Etymology and Meaning of Adonaikido. The name Adonaikido contains two words that are interwoven: Adonai and Aikido. As the name suggests, it is not just the joining of two thoughts which remain separate, but a theological and philosophical alchemy and blending which produces an entirely new paradigm in thought and spirituality. In this way, the theology and philosophy of Adonaikido are actually extrapolated from the name itself. Let’s take a look at these two words in more depth.
- Adonai is the Hebrew word for Lord which fondly refers to the God of the Bible. Adonaikido recognizes the God of the Bible, and, as such, builds upon Biblical wisdom and teachings. Additional techniques, forms, teachings, and wisdom from other world religions are selectively combined with Biblical methods in a complementary and effective way.
- Aikido is a word with Asian etymology that popularly refers to a Japanese martial arts form. Aikido is a martial art in which the practitioner becomes highly skilled at not harming anyone or anything – even the most threatening attacker. Central to Aikido is the idea of being in harmony with your opponents, rather than in conflict with them. Various techniques allow the Aikido practitioner to capture and / or redirect an opponents energy for defense in a way that doesn’t harm the attacker. In the highest forms of Aikido, the practitioner would study Chiropractic methods and attempt to give the assailant an adjustment during the course of a confrontation. The assailant is to go away unharmed, and preferably, in better shape than before. Aikido is a science of capturing and / or redirecting all energy, whether physical, emotional, or otherwise, to create something positive from all energy and experience. It is not difficult to see how this philosophy could apply with regard to our interaction with all beings and creation.
Two Words Become One. The word Aikido can be expressed in English as “The Way (Do) of Unity (Ai) with the Universal Force (Ki).” A further analysis of the word Aikido reveals: Ai (harmony, unity, balance), Ki (life, spirit, energy, force), Do (the way or path). When these two words are combined, Adonai + Aikido, we arrive at a new meaning, “The way of unity with the universal force of Adonai” – the essence of Adonaikido.