When first shown aikido, my sensei briefly discussed its philosophy, inherent in the English translation of the Latinate “aikido”: “the way of harmony of spirit.” As a practicing aikidoka in different styles, other instructors would offer variations such as “the way of harmony,” “the way of unifying with energy,” “the way of harmonious spirit,” etc. These variations were repeated in my mind, studies, and conversations, until I accepted the English words as abstractions that ultimately resided with the realm of ideas, rather than practice. As an idea, aikido became a detached object to be observed, dissected, and analyzed. The techniques and principles of aikido existed as discrete, mechanical, and formulaic movements, which could be mastered by studying their step-by-step development. In short, I failed to understand the meaning of “d?.”
“D?” translated into English is, of course, “Way,” often capitalized. For this reason, I want to examine the notion of “Way,” because, based upon my own experiences of aikido training, “Way” points to meanings far beyond the corners of the mat, and far beyond notions of synthetic measurement, boundaries, or limits. Instead, “d?” points to how we incorporate habits of aikido principles within lived experience, our consciousness stream. We may discover, then, that aikido is not a hobby isolated within discrete hours during our week, but an event that orients, pervades, and directs our life entire.
Not separate, but the same
Aikido is not an object to be observed at a distance: it is the basis of observation itself. “D?” reflects this internalized conception of the principles of aikido, within one’s ever-present consciousness and awareness. Miyamoto Musashi writes in Book of Five Rings that the “development of a warrior consciousness is an ongoing thing. Each new experience continually leads to new challenges,” and the “´Way’ cannot be learned through frivolous contests in which the outcome is for the name of a school or a large trophy. It can only be realized where physical death is a reality.” The “Way” constantly unfolds in our quotidian life; for this reason artificial, prescribed, and contrived ends, such as controlled competitions and contests, take us from the “Way.” We should perceive, however, the “Way” through the organic current of our consciousness to its ultimate irrevocable, mortal end. Only by viewing “d?” in this manner, do we attentively refine technique and truly become aware of our physical movement, since our bodies are subject ultimately to two absolute sovereigns—time and space. Physical death serves as a border, beyond which we marshal the mind’s focus, attentiveness, and awareness.
D?, Michi, Truth
Outside the border of mortality, lies the spiritual and metaphysical aspiration to truth. Morihei Ueshiba states in The Art of Peace, “The Way is like the veins that circulate blood through our bodies, following the natural flow of the life force. If you are separated in the slightest from that divine essence, you are far off the path.” The divine essence directs the very veins in our bodies because when we focus upon spirit, engaging our life force, our consciousness, then our bodies follow. Thus, our minds must reach out to the spiritual, which extends beyond external constraints, towards divine, universal truth. Thereby, “d?” reveals its other designation, which is “michi”—the way of proper conduct, morality, and universal truth (the suffix “d?” is the Sino-Japanese reading of the character for “michi”).
Not external, but internal
It follows that “Way” constitutes an unfolding, vigorous, and streaming consciousness, and thus ultimately involves continual activity and engagement of mind, while directed towards universality. As intimated, this activity exists internally, not within external objects, people, or institutions. Miyamoto Musashi writes in Book of Five Rings, “Only through a constant search from within, based upon one’s own lifestyle, can the truth be known.” This internal emphasis places a tremendous burden and responsibility upon your active consciousness in following the “Way” while refining technique, and not within any external ideal, teacher, competition, system, or art. It requires a rigorous focus and discipline of mind and consciousness, as one’s spiritual aspiration to truth directs the body’s motion.
Not passive, but active
Hence, “d?” occurs whenever you are conscious, and when conscious, “Way” demands a continual and internal concentration on truth. Of course, an important strategy for disciplining the mind is meditation. Externally people may misperceive deep private meditation as passive because the body does not move, or they may think the mind is active when bodies move. On the contrary, whether the body moves or not, meditation requires intense, disciplined engagement of mind, either while seated in private or while performing day to day tasks. In all situations and contexts, attentiveness of mind animates the body and propels one upon the “Way.” As such, only by activating and disciplining the mind through core, lived experience, do aikidoka truly practice “Way.”