsor of International Aiki Peace Week.
AIKI PEACE WEEK (link)
“Aikido is not a technique to fight with or defeat the enemy. It is the way to reconcile the world and make human beings one family.” Morihei Ueshiba, Founder of Aikido.
Every year, hundreds of peace-oriented organizations worldwide celebrate that day with thousands of Peace Day events.
We believe that Aikido practitioners around the world, inspired by the unique embodied peacemaking legacy of O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, will want to be part of the global celebration. This represents an opportunity to increase public awareness of Aikido as a joyful practice of reconciliation, compassion, and non-violence.
We also believe this celebration transcends the divisions of different schools, styles, and organizations, and that our collective action will make each of our efforts far more newsworthy than they would be in isolation.
Aiki Extensions is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the application of Aiki principles in situations outside the dojo. Aiki Jo Bideford is a member of this organisation.
Aikido - an Art of Peace
With grateful thanks to our friends in Aiki Extensions and
supporters of Aikipeace Week for these words.
Aikido is a non-violent Japanese martial art. Aiki is the core of Aikido. Aiki is a practical philosophy of peace. Martial practice is uniquely valuable for practicing peace because attack/defence drills offer the opportunity to train oneself to receive an opponent in an empathic and harmonious way.
Aiki means not going against the flow/movement (direction, speed, timing) of the attack, but instead sidestepping the power of the attack, joining into its flow (often called “blending”), then gradually adding to the flow so as to unbalance the attacker (often called “leading), and in the end controlling the attacker’s capability to move/attack. Aiki refers to a state of self-awareness, calm alertness, and compassionate power. Further, it refers to soft and full awareness of the environment, as well as respectful, compassionate and protective receiving of the attacker.
The term “aiki” is also used in discussing applications outside the self-defence area. One application is using Aikido patterns of posture and movement in non-martial art activities. For example one could teach how to hoe a garden using the same movements as a downward sword strike. Doing the movements in the Aiki way is safer, more efficient, and more effective.
Another application refers to an inner attitude of compassionate power and an orientation toward peace. For example, the common approach in a verbal dispute is built on a "No… But..." framework: no your idea is wrong, but my idea is right. The Aiki approach would be a "Yes… and..." approach. First blend with the content and energy of the opponent’s assertions; that is, find the core of the assertions and express understanding and appreciation for that perspective. And then gradually add new material to lead the discussion where you wish it to go.
Aiki Extensions (link)
Aiki Extensions is a non-profit founded in 1998 to network and support everyone interested in taking aiki principles off the mat and into the world in areas like youth violence prevention, K-12 conflict resolution curricula, business consulting, psychotherapy, and Middle East peace programs. Aiki Extensions is the sponsor of International Aiki Peace Week.
AIKI PEACE WEEK (link)
“Aikido is not a technique to fight with or defeat the enemy. It is the way to reconcile the world and make human beings one family.” Morihei Ueshiba, Founder of Aikido.