Guiding Principles
This page represents the guiding principle of Ahsa Aikido.
Guiding Principles are the values that members of Ahsa Aikido aspire to.
It is expected that all members will work on their individual development and apply these principles to their daily lives.

These principles are also progressive. Once a person has mastered "Do No Harm," he or she is able and ready to move on to a higher level of understanding "Take Gentle Care."
The highest principle Ahsa Aikido members aspire to is "Expand in Joy" It take many years to understand and apply this principle. It is perhaps the most spiritual and metaphysical of all.

Do No Harm
Do no harm is a basic Buddhist teaching. It is best described in the principle of loving protection for all things. It is also a creed of healers. To be able to assess a situation and to provide only enough energy to control it or re direct it without causing injury is what makes Aikido unique. Kastu Jen Ken, the sword that gives life is also a part of this principle. Each student must learn to express this principle in his or her own way. As students apply this philosophy to their lives they can move forward to the next principle, Take Gentle Care.

Take Gentle Care
Take Gentle Care moves the philosophy of Do No Harm one step further. Take Gentle Care implies that to be able to correctly practice the principles of aikido we need to understand ourselves and our contexts. As we understand ourselves, and the contexts in which we function, we take on the responsibilities of being "caretakers." Caretakers recognize the sacred responsibility of protection and nurturance that is required of Aiki. Caretakers work towards an understanding and balance that does not require contention. As with all things, taking gentle care begins with ourselves.

The Three Houses
We all have three houses that we must care take. The first house is our body/mind. As spirit lives in our body/mind, we must first gently care for ourselves. If we do not take care of ourselves first, we can not have the energy strength and peace of mind to care take our other houses. The second house is our physical dwelling. As we take care of our physical space and the objects and persons that dwell with us, we are able to create a home base from which we can venture out into the world and society. Without taking care of our home space, our inner space can become clouded and scattered. Only after care taking our first and second houses can we effectively move toward care taking our third house. Our third house is society and the world in which we live. Once we have applied the principles of aiki to our own lives we feel a sense of responsibility to try and impact our world in a positive way. As we share what we know with others and apply these principles to the world and society, we are ready to focus on the final principle Expand in Joy.

Expand in Joy
Expand in joy is the creative process in action. As we learn to live in harmony first with ourselves and then with each other, it becomes possible to develop proactive energies that produce synergy. Synergy is the creative process where 1 + 1 = 3 or more. As we practice the principles of Aikido we notice that we live in an inclusive not exclusive world. That which we send out comes back to us seven fold or more. As the energy we send out comes back to us we find the creative process producing all of those things that are for the good of others and ourselves.

Householding
As people choose to pick partners, couple and create families, they are participating in "expand in joy." One important growth for many people is marriage. Soon partners what to have children and create families. As people participate in householding their priorities can change. When a person has a family, they often are not willing to take the risks they would as a single person. It is hard to learn the lessons of a warrior if you are not willing to put your life on the line. People whose partners do not share the same hobbies such as Aikido, often find it difficult to continue their practice at the same level as those who are single. Householding and the raising of a family can become an important factor in how a person walks their path. Usually householders make their family their first priority. Many lessons of the path can be learned by householding. Gentleness and compassion are among these skills. Householding is one way people choose to expand in joy. Partners create and raise children to pass down their values.

Village Builders
Unlike householders, village builders have a responsibility to people outside of the nuclear family. They work with the edges between traditional families. Village builders are often the teachers of the community. They are the extra element that supports the structure and can give new insight to the larger community. Village builders hold all the responsibilities of house holders but must apply them indiscriminately to the larger community. While village builders can be householders, often the conflicts of family pressures and community needs come in conflict. For this reason, some householders choose to become village builders after their families are raised.

Spirit Keepers
Spirit keepers are the priests and prophets of the community. They are often the artists that express the current culture, and transcend culture. They are the healers. Spirit keepers' knowing, transcends the limits of current culture and time and place. Spirit keepers are impersonal. They can see the larger vision without prejudice. Often these people give up having families and interpersonal responsibilities to support a larger context. This context is larger than the personal life. It includes the ability to track past life times. Spirit keepers also are able to transcend the limits of time and space. They do this to serve the process that spirit directs. Spirit keepers must be free of personal responsibility so they can lay down their life at anytime. Sometimes spirit keepers become the martyrs and saints to their generation.