Sincere Aikido training provides an opportunity for individuals to directly experience the world as it is, without the clutter and distractions generated by our own egos. We unlearn our hard-wired fight or flight response and substitute an ability to blend with the attacker and redirect the energy harmlessly. Combining this with meditation training facilitates the deeper understanding required to drop the artificial distinction between "attacker" and "attacked". When these elements come together the student can walk undisturbed through life, confident and aware, neither clinging to the past nor anticipating the future. This is truly the essence of budo, or warrior spirit.
