Aikido

Aikido Is a  Japanese martial art that uses the idea and principle of joining rather than fighting with an opponent. The name is formed from three Japanese characters that make up the word aikido

The aikido characters are 

ai "joining" +ki "energy" + do "way"

shown on the right one beneath the other

The Kanji 'ai' in aikido forms the logo for our dojo 'Ai' is interpreted as 'to join'. The ideogram is seen by many as the roof joining a house or my personal favourite: the lid and a pot coming together(described by Will Reed in the celebrated 'Ki a Practical guide for westerners'). 

The kanji ki' in aikido means energy or power, it appears in many Japanese words as mundane as the word for electricity and well as in a spiritual context (see 01 What is Ki? for more information)

The kanji 'do'  in aikido means way or path. I have had it explained to me as the left hand part is a road and the right hand part is a parent-child, meaning there is a leading and following someone aspect  which is the teaching mode; of the art.

Aikido is a completely spontaneous harmonising with energy, in the dojo this is learn through forms/patterns/kata until the spontaneity arises naturally

Beyond the dojo the physical practice of aiki gradually permeates our conscious and sub-conscious mind to transform all areas of our lives.