Writing on aikido is usually a fog of esoteric maxims and cryptic teachings. Some people like it that way. But aikido practitioners have long felt the need for a book that would explain in simple and ordinary terms the philosophy that shapes the art they enjoy. This is that book. Everyone from beginners to advanced students will find this book enlightening. It traces the influences on aikido of Shinto, Tantra, Shingon Buddhism, Omoto-kyo esotericism, Christianity, Western mystical systems such as alchemy, and modern scientific thought. It also describes the relationship of aikido to health and healing, to the visual arts, to conflict resolution, and to issues of global environmental responsibility. The Philosophy of Aikido is an indispensable source of information for anyone who wants to know more about how aikido came to be, and what its implications are for the world now and in the future. The author is the foremost non-Japanese expert in the field and well known for the wealth of information and straightforward language his books offer. The informative text is supported by 70 black-and-white illustrations of ukiyo-e, calligraphy and photographs from the author's extensive collection.