Masakatsu agatsu (正勝吾勝 true victory [is] self victory) is a phrase that orients Aikido toward mastery of oneself rather being concerned with winning a sports competition.

Personally, I enjoyed playing hockey, basketball, football, etc., in my youth, and still enjoy watching them played well today. I can have some fun with the vicarious experience of a hometown championship. But I recognize that, in the end, professional sports are just part of the entertainment business.

Amateur sports that encourage physical fitness and fair play are fine.

But Aikido is not a sport. Neither is it dancing or fighting. It is a form of moving meditation that starts with self-discipline and moves toward self-realization. Along the way it teaches some useful self-defence concepts that can be applied in certain situations.

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