15/11/2025
Since six directions has come up again in another discussion forum, here's an old article discussing this in Aikido, and how it has been largely misunderstood and mistranslated - "Morihei Ueshiba, Budo and Kamae":
https://www.aikidosangenkai.org/blog/morihei-ueshiba-budo-kamae/
Basically speaking, six directions is a fundamental skill without which most of the other skills don't really work, although the apparent effects will vary in application.
Six directions is also commonly associated with "immovebility", but it should be noted that real immovebility has very little to do with not moving, that's something that folks just tend to misunderstand because the push tests are a gateway into the training.
As Takuan Soho noted, real immovebility means the ability to move freely with six directions without being disturbed.
