Does the bomb or gun mean the end of the warrior? Or is it the birth of a new warrior, no longer defined by war? What is a warrior to do when he can no longer relate to war?
Japan was perhaps the first to face this question as a nation, and it was all the more dramatic as the warrior ethic pervaded all things Japanese. The winner of World War II, who has made as its proud boast: "the business of America is business" - came to see what happens when the Japanese samurai carries out "war by other means." This promise of a new way is what Aikido is all about.
The Oriental tradition of the martial arts taught that the warrior must make nonviolence his inner virtue in keeping the peace - with others but especially within himself. The Western view of the warrior is different. The West is known for its great history of education and ethical thought, but it never developed a tradition of educating the nonviolent warrior. This means that when faced with someone intending to cause you harm, you surround him with your heart and attain the victory of peace. This form of nonviolence is something different from christian meekness and Gandhi's ahimsa. The ideal of "love for all things" is the ultimate state of awareness for a warrior.
Aikido and the new warrior
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