Aikido, Principally
Practical Insights on Self-Improvement
Aikido, Principally explores how the underlying principles of Aikido can transform the way we show up in our relationships, our work, and our inner lives. Drawing on nearly four decades of practice, teaching, and the occasional hard landing, Rabbi Daniel B. Kohn offers a practical and deeply human field guide — not to martial arts technique, but to living with greater presence, honesty, and care.
Through more than 125 short, principle-based entries, Kohn explores what it means to respond instead of react, to receive conflict without collapsing, and to find the still point inside the chaos. Whether you've never set foot on a mat or you've been training for years, Aikido, Principally offers a refreshing and grounded path toward the kind of harmony Aikido has always pointed to — not just between partners in a throw, but between people trying to make their way in the world together.
Meet the Author
Daniel B. Kohn is a 3rd-degree black belt in Aikido with nearly four decades of practice and teaching, and the author of Aikido, Principally: Practical Insights on Self-Improvement — a field guide to living with greater presence, honesty, and care, drawn from a lifetime on the mat and translated for anyone navigating the demands of modern life.
A rabbi, spiritual leader, educator as well as instructional designer, with six academic degrees, he is the author of hundreds of articles and five previous books spanning Jewish education, spirituality, and mysticism — including Kinesthetic Kabbalah: Spiritual Practices from Martial Arts and Jewish Mysticism, a pioneering exploration of the convergence between Kabbalistic wisdom and Aikido — and has written for a wide variety of publications. His work lives at the intersection of embodied practice, spiritual inquiry, and the very human challenge of showing up with more presence, integrity, and care.
Additional Books by Daniel Kohn
Kinesthetic Kabbalah: Spiritual Practices from Martial Arts and Jewish Mysticism
Sex, Drugs and Violence in the Jewish Tradition: Moral Perspectives
Emerging Jewish: Surviving the Conversion Process with Your Ideals and Relationships Intact
Jewish FAQs: An Internet Rabbi’s Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Judaism
What People Are Saying
Author Daniel Kohn is your wise and friendly guide. Every page contains practical, well-articulated, humorous, and helpful tips that point unerringly to the heart of the art. Read this book and be inspired to engage in the profound life practice of Aikido!
Linda Holiday
7th Dan Shihan, Author of Journey to the Heart of Aikido: The Teachings of Motomichi Anno SenseiA personal, generous guide to the art and spirit of Aikido. Clear, wise, and deeply practical — this book shows how ancient principles can transform modern life. This is the kind of book you return to again and again.
Jan Nevelius7th Dan, Shihan Former chief instructor of the Swedish Aikido Federation
Daniel Kohn captures this truth with rare clarity and warmth — that the real art of Aikido begins the moment we step off the mat. An invitation to move through the world with presence, integrity, and an open heart.
Jim Alvarez6th Dan, Shihan Chief Instructor—Aikido of Livermore - Shinrei Dojo
Get in Touch
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