One of the most consistent learning outcomes in our mixed-methods study on aikido-based communication training was tranquillity. Not tranquillity as relaxation, but as a trainable form of self-regulation that directly affects how people communicate.
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| Tranquillity is a skill |
The following excerpt is taken word for word from our article:
Qualitative analysis of the observations, transcripts, and surveys showed that tranquility was a highly popular learning gain in the aikido-embodied groups. Nora (Aikido-Embodied Group A) reported how she benefitted from learning tranquility skills through posture and breathwork: ‘Working on my grounding and breathing to communicate from a stronger position and thus have better conversations. Applied twice already with brilliant results.’ Louise (Aikido-Embodied Group A) shared that she used tranquility in her daily communication at work, adding her catchline in capital letters: ‘CENTERING AND ATTENTION TO THE LOWER ABDOMEN.’ During the plenary feedback in the training course, Elias (Aikido-Embodied Group D) shared how he saw the purpose of tranquility as creating the conditions for focused interaction and new common ground: ‘But can we make tranquility even more active and talk about an active tranquility, in an avail…available sense, being available? Creating an opening.’ Gust (Aikido-Embodied Group D) described after about 10 weeks that ‘the tranquil approach is important. People have noticed the difference.’ — De Baets et al. (2025, p. 17)
What participants describe here is not withdrawal, and not staying calm in a superficial sense.
They are describing self-regulation through the body:
regulating breath before speech
stabilising posture before responding
maintaining availability rather than reacting defensively
Why this matters for communication training
If communication training focuses only on language, argumentation, or role play, it misses a crucial layer. Before clarity, before empathy, before collaboration, there is self-regulation.
Aikido offers a concrete and trainable way to develop that capacity in the body, where interaction actually starts and resides. Participants do not report learning what to say, but how to be present in a way that allows better conversations to emerge. This also explains why tranquillity was both noticed by participants themselves and by people around them weeks later.
Reference
De Baets, G. A., Plevoets, K., Decock, S., & Van Praet, E. (2025). The potential of aikido in intercultural business communication training: A mixed-methods analysis of embodied pedagogy. Journal of Experiential Education, 1–49. https://doi.org/10.1177/10538259251397872
Greet Angèle DE BAETS
Communication Doctor
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