Aikido is Budo, a Japanese martial art. Budo is the way of the warrior.
As a martial art, Aikido unites the body and spirit in such a way that it is in harmony with the natural order of life. This natural order is seated in our own bodies and can be clearly experienced. It is to be found at the level of our abdomen: hara. The abdomen is the source of life energy, the Ki, which manifests itself in Aikido in the form of circular movements.
The object of Aikido is to learn to move and act from this central point, the body's centre. This is Silence in Motion, to remain exceptionally calm and centred while taking action. In this state of being, body and mind are one and it is possible to "fight without fighting". It also becomes clear, by aspiring to this state of being, how Aikido becomes the path to personal development. From this "Silence in Motion", a softness of the heart is revealed and Aikido can be called a manifestation of Love.
Literally, Aikido means "the path of living in harmony with Ki". Aikido as a martial art should be practiced from this spiritual perspective. The Dutch Aikikai Foundation, as an organisation, operates with this perspective in mind, working with clear technical and managerial lines that support this development.
Finally there is the perspective in which we place the Dutch Aikikai Foundation as an organisation within the structure of society, in which the call for meaningful, positive relationships where man is the measure for all things is answered more and more often.