Japanese like to talk about the specific concept of "do", which they believe can be found in almost every human activity. It further transforms any chosen activity into a spiritual search for the ultimate goal.

It is very difficult to capture and define the concept of "do". It cannot be determined conceptually, but instead through physical experience. Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu pursued the origins of all things in the universe and the principle of unity. That is "Tao", or "do" in Japanese.

This idea of "do" indicates the unification of things in opposition and the integration of variety. It stresses the importance of unity in all things, while things unified, universal, and absolute have priority over everything.

To unify things in opposition it is necessary to release ourselves from a way of thinking based on dichotomy and antagonism on which our daily life is based on. For example, we must stop discriminating between beauty and ugliness, large and small, strong and weak, and try instead to seek the essentials.

In integrating variety, it is necessary to recognize common elements within diversity. Taoism aims to unify diversity, and stresses awareness of mutual relations within the universe.

Lao-tzu said "Studying accumulates daily. Performing Tao reduces daily. This continuing reduction at last reaches doing nothing, and all things are done." He draws attention not to the acquisition of ostensible knowledge, but to becoming aware of the root of things.

We have already been bound by such dichotomy in our thinking when we started studying Aikido. We are all conscious of opposing elements, such as oneself and others, uke and tori, strong and week, etc. Our view of practice is mostly focused on our own self, tori, and strength. We also tend to be satisfied when we master many techniques. In the beginning, the student pursues each individual technique by reasoning, analyzing, abstracting, and seeking to accomplish an end. However, when practicing for a long time, we must rid ourselves of this conscious dichotomy or opposition, and make efforts to practice more naturally, concretely and intuitively. To pursue this kind of effort, I believe will lead to seek Aikido as "do". (June, 1998)