Product Description

This collection of writings by the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, illuminates the philosophical basis of the traditional martial arts. It contains photographs of Ueshiba in action from his early youth to his final years at the height of his fame. Chapters include Ueshiba's calligraphy and a full transcription of epigrams and poems in English, romanized and Japanese orthography.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #166913 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04-01
• Original language: Japanese
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 200 pages

Aiki News
"... indispensable book for the serious aikidoka ... the best technical photos of the founder that I have ever seen...."

From the Publisher
[The opening pages of Chapter 5.]

The Art of Aikido

Techniques are the vehicles used to express the spiritual principles of Aikido. They are not set forms since "change and adaptability are the essence of Aikido." Morihei did not say much about the technical aspects of Aikido training, for he believed, "If your heart is true your techniques will be correct."

The most thorough technical presentation of Morihei's techniques is found in his book Budo. In addition to further hints contained in the Budo, Morihei also emphasized the following basic points to his students regarding the execution of Aikido techniques:

"Even though our Path is completely different from warrior arts of the past, it is not necessary to abandon the old ways totally. Absorb venerable traditions in Aikido by clothing them with fresh garments, and build on the classic styles to create better forms.

"Our techniques employ four qualities that reflect the nature of our world. Depending on the circumstance, you should be: hard as a diamond, flexible as a willow, smooth-flowing like water, or as empty as space.

"The body should be triangular, the mind circular. The triangle represents the generation of energy and is the most stable physical posture. The circle symbolizes serenity and perfection, the source of unlimited techniques. The square stands for solidity, the basis of applied control.

"A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind. The key to good technique is to keep your hands, feet, and hips straight and centered. If you are centered, you can move freely. The physical center is your belly; if your mind is set there as well, you are assured of victory in any endeavor.

"Do not stare into the eyes of your opponent: he may mesmerize you. Do not fix your gaze on his sword: he may intimidate you. Do not focus on your opponent at all: he may absorb your energy. The essence of technique is to bring your opponent completely into your sphere. Then you can stand just where you !ike, in a safe and unassailable position.

"When an opponent comes forward, move in and greet him; if he wants to pull back, send him on his way."

As indicated in Budo, the techniques of Aikido are structured into six pillars:

Shiho-nage (four-directions throws)
Irimi-nage (entering throws)
Kaiten (open-and-turn movements)
Kokyu-ho (breath-power techniques)
Osae-waza (pinning techniques)
Ushiro-waza (rear techniques).

Excerpted from Essence of Aikido by Morihei Ueshiba, John Stevens. Copyright © 1999. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Preface [minus the original macrons and kanji]

Morihei Ueshiba's spiritual teachings collected in The Essence of Aikido form the companion volume to Budo: Teachings of the Founder of Aikido. The first chapter, "The Universe of Aikido," and the fourth chapter, "Misogi: Purification of Body and Mind," are based on material from Aiki Shinzui, a collection of transcripts of Morihei's talks.

In the second chapter, "Songs of the Path," a number of Morihei's didactic poems are presented--originally such poems were recited to a special rhythm, hence their designation as "songs." Songs of the Path by a master are said to possess twelve levels of meaning and are traditionally circulated without written commentary. However, I felt it necessary to annotate those poems containing unusually difficult terminology and obscure references. The translations of the songs are fairly literal, but my renderings are always based on the "spirit rather than the letter." The Japanese originals with romanization are provided for those who wish to tackle Morihei's verse directly. In this book I have generally translated do (michi) as "Path" rather than "Way." In the present text, "Path" refers to a particular discipline, such as Aikido, that follows a certain route; "Way" involves a broader spectrum of universal principles. Aikido is, of course, both a Path and a Way, so this distinction may appear somewhat arbitrary, but I ask the indulgence of my readers.

The third chapter, "Morihei's Calligraphic Legacy," presents examples of Morihei's brushwork from the collection of the Ueshiba family.

The book concludes with "The Art of Aikido," comprising over two hundred illustrations of Morihei performing the techniques. Covering the entire range of Morihei's Aikido, the photos include previously unpublished shots from the 1936 Noma Dojo series, out-takes from Morihei's 1938 book Budo, shots taken outdoors in Wakayama in 1968, and various other shots of Morihei in action in his final years.

John Stevens

Customer Reviews

Essence of Aikido
`The Essence Of Aikido' is a book of Morihei Ueshibas teachings as translated by John Stevens. It is the companion book to `Budo' also by Morihei Ueshiba but this one has more doka (songs of the path) and calligraphy, as well as numerous photos of O Sensei. Part 1 looks at Aikido cosmology, part 2 contains the doka in kanji, roma-ji and English, part 3 has calligraphy, part 4 looks at misogi purification and part 5 has extensive photography of O Sensei practising various techniques. Some of the philosophy is hard to grasp from an initial reading and this is good to come back to as you progress in your understanding and Aikido training. The information enclosed isn't essential for the physical aspect of Aikido training, but makes for an all round understanding of the martial art and adds to your overall training and development. This is probably best come to after you have been training for a while and wish to develop Aikido ideas further. This is an excellent source of photography of O Sensei and would make up the purchase price for this aspect of the book alone. A worthy addition to any Aikido bookshelf.

A must for all true Aikido followers.
This book has some great photos and explains some of the teachings of Morihei Ueshiba in a very clear way. It is not as instructive as some of the better books on Aikido, but it is a must for all true Aikido followers.

A great book for understanding Aikido.
I found this book very interesting as an introduction into Morihei Ueshiba's philosophies and the nature of Aikido. It has some great photos, but is more of an introduction than an Aikido tutorial.