In Japanese, Ai means harmony, connection, joining, blending, oneness; ki refers to nature, life force, power, energy; do is a path or way of life. Aikido is known as a nonviolent art of self-defense which includes many complex facets. However, the most common literal translation of aikido is “way of life through harmony with nature”. One of its most common credos is “loving protection of all living things.” Not only do aikido practitioners look out for #1, using self-protection when threatened by danger, but we also learn rescue and bystander intervention techniques by which to help others in need. Aikido teaches ethical behavior and appreciation of the value and beauty of nature.
Human beings, by virtue of our superior intelligence and abundant skill sets, are at the top of the food chain. There are dangerous beasts and poisonous plants that could injure or even kill us, but we generally rule most forces of nature. Unfortunately, too many people take human dominance too far. We tend to feel entitled and justified to capture, kill, use, and/or eat nearly all plant and animal life that we encounter. We chop down forests, that remove toxic carbon dioxide and emit life-giving oxygen, in order to produce lumber for construction and paper for consumption. We apply unhealthy chemicals to edible plants in order to maximize production of them. We hunt and harvest animals without regard to their rights to life and threats of extinction. Led by misguided government policies, we seem determined to consume every living thing other than our own species as if our goal is to reside on a barren planet that is fully devoid of plant and animal life.
People who train aikido and related arts of self-defense learn not only how to practice in the dojo, but also how to apply guiding principles of the art to our everyday lives. In an argument, disagreement, or threatening situation, it is best to apply “least force necessary” in order to protect oneself yet not necessarily harm another human being (or animal). We may blend with and acknowledge another person’s viewpoint before asserting our own. It is okay to agree to disagree without needing to impose a win-lose conclusion. We need not employ a narcissistic standard to ethnic and racial differences; all peoples of the world live on our garden planet — abundant with water, land, and natural resources — that warrants our protection and preservation. An attitude of disrespect and animosity toward our fellow human beings, as well as the beautiful creatures that share our living spaces, is self-defeating. Peaceful coexistence, not war, should be our standard of excellence.
Dr. Jim's Whims 