Aikido from the Inside Out
Introduction
What this book is good for
Aikido is an unusual art, with principles steeped in martial
arts and philosophy. Unlike many martial arts, the essence
of aikido is independent from the physical form of the
movements. It's independent from individual techniques. Yet,
the forms and techniques spring from the essence. This
ineffable essence is what makes aikido so alluring and, at
the same time, so difficult for a beginner to
understand.
I have found that trying to learn aikido from books is just about impossible, not because the authors of aikido books don't know how to write, nor that their photographs are unclear, but because with aikido, what you see is not what you get.
The dynamics in aikido are not usually obvious or visible unless you already know what to look for. The principles of aikido are a set of feelings, sensations, and understandings about elements of nature, physics, energy, and behavior. To learn these principles, you must experienced them through the body, the feelings, and the mind--generally in that order. You have to learn them through direct transmission. Descriptions are inadequate.
If this is so, then why write about aikido? The purpose of this book is not to describe aikido techniques, but to try to direct your attention, as a beginner, to the inner elements of sensation that are the essence of the aikido experience.
By knowing what to look for, you can put your attention on the elements that will get you "inside" the art. Often the martial arts are taught from the outside in. This means that an external form is taught and students practice these forms in endless repetitions, typically for years. Eventually, if they endure the repetition of these outer forms, they may come to understand some inner aspect of the art.
Since aikido relies so much on the inner experience in order to perform it properly, it seems more advantageous to learn it from the inside out. In other words, if you can practice by specifically looking for the inner "taste" of the aikido principles--and learn to recognize and then recreate this taste on demand--you can "own" the principles of aikido. It is out of these principles that the forms will then naturally, and with effortless grace, emerge.
The purpose of this book is to point to the principles of aikido, to give a sense of what that they "taste" like, and to provide signposts so that the you can recognize and identify these principles during practice. This book will be most useful to those who are already engaged in an active study of aikido--currently practicing and have at least a basic familiarity with the concepts, principles, and techniques of aikido.
Note on gender reference: Obviously, aikido can be practiced by both sexes with equal effectiveness. Gender references in this book are generally masculine, but apply equally to both sexes.
