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Techniques employ four qualities that reflect the nature of our world. Depending on the circumstance, you should be: hard as a diamond, flexible as a willow, smooth-flowing like water, or as empty as space.

— Morihei Ueshiba Budo (1938)

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More quotes by Morihei Ueshiba

Shihonage is the foundation of Aikido. All you ever need to master is shihonage.

True Budo is to accept the spirit of the universe, keep the peace of the world, correctly produce, protect and cultivate all beings in nature.

Always imagine yourself on the battlefield under the fiercest attack; never forget this crucial element of training.

Budo (1938)

Regarding technique, from ancient times it has been said that movements must fly like lightning and attacks must strike like thunder.

Budo (1938)

The real Way of a Warrior is to prevent such slaughter — it is the Art of Peace, the power of love.

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Utu, shepherd of the land, father of the black-headed, when you go to sleep, the people go to sleep with you; youth Utu, when you rise, the people rise with you.

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The winds and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators.

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Matter gave birth to a passion that has no equal, which proceeded from something contrary to nature. Then there arises a disturbance in its whole body.

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Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Morihei Ueshiba (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.