Some time ago, in 1987, the practitioners of various different martial arts joined together, taking the most effective techniques from some older styles to create a new martial art. Our intention was never to diminish the need for any style already taught, but to enhance the more realistic applications of these styles for contemporary self defence. At first, we held separate tae kwon do and aikido classes, every third class focusing on the implementation of techniques from the other style. We began to explore how we might contract (tae kwon do) and expand (aikido) our ki, our energy, at the same time.

As time progressed, we persisted with rigorous training in both of the arts separately, with the ultimate goal of eventually combining them.

The development of our students was on the highest level. Those who excelled in tae kwon do participated actively and successfully in tournaments, while those who excelled in aikido attended numerous seminars in the art. Even with the successes we saw, we continued to lose some of our best students, who would learn to prioritize the classes to only attend those suitable to their needs. For our tae kwon do fanatics, winning trophies at tournaments led them to believe that their future was in sparring and patterns (katas), while other students were praised in aikido seminars, and grew to prefer the more spiritual side of martial arts. It would be several years before these students returned to continue their search for what they felt was missing in each of their preferred martial art forms.

During this time, tae kwon do itself went through some major changes, as all ITF (International Tae Kwon Do Federation) schools were pressured to become part of the Olympic sport version of tae kwon do, WTF (World Tae Kwon Do Federation). Tae kwon do was becoming tae kwon (the sport) instead of tae kwon-do (the way). We remained neutral, endorsing both federations and continuing to practice in our own way, while aikido, rich with many disciples of the founder, O Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, continued to lead us on a course of self-discovery.

Seikido, our form born from the fundamentals of these two styles, may seem to some like a variation on something already in existence, and we believe strongly in recognizing our inheritance from these two styles. Our hope is that the do—the way—of Seikido will represent the same values that true martial artists strive for all over the world.

Seikido was able to foresee a need for a new modern martial art form. Seikido began from a defiant need to express oneself without limitations, and the ability to change in an instant, one moment like an immovable rock in a strong tide, the next flowing like the water around that rock. Moving from a show of strength through sparring and board breaking, to harmonizing through blending and redirecting movement. Our intent, then, was never to divert anyone from their path in discovering the essence of budo (the way of the warrior), but to enrich their ability to engage in self defence, the key reason many people join martial arts.

Seikido means the way of the universal force, the force dominating the well-being of every living thing and the force of the universe. Through encouraging breath meditation, we visualize techniques practiced during classes, with a goal of bringing ourselves closer to an understanding of the importance of relaxation and unifying body and mind. Each of us must feel free to search the universe in our own way, to rid ourselves of negativities, and to purify ourselves. We must strive not only towards personal enlightenment, but towards the harmonizing with others, creating a more peaceful and caring society—only then can Seikido truly be understood. For those students who have understood the depth of Seikido, it has not only become impossible to leave it behind, but we have sought to expand on our original ideas and continue to grow.

The diligence with which some of the very first students studied Seikido, grasping and adapting to it, was a strong encouragement for us all—students and founders—to continue to develop our style. Seeing the first Seikido black belts implement extension and contraction simultaneously without hesitation and at last understanding the essence of Seikido was our greatest reward. We could see the path before us, leading into the new millennium and towards our goal of enlightenment. With practice, each of us could and would become more fulfilled as individuals through the art of Seikido.