Words of Wisdom from O-Sensei

“Iron is full of impurities that weaken it; through forging, it becomes steel and is transformed into a razor-sharp sword. Human beings develop in the same fashion.”

-Morihei Ueshiba

Friday, February 27, 2009

Why do you practice Aikido?

The question comes up often, in many forms

Why do you practice Aikido? Is Aikido effective? Is Aikido better that ___, some jutsu or jitsu etc.?
Whenever I hear this I think….bring me a better question. Or maybe you just want to miss the point. In fact this has been going on for time immemorial. Picture some samurai sitting around talking about how this school of swordsmanship is better than that. This jutsu is better than that. At least back then they had a reason, ie. they could die. But asking this question is not really the point.

The Way of a Warrior cannot be encompassed by words or in letters: grasp the essence and move on toward realization!

-O’sensei Morihei Ueshiba


To all of this I say, why do YOU practice Aikido?
Is it to defend yourself?
Kick butt?
Out of fear?
Personal development?

Again the point isn't as much the art as the reason. When the ego is attached to being better, smarter, faster, tougher…none will happen. In fact, usually the opposite will be the result. If you look inside you may find some answers, but asking someone else…means you are afraid to look.

In my case, Aikido provides both the avenue for self-development and self-defense and is congruent with my personal belief on how to get there. If you want to develop confidence, fitness, and self mastery all in a way that is non-destructive and powerful, I believe Aikido is the way. In any art there is no short-cut or quick fix to get you power and self confidence and this is definitely the case in Aikido. It takes many years to refine this vehicle we are given. And it is a constant practice. This works for me, refining the art over time. You don’t have to be athletic, coordinated, good looking…just dedicated. If you show up and work, the art reveals itself to you.

To practice properly Aikido, you must:
Calm the spirit and return to the source.
Cleanse the body and spirit by removing all malice, selfishness, and desire.


-O’sensei Morihei Ueshiba


And it is high time you started. Time is precious and as dogen zenji said….”practice like your hair is on fire”. Being in a rush to be good, or tough etc. just makes you miss the point get on the mat, work out and find out what the art is all about. Be fearless.

Failure is the key to success; each mistake teaches us something.

-O’sensei Morihei Ueshiba

Hope to see you on the mat.

Club News

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Aikido Club Details

Days, Times, and Location: Aikido Club sessions are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00pm to 5:30pm. We meet in PE 221 on UVU campus.

Club Dues: As a club at UVU, we are actually required to collect dues. We currently collect $20 per semester in club dues per person. Many dojos outside of UVU run about $40 per month, so this really is a great opportunity to learn Aikido at a great price! Club dues go right into the club fund where they can then be used for equipment for club and other club expenses.

Equipment: Bring a T-Shirt and athletic style pants, such as sweat pants. Those that have a gi are welcome to wear that. We recommend that you not wear shorts.

Testing: As Sensei is an Aikido Association of America certified instructor, he is able to conduct belt promotion tests. This is an awesome opportunity to progress further into Aikido. AAA fees apply (Ex. 7th kyu test fee is $25).

If you have any other questions about the club, please click the "contact me" button found on the right side of this page and send us a message.

Note to those who are not UVU students: The UVU Clubs organization states that we are able to accept non-UVU students into the club. However, at least 75% of our club membership MUST be UVU students. If you would like to join the UVU Aikido Club, prior approval must be obtained from Sensei.