“True budo brings order to chaos.” - unknown
The other day, Ken Watanabe Sensei said, “True budo brings order to chaos.” He couldn't remember where he'd heard it, but it instantly made sense to me. The training in Aikido is supposed to refine us and make us better human beings through the study of the movements of Aikido but I am sure that this is true for other martial arts as well. A commonly heard saying in the martial arts is, “all budo begins and ends with etiquette.” Furuya Sensei once wrote that, “Reigi-saho allows us to see an ‘order’ in society and in our relations with others. It is with this order which is the first step to realize a peaceful environment.” We begin our training with reigi-saho (礼儀作法) or “etiquette” because it teaches us how to set the proper mindset and intention. Later when we go off into battle or life, we know how to ground our minds and intentions. The practice of all martial arts are rooted in kata (型) or “form.” Kata are exact context-based movements that teach us how to move in response to confrontation. However, through their practice and study they are also become the context by which a person develops themselves and learns to understand themselves. Once we can bring order to our minds and our bodies then we can bring order to our lives. Our lives will forever be buffeted by forces that are out of our control. Our job is not to change others or what is happening to us, but to change the way we respond to what is happening outside ourselves. Therefore, the practice of training in Aikido is to bring order to chaos.