This is Not Martial Arts

This essay was born in a "why am I doing this?" moment. It was a period when I was noticing students asking questions about the practicality of what we were doing. This is a different world than the one that gave birth to Aikido and its ancestor arts. That alone makes these questions valid. There is another aspect that emerges in this question. What is the end goal? Looking back now, this was a fitting "post shodan" essay. In my time in various arts, I have seen different motivations. Making it to shodan can throw motivations into sharp relief. A common motivation is to get a black belt. Okay, then what? Well, it's time to look at our training. I have to admit that getting to shodan was important to me. I trained for years in Tae Kwon Do, just to let University interrupt my training just short of that goal. But now, my training feels more like home. It is driven, but does not have that flavour of rushing to get somewhere. It's more like diving than swimming. I would like to see how deep I can get.

The essay...

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The English language is a funny thing. Being the dominant language of international business in the world and of media culture in the West, it tends to suck in words from many other cultures. The more removed from European culture a language is, the more that gets lost in translation.

Japanese terms often do not have a direct and perfect translation in English. Many Japanese terms encompass a philosophical meaning related to their origins that an English translation may only glimpse, or miss altogether. Budo is one such term.

In the North American mind, what we do is martial arts. However, in that mind, martial arts is a sport. There are national champions, Olympic gold medalists and action heroes like Jackie Chan, The Karate Kid, and Steven Segal. But from the perspective of Aikido, this is not what we do. Aikido is not martial arts, it is Budo.

"Bu" is easy enough to translate without confusion. It means martial or war. The term "Do" is what is lost in translation. It is also the term that makes all the difference.

When the Samurai were active and plying their trade in medieval Japan, what they practiced could rightly be called Bujutsu. "Jutsu" translates as "craft", "science", or "art". The term Bujutsu accurately described a daily existence in which the Samurai not only trained to kill, but would be expected to kill or die at some point.

Under the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate (a Shogun is a military dictator) from 1603 to 1867, Japan knew little internal conflict. As a result, the role of the Samurai changed. Although they remained the warrior class of the nation, they adopted administerial duties which helped to solidify their elevated social rank in a time of peace. The purpose of their martial training also shifted. Training to kill and die in battle was no longer a sustainable motivation given that there were very few outlets along those lines.

Rather than abandon their martial heritage, the Samurai adopted a new focus for their training. In the absence of external enemies, the Samurai found new enemies inside himself. In continuing to refine the physical practice, the Samurai would address the internal weaknesses of his own character that could compromise his performance. Ego, closed mindedness, laziness and inattention became the new challenge. In refining the internal self, the Samurai were not only ready both physically and mentally to kill and die for his lord, but developed a stronger character as an individual.

This is what we inherit in Aikido. The practicality of the techniques and our physical form are important, but that is only part of the picture of what Budo seeks to preserve and cultivate. There is always a challenge, even if the practitioner does not yet perceive it. We clarify what is inside and, in time, with diligent practice, that clarity will also manifest on the outside. It is not a matter of form then mind, or mind then form. We are driving both forward, and to forget about the internal training that connects them changes our martial way into a violent dance or sport.

If our Aikido is just these techniques and these flips, then yes, we are doing martial arts. But that is not Budo. Aikido is Budo.