AIKIDO HIBIKI
Rei / Etiquette (2)
In Japanese Budo (martial arts), Rei (礼) is a concept encompassing bowing, respect, gratitude, and politeness, signifying the proper etiquette and mindset for training and life. It begins and ends all Budo training, demonstrating respect for the dojo, the instructors (sensei), training partners, and the martial art itself.
Historical Roots and Context
The cultural context of Japanese martial arts etiquette includes the history. A long time ago, martial arts was not a hobby, it was life and death. We are practicing a samurai derived art. If you’re facing an opponent and you want to kill each other, do you bow in a mentally spaced out way? a sloppy, inattentive way? If you are visiting a stranger’s home, they might not be your friend. Do you relax and behave sloppy? You can imagine, back then it was more urgent to have proper etiquette, both the outer and inner. The outer communicates - hopefully together with the inner substance - to the other person, “I am/am not dangerous, or capable, or focused, or distracted, etc." So we inherit this history and culture, to cultivate and polish ourselves. We move our physical body of course to develop the body but also the inner, the mind. Even if you’re not training to kill someone. Or even to be the best. Or even to call yourself a serious student or lifelong student - the etiquette is the minimum behavior. It’s not about aikido technical ability or technical aspirations.