How to live an Aikido life? That is a challenging question and individuals will certainly have varying answers. This month I begin reviewing a series of books that are relevant to the discussion. I begin with a non-Aikido classic that may offer some practical insight not derived from training on the mat but from life in general.
HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE
Dale Carnegie (1936; revised edition 2022)
This book is not directly about Aikido, but it is certainly worth reading. It is not a philosophy book in that it does not discuss the nature of reality, how we know what we know, or what makes one painting more beautiful than another. It is perhaps more akin to psychology, because it explores in a forthright and often homely manner the all-important questions of self-knowledge and human relations that are fundamental to Aikido. It is best described as one of the first guides to self-improvement, one whose impact has been felt for decades. Carnegie offered practical advice on how to get along with people, advice that still holds up well in the revised edition. It is rather Confucian in that it he insisted that his strategies were not based on deceit or hypocrisy but on the same qualities that are emphasized today in Japanese martial arts: whole-hearted commitment, sincere behaviour, and the retention of a joyful attitude even in the midst of adversity.