Silence fills the dojo (gym) as the students ready themselves for class. They sit on the mat in ZAZEN kneeling position), eyes closed, hands clasped. With each breath the mind's never ending flow of thoughts and images is stilled.

The students have come to practice AIKIDO, a Japanese martial art that fosters harmony with oneself and others.

Created by Master Morihei Uyeshiba in the 1920's, AIKIDO is a non-competitive and a non-aggressive art. It's 3,000 self-defense techniques use the laws of nature to nullify aggression in a spirit of compassion and understanding.

AIKIDO's modern holistic approach is unique. It helps practitioners achieve self accomplishment on and off the mat. Emphasis is placed upon a characteristic unification of thought and action, and the extension of mental energy or Ki which is also called the "breath of life".

A sharp clap cuts through the air. The meditation session has just ended. Maurice Lavigne Sensei (teacher) leads the students through a series of stretching exercises and special techniques that help develop balance, abdominal breathing and Ki.
 
"The western mind doesn't easily accept the existence of Ki, Lavigne Sensei said. Only through continued practice do students become sensitive to their energy body and learn to use Ki."

Essentially Ki is the unifying and evolutionary force of the universe. It manifests itself in many ways: as the force that holds atoms together; as the energy that causes flowers to blossom; as the mover of our muscles and our thoughts.

Ki is universal (universal KI) and individual (personal KI). AIKIDO training helps develop individual KI, by coordinating the movements of mind and body.

Lavigne Sensei demonstrates a typical exercise called the unbendable arm that helps develop Ki projection. He holds his arm outstretched and tense. A students then bends the arm at the elbow, usually without much difficulty.
 

The Sensei then relaxes his arm completely and imagines water is rushing through it as in a fire hose. The students prepares once again to bend the outstretched arm. But to his surprise it remains solid and unbendable.

AIKIDO is practiced by over one million people throughout the world. It was developed by Master Uyeshiba from various arts, particularly jujitsu, fencing as well as spear and stick fighting. The founder also pursued religious and philosophical studies in Zen thus balancing the inner and the outer factors of the art.

AIKIDO pronounced eye-kee-doh is comprised of three Japanese words: AI or harmony; Ki or energy: Do or the way. Therefore AIKIDO can be understood as the way of harmony using universal energy.

In more practical terms, AIKIDO is a unique self-defense system derived from Japanese Bujutsu or warrior arts. It is equally adaptable to and effective against one or several attackers.

Being defensive in nature, the objective of AIKIDO is not to destroy the aggressor but to neutralize his or her aggressivity. When the techniques are applied by aikidoists who have achieved a certain degree of mastery in the art, they can chose to leave no serious injury in their wake.

The self-defense techniques are designed to return aggressive intent and energy back to it's source by using circular or spiral movement. "This is why many people say AIKIDO techniques resemble dance," Lavigne Sensei added. "One must not encourage aggressive behaviour by answering aggression with aggression," he said.

"A verbal or physical attack can be more often than not nullified by deflecting the energy in a calm and assertive manner."

"But one must first achieve through concentration the state of no mind, the thought of no thought, in which vanity has no role to play in a person's actions." Sensei said. "When you meet aggression with aggression, you have lost self control and respect for nature."

"Better to foster love and harmony than to sow the seeds of hatred and deceit," he said. "Better to have many friends who love and respect you than to have enemies who wait in the shadows ready to take advantage of the first sign of weakness."

"AIKIDO is not for correcting others, it is for correcting your own mind," he concluded.

Lavigne Sensei added that AIKIDO'S philosophy of non-violence and non-competitiveness does not make it's techniques less effective.

"Aikido can be soft and hard. Both coexist. Mastering mind and body in a spirit of harmony gives life to self-defense techniques which otherwise can be void of meaning."

"AIKIDO harnesses the forces of creation and teaches respect for life," he said. "It is also a martial art that requires discipline, understanding and dedication to master."