Art of Peace - Morihei Usehiba - Review

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Morihei Usehiba (1883 to 1969) was a master martial artist and founder of Aikido. The principle behind Aikido is to utilise the momentum and energy of the opponent, eventually neutralising their opposing force. In simple terms, Aikido means the way of a harmonious spirit and Morihei believes that the ultimate victory occurs in a state of peace. 


Art of peace is a collection of over 160 different quotes by Morihei, which focuses on aligning with the energy of the universe, understanding that every human soul is a part of the universe and how to arrive at a state of peace with opponents. The quotes are originally written in Japanese and have been translated into English by John Stevens. 


I have mentioned some of the quotes that I had liked from the collection. 


“Those who are possessed by nothing attain everything”


“Conflict between material and spiritual worlds creates exhaustion in both physical and mental aspects. The solution lies in setting both of them in harmony.”


“Life is about constant pursuit of growth”


“The universe is our greatest teacher and friend. Let’s observe how the water flows so smoothly between an endless presence of rocks and falls majestically from the high valleys. Similarly, the mountains, forests and every aspect of nature has a lesson for us.”


“Art of peace is about depth and knowing oneself”


“Body and mind should be bound as one, unified with the activity of the universe.”


There are many more quotes which I will let the readers to explore by themselves. Each quote should be read with the intension of understanding it's depth. Importantly, when a master of martial arts and founder of an associated practice, chooses to express peace as the ultimate tool of progress, harmony and victory, there is a certainly a message for the mankind at large.


Must read !

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