Martial art systems nowadays are primarily for exercise, self-defense and physical fitness. What about aikido? The spirit of aikido is about cultivating relaxation and a serenity throughout everyday life to be able to harness this virtue in actual physical combat. The Aikido spirit continues to live on today years after it was developed by O’Sensei. There is a spiritual and philosophical development in the aikido spirit. The students of Aikido bring the aikido spirit throughout ordinary mundane activities, forming a bridge between principles of how to tackle everyday life and combat moves on the training mat.

The aikido spirit is attributed to the founder's background in Omoto-kyo religion. Omoto-kyo is a modern Japanese religion, which is said to be an offshoot of Shintoism. Omoto-kyo followers believe in beautifying the world with art to bring humans closer to the divine. However, the Omoto-kyo followers are pacifists who espouse peace over war. This is the parallel between Omoto-kyo and Aikido. That is why the Aikido spirit is often paradoxically referred to as the art of peace. One may wonder about the sanity behind the fact that a martial art which was in all intentions created for combat and winning over the enemy can indeed to be claim to the art of peace. For all intents and purposes however, the philosophical and spiritual foundation of Aikido is about maintaining a constant state of relaxation.

The aikido practitioner is able to perform difficult throws and manuvers. When we are tense and not relaxed, we needlessly waste energy on aggression and force. By going with the flow and not being afraid of what can or cannot happen to us, we cultivate a peace with a relaxed demeanor as its direct consequence. The Aikido spirit aims to cultivate a mental discipline, develop character and self-confidence with the end goal of being able to maintain peace and relaxation. It believes that in peace can one realize true power: The power to spread peace further and the strength to be able to withstand the onslaught of everyday situations. The basics in passing on the Aikido spirit can be done through practical applications that clearly show that a relaxed demeanor is more effective than an aggressive one.