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Beyond Opposites: Rethinking Ju and Go in Aikido Philosophy
Ju 柔 (Softness) and Go 剛 (Hardness) are terms frequently used in martial arts. Conceptually, we often refer to a martial art or style as being “soft” or “hard”, but is this a meaningful or accurate expression? What are the true meanings of 柔 and 剛? Before diving into the details, let’s start with the question of whether it should be written as 剛柔 (Go-Ju) or 柔剛 (Ju-Go). Historically, 剛柔 is the more traditional and commonly seen order in Chinese classics and early Japanese literature. This form appears in ancient political and philosophical texts, such as Confucius’s Zhong Yong 中庸 (The Doctrine of the Mean) and the military treatise The…
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Purification of Body and Soul: Misogi in Japanese Culture and Aikido
Misogi 禊, deeply rooted in Japanese culture and religious tradition, is a ritual of purification aimed at cleansing both the body and the spirit. Typically, the ritual involves immersing oneself in water, often a natural body of water like a river or waterfall, to wash away impurities and negative energies. The attire is typically white garments, but in many cases, men may wear a loincloth. The practice dates back centuries, and it is said to originate from Izanagi 伊邪那岐, a kami in Japanese mythology, who felt contaminated and purified himself with water after his visit to Yomi 黄泉, the world of death, to see his deceased wife Izanami 伊邪那美. Misogi…
