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The Correct Way to Display Japanese Swords

Mon, 11 Nov 2008 21:43:00 GMT

posted by aikijutsu

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 somewhere like Ebay and search for a Katana, you will probably see the katana displayed incorrectly, up-side down, sword curving up-ward, on the rack. It seems if there is a 50/50 chance of displaying it correctly, it will always be displayed incorrectly. Perhaps because when the sword curves upward it looks very Asian, like Japanese architecture. Regardless, it is bad for the edge. It is strange that the very people who are selling and handling Japanese swords do not know the proper display procedure.

Handle (Tsuka) - To the right or to the left?

There is varying opinion on which way the handle should be facing. To the right is conducive for drawing the sword right off of the stand. Where if the handle is to the left, one would have to pick up the sword and turn it over before drawing. Some say that a handle facing to the right is a sign of aggression and to the left is a sign of peace. As I said, opinions vary on this one.

Ted Hanulak is the head instructor of the Japanese martial art of Senso-Ryu Aikijutsu. He teaches Aikijutsu and Zen meditation out of the Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis http://www.aiki-jutsu.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ted_Hanulak

Ivan Browner Sensei Visits Indianapolis Dojo 10/08

Thu, 7 Nov 2008 15:34:00 GMT

posted by aikijutsu

Ivan Browner Sensei (right) visited the Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis and Ted Hanulak Sensei (left) October 2008. Browner Sensei and Hanulak Sensei were both personal students together of Master Richard Behrens in the 1980's and 90's. Browner Sensei has been teaching Aikijutsu in South Florida for the last 15 years.

A Buddha

Fri, 1 Nov 2008 18:39:00 GMT

posted by aikijutsu

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 wine at the time, not even a drop of which is suppposed to touch the tongue of a Buddhist.
"Hello, brother," Tanzan greeted him. "Won't you have a drink?"
"I never drink!" exclaimed Unsho solemnly.
"One who does not drink is not even human," said Tanzan.
"Do you mean to call me inhuman just because I do not indulge in intoxicating liquids!"
exclaimed Unsho in anger. "Then if I am not human, what am I?"
"A Buddha," answered Tanzan.

Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis Senso-Ryu Ted Hanulak Sensei

The Key to Meditation - Doing it!

Thu, 31 Oct 2008 15:08:00 GMT

posted by aikijutsu

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 so you will sit a little later. You forget. The next day you say to yourself that you will sit even longer to make up for the day before. You wind up getting home from work and you are exhauted. So you skip the session, swearing to yourself that you will make it up...you never do.
This is what happens to most people that take up meditation. The scenarios may vary a bit but the gist is the same. It is ok. Just climb back onto that zafu and start sitting again! This is all part of the process. The daily battle. Once you do get on that zafu, now the real work begins. Meditation has a lot of benefits. The benefits however will only "benefit" you if you do the sitting. Just reading about meditation or talking to friends about it will get you nowhere.
So remember: the first rule of meditation is the actual meditation.
Ted Hanulak is the head instructor of the Japanese martial art of Senso-Ryu Aikijutsu. He teaches Aikijutsu and Zen meditation out of the Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis http://www.aiki-jutsu.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ted_Hanulak

9/11 Remembered

Wed, 11 Sep 2008 17:28:00 GMT

posted by aikijutsu

New York - Ground Zero in New York relived on Thursday the tragic event that changed the city with the horrific terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre seven years ago.

A minute of silence was held at 08:46 - the exact moment when the north tower of the centre's 110-storey twin buildings was first hit by a commercial plane hijacked by terrorists.

Cloudy skies and a cold wind contributed to the sombre ceremony at Ground Zero attended by a few hundred selected government officials, firefighters and police, and families of the dead.

New York City Michael Bloomberg opened the observation of the anniversary, cut short of previous years' more elaborate shows of mourning and sympathy for families of the more than 2 700 people from 95 countries that died when both towers burned to the ground.

Bloomberg said the attacks on September 11 2001, changed the city of 8 million people.

"It lived forever in our hearts and our history, a tragedy that united us in a common memory and a common story," Bloomberg said in opening the ceremony held down the ramp into the deeper ground at the site of the destroyed centre.

"We return this morning as New Yorkers, Americans and world citizens, remembering the innocent people from 95 nations and territories that lost their lives together that day," Bloomberg said.

The reading of names of those who died on 9/11 began at Ground Zero immediately after Bloomberg delivered his speech.

A total of 102 couples chosen from the list of victims's families were to take turns reading names of all the dead. - dpa

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