A dog barking and the sound of water; Peach blossoms heavy with dew. In these deep woods, deer can be seen; At noon along the stream, I hear no bell. Wild bamboo divides gray clouds; Waterfalls hang from blue peaks. No one knows where you’ve gone; Disheartened, I lean against a second, Now a third pine. - Li Po Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis Read Full Story
The Japanese Daisho, the Katana and Wakizashi, should be displayed on the horizontal sword stand with the sharp edge of the blade on top. The sword would be then curving downward. If you place the sword edge down, there will be pressure on the edge. This will cause the edge to bend. Like a barbers straight edge razor, the edge bends rather than dulls. This is why you will see an old time barber smacking the straight edge along a leather strap to straighten the edge. If you go online to... Read Full Story
Joshu asked Nansen: `What is the path?' Nansen said: `Everyday life is the path.' Joshu asked: `Can it be studied?' Nansen said: `If you try to study, you will be far away from it.' Joshu asked: `If I do not study, how can I know it is the path?' Nansen said: `The path does not belong to the perception world, neither does it belong to the nonperception world. Cognition is a delusion and noncognition is senseless. If you want to reach the true path beyond doubt, place yourself in the same... Read Full Story
It is fun to learn to meditate. You join a group, buy a zafu (meditation pillow), buy some candles and incense, etc. Now it is time to meditate everyday at home. The meditation instructor says it is a good idea to do it on a regular basis. You are excited! You set up a small area with all the important items. You are prepared. The first couple of days go smoothly. You scheduled a time to sit (meditate) and you followed it to the letter. The next day you forgot you have a doctors appointment... Read Full Story
In Tokyo in the Meiji era there lived two prominent teachers of opposite characteristics. One, Unsho, an instructor in Shingon, kept Buddha's precepts scrupulously. He never drank intoxicants, nor did he eat after eleven o'clock in the morning. The other teacher, Tanzan, a professor of philosophy at the Imperial University, never observed the precepts. Whenever he felt like eating, he ate, and when he felt like sleeping in the daytime he slept. One day Unsho visited Tanzan, who was drinking... Read Full Story
Gutei raised his finger whenever he was asked a question about Zen. A boy attendant began to imitate him in this way. When anyone asked the boy what his master had preached about, the boy would raise his finger. Gutei heard about the boy's mischief. He seized him and cut off his finger. The boy cried and ran away. Gutei called and stopped him. When the boy turned his head to Gutei, Gutei raised up his own finger. In that instant the boy was enlightened. When Gutei was about to pass from this... Read Full Story
When Buddha was in Grdhrakuta mountain he turned a flower in his fingers and held in before his listeners. Every one was silent. Only Maha-Kashapa smiled at this revelation, although he tried to control the lines of his face. Buddha said: `I have the eye of the true teaching, the heart of Nirvana, the true aspect of non-form, and the ineffable stride of Dharma. It is not expressed by words, but especially transmitted beyond teaching. This teaching I have given to Maha-Kashapa.' Aikijutsu... Read Full Story
People love to modernize everything. It truly is the American way. In most cases it is a great idea. In martial arts however, it is not. Most martial art schools today have become nothing more than health clubs and day care centers. Discipline is not stressed. In fact it hardly exists in today's modern school. School owners are worried about retaining the student because they need the student to pay the rent. This is where the problem lies. The teacher should not need the student, the student... Read Full Story
People love to modernize everything. It truly is the American way. In most cases it is a great idea. In martial arts however, it is not. Most martial art schools today have become nothing more than health clubs and day care centers. Discipline is not stressed. In fact it hardly exists in today's modern school. School owners are worried about retaining the student because they need the student to pay the rent. This is where the problem lies. The teacher should not need the student, the student... Read Full Story
Sooooo Ok. A bout a month ago, or so, I wrote to request to visit the Kyudo school in SJ. I got a VERY judgmental response from one of the people. A Sensei or husband of the Sensei or both. It really bugged me, as rudeness always does. I figured if that is how the school is no way would I attend. However rather than being a baka like that person I wanted to check things out first hand before I dropped the full judgement hammer and idiot label. Today I went…
When I arrived at the Dojo, they... Read Full Story
