Aikido practice is not just another kind of physical activity. The progress in Aikido practice is not only to learn a sequence of intricate moves and develop algorithms to use them in case of real danger. The real Aikido is to build a special kind of communication between people, as an embodiment of the human understanding and compassion. Aikido technique is a manifestation of such attitude. This way, Aikido techniques represent the form of our understanding and compassion as our reaction towards “aggressor's” actions, even if this person “wants to kill us”. The power of having such attitude is revealed in the efficiency of Aikido techniques. This power is not initially available to a common person, and also it cannot be cultivated without the appropriate intention.

In our Aikido practice, besides the moves and physical actions that we initially learn to build our bodies, we also investigate why it is important to develop the earlier mentioned attitude towards other people regardless of their actions, and how it affects our ability to acquire desired skills, as well as to achieve the progress in Aikido practice in general. At our regular lessons and at the lectures we study how we can reveal the Aikido practice not only as a self-defense system, but also as a self-cultivation practice. Self-cultivation, in the way we use this term, means cultivation of anti-egocentric force to balance our inner world. Only by doing so can we reveal perfect forms of our Aikido techniques, which are a good indicator for our progress.

Self-cultivation assumes changing ourselves. It is the most difficult process for any person. It is easier to see “a speck in another person's eye, than a beam in one's own”. Our Aikido practice is aimed at creating the conditions where it is easier to look inside. Supporting each other in the community we find additional energy for self-analysis to know better what we work at and where to direct our effort in our self-cultivation practice.

At our Aikido practice, the subject of our examination is the human being. We study ourselves! In our practice we put much effort to understanding who we are, what mechanisms are being activated behind our actions and what attitude we must develop towards our nature, as well as how to efficiently use Aikido practice as the tool for inner transformations. Perceiving Aikido as a self-cultivation practice, along with physical activity, transformations take place in the mental sphere and are reflected in our attitude towards ourselves and the world around us. At the lectures we discover how Aikido can help us with these transformations in order to obtain a new sense of reality and change our lives for better.

Aikido is about acquiring the real power and the real joy in life.