The Relaxed Martial ArtTraditionally, martial art systems were created as a documented practice of training for combat in the ancient times. Naturally, its modern day applications are primarily for self-defence, exercise and physical fitness. One form of martial arts, however, stands out from the rest in the sense that it espouses a relaxed way of life over cunning and physical strength. At the heart of it, the 'Spirit of Aikido' is about cultivating relaxation and a serenity throughout everyday life to be able to harness this virtue in actual physical combat. Aikido is actually a modern Japanese martial art and the 'Spirit of Aikido' continues to live on today years after it was developed by Morihei Eushiba between 1920 to 1960. Noteworthy about this particular martial art is that the 'Spirit of Aikido' is cultivated within its students so that there is a spiritual and philosophical development that happens; which in turn becomes the basis of the combative art. Modern-day students of Aikido testify that they take the 'Spirit of Aikido' with them throughout ordinary daily activities, forming a bridge between principles of how to tackle everyday life and combat moves on the training mat. This spiritual and philosophical basis of the 'Spirit of Aikido' that cultivates relaxation and the peaceful control of aggression, is attributed to the founder's background in Omoto-kyo religion. Omoto-kyo is a modern Japanese religion, which is said to be an offshoot of Shintoism. Omoto-kyo followers believe in beautifying the world with art because they believe that art brings humans closer to the divine. Aside from this however, the Omoto-kyo followers are pacifists who espouse peace over war. This is the parallel between Omoto-kyo and Aikido. That is why the 'Spirit of Aikido' is often paradoxically referred to as the art of peace. One may wonder about the sanity behind the idea that a martial art, which was to all intentions created for combat and winning over the enemy, can indeed lay claim to the art of peace. To all intents and purposes however, the philosophical and spiritual foundation of Aikido is about maintaining a constant state of relaxation. It is in this relaxed state that the Aikido practitioner is able to perform difficult throws and manoeuvres as taught by the martial artist. This relaxed state can be attributed to a deep unshakable peace free of aggression. The concept is that when we are tense and not relaxed, we needlessly waste energy on aggression and force. By going with the flow and not being afraid of what can or cannot happen to us, we cultivate a peace with a relaxed demeanour as its direct consequence. The 'Spirit of Aikido' aims to cultivate mental discipline, develop character and self-confidence with the end goal of being able to maintain peace and relaxation. It believes that only in peace can one realize true power: The power to spread peace further and the strength to be able to withstand the onslaught of everyday situations. The basics of the 'Spirit of Aikido' can be pactised through practical applications that clearly show that a relaxed demeanour is more effective than an aggressive one. One such physical example is the exercise of trying to cause someone to lose their balance. To be able to topple an opponent usually means that we should be physically stronger, and in some cases larger, so that superior physical strength is the traditional measure of victory. In Aikido, it is not.
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