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

Cherry blossoms filling the ground,Sunset filling my eyes:Blossoms vanished, spring old, I feel the passing years.When blossoms were at their finest I neglected to call.The blossoms did not betray me.I betrayed the blossoms. - Ishikawa Jozan (1583-1672) Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis Read Full Story

Right among the people coming and goingI have a place to stayI shut the gate even in the daytimeAnd feel as though I had boughtWo-chu the great mountainAnd had it with me in town.Never since I was born have ILiked to argue, mouth full of blood.My mouth is made fast to heaven and earthSo the universe is still. - Muso Soseki (1275-1351) Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis Read Full Story

A monk asked Fuketsu: `Without speaking, without silence, how can you express the truth?' Fuketsu observed: `I always remember spring-time in southern China. The birds sing among innumerable kinds of fragrant flowers.' Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis Read Full Story

Vast and spacious, like sky and waterMerging during autumn, like snow and moon having the same colorthis field is without boundary,beyond direction, magnificently one entitywithout edge or seam. - Hongzhi (1091-1157) Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis Read Full Story

A man of the Way comes rapping At my brushwood gate,Wants to discuss the essentials of Zen experience.Don't take it wrong if this mountain monk'sToo lazy to open his mouth:Late spring warblers singing their heart out,A village of drifting petals. - Jakushitsu Genko (1290-1367) Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis Read Full Story

The great way of the Buddhas is profound, wondrous, inconceivable; how could its practice be easy? Have you not seen how the ancients gave up their bodies and lives, abandoned their countries, cities, and families, looking upon them as shards of tile? After that they passed eons living alone in the mountains and forests, bodies and minds like dead trees; only then did they unite with the way. Then they could use the mountains and rivers for words, raise the wind and rain for a tongue, and exp... Read Full Story

I was reading an article a while back about the Samurai where the author stated that "Aikido" was the martial art of the Samurai. To the average person that may sound reasonable. But due to the fact that the founder of Aikido died in 1969 and the Samurai caste was abolished in the late 1800's, this would have been impossible. This mistake hit home for me personally because I teach "Aikijutsu" which was what the author should have stated as one of the arts of the Samurai if he had done his res... Read Full Story

Tokusan was studying Zen under Ryutan. One night he came to Ryutan and asked many questions. The teacher said: `The night is getting old. Why don't you retire?' So Tukusan bowed and opened the screen to go out, observing: `It is very dark outside.' Ryutan offered Tokusan a lighted candle to find his way. Just as Tokusan received it, Ryutan blew it out. At that moment the mind of Tokusan was opened. `What have you attained?' asked Ryutan. `From now on,' said Tokusan, `I will not doubt the teac... Read Full Story

A monk asked Nansen: `Is there a teaching no master ever preached before?' Nansen said: `Yes, there is.' `What is it?' asked the monk. Nansen replied: `It is not mind, it is not Buddha, it is not things.' Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis Read Full Story