elcome. The purpose of this
World Wide Web page is to document ways aikido has made a difference in
the lives of those who practice this wonderful art. Aikido Diary aims to
give people all over the world an opportunity to share their stories about
aikido as a tool for personal growth and protection.
Aikido and Loving Protection
Anyone who has browsed the martial arts newsgroups knows that aikido-bashing
is a favorite pastime of practitioners of other disciplines. These critics
spend much of their time trying to prove how ineffective aikido is in a
real attack on the streets. It's amazing to see how much time and energy
they devote to tearing down aikido's artistic and martial qualities. Methinks
they doth protest too much. I suspect that a degree of insecurity about
their own martial art's effectiveness under fire is really the driving
force behind their criticism. These very same critics are quick to tell
you how many countless times they have effectively used their own art to
defeat attackers on the streets. I always have to smile at this. Do individuals
who are truly centered, whose lives are in balance, who understand the
true meaning of budo, really come under attack that often in their daily
lives? My impression is that most people aren't going through life fending
off one assailant after another. One begins to wonder about the quality
of training of a martial artist who is always being attacked.
Very few of the aikidoists I know have ever been attacked. Some have
managed to pre-empt an impending assault by following the principles of
aikido: non-violent resolution of conflict, blending, claiming you space,
stating your case and taking the initiative. In the rare instances where
aikidoists have had no choice but to defend themselves against physical
assault, the techniques invariably kept them safe and did the job. And
their assailants were not seriously injured. I've trained with police officers,
sheriff's deputies, Highway Patrol officers and prison guards who are paid
for a living to intervene when things get violent. They have no shortage
of stories to tell about how a sankyo or shiho-nage got them out of a jam.
For me, that's all the validation I need.
On the road to self-perfection through co-creative action
Aikido is about commitment to the path of self-perfection. It is not a
path that is traveled alone. Although no one can get inside our skin, our
mind, our feelings, aikido is a mirror of the innermost recesses of our
being reflected through co-creative action with others. Many aikido practitioners
can attest to a variety of ways the quality of their life has been improved,
from being more energetic and productive in their daily lives to overcoming
co-dependent or self-destructive behavior, through training. These stories,
too, will be part of the entries in Aikido Diary.
Click
here to read entries to Aikido Diary.
The Road Ahead 
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This Web Site was created by Stuart
Gordon, a nidan at New School Aikido in Modesto, CA.
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New School Aikido founder
Sensei John Smartt studied in Japan for six years, primarily with Hikitsuchi
Sensei.
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Check out my home dojo's photo
gallery.
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Aikido's commitment to world peace and harmony is a message it shares with
some of the world's greatest proponents of non-violence
as a potent tool for social change.
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Aikido techniques were forged and synthesized by Morihei
Ueshiba following decades of analysis and training in a variety of
martial arts.
The World Wide Web offers an abundance of informative sites packed with
fascinating stuff about aikido history, philosophy, training. Begin your
exploration by clicking here: Discover
Aikido
Click
here to return to the top
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Last Modified: 14-Jul-96 04:22