The Art of Peace is Required, Not the Art of War

The divine beauty
Of heaven and earth!
All creation,
Members of
One family.

Eight forces sustain creation:
Movement and stillness,
Solidification and fluidity,
Extension and contraction,
Unification and division.

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.

The Art of Peace originates with the flow of things—its heart is like the movement of the wind and waves. The Way is like the veins that circulate blood through our bodies, following the natural flow of the life force. If you are separated in the slightest from that divine essence, you are far off the path.

Crystal clear,
Sharp and bright,
The sacred sword
Allows no opening
For evil to roost.

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Morihei Ueshiba (1883–1969) was the founder of Aikido. He came to believe that a real warrior was one who was rooted in love, and it was in this spirit that he began to develop Aikido, a martial art that emphasizes harmony and the peaceful resolution of conflict. See more about him here.