Morihei was a Japanese martial artist and the creator of the aikido martial art. Kaiso or sensei “Great Teacher” is how he is often referred to.
Morihei Ueshiba, the son of a Tanabe landowner, learned a variety of martial arts as a child and later served in the Japanese Army during the Russo-Japanese War. He moved to Hokkaido as the head of a pioneer settlement after being discharged in 1907, where he met and studied with Takeda Skaku, the founder of Dait-ry Aiki-jjutsu.
After leaving Hokkaido in 1919, Ueshiba moved to Ayabe and entered the moto-ky movement, a Shinto sect, where he taught martial arts and opened his first dojo. In 1924, he went to Mongolia with the moto-ky group’s leader, Onisaburo Deguchi, where they were captured by Chinese troops and returned to Japan.
“A golden spirit sprang up from the earth, veiled my body, and transformed my body into a golden one,” he described his spiritual experience the following year. His martial arts abilities seemed to have significantly improved as a result of this training. Here are some of his quotes:
“Always keep your mind as bright and clear as the vast sky, the great ocean, and the highest peak, empty of all thoughts. Always keep your body filled with light and heat. Fill yourself with the power of wisdom and enlightenment.”― Morihei
“Failure is the key to success; each mistake teaches us something.”― Morihei
“Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery. Bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice. The spirit of self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love.”― Morihei
“STUDY HOW WATER FLOWS IN A VALLEY STREAM, SMOOTHLY AND FREELY BETWEEN THE ROCKS. ALSO LEARN FROM HOLY BOOKS AND WISE PEOPLE. EVERYTHING – EVEN MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, PLANTS AND TREES – SHOULD BE YOUR TEACHER.”― MORIHEI
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“Everyone has a spirit that can be refined, a body that can be trained in some manner, a suitable path to follow. You are here to realize your inner divinity and manifest your innate enlightenment.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“Create each day anew.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“Your heart is full of fertile seeds, waiting to sprout.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“Progress comes to those who train and train; reliance on secret techniques will get you nowhere.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“When life is victorious, there is birth; when it is thwarted, there is death. A warrior is always engaged in a life-and-death struggle for Peace.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“The heart of a human being is no different from the soul of heaven and earth. In your practice always keep in your thoughts the interaction of heaven and earth, water and fire, yin and yang.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“As soon as you concern yourself with the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ of your fellows, you create an opening in your heart for maliciousness to enter. Testing, competing with, and criticizing others weaken and defeat you.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“The purpose of training is to tighten up the slack, toughen the body, and polish the spirit.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“DO NOT LOOK UPON THIS WORLD WITH FEAR AND LOATHING. BRAVELY FACE WHATEVER THE GODS OFFER.”― MORIHEI UESHIBA
“Each and every master, regardless of the era or the place, heard the call and attained harmony with heaven and earth. There are many paths leading to the top of Mount Fuji, but there is only one summit – love.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“All life is a manifestation of the spirit, the manifestation of love.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“When an opponent comes forward, move in and greet him; if he wants to pull back, send him on his way.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“Life is growth. If we stop growing, technically and spiritually, we are as good as dead.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“There are no contests in the Art of Peace. A true warrior is invincible because he or she contests with nothing. Defeat means to defeat the mind of contention that we harbor within.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“Economy is the basis of society. When the economy is stable, society develops. The ideal economy combines the spiritual and the material, and the best commodities to trade in are sincerity and love.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“If your heart is large enough to envelop your adversaries, you can see right through them and avoid their attacks. And once you envelop them, you will be able to guide them along the path indicated to you by heaven and earth.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“To injure an opponent is to injure yourself. To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“It is necessary to develop a strategy that utilizes all the physical conditions and elements that are directly at hand. The best strategy relies upon an unlimited set of responses.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“In extreme situations, the entire universe becomes our foe; at such critical times, unity of mind and technique is essential – do not let your heart waver!”― Morihei Ueshiba
“Opponents confront us continually, but actually there is no opponent there. Enter deeply into an attack and neutralize it as you draw that misdirected force into your own sphere.”― Morihei Ueshiba
“Your spirit is the true shield.”― Morihei Ueshiba