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The Sun That Lights |
| The Graphical Interfaces | |
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Português |
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By Joel Brozovsky |
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 In the world today, Aikido is becoming better and better known. What is not so well known, is that Aikido's founder, Morihei Ueshiba, was a disciple of Onisaburo Deguchi, co-founder of Oomoto. An early phase of the development of Aikido took place at the Oomoto centers in Kameoka and Ayabe. Aikido is a kind of martial art. It has been described as a combination of every traditional Japanese martial art, together with a profound spiritual teaching. Webster's dictionary defines "martial" as "relating to war", but the term martial art in this case is used rather loosely. Although the roots of all martial arts go back to the training disciplines of warriors, not all martial arts directly relate to war or fighting. Aikido could be called a self defense art (although that is not its primary purpose), but in Aikido, one never fights. Aikido is different from, for example, Judo or Karate, in that it is not a competition sport. In Judo and Karate, there is a kind of "battle", or match, which usually ends with a victor and a loser. But in Aikido, there is neither battle nor match. Victory and defeat are not relevant to the practice of Aikido. When two partners practice Aikido, they do not compete, but work together to help each other learn the art. The goal of Aikido, as is said, is harmony with the universe. Tanabe, in what is now Wakayama Prefecture, was the birthplace of Morihei Ueshiba. Even as a young boy, he showed an unusual interest in spiritual studies, beginning at age seven to take training in a series of shrines and temples. The young Morihei several times saw his father beaten up by a gang of toughs, the henchmen of an opposing politician. That left a deep impression on the boy, who, although phisically small, resolved to become strong enough to take on the hoodlums. Ueshiba constantly worked to strengthen his body, and to learn martial arts. Several times he became gravely ill, but each time with dogged determination he built up his strength again. He studied various schools of Judo and Kendo (sword fighting), constantly searching out masters who could further teach him. At age twenty, he became a soldier and served in the war in Manchuria. In army training he demonstrated incredible strength, often carrying the heavy packs of two or three other soldiers during marches. Upon release from the military at age 27 Morihei became a pioneer, homesteading in the northern wilderness of the island of Hokkaido. Due to his diligence, strength, and sense of fair play, he became a popular leader of the settlement. Although quite successful, homesteading could not keep him completely satisfied as more and more he dedicated himself to his training on lessons. His homesteading in Hokkaido lasted nine years, until his aged father in Wakayama became deathly ill. Morihei immediately began the journey homeward, but on the way, he heard about Onisaburo Deguchi and Oomoto, and wanting to do all he could to save his father, he decided to go first to Ayabe and meet Onisaburo. Ueshiba was deeply impressed by his meeting with Onisaburo. Facing the death of the father to whom he was so devoted, Ueshiba decided to dedicate himself entirely to a search for the secrets of the body and spirit. His fields and house in Hokkaido, along with all his belongings there, he gave to his martial arts teacher. After a period of ascetic practice, he moved with his family in 1919 to Ayabe to learn from Onisaburo. The teachings were profound, dealing as they did with principles of the universe and the concept of God, the reality of the spiritual and phisical worlds, rules of human life, etc. As a disciple of Onisaburo, Ueshiba became a model. He gave himself completely to severe discipline, with the conviction that faithful study under Onisaburo would lead him to an esoteric understanding that in time would enable him to master the martial arts. He never neglected his duties: participating in daily communal prayers, group training and exercise, in addition to studying the entire body of Oomoto literature. At Oomoto, Onisaburo, severely handicapped by persecution from the Japanese militaristic regime, decided he could best spread his message of universal love outside the national boundaries of Japan. Accordingly in 1924 he undertook a missionary voyage to the Asian continent to found, together with local new religions, a movement based on universal love. He invited Ueshiba and two other followers to go with him. Ueshiba, then 41, jumped at the chance to be at Onisaburo's side, and in adventure to try out his newly devised methods of encounter. The expedition was certainly full of adventure, miracles, and mistery. But due to internal problems in China, the expedition spent most of its time on the run and finally bogged down on the southern border of Mongolia. At last an enemy army captured them, and only a literally last-minute message from the Japanese consulate saved them from the firing squad. The audacious enterprise thus came to an end. In Mongolia Ueshiba several times found himself in danger of being shot, but each time he succeeded in defending himself, without the use of weapons. For example, one time he was shot at by pistol at close range. Afterward he described the incident:
His experiences in Mongolia with Onisaburo certainly gave Ueshiba many occasions to test his amazing powers. Returning to Ayabe, he upon occasion continued to amaze onlookers. As a volunteer to help build a public park in Ayabe, using the mysterious power of kototama, the spirit of words, as taught to him by Onisaburo, he once uprooted a tree 15 cm in diameter, and moved a stone which ten men together had failed to budge. He says, "Based on those experiences, I am convinced that man has an extraordinary spiritual power residing in his soul." His self discipline remained severe even after his return to Ayabe. His fame spread throughout the land, partly because of Onisaburo's trumpeting his talents abroad. It was said, "Ayabe has Ueshiba, a great virtuoso of the martial arts." Self-confident veterans of the martial arts came to him to watch, receive instruction, or challenge. But no one succeeded in defeating Ueshiba. Once in the spring of 1925, a navy officer, a professor of Japanese fencing, came to Ueshiba. During the encounter, the officer time after time attacked Ueshiba with his wooden sword, but each time Ueshiba easily avoided the sword stroke. Finally the officer, totally exhausted, had to give up without even once touching Ueshiba. Afterwards Ueshiba said that he felt each sword stroke a moment before it happened, so he could easily move himself out of the path of the weapon. |
Some times after that experience, he was taking a walk alone in the garden, and under a persimmon tree had a totally new experience. He later described it:
In 1926, with the strong recommendation of several highly esteemed people in Japan, and also with Onisaburo's blessing, Ueshiba moved to Tokyo to dedicate himself to teaching Aikido. Even though he refused to advertise, his fame and his body of disciples rapidly grew. He was very concerned thet the power of Aikido not be misused. He accepted as disciples only those with outstanding character recommendations. Two years later on the occasion of a big festival in Ayabe to celebrate the rapid growth of the Oomoto movement, Ueshiba lead a presentation of games in the sanctuary in dedication of God. Years later, one of the spectators described as follows:
At that time, Ueshiba still taught hir art under the name Kohbu Budoh (Divine Warriors' Martial Art), but Onisaburo recommended that he change the name from Khobu to Aiki. Aiki is the energy of love, or divine spirit. Eventually the name became Aikido, the way of love or divine spirit. In 1932, Oomoto launched the Japanese Martial Arts Propagation Association (Dai Nihon Budoh Senyoh-kai), with Onisaburo as honorary president, and Ueshiba as president. A year later its headquarters was moved to Takeda, 40 kilometers west of Ayabe, where a large training hall was set up with Ueshiba in charge. The current spiritual co-leader of Oomoto, Hidemaru Deguchi, was a fervent disciple of Aikido, and served as councilor and later president of the Association. After that Aikido spread nationwide like the rays of a rising sun. Ueshiba's reputation continued to grow. But shortly afterwards in 1935 came the Second Oomoto Incident and, among other things, the martial arts association ceased to exist. Possibly because of his great fame, Ueshiba succeeded in avoiding arrest. he went back to Tokyo where he continued to teach Aikido, but the Second World War, which exploded in Asia in 1941, took away the students, and many martial arts schools had to close. Ueshiba moved to the country in Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, where he could combine his two favorite pursuits: agriculture and martial arts. After the war, the occupying army of the United States prohibited any kind of instruction in martial arts for several years. In 1948, three weeks after the death of Onisaburo Deguchi, the Aiki-Association received permission to start up again. After the war, the Aiki-Association took on a less elitist attitude, aiming to bring Aikido to the general public. It became popular not only in Japan, but also overseas. Spectacular events helped to spread its reputation. For example, in 1953 Koichi Tohei, a disciple of ueshiba, took part in a nationwide judo championship match in the United States. Urged on by participants, he faced a simultaneous attack by five U.S. judo masters whom he had not previously met. The ease with which he threw all five caused a sensation, drawing much attention to the value of Aikido. In 1969 the virtuoso Ueshiba came to the end of his 86-year life. Even in his later years his amazing art never faltered, the incredible speed of his maneuvers and his vitality drawing admiration from all spectators. In his own words Ueshiba describes the essence of his art:
His descriptions of Aikido might seem too simple and grandiose to believe. Perhaps only after dedicated training and practice of Aikido can one fully understand and believe the truth.
With Aikido you learn not theoretically, but with actual bodily experience, the universal truth that the attacker always has a disadvantage and therefore loses. There are many beautiful theories, very wise, true, and useful - but if you don't learn the truth through personal experience, it remains only beautiful theories. Aikido gives a concrete way to personally experience the truth. |
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| Last modified on November 25, 1998 |
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