The plaque placed by NASA on the Pioneer 10 and 11 probes captured the imagination of us kids born in the seventies and eighties. It had it all: the mystery of space exploration; technology making giant leaps; the curiosity, mixed with hope and fears, of wondering whether we are alone in this Universe.

The plaque was designed to convey to a hypothetical extraterrestrial being where the probe came from, Earth’s position in our galaxy, and a message of peace from humankind, represented by a man waving a hand next to a woman. Both naked.

If there is intelligent life in the universe, and if Pioneer ever falls into the hands of an alien, it’s likely this depiction will be the reason for the lack of contact between our two cultures. The extraterrestrial might conclude that a man and a woman standing there, nude, waving at aliens, are hopelessly doomed to extinction, and therefore not worth the effort to establish contact with. What a pity.

Back to us, this plaque inspired the creation of this illustration:

An Explorable Galaxy

We tried to represent the position of the Aikido practitioner in the galaxy of principles that make up the technical curriculum.

We depicted the lines with the color of the rank in which they first appear: yellow for fifth kyu, orange for fourth, and so on.

Beyond the fact that as one progresses, the practice encompasses many forms of attack and becomes more varied and challenging, this representation shows us that the bulk of a practitioner’s “toolbox” is acquired by the third or second kyu.

Relatively few, at least in numerical terms, are the new elements after the first kyu.

A Spiral Trajectory

Just like our galaxy, the trajectory of practice also follows the shape of a spiral.

A recursive trajectory. In the beginning, because it’s necessary to explore the basic grammar. Later, because the grammar must be used to express oneself in increasingly complex ways.

Just as in language we use the same words to form simple or complex sentences, in practice, we iteratively return to a number of principles which, as can be seen, are not that numerous.

Breaking Out of the Fence

Yet this continual return to the same trajectories is not mere circularity. If we unwind a spiral, we realize that from the last time we performed an exercise or technique, we’ve traveled a progressively greater distance each time.

Looking back, we should see that our starting point is farther and farther away.

Sometimes, this doesn’t happen. Like the Pioneer probe, one must have the curiosity to know what’s around the corner. And it takes the skill and courage of those who propose solutions—didactic ones in this case—that dare to go beyond stereotypes and habits. Beyond copying, pasting, and instilling something that’s sometimes not even well understood.

Exploration and Preservation

In conclusion, there is no possibility of progress without exploration rooted in solid foundations. Knowing how to return to the starting point and remembering who we are and where we come from is fundamental to daring to chart a course.

“Tradition and innovation,” as the tired DIY marketing claim would put it. And if the extraterrestrial were to read this message, upon reaching this phrase, they would never sign up for an Aikido course—and they’d be right.

We prefer “exploration and preservation.” The spiral, after all, can propagate infinitely, but it originates somewhere, and the journey must lead somewhere. Recursively intersecting the trajectories of principles (simply put: performing ikkyo, nikyo, blah blah blah) helps us orient ourselves and ensures our probe doesn’t get lost in the deep space of aimless exploration.

Disclaimer: Closeup of the Pioneer 10 Plaque – Photo sourced from NASA’s digital assets.