Aikido,
one of the few martial arts I have ever practiced. Created by the Japanese
master Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), the word means "The art (or way) of
peace." I remember spending endless nights with my companions, learning to
fight in such a way that the adversary’s negative energy is directed against
himself.
Ueshiba,
who is known by those who practice Aikido as "The Grand Master", left
behind a series of philosophical practices, during his conferences, in his
poetry and conversations with disciples. Here are a few of his main teachings.
Where to begin the art of peace
The art
of peace begins inside you; work to manage to keep it at your side. Everyone
has a spirit which can be perfected, a body which can be trained, and a path to
follow.
You are
here to fulfill these three tasks, and to do so two things will be necessary:
maintain calm, and practice the Art in everything you do. None of us needs
money, power or status in order to practice the Art; at this precise moment you
are one step away from Paradise, and should
train now.
The
universe and us
The whole
universe comes from the same source. This source, which we call life, contains
our past, the present, and the future. As man moves forward, he can either
dissolve or harmonize his vital energy. Evil is born the moment we start to
believe that that which belongs to all, belongs only to ourselves; this causes
pride, useless desires, and anger. But anyone not possessed by things,
eventually becomes lord of all.
The eight forces
In order
to practice the Art of Peace, one must at some point delve alternately into the
eight opposing forces which make up the Universe:
Movement
and inertia
Solidity and adaptation,
Contraction and distention,
Unification and division.
These are
present in everything, from the vast space to the smallest plants; each thing
carries a gigantic reserve of universal energy, which can be used for the
benefit of all.