The Way Of Aikido: Life Lessons from an American Sensei

I knew nothing about Aikido (and still know very little) but this book inspired me, and I don't often say that.

'The Way of Aikido' is an excellent book for those who wish to intergrate lessons learnt in the dojo into everyday life. I don't agree with other reviewers here who suggest it is a good place to learn about Aikido. Don't get me wrong, this book is excellent and looks at ways of utilising Aikido philosophy and ideas into your day to day living, but there are better books for those with no Aikido knowledge and who are curious about learning more. ('Aikido and the dynamic sphere' by Oscar Ratti is particularly good, with plenty of background information, and a great many diagrams of techniques.) This book looks at many of the authors experiences in martial arts and how he has applied the lessons learnt there to various life situations. The writing is clear and easy to read and the exercises suggested seem well thought out and will provide sound benefits for martial arts and non-martial artists alike. The author comes across as a touch 'new age-y' at times, but not excessively so and there is a definite American bent to the text. Overall I found it to be an inspiring and fascinating read and I'd suggest it for anyone who wants to learn some great life lessons in a simple, non-patronising way. Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.

Excellent book, thank you!

I would recommend that any serious martial artist, beginner or Dan grade, read this book. It is also explicitly aimed at non-Martial Artists, and I can understand that someone with not the slightest interest in the arts would also find this book of immense interest and practical help. Although Leonard Sensei speaks specifically of the art of Aikido, the philosophy that he expounds goes to the very heart of all martial arts. Do not be put off by the word "Philosophy": this book is packed with down to earth explanations, examples, and practical suggestions. I found that it was impossible to put it down, and keep returning to it. Like all great books, there is something more to be learnt each time that you return. I find it hard to believe that there is anyone with an open mind who could fail to learn something from this eminent taecher.

This book is of the 'improve your quality of life' genre. An anectdotal and pleasant read, spanning something of the author's introduction to Aikido and practice, and his apparent use of Aikido principles in his life, allied with pointers as to how you can use such principles to improve your own life. The book offers some positive guiidelines towards altering your perception and response towards incidents of conflict and negativity. Worth a read.

I was quite disappointed with this book, the other reviews made it seem like it would help in general life with some kind of new method of thinking but I only managed to force myself to read just under half the book before giving up. It seemed quite 'hippie' like in its content for lack of a better word. It goes on about how we're one with the universe and tells stories of how some of the best Aikido practitioners of the past have done seemingly impossible (and probably actually impossible) things because of their understanding of Aikido & blending, which doesn't make any sense to anyone who critically thinks about what happens in the world and wants to understand rather than wrapping everything in magic that you just have to believe in. This really isn't a book for me, but I gave it two stars as I can see if you believe in this sort of thing that you may well find it interesting. You'll have to forgive me for my ignorance here as this is probably going to be an unfair generalisation but I don't know much about this way of thinking so don't know how else to phrase it but if you're the type of person who believes in healing stones & being one with the universe or anything along those sorts of lines this could well be a great book for you.

I just finished reading The Way of Aikido; I am very taken by the simple yet powerful lessons that George Leonard offers us. The importance of presence, queuing here and now, the spirit and humility of the beginner, the discipline of continuous practice as the only way to mastery. Simple, age old principles that we often forget. Reading this book was a great opportunity to be reminded and recommit to a life of mindfulness.

Great easy read! Dovetails nicely with the lessons from Mastery.

Ab und zu driftet der Autor in Alltagsstories ab aber das Buch ist sehr gut geschrieben und lässt sich somit gut lesen. Einen Mehrwert hat es auch noch durch die vermittelte Aikido Lebensphilosophie. Ein sehr gutes Buch.

Wenn ich bisher von Aikido gehört habe, dann war es, daß es sich dabei um eine Kampfsportart handelt, die rein defensiv ist. Außerdem klang immer irgendwie durch, daß dabei der mentale und spirituelle Aspekt sehr wichtig ist. Dieser Aspekt hat mich immer besonders interessiert. Und genau darum geht das Buch. Wer ein Buch über Aikido Kampftechniken sucht: Finger weg, darum geht es hier nicht. Wer aber Einblicke in die mentalen und spirituellen Aspekte haben will, für den ist das Buch genau richtig. Auch mit Übungen zum Selbermachen. Noch eine Warnung: Das Buch ist halt in Englisch, und Schulenglisch reicht wahrscheinlich nicht ganz.

Over my more than 60 years involvement in numerous martial arts and fighting systems (Boxing, Wrestling, Judo, Jujitsu, Karate, Kickboxing, Combatives, Defensive Tactics, Krav Maga etc.), I have had the opportunity to read and review hundreds of books on the martial arts and self-defense fields. I only studied Aikido for a very short time many years ago, and I never achieved any rank in that system. However, I have always had great respect for Morihei Ueshiba and his creation of Aikido. This book (The Way of Aikido) by George Leonard, focuses on the esoteric and mystical aspects of Aikido, which is okay for those seeking a spiritural of religious experience whether they take up Aikido or not. Personally, I seek out the more scientific approach to learning anything, including the martial arts. Nevertheless, this book is somewhat interesting and may be a volume many Aikido students may have a desire to read. The book relates the experience of the author while learning and teaching Aikido. There are twenty one chapters in this 209 page text. Some of the areas covered include the following: Welcome to our dojo, stepping on the path, the first life lesson, I am the universe, the centered life, A transformative ordeal, owning your world, adventure and discovery and a Dojo of our own, context and transformation, the mysterious power of Ki, taking the hit as a gift, blending with Ki, meditation in action, Zanshin: continuing awareness, Aikido walking, and many other topics. In conclusion, if you are an Aikido student who buys into the mystical aspects of this martial art, you may find this book interesting and even helpful. However, if you are seeking to learn any actual Aikido physical techniques, you may want to seek out another Aikido text which actually shows techniques. I found this book only somewhat interesting. Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Martial Art Myths)