Aikido - Among Other Martial Arts - Part #3

Aikido - Among Other Martial Arts - Part #3

Excerpt from : "The Elements of Aikido" by Greg O'Connor

 In an actual life-and-death confrontation the attacker can, and often will, resort to any means at hand to ensure success. Your resourcefulness and self-defence abilities determine the outcome. This means that you, as an aikidoist, must be constantly vigilant throughout your performance of the Aikido technique. You must remain alert for any opportunities your partner may have. They can execute additional strikes or grabs, introduce weapons, or be jointed by others helping in the attack. Therefore, as abilities advance, the aikidoist must be aware of not only one partner's full capabilities but also the possibility of multiple attackers; and to still neutralize those attempts easily, efficiently and ethically.

Though practised as a martial art with these critical martial points in mind, the ultimate idea of Aikido is to bring people together. To create calm out of chaos; to find our common condition, to break down our feelings of separateness from one another and, in doing so, also break down our feelings of separateness from everything.

Typically, many who are attracted to Aikido have already experienced competition. They may no longer seek the forum of one-on-one contests to define or enhance their characters. Contests and competitions are very good, of course, for developing such qualities as determination, tenacity, teamwork and fair play. Aikido develops these same qualities but in an alternative context, with the most intimidating foe any of us will ever face - our own psyche. It is our own psyche's patterns of conduct that can keep us from enjoying a peaceful and happy life.

In Aikido training you work with men and women - big, small, strong, weak, scared and scary. You have to recognize what each unique individual does to your internal equilibrium; what effect their presence, mood, energy level, personality and so on have on you; how they affect the interaction and outcome when practising the various Aikido techniques.

Many other martial arts have what can be loosely described to as a 'boot camp' atmosphere with a militaristic approach to training. The discipline can be harsh and even severe. This, like a training camp, certainly has the effect of forging character, developing perseverance and individual will-power. It can enhance personal discipline, increase individual tenacity and fortitude, implant respect and adherence to authority, and impart the advantages of teamwork. The advantage of Aikido training is that it includes these very same benefits. With Aikido, however, they are brought about by alternative methods involving co-operation and compassion - and in an alternative context based on friendship and peaceful camaraderie.

Many of the people who find Aikido attractive do not need or desire training camp methods. They may have, as the saying goes, 'been there, seen it, done it, got the T-shirt'. Some have even had extensive experience, attained significant rank in another discipline, and wish to move on to expand their horizons. Commonly, many do not feel the need to prove anything to anyone else and wish to enrich themselves in other ways.

'True victory,' Aikido's founder said, 'is victory over self.' If you can claim that victory and bask in its glow then you have already won over every other opponent and situation that will come before you. This is a very real challenge, as we all know, because this type of victory is only attained after meeting and accepting the challenge of all challenges: to maintain our composure, our balance, our peace, as often as possible, if not always. In Aikido, this victory - to be able to use that state of balance to act with evolved appropriateness - is the goal and the reward.