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Aikido Quotes

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Aikido Quotes

“I made it my mission right then to actively model strength and capability for her — to show her that, in fact, girls do play hard — and to give her opportunities to prove to herself that she was indeed tough and strong and awesome, too.”

EmpowermentRole ModelsStrong WomenGender StereotypesAikidoModeling BehaviorGirls In Sports
Book:A Bowl of Love: How to Make a Big Green Dojo Potluck Salad
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“However keen you may be to begin your study, before you venture on to the mat and attempt any of the basic techniques it is necessary to know something of the principles that govern aikido, for unless you do understand a little about posture, movement, balance, gentleness and courtesy, you will not be a satisfactory pupil. (Page 18).”

JapanMartial ArtsKarateJapaneseJudoAikidoSadami Yamada
Book:Principles and Practice of Aikido
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“But when I sat listening with the other Aikido students and teachers on the mat at the Kumano Juku Dojo, all of us dripping with sweat and focused intently on the practice of Aikido in the here and now, the Floating Bridge of Heaven did not feel like an abstract reference to a story of the past. It was a vivid invitation to venture into the world of the spirit, and to integrate that sacred spirit of creativity into all of our actions. It was a compelling reminder that to O-Sensei, and by extension to all sincere students of his art, Aikido was far more than physical technique.”

HeartSpiritualMartial ArtsAikidoSensei
Book:Journey to the Heart of Aikido: The Teachings of Motomichi Anno Sensei
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“Don't make the mistake of depending on the presence of certain people for your training,' he advised me. 'Teachers come and go. My own teacher, O-Sensei, died not long ago. I could have given up when O-Sensei passed away. Instead, I've continued my practice, even though I've found it difficult at times. Don't rely on other people. Do your best Aikido practice wherever you are.”

HeartSpiritualMartial ArtsAikidoSensei
Book:Journey to the Heart of Aikido: The Teachings of Motomichi Anno Sensei
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“If you try to learn with your intellect, it is more difficult to absorb the teachings on a deep level. The mind looks at something and says, I don't want that; I want this instead. But as you simply continue to train, something changes. What changes is deeper than your intellectual knowledge, deeper than mind or heart.”

HeartSpiritualMartial ArtsAikidoSensei
Book:Journey to the Heart of Aikido: The Teachings of Motomichi Anno Sensei
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“Now is the most important time. The world today is chaotic-you know this. But the age of the heart will come. O-Sensei emphasized that we must return to the heart. Firmly grasp O-Sensei's philosophy–the heart of Aikido–and integrate it into your technique, into your own body. Train hard and well, until, like O-Sensei, light shines out from your heart. Then what comes out of you naturally will be Aikido.”

HeartSpiritualMartial ArtsAikidoSensei
Book:Journey to the Heart of Aikido: The Teachings of Motomichi Anno Sensei
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“To reach an understanding of Aikido as love, you have to be shinken [completely focused; as if wielding a real sword]. You need to commit yourself, body and soul. Without a wholehearted focus, you won;t be able to effectively love yourself or someone else. You can't half-heartedly achieve a true love. It has to be shinken. It must be real.”

HeartSpiritualMartial ArtsAikidoSensei
Book:Journey to the Heart of Aikido: The Teachings of Motomichi Anno Sensei
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“Aikido practice is a method of incorporating the fundamentals of Great Harmony, Great Love, and Gratitude into one's own heart. To integrate these fundamentals into Aikido technique, I have to eliminate the sense of winning and losing. The feeling of completion must be completely transmuted into the heart of gratitude and harmony. If I am able to do that, I will transcend issues of relative strength or skill.”

HeartSpiritualMartial ArtsAikidoSensei
Book:Journey to the Heart of Aikido: The Teachings of Motomichi Anno Sensei
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“Aiki is the way of the Kami and was born of the will of the Kami. Rise early in the morning to greet the sun. Inhale the breath of heaven and let the cosmos inside. Next breath up the rich vibrance of the earth. Blend these breaths with your own breath and become the breath of life itself. Your mind and body will be gladdened, heartache and disappointment will dissipate and you will be filled with gratitude. The movements of Aikido which unite human being with great nature are all given by Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami. Aikido is Misogi..a purification of ourselves...the way of the universe.”

WayMindHumansBodyEarthUniverseNextGivenHeavenBornHuman BeingsMorningSunRichMovementGratitudeHarmonyBreathsFilledDisappointmentHeartacheCosmosMind And BodyInhalePurificationAikido
Author:Morihei Ueshiba
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“Forgiveness is like the martial arts of consciousness. In Aikido and, other martial arts, we sidestep our attackers force rather than resisting it. The energy of the attack then boomerangs back in the direction of the attacker. Our power lies in remaining nonreactive. Forgiveness works in the same way. When we attack back, and defense is a form of attack, we initiate a war that no one can win.”

WayArtWarFormLyingWinningEnergyForceConsciousnessDefenseMartial ArtsResistingInitiateAikidoBoomerang
Author:Marianne Williamson
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“I don't like getting hit for one, although you know I did take Aikido for many years, but Aikido is a different kind of martial art, maybe even a more cerebral art because it's all about redirecting the energies of your opponent instead of trying to bash your opponent's head in effectively, so it's a much more loving art, so I guess I tend that way normally anyway.”

KnowsWayTryingYearsKindArtDifferentEnergyArt IsOpponentsMartial ArtsDifferent KindsCerebralAikidoBash
Author:Maurice Ashley
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