Morihei Ueshiba, who founded Aikido early in this century, intended that his martial art would give form to profound spiritual truth, and lead to a unification of the world's peoples. He saw Aikido not as a fighting method or as a competitive sport but rather as a means of becoming one with the laws of universal order--ki, or life energy. Unfortunately, the subtleties of Ueshiba's teachings, veiled in the esoteric terminology of Shinto, can be puzzling for even the most advanced practitioners. They are not passed down today, and have never been introduced to the West. Gleason, a fifth-degree (Godan) black belt in Aikido, recognizing the importance of the spiritual aspects of the discipline, researched its roots in Shinto, and in this book is able to offer a clear explanation of Ueshiba's teachings.
• Unlike the common "how-to" manuals on basic technique, this is the first book to introduce the underlying spiritual principles of Aikido--the elusive concept of kototama (word souls), expressed as one spirit, four souls, three origins, and eight powers--and how they relate to the forms.
• Teaches the student how to use Aikido to accomplish spiritual goals.
• Reveals little-known teachings of Shinto and Aikido, relating them to Buddhism, Christianity, and other spiritual teachings.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
A Word of Recommendation Japanese version
A Word of Recommendation by Mitsugi Saotome-sensei
Acknowledgments
A Note to the Reader
Introduction
1. The Origins of Aikido
2. The Way of Harmony
3. Shinto: The Spiritual Roots of Aikido
4. Kototama: The World of Ki
5. One Spirit, Four Souls
6. Three Origins, Eight Powers
7. Practice and Principle
8. The Order of the Universe
Notes
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
