Aikido Ethics and spirituality in a Japanese martial art. Non-dissension as a principle of conflict resolution

Abstract

It seems a contradiction that a method for conflict resolution is a martial art. This is the case of aikidô, which has evolved to express a positive aspect of the tradition of the Japanese bushi culture. It is a budô based on the philosophy of non-resistance, which promotes non-violence and develops the culture of peace; non-dissension as a principle. Its founder, Ueshiba Morihei, who had mystical experiences, turned aikidô into a method of self-defense; with the ethical intention of defending yourself without harming the aggressor. It seeks to develop a practical knowledge of self-control at physic-technical, aesthetic, psycho-mental, and ethical-spiritual levels, which helps to reach a higher level of consciousness.