Body, heart and soul

“Aikido has a body, a heart and a soul. Take any of these away and they all die” (Aiki News, Fall, 1991, Bill Collins).

When I read these words they stood out for me as a meaningful way to attempt to capture some of the essence of the martial art of aikido, created around 1925 by the founder Morihei Ueshiba, (O’Sensei), and known as The Way of Harmony. This graceful and flowing martial art, of which I am a student, has totally captivated me for the past five years, as I strive to learn and understand something of what it is all about. Why is it that this non-competitive martial art that has the ability to injure or indeed to be lethal, also has the potential to create caring, well-balanced, and peaceful individuals who seek to look for the other point of view and to find harmonious solutions to aggressive situations? Perhaps we can begin to look for the answer from within the dimensions of the human person.

As human beings we all need a body, a heart and a soul or spirit to make us whole and complete, fully functioning people, able to operate at a satisfying and enjoyable level of life. The body needs a heart to give it feeling and empathy for others, and a soul is the vital essence which nourishes and sustains the heart and the body. So then the same is true in aikido, for these three essential elements; body, heart and soul, are interwoven together and are so integral to the practice of aikido that they cannot be separated. Even attempting to explain or qualify each one element of body, heart and soul without the others is not easy because they are all so vitally interrelated and each depends on the other to be able to function. When all three elements are present and they work together in harmony the unifying force is known as Ki.

The body is the frame or form of the movement or technique. It is physical challenge of learning to move the body in ways that increase flexibility and awareness and sharpen reflexes. It is the joy of taking ukemi and embracing the mat as a friend. There are many benefits to the body in the practice of aikdo and among these are posture, focus, breathing, timing, self defence and relaxation. Learning to relax is the domain of the body, and this finds its expression in a body fully alive but not using strength to perform moves or techniques. It involves looking after our own bodies and our uke’s bodies as we learn with and from one another by respecting achievements and limitations, and acknowledging that each person has a different and unique body in size, shape and physical capabilities. It is through the body that we can know the mind because the body is the visible expression of the mind.

The heart speaks to us of peace, of not meeting force with force, and it gives us the choice between injuring or just controlling and blending in harmony. The heart finds its presence in the way aikido can change us for the better as we look for alternative ways to solve problems. O’Sensei said that budo is love and this is evident in the feeling and care we show for others both on and off the mat, The heart shows us how to form harmonious relationships as we learn to blend and flow with the energy of our uke by not opposing the energy, but by being non-resistant and allowing the energy to come through and to express itself in a way that we are able to harness and control. The heart teaches us to be open and flexible, and to receive and welcome changes in direction for the good. As we apply our martial arts training to our daily lives, the heart helps us to attain wisdom and insight into who and what we are in relation to others and the universe. It serves to develop our self discipline and a clear sense of self. To really learn what aikido is, a person will begin to change themselves for the better because this is the very nature of the art.

The soul of aikido is its spiritual dimension; it is our focus, our centre or hara, our ki. The soul drives us; it is the force which activates our bodies giving us the flow of life energy with our ki at the centre of our movements, opening and strengthening the mind and bringing body, heart and mind together in harmony. It allows us to tap into the power of the universe, a power greater than us which moves and shapes us. In the dimension of the spirit we aim to be in harmony with the universe; the earth, sea and sky and all creation breathing as one. To do this we seek to extend mentally and physically by reaching out in mind body unity to infinity, and mentally projecting our action out to the cosmos beyond.

Body, heart and soul; they are all equally important, and when they all come together in the harmony of ki, this is the true essence of budo and what makes aikido a unique and vitally alive martial art, the Way of Harmony. It is by further extending our ki from the dojo out into our daily lives that we are able to exercise the power to preserve our own welfare and the welfare of others, and to reach our full human potential as caring, peaceful and well-balanced people.

To quote O’Sensei; “One technique practised with full mind, body and spirit, is better than a thousand techniques practised half- heartedly”

In this the true spirit of aikido, bringing body, heart and soul together in peace and harmony, and combining the ki of all things, may we long continue to practise and learn together on our journey and quest to become better aikidoka and better human beings.