Kisshomaru Ueshiba is considered the embodiment of the essence of aikido, as inherited from his father, Morihei Ueshiba, akido's founder. The Spirit of Aikido is Kisshomaru Ueshiba's masterpiece, a seminal work on the discipline itself, and on martial arts overall. In his classic discourse, Ueshiba concisely explains the philosophy and techniques of this modern Japanese martial art, which offers a key to living naturally and unselfishly in a complicated world. Long available in paperback, The Spirit of Aikido will now be published in a hardcover edition, with new photos and a preface by the author's son, Moriteru Ueshiba, the third and current Aikido Doshu (headmaster). Aikido - a modern Japanese martial art unique in its synthesis of classic forms with a well-defined spiritual base - offers a key to the art of living naturally and unselfishly in a complicated world. This book explains it in reference to the founder's philosophy of mind - and action. In addition, the history of aikido's prewar development as a noncompetitive new martial art is described in the context of its international role.