摘要：Background and Study Aim: Aikido is considered a modern budo. Created in Japan around 1942, aikido has its origins in several martial
arts and some religious aspects. In turn, the care of the self represents an antique spirituality composed by
knowledge and practices that have been passed down through ages. Our study aims to reflect on elements
of the care of the self in aikido philosophy, identifying contributions for physical education.
Material and Methods: This is a qualitative study with a hermeneutic approach based on Paul Ricœur, which interprets some works
by Morihei, Kisshomaru, Moriteru Ueshiba, and Michel Foucault.
Results: We identified notions of ki (vital energy), kotodama (the spiritual study of sounds), misogi (purification) and
budo (path of self-improvement) in aikido, and in the care of the self, the formation of the ethical subject and
their art of living. We identified elements of the care of the self in aikido, and finally, we perceive physical education
as an art of well living through the spirituality notion built from the identified elements.
Conclusions: We perceive this hermeneutic study as a possibility to identify the care of the self elements in aikido. Beyond
this, the identified elements favour physical education socio-philosophical studies when we perceive them as
a path, a lifestyle through the aesthetics of existence in the martial arts context, especially in the practice of
budo, in the sense of considering it as an art of well living.
