For me, Aikido is most of all an art of life, in which developing oneself is not only based on progress of physical abilities, but on knowing one self's mind, with its dependencies and limits. Aikido lets you understand yourself, and in its consequences, understand and harmonize with the surrounding world. This harmony is at the beginning mainly an acceptance of all, that is "here and now". Awareness of your own body, and most of all its feelings and needs at a certain moment is the time, when it is possible to understand the outside world. For many people, this axiom is totally impossible to understand. But careful observation of life convinces us of its rightness. There is an old Chinese saying:
There is nothing outside, there is nothing inside, because the, that is outside, is also inside,
and the, that is inside, is also outside.
Aikido is surely an art of body. Techniques that contain breathing exercises do not only make muscles work better, but also improve the entire human organism's mechanisms. It brings many benefits for a man's health. Of course, Aikido has influence on our mind. Being aware of our own blockades, inhibitions and complexes, connected with working with your own body has psychotherapeutic effects. Since we are talking about health, I see another issue, namely, after over thirty years of experiencing sport and martial arts, especially Aikido, it is very helpful in endeavours of manual therapy and bio-therapy, also for my work in my surgery. Manual therapy is not the same as Aikido, but making many different manipulations and mobilisations of spine and joints need enormous sensitivity and feeling the blockades, as well as strength, needed to use. "Ki training" is very helpful in bio-therapy.
Of course, Aikido is also an art of self-defence. But after many years of experience in training judo and ju-jitsu, I think that training in Aikido with a goal, that is self defending, makes one's skills smaller in that matter. It is connected also with the "here and now" axiom. Aikido is an art, in which relaxation decides on the "efficiency" of techniques. Thinking of Aikido as a "self-defence system", taking matters that the ones training must know how to defend them paradoxically makes it more difficult, or even impossible. Such things cause tension, and that gives muscle spasms that limit physical and mental fitness (blocking the flow of Ki energy and its expression). A person, that thinks all the time about each one, potentially possible situations and prepares a way to handle them, when he suddenly finds himself in such "spot" he is totally helpless, because each situation is different.
Of course, that strenuous and intensive training can equip one with some skills and reflexes that he may use in a practical way. Police and Special Forces are trained in such a way. Our "way" that we follow in Aikido practice, such training is senseless. It is not based on actual reality, but past experiences instead, or by trying to predict the future, matters with something, that is not yet happening. Yet, I think that Aikido equips a man with other skills. Some of them are connected with so called "non-verbal communication." Human's subconscious, and the tool that it uses (the body), sends many kinds of signals, that very often do not reach the conscious part of mind. Such is also a way of receiving signals from other people. As I said, reactions after receiving such signals are unconscious, yet the structure of Aikido techniques (progressiveness of possible movements and contact at the moment of attack) allows being aware of one's own feelings. A posture, that shows relaxation and openness at the same time, is the signal to the outside sphere that may limit aggression from the environment. There are some skills of this kind, that are developed by "Ki training," that are described by some as paranormal. For me, they are totally normal, sometimes easy to describe, but some times things that we experience seem to deny the laws of logic. But I am sure, that they are totally natural, but very little known occurrences that make Aikido a self-defense art in a totally different dimension. A dimension, that is impossible to understand for all of those, that have discussions like: What is Aikido? Is it such a different kind of art? Is it effective in a street or in another "real" combat situation? I have my own idea about that, but it is not the best time or place to present my opinions.
Aikido (meaning- life) has also a mental dimension, but that sphere of our existence is very difficult, or even impossible to describe with words. People that train Budo or other "systems with meditation," want to reach some highly idealised states or conditions, while life (also in dojo) is not stable, it is more like a river running. Many things appear, many vanish, everything is in motion, so it is fresh, and as such, not boring. If we only can observe life like a little child, without evaluation and any kinds of likes and dislikes, we start seeing it in a new way, and that brings us closer to the mental aspects of life itself.
It appears that everyone can find in Aikido something that seems interesting for him or her. Especially for the ones, who take a holistic conception of a human. In my opinion, Aikido can not contain such elements, which can effect in a negative way on any of the elements listed above. That is why competing and rivalry are not welcomed in Aikido. Also examinations for the students' (kyu) and masters' (Dan) levels may interfere with the students' development. As long as it is only a method, or the levels are just "steps" in the studies of Aikido, everything is fine, but when the "kyus" and "Dans" become a goal, that situation causes feelings, that do not allow the student to make any more progress. Most commonly, the feelings are fear and greed. As the Mystics of the East say, the two are the antithesis of the mental aspects in life.
Of course, everyone can find in Aikido his own "path" through life. Some are fascinated with particular masters, others with systems or schools. I am a subscriber of the element of Aikido that is called in Christianity "ecumenism." Many of Aikido schools have the same root and rules, and the differences are often a reflection of the masters' possibilities and preferences. Even in Aiki-Kai there are masters differing from each other, not only with their personalities, but also in the ways of interpreting techniques. Even opinions about Aikido are not the same. But I say that there is one Aikido, and as I said, as an art of life it is only a method of development. It is not a matter of creating another system, school or style; everyone chooses in Aikido the things, which seem the most attractive to him. About all kinds of school or organisations- when they are small and serve the ones that practice, but when such organisations grows bigger and stronger, relations between the school and the practising turn around. Then the main mechanisms in an organisation are strictly connected with money or power, and most commonly, with both. It does not only happen in Aikido, or other martial arts. When a young person tries to find a way of development, trying to reach freedom (it is not a metaphor), some things, like the system of evaluation ("kyus" and "Dans") makes the student "tightened" to the organisation. I think, that schools and unions can make meeting other people, who train Aikido, and masters from all over Poland and the world easier.
I am sure, that humans' development (also the Aikidokas') is not a matter of gaining anything: skills, titles, higher kyu or Dan levels, or even knowing other people's experiences, but instead it is disposing as much as possible. This process can not be a struggle, but a matter of understanding. Understanding starts, when using your own senses, makes you feel the senselessness of what you do. Then, theories and axioms that you use as directions turn into myths, unreal in reality. For an example the myth, that tensed arms are strong, the whole body -"Seika tandem" is stronger, or that all titles and comments preceding a name make a person a great authority or an idol to follow). I often tell my students: "Do not think, but feel instead." Our conscious mind can complicate life, making it more difficult, especially, when it comes to "hurting" ourselves, while a living body is incredibly intelligent, "it knows the best how to behave" in the surrounding world. Lao Tsy, the legendary Chinese wise man, who lived in the 6-th century b. C. during "Tao-te-ching," that is how he interpreted, what I just said:
"A student through work achieves everyday progress, but the path may be achieved.
Only by everyday losses: lose here, not make it on time there...
Until peacefulness comes."
These "remarks" are only a number of issues connected with Aikido. I can not describe, what is Aikido for me, how do I feel it, using any kinds of words or expressions.
Andrzej Auguściak