Kevin Heard Sensei

As of this past June, Kevin Heard Sensei has been a member of the Sennin Foundation Center for 25 years. He has displayed exceptional devotion to our dojo and achieved high levels of teaching certification in several of the traditional Japanese arts that we offer. His constant help with the organization and maintenance of the dojo has also been invaluable.

A San Francisco Bay Area native, Heard Sensei has been studying Japanese cultural arts since he joined the Sennin Foundation Center in 1984. He is the webmaster of www.senninfoundation.com as well as Michi Online: Journal of Japanese Cultural Arts (www.michionline.org). He serves on the Board of Directors of the Sennin Foundation, Inc. as well, and he's an assistant editor of Michi Online.

Mr. Heard has obtained Shihan ("Professor" or "Instructor") teaching licenses in Shin-shin-toitsu-do, a form of Japanese yoga, as well as healing arts based on yuki, or "transference of ki." He teaches classes in these disciplines at our dojo each week.

Heard Sensei also holds the rank of menkyo chudan (a traditional teaching license roughly equivalent to fourth through sixth-degree black belt in modern ranking systems) in Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu. Heard Sensei has received teaching licenses from the Nihon Jujutsu and Kobudo divisions of the Kokusai Budoin, an elite international martial arts federation headquartered in Tokyo. He has demonstrated aiki-jujutsu several times at the Kokusai Budoin Sogo Budo Taikai, held annually in Tokyo. Heard Sensei is also on the Board of Advisors of the prestigious Shudokan Martial Arts Association.

In addition to teaching beginning and advanced martial arts classes at our dojo, Mr. Heard helps teach in our program for children, where he offers instruction in both Japanese yoga and martial arts. He has extensive experience working with young people, and he began assisting with our classes for kids in the mid-80s.

Heard Sensei earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of California at Berkeley. After working in the software development industry, he returned to the University to become Director of Computing and Information Services for UCB's School of Information. His professional interests include UNIX/Linux system administration, building information systems based on open standards, and open source software. He is also interested in issues of security, privacy, and personal freedom in the digital age. He is co-author of Mastering Netscape SuiteSpot 3 Servers (Sybex).

The next time you see Heard Sensei at the dojo, congratulate him on his 25th anniversary. It’s quite an accomplishment.

Anjo Daza Ho Meditation CD

The Sennin Foundation Center is now offering a new Anjo Daza Ho Meditation CD for just $8.95 (plus $2.00 U.S. shipping, $5.00 international). This unique CD is only sold by us, and it features the soothing sound of a classic Japanese meditation bell, timed at particular intervals, which can be used for Anjo Daza Ho meditation (as described in H. E. Davey Sensei's book Japanese Yoga). These kane, Japanese bowl-shaped bells, aren't widely available outside of Japan, and Anjo Daza Ho uses this sound to powerfully focus the mind for meditation. A special buzzer can also be used to effectively concentrate the mind, and this distinctive hum is included in our new CD as well.

The CD contains two tracks: one for beginners and one for more advanced meditators. The beginners' track features a longer sound, with shorter periods of silence, making it easier for novices to initially focus the mind and requiring them to maintain the meditative state for shorter periods. It lasts about 30 minutes.

The track for advanced students uses shorter periods of sound, with longer intervals of quiet, encouraging more adept meditators to focus the mind rapidly, and sustain soundless meditative consciousness for longer periods. This track is also about 30 minutes in length.

The production of this extraordinary CD was personally supervised by H. E. Davey Sensei, author of Japanese Yoga, and internationally acclaimed teacher of Japanese yoga and meditation. It represents your chance to more easily practice Anjo Daza Ho, a potent meditation created by Nakamura Tempu Sensei, the renowned founder of the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation. With our Anjo Daza Ho Meditation CD, you can experience heightened calmness, relaxation, concentration, and willpower.

You can order this meditation tool by visiting http://senninfoundation.com/meditation_cd.html. Once there, you can buy your CD using a major credit card or your PayPal account. Transactions are handled via PayPal and are safe and secure.

Gift Certificates

The Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts has gift certificates available for purchase. You can buy one month, three months, six months, or one year worth of classes for a friend with these certificates, and they make great presents.

Not sure what to get for a friend's birthday or wedding? Consider giving them prepaid instruction in any of the Japanese arts taught in our dojo. A Sennin Foundation gift certificate will benefit your friend, and help support our dojo.

For more information, or to purchase a gift certificate, please call 510-526-7518.

A Free Month of Japanese Yoga & Martial Arts for Kids

For a limited time only, the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts is offering a free month of instruction for children age five and above. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and you'd like to get more details about this offer, call 510-526-7518 (evenings). You can also drop by Martial Arts & Kids (http://martialartsandkids.blogspot.com/).

The Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts has a special program for children. Since 1981, we've specialized in teaching young people traditional Japanese yoga and martial arts via fun, carefully structured classes. These classes present effective methods of controlling an opponent without excessive violence, and our overall emphasis focuses on the realization of each child's full potential. We stress learning to unite the mind and body in daily activities through practicing Japanese yoga and martial arts (jujutsu), which can in turn result in the discovery of our greatest human power.

SMAA Martial Arts Seminar at the Sennin Foundation

SMAA CALIFORNIA SEMINAR!

On June 27 and 28, the Shudokan Martial Arts Association will offer a special seminar in conjunction with the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts. It is one of several seminars commemorating the 15th anniversary of the SMAA, and the featured instructor will be H. E. Davey, SMAA Primary Director and SMAA Jujutsu Division Shihan and seventh dan.

The theme of the weekend will be “Unification of Mind & Body in the Martial Arts,” and instruction will be offered in Shin-shin-toitsu-do, a form of Japanese yoga and meditation, along with Saigo Ryu, a traditional martial art emphasizing jujutsu and several weapons. The event will take place in quaint Albany, California, just across the bay from San Francisco. Instruction is open to anyone above the age of thirteen.

Through unification of mind and body, martial artists and average people alike can learn to manifest their full potential in a wide variety of situations. Instruction will emphasize how mind and body unification principles created by Nakamura Tempu Sensei in the 1920s lead to enhanced concentration, calmness, relaxation, and willpower in both life and budo. Since Mr. Davey will be showing how these principles relate to budo, attending the Japanese yoga and meditation training is required for this event.

Saigo Ryu training will focus on the wide variety of dynamic throws, unique immobilizations, powerful strangle holds, and rarely seen grappling methods that make up the unarmed portion of this Japanese martial art. Emphasis will be placed on how an understanding of ki (“life energy”) and the hara (a natural abdominal center) can lead to greater power, balance, and grace in any martial art. Students will also be introduced to the art of subtly influencing an opponent’s mind and ki (ki o michibiki), resulting in effortless throws and pinning techniques.

Classes will be offered in a time-honored Japanese atmosphere, and Mr. Davey’s classical dojo is traditional in appearance and intimate in size. Attending these classes as special guest teachers will be at least three SMAA Senior Advisors: Kevin Heard Sensei, Ann Kameoka Sensei, and Ohsaki Jun Sensei. Space is limited, and early registration is strongly suggested.

The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Book your flight and make your hotel reservations early. Plenty of time has been built into the schedule to allow for sightseeing and fun.

Mr. Davey and the various attending instructors look forward to offering you a life-altering training experience in June, an event that will present new ways of approaching budo and daily living. Registration forms have been sent to most of our members via e-mail. Members without e-mail should call soon to request a registration form.

Mr. Davey and the various attending SMAA officials are hoping to make new friends and meet old training partners at the first SMAA event ever offered in California.

When:

June 27 and 28

Where:

The Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts

1053 San Pablo Ave.Albany, CA 94706

USA

www.senninfoundation.com

http://senninfoundation.blogspot.com/

Who:

H. E. Davey Sensei (Featured instructor for Japanese yoga/meditation and Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu, biographical sketch at http://smaa-hq.com/bios/davey.php)

Kevin Heard Sensei (Attending instructor, biographical sketch at http://smaa-hq.com/bios/heard.php)

Ann Kameoka Sensei (Attending instructor, biographical sketch at http://smaa-hq.com/bios/kameoka.php)

Ohsaki Jun Sensei (Attending instructor, biographical sketch at http://smaa-hq.com/bios/ohsaki.php)

Schedule:

Saturday, June 27

8:45 to 9:45 AM (Introduction to Japanese yoga and mind/body unification. Wear a t-shirt and loose pants.)

10:00 to 11:30 AM (Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu. Wear a white gi.)

11:45 AM (Sightseeing in the San Francisco Bay Area)

Sunday, June 28

8:45 to 10:15 AM (Mind/body unification in Japanese yoga, martial arts, and daily life. Wear a t-shirt and loose pants.)

10:30 AM to 12:00 PM (Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu. Wear a white gi.)

12:15 to 2:15 PM (Informal party at Ruen Pair Thai Restaurant:http://www.ruenpair.com/)2:30 PM (Sightseeing in the San Francisco Bay Area)

Cost:

General Public—$60 for all Japanese yoga and martial arts classes

SMAA Members--$40 for all Japanese yoga and martial classes (Save $20!)

Housing and Meals:
Albany is located in the East Bay, across from San Francisco, and next to Berkeley. Restaurants are widely available, as are hotels. A Holiday Inn can be found in nearby Berkeley, just minutes from the dojo (http://www.hiexpress.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hotel/bekca?&cm_mmc=mdp=true, Telephone: 1-877-863-4780). The Hotel Durant is also located in Berkeley (http://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/durant/, Telephone: 510-845-8981). Motels for almost every budget can be found by searching the Internet, so be sure to check around for the best possible deal.

Registration:

Space is extremely limited for all sessions. Contact Mr. Davey soon to reserve your place. The SMAA, the Sennin Foundation Center, and H. E. Davey reserve the right to close registration at any time, once all available spaces have been taken. Your fee and seminar registration must be received no later than June 20. Checks or money orders should be made out to Sennin Foundation Center. It will not be possible to register in person at the first class.

Map:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&countryid=250&addtohistory=&address=1053+San+Pablo+Avenue&city=Albany&state=CA&zipcode=&submit=Get+Map

Visitor & Tourist Information:

Albany, California Visitor Information: http://www.albanychamber.org/

San Francisco, California Visitor Information: http://sfo.web.infoseek.co.jp/

Airports & Transportation:

San Francisco International Airport:

800-435-9736 or 650-821-8211

http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/index.jsp

Oakland International Airport:

510-563-3300

http://www.flyoakland.com/index2.cfm

Rental cars are available at both airports.

Contact Information:

H. E. Davey

hedavey@aol.com

510-526-7518

FREE Classes!

On Thursday, February 5 the Sennin Foundation Center in Albany, California will be offering free introductions to Japanese yoga and meditation as well as Japanese martial arts. The classes will be taught by Kevin Heard Sensei, a Sennin Foundation instructor with over 20 years of experience. These classes are for age 14 and up, and we hope you'll participate. Please let your friends and family know about this special event, too. It's open to the public.Our free introduction to Japanese yoga and meditation (Shin-shin-toitsu-do) will start at 7 PM, but if you aren't a Sennin Foundation member, you should arrive at 6:45 PM to fill out a registration form. Loose clothing and a notebook is recommended.

Following this class will be an introduction to Japanese martial arts (Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu). Since principles covered in the previous class will be referenced in our martial arts training, participation in Japanese yoga is required. However, the introductory martial arts class is optional.You and your friends will need to reserve a place for this limited attendance event. To do so, just call 510-526-7518. Leave your name, and let us know that you want to participate on February 5. We hope to see you there!

FREE Classes!

On Thursday, January 8 the Sennin Foundation Center will be offering free introductions to Japanese yoga and meditation as well as Japanese martial arts. The classes will be taught by H. E. Davey Sensei, Sennin Foundation Director. These classes are for age 14 and up, and we hope you'll participate. Please let your friends and family know about this special event, too. It's open to the public.

Our free introduction to Japanese yoga and meditation (Shin-shin-toitsu-do) will start at 7 PM, but if you aren't a Sennin Foundation member, you should arrive at 6:45 PM to fill out a registration form. Loose clothing and a notebook is recommended.

Following this class will be an introduction to Japanese martial arts (Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu). Since principles covered in the previous class will be referenced in our martial arts training, participation in Japanese yoga is required. However, the introductory martial arts class is optional.You and your friends will need to reserve a place for this limited attendance event. To do so, just call 510-526-7518. Leave your name, and let us know that you want to participate on January 8. We hope to see you there!