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ORIGIN and HISTORY OF
AIKIDO
Aikido is a little
known but Highly scientific series of techniques dealing with self defence
that date back to the Kamakura Period in Japan. Originally descended
from the Daito Ryu Aiki Jitsu (Aiki Jujitsu of the Daito School),
this form of Martial Art is said to have been founded by
Shinra-Saburo-Yoshimitsu, a member of the famous Minamoto Clan, the ruling
family in Japan at that time.
Kept exclusively within the Minamoto Clan for some 200 years, the Art was
subsequently passed over to Shingen Takeda, another prominent family, and
the Art was retained by them for another 600 years.
Throughout this time,
Aikido remained a jealously guarded secret taught only to a select few of
the Japanese noblity. This silence persisted until O'Sensei Morihei
Ueshiba, undoubtedly Aikido's greatest exponent, decided the time had come
to speak. He made publicly known what had for so long remained hidden.
From "AIKI
BUDO" to "AIKIDO"
Before taking its
final shape, Aikido used to be called "Aiki Jujitsu" or
"Aiki Budo" as mentioned above. The techniques in present Aikido
differ from those in the preceding art in every aspect. They are
essentially different from the techniques in "Daito Ryu Aiki
Jitsu", too.
The growth from "Aiki Budo" to "Aikido" signifies that
Aikido has come to being as a new martial art, making a complete departure
from the past techniques. Kokyu Dosa (also known as Kokyu-Ho), for
instance, illustrates this point, on which the Founder lay great emphasis.
Even after Aikido assumed its present identity, the techniques have been
undergoing subtle changes.
The kaleidoscopic
techniques devised by the Founder accord with the rules of nature, thus
leaving no room for vulnerability. None of these techniques were fashioned
haphazardly or at his own will. Aikido, in its perfect form, allows the
movement of even one finger and a twist of the hips to lead freely to
subsequent techniques in accordance with the rules of nature. Just imagine
how many of the Aikido practitioners can produce such miracle of the art
now.
No doubt that the kind of Aikido we should bequeath to posterity is what
the Founder called "Takemusu Aiki", which is like the fountain of
techniques which never goes dry. In other words, producing techniques means
"begetting martial inspirations and strength".
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