Student Visits Japanese Art Exhibit in Chicago In September, Castle Rock AIKIDO student, Sean Hannon, was stuck in Chicago during a layover and had just barely enough time to pop into The Art Institute of Chicago to visit their featured exhibit on decorative, Japanese Screens called: Beyond Golden Clouds.It was a powerful exhibit with perhaps nearly one hundred different, folding Japanese screens called "byōbu" from as far back as the 15th century. Although photography was not permitted, the ... Read Full Story
Student Visits Japanese Art Exhibit in Chicago In September, Castle Rock AIKIDO student, Sean Hannon, was stuck in Chicago during a layover and had just barely enough time to pop into The Art Institute of Chicago to visit their featured exhibit on decorative, Japanese Screens called: Beyond Golden Clouds.It was a powerful exhibit with perhaps nearly one hundred different, folding Japanese screens called "byōbu" from as far back as the 15th century. Although photography was not permitted, the ... Read Full Story
Part Three: Courage - Doing the Hard ThingWe continue to explore Bushido's major principles, concepts, and values as articulated in the classic 1899 Japanese text, Bushido: The Soul of Japan, by Inazo Nitobe, and evaluate their applicability in today's modern world. Bushido: The Soul of Japan is one of the first major works on samurai ethics and Japanese culture. It is considered by some to be the first collective statement of what is commonly referred to as the Seven Virtues of Bushido.Nitob... Read Full Story
Part Three: Courage - Doing the Hard ThingWe continue to explore Bushido's major principles, concepts, and values as articulated in the classic 1899 Japanese text, Bushido: The Soul of Japan, by Inazo Nitobe, and evaluate their applicability in today's modern world. Bushido: The Soul of Japan is one of the first major works on samurai ethics and Japanese culture. It is considered by some to be the first collective statement of what is commonly referred to as the Seven Virtues of Bushido.Nitob... Read Full Story
more on the development of iai, part 2...In the hands of Hayashizaki Jinsuke's successors the Muso Shinden Ryu underwent both technical and philosophical changes to a degree that greatly reduced its original combat effectiveness. These changes are further evidence of the social forces working in the daily lives of Edo-period citizens. These forces were reshaping the role of the warrior in that society, and in fact were challenging his very special social position. With this, the Edo-period wa... Read Full Story
more on the development of iai, part 2...In the hands of Hayashizaki Jinsuke's successors the Muso Shinden Ryu underwent both technical and philosophical changes to a degree that greatly reduced its original combat effectiveness. These changes are further evidence of the social forces working in the daily lives of Edo-period citizens. These forces were reshaping the role of the warrior in that society, and in fact were challenging his very special social position. With this, the Edo-period wa... Read Full Story
Q: Will I hold back an advanced student if we train together?A: I have often observed in my many years of training, practicing, and teaching Aikido that many beginner or inexperienced Aikido students seem to be intimidated when training with a more advanced student. At seminars and large classes, I often see less experienced students (perhaps subconsciously) pairing themselves with other less experienced students, and conversely more advanced aikidoka pairing themselves with others of the sam... Read Full Story
Q: Will I hold back an advanced student if we train together?A: I have often observed in my many years of training, practicing, and teaching Aikido that many beginner or inexperienced Aikido students seem to be intimidated when training with a more advanced student. At seminars and large classes, I often see less experienced students (perhaps subconsciously) pairing themselves with other less experienced students, and conversely more advanced aikidoka pairing themselves with others of the sam... Read Full Story
Without a doubt, The Void Book is the most ambiguous, esoteric, and perhaps the most perplexing of the five books in The Book of 5 Rings. It is also the shortest of all the other books, perhaps because how does one endlessly elaborate on something called the void? Nonetheless, I'll give it a shot.Knowing what Musashi calls "the void" provides contrast for knowing what "is." Without knowledge, acceptance and awareness of the void Musashi asserts that there is confusion. What "is" and the void ... Read Full Story
Without a doubt, The Void Book is the most ambiguous, esoteric, and perhaps the most perplexing of the five books in The Book of 5 Rings. It is also the shortest of all the other books, perhaps because how does one endlessly elaborate on something called the void? Nonetheless, I'll give it a shot.Knowing what Musashi calls "the void" provides contrast for knowing what "is." Without knowledge, acceptance and awareness of the void Musashi asserts that there is confusion. What "is" and the void ... Read Full Story
