Miguel de Cervantes greatest success as an author came with The Ingenious Gentleman Don
Quixote of La Mancha in 1605, penned when Shakespeare was also writing hits in England.
Perhaps the first modern novel, it parodied the then popular stories of chivalry, a style of life that
was already old fashioned. Cervantes managed to blend gentle comedy with social satire as the
principal character mistakes windmills for enemy soldiers, among other fantasies.
Don Quixote’s ridiculous adventures have given us the word “quixotic”, meaning the quest for
ideals in an impractical manner. Is Aikido quixotic? Do we pursue fantasies and tilt
metaphorically at windmills?
If we believe that going to the dojo regularly and training hard will bring about world peace, then
we are at best naive dreamers; at worst we are guilty of ignoring harsh realities. Nevertheless, if
we allow the experience being on the mat to transform our bodies and minds into useful vessels
for treating the people that we encounter with honesty, care, and empathy, then we are
approaching the ideals set out for us by O-Sensei.
