Ueshiba Morihei Quotes

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 weakens and defeats you.

The divine is not something high above us. It is in heaven, it is in earth, it is inside us

When you bow deeply to the universe, it bows back; when you call out the name of God, it echoes inside you.

To injure an opponent is to injure yourself. To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace.

Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train.

Never fear another challenger, no matter how large; Never despise another challenger, no matter how small. Large does not always defeat little. Little can become large by constant building; large can become little by falling apart.

The true meaning of the 'samurai' is one who serves and adheres to the power of love.

Your spirit is the true shield.

Do not fail to learn from The pure voice of an Ever-flowing mountain stream Splashing over the rocks.

In Aikido we never attack. An attack is proof that one is out of control. Never run away from any kind of challenge, but do not try to suppress or control an opponent unnaturally. Let attackers come any way they like and then blend with them. Never chase after opponents. Redirect each attack and get firmly behind it.

An attack is proof that one is out of control.

When you lose your desire for things that do not matter, you will be free.

Life is growth. If we stop growing, technically and spiritually, we are as good as dead.

Do away with emperors, kings, and artificial government; establish true equality; abolish capitalism; live in God’s heart, simply and purely!

Warriorship is none other than the vitality that sustains all life.

Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything.

may you be happy, may you be well may you be peaceful and at ease may you be filled with loving kindness And compassion for all beingslk

The penetrating brilliance of swords Wielded by followers of the Way Strikes at the evil enemy Lurking deep within Their own souls and bodies.

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.

The Art of Peace is the religion that is not a religion; it perfects and completes all religions.

A warrior is always engaged in a life-and-death struggle for peace.

Those who are enlightened never stop forging themselves.

Failure is the key to success; each mistake teaches us something.

True prayer has no set form.

The Art of Peace is the principle of nonresistance. Because it is nonresistant it is victorious from the beginning. Those with evil intentions or contentious thoughts are instantly vanquished. The Art of Peace is invincible because it contends with nothing.

In the art of peace, a single cut of the sword summons up the wondrous powers of the universe. That one sword links the past, present, and future; it absorbs the universe. Time and space disappear. All of creation, from the distant past to the present moment, lives in the sword. All human existence flourishes right here in the sword you hold in your hands. You are now prepared for anything that may arise.

We can no longer rely on the external teachings of Buddha, Confucius, or Christ. The era of organized religion controlling every aspect of life is over. No single religion has all the answers. Construction of shrine and temple buildings is not enough. Establish yourself as a living buddha image. We all should be transformed into goddesses of compassion or victorious buddhas.

The purpose of training is to tighten up the slack, toughen the body, and polish the spirit.

Can there really be a martial art in which one downs his attacker with a smile?

I’m not teaching you how to move your feet; I’m teaching you how to move your mind

In good training, we generate light (wisdom) and heat (compassion)

The Art of Peace begins with you. Work on yourself and your appointed task in the Art of Peace. 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 for no other purpose than to realize your inner divinity and manifest your inner enlightenment. Foster peace in your own life and then apply the Art to all that you encounter. 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.

Fill yourself with Ki, invite the attack.

The purpose of the Art of Peace is to fashion sincere human beings; a sincere human being is one who has unified body and spirit, one who is free of hesitation or doubt, and one who understands the power of words.

The Aikido I practice has room for each of the world's eight million gods and I cooperate with each of them. The Great Spirit of Aiki enjoins all that is Divine and enlightened in every land. Unite yourself to the Divine, and you will be able to perceive gods wherever you are.

I want to know everything; my curiosity is boundless

In Aikido, we train not to learn how to win; we train to learn to emerge victorious in any situation

I am one with the universe. Who can lift that

Do not look upon this world with fear and loathing. Bravely face whatever the gods offer.

The divine does not like to be shut up in a building. The divine likes to be out in the open. It is right here in this very body. Each one of us is a miniature universe, a living shrine.

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.

Bushido is not learning how to die. Bushido is learning how to live, how to protect and foster life. Even in war, the taking of human life is to be avoided as much as possible. It is always a sin to kill. Give your opponents every chance to make peace

The purpose of education is to open your spirit. Modern education has forgotten this. The entire universe is a huge open book, full of miraculous things, and that is where true learning must be sought. In that spirit, take responsibility, train hard, develop yourselves, bloom in this world, and bear fruit.

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.

Life is a divine gift. The divine is not something outside of us; it is right in our very center; it is our freedom.

Iron is full of impurities that weaken it; through forging, it becomes steel and is transformed into a razor-sharp sword. Human beings develop in the same fashion

You cannot see or touch the divine with your gross senses. The divine is within you, not somewhere else

Failure is the key to success; Each mistake teaches us something

Throw your partner by not throwing, pin him by not pinning.

The ability to sense an attack is what the ancient masters meant by anticipation. If one’s mind is steady and pure, one can instantly perceive an attack and avoid it—that, I realized, is the essence of aiki (the art of harmonization)

what is LOVE ?

Every sturdy tree that towers over human beings owes its existence to a deeply rooted core.

Do not try to guess how fast or slow a pitch will be. Just let the ball arrive at its own pace, and be there to greet it

Bushido is not learning how to die; it is learning how to live

Your voice is a very powerful weapon. When you are in tune with the cosmic breath of heaven and earth, your voice produces true sounds

Do not concern yourself with the right and wrong of others. Do not be calculating or act unnaturally

At the instant A warrior Confronts a foe, All things Come into focus

Progress comes To those who Train and train

Instead of foolishly waging war, hereafter we will wage peace, the true purpose of Aikido. We will train to prevent war, to abolish nuclear weapons, to protect the environment, and to serve society

The universe is our greatest teacher, our greatest friend. It is always teaching us the Art of Peace. Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks. Everything—mountains, rivers, plants, and trees—should be your teacher. The world’s wisdom is contained in books, and by studying the words of the wise, countless new techniques can be created. Study and practice, and then reflect on your progress. The Art of Peace is the art of learning deeply, the art of knowing oneself.

Do not stare into the eyes of your opponent: he may mesmerize you. Do not fix your gaze on his sword: he may intimidate you. Do not focus on your opponent at all: he may absorb your energy. The essence of training is to bring your opponent completely into your sphere. Then you can stand just where you like

Aikido is the Way of Harmony. It brings together people of all races and manifests the original form of all things. The universe has a single source, and from that core all things emerged in a cosmic pattern. At the end of WWII, it become clear that the world needed to be purified of filth and degradation, and that is why Aikido emerged. In order to eliminate war, deception, greed, and hatred, the gods of peace and harmony manifested their powers. All of us in this world are members of the same family, and we should work together to make discord and war disappear from our midst. Without Love, our nation, the world, and the universe will be destroyed.

Do not fail To learn from The pure voice of an Ever-flowing mountain stream Splashing over the rocks.

The most perfect actions echo the patterns found in nature.

All at once I understood the nature of creation: the Way of a Warrior is to manifest divine love, a spirit that embraces and nurtures all things

People possessing tremendous strength have a very difficult time controlling themselves and easily make enemies

Budo means constant progress, and lifelong training

In truth, my purpose on earth is not fully accomplished yet so nothing can harm me. Once my task is completed, then it will be time to go, but until then I’m perfectly safe

Create your own universe and bring everything into your own sphere

One simple apology is enough. Get up and don’t do it again

Never chase after opponents

Transcendence belongs to the profane world. When all trace of transcendence vanishes, the true person—the divine being—is manifest. Empty yourself and let the divine function

Face a single foe as if you are facing ten thousand enemies; face ten thousand enemies as a single foe

A true warrior is always armed with three things: the radiant sword of pacification; the mirror of bravery, wisdom, and friendship; and the precious jewel of enlightenment

A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind

Let him do whatever he wishes, and he will be unable to grasp on to anything to control

Do not look upon this world with fear and loathing. Bravely face whatever the gods offer

The moon appears to be really present, but if you strike the water, nothing will be there. Similarly, your opponent should find nothing solid to strike

Be grateful even for hardship, setbacks, and bad people. Dealing with such obstacles is an essential part of training in the Art of Peace.

...your opponent is not really your opponent because you and your opponent become one.

Day after day Train your heart out, Refining your technique: Use the One to strike the Many! That is the discipline of a Warrior

The divine does not like to be shut up in a building. The divine likes to be out in the open. It is right here in this very body. Each one of us is a miniature universe, a living shrine

I enjoyed being in the military when I was a young man, but even then I innately felt that war is never the solution to any problem. War always brings death and destruction and that can never be a good thing.

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 weakens and defeats you.

Eight forces sustain creation: Movement and stillness, Solidification and fluidity, Extension and contraction, Unification and division. Life is growth. If we stop growing, technically and spiritually, we are as good as dead.

The only real sin is to be ignorant of the universal, timeless principles of existence. Such ignorance is the root of all evil and all misguided behavior. Eliminate ignorance through the Art of Peace, and even hell will be emptied of tortured souls

There is evil and disorder in the world because people have forgotten that all things emanate from one source. Return to that source and leave behind all self-centered thoughts, petty desires, and anger. Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything

Draw a circle around the center of a human being. Within this circle lies all physical power. Outside of this circle, even the strongest human being loses his power. If you can pin your partner outside of his sphere of strength, you can control him with just one finger.

This is how the universe came into being: There was no heaven, no earth, no universe—just empty space. In this vast emptiness, a single point suddenly manifested itself. From that point, steam, smoke, and mist spiraled forth in a luminous sphere and the sacred sound SU was born. As SU expanded circularly up and down, left and right, nature and breath began, clear and uncontaminated. Breath developed life, and sound appeared

Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido, stated: Rise early in the morning to greet the sun. Inhale and let yourself soar to the ends of the universe; breathe out and let the cosmos inside. Next breathe up the fe- cundity and vibrance of the Earth. Blend the breath of Earth with your own and become the breath of life it- self. Your mind and body will be gladdened, depression and heartache will dissipate and you will be filled with gratitude.5

Soudain, il me sembla que le ciel descendait. De la terre, surgit comme une fontaine d’énergie dorée. Cette chaude énergie m’encercla, et mon corps et mon esprit devinrent très légers et très clairs. Je pouvais même comprendre le chant des petits oiseaux autour de moi. A cet instant, je pouvais comprendre que le travail de toute ma vie dans le Budo était réellement fondé sur l’amour divin et sur les lois de la création. Je ne pus retenir mes larmes, et pleurai sans retenue. Depuis ce jour, j’ai su que cette grande Terre elle-même était ma maison et mon foyer. Le soleil, la lune et les étoiles m’appartiennent. Depuis ce jour, je n’ai plus jamais ressenti aucun attachement envers la propriété et les possessions.

Now and again, it is necessary to seclude yourself among deep mountains and hidden valleys to restore your link to the source of life. Sit comfortably and first contemplate the manifest realm of existence. This realm is concerned with externals, the physical form of things. Then fill your body with ki and sense the manner in which the universe functions—its shape, its color, and its vibrations. Breathe in and let yourself soar to the ends of the universe; breathe out and bring the cosmos back inside. Next, breathe up all the fecundity and vibrancy of the earth. Finally, blend the breath of heaven and the breath of earth with that of your own body, becoming the breath of life itself. As you calm down, naturally let yourself settle in the heart of things. Find your center, and fill yourself with light and heat.

War always brings death and destruction and that can never be a good thing

Hear the soundless sound, and see the formless form. At a glance, read your opponent’s mind, and attain victory without contention

There is nothing in the world more harmful than war and more foolish than armament

People possessing tremendous strength have a very difficult time controlling themselves and easily make enemies.)

You are here for no other purpose than to realize your inner divinity and manifest your inner enlightenment.

What a pity. He was too strong for his own good.” People possessing tremendous strength have a very difficult time controlling themselves and easily make enemies.)

Study the teachings of the pine tree, the bamboo, and the plum blossom. The pine is evergreen, firmly rooted, and venerable. The bamboo is strong, resilient, unbreakable. The plum blossom is hardy, fragrant, and elegant.

To injure an opponent is to injure yourself. To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace” ~ Morihei Ueshiba   It