The Art of Peace

Inspirational teachings on fearlessness, compassion, and nature by the founder of the Japanese martial art of Aikido—now part of the Shambhala Pocket Library

The real way of the warrior is based on compassion, wisdom, fearlessness, and love of nature. So taught the great Morihei Ueshiba (1883–1969), founder of the Japanese martial art of Aikido. Aikido is a mind-body discipline Ueshiba called the “Art of Peace.” It offers a nonviolent way to victory in the face of conflict, and Ueshiba believed that Aikido principles could be applied to all the challenges we face in life—in personal and business relationships, as well as in our interactions with society. This special pocket edition of The Art of Peace features these succinct and pithy teachings—all drawn from Ueshiba’s talks and writings, and compiled into one portable collection by Aikidoist John Stevens.

The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.

MORIHEI UESHIBA (1883-1969), the founder of the Japanese martial art of aikido, is renowned as one of the greatest martial artists of all time. After years as a master of many martial arts, a soldier, and a spiritual seeker, he developed aikido as a way to cultivate peace and harmony in the world. JOHN STEVENS is a professor of Buddhist Studies and an aikido instructor at Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai, Japan. He is the author or translator of over thirty books on Buddhism, Zen, aikido, and Asian culture.