We hope all of the fans of the Sennin Foundation Facebook page and Sennin Foundation Blog have a very Happy New Year!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Happy Holidays!
Thanks to all the students at the Sennin Foundation Center for their interest and support in 2010. We hope everyone has very Happy Holidays and a great New Year.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Review of "The Zen Art Book"
The Zen Art Book: The Art of Enlightenment
By Stephen Addiss and John Daido Loori
Reviewed by H. E. Davey
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Shambhala; 1 Original edition (November 3, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 159030747X
ISBN-13: 978-1590307472
Dimensions: 8.9 x 7 x 0.5 inches
List price: $21.95 (US)
When a Zen adept, or indeed any artist, puts brush to paper, the ensuing image is a picture of the state of his or her psyche. Therefore in Zen, artistic expressions are “lessons,” intended to cause the viewer to pause and reflect on ultimate reality.
In this book, forty well-known examples of painting and calligraphy by celebrated Zen teachers such as Hakuin (1685–1768) and Sengai (1750–1837) are reproduced along with observations that shed light on both the artwork and its symbolism. In essence, opposite the photo of the artwork, readers will find remarks by the two authors listed as “Zen Commentary” and “Art Comment.” The writers’ essays at the beginning of the volume present a foreword to the artistic and educational aspects of Zen art.
Mr. Loori’s treatise Art as Teacher is especially valuable to anyone exploring the deeper meaning of art, but readers should realize that while Zen is often cited for using art as moving meditation, many people in Japan practice crafts like calligraphy as meditation, and they do so without any affiliation with Zen. In short, Zen does not have a monopoly on meditative Japanese art. With that noted, Zen certainly does have a lengthy tradition of integrating its philosophy with art, something this book explains well.
The ink paintings (sumi-e) and brush calligraphy (sho) in The Zen Art Book display elements that are at times insightful, impenetrable, serious, funny, and beautiful. Although bigger, more complete, and more beautiful books on Zen art are available, The Zen Art Book is less expensive than these works, providing a concise and effective introduction to this topic and an illuminating introductory essay by Zen practitioner John Daido Loori.
About the Reviewer: H. E. Davey, the Director of the San Francisco Bay Area-based Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts, is also the author of The Japanese Way of the Artist, Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony, Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation, and other works. He is a direct student of the famed calligrapher Kobara Ranseki Sensei, and he holds the highest rank in Ranseki Sho Juku calligraphic art. His Japanese calligraphy and painting has been in numerous exhibitions in Japan, where he has received multiple top awards. For more information about H. E. Davey and his classes in Japanese arts and forms of meditation, visit www.senninfoundation.com.
Review of "How to Wrap Five Eggs"
How to Wrap Five Eggs: Traditional Japanese Packaging
By Hideyuki Oka
Photographs by Michikazu Sakai
Reviewed by H. E. Davey
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Weatherhill (October 14, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590306198
ISBN-13: 978-1590306192
Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.2 x 0.9 inches
Retail Price: $30 (US)
This classic book was first available in 1975 and titled How to Wrap Five More Eggs. It was created by the late Oka Hideyuki, with exceptional photography by Sakai Michikazu. In many ways a “coffee table book,” this work’s striking full-page photos effectively portray the integration of classic Japanese aesthetics into daily life in Japan. How to Wrap Five Eggs is worth purchasing for the pictures alone, which comprise the majority of the book.
Time-honored Japanese packaging is an art that applies refined design and natural aesthetics to everyday objects. In Oka Hideyuki’s graceful presentation of the baskets, boxes, wrappers, and containers that were used in run of the mill, daily Japanese existence, readers are presented with eye-catching illustrations of an era prior to mass production in Japan. Principally constructed of bamboo, rice straw, hemp cord, paper, and leaves, all of the items revealed in the book come from natural substances. Through 221 black-and-white photographs of genuine models of long-established Japanese packaging—with notes on the genesis, materials, and use of every piece—the objects presented advocate looking into a rapidly disappearing craft, while they also remind us of our relationship to the natural world and the value of handicrafts that were at one time active and vibrant in scores of people’s lives.
In many industrialized societies, handmade objects are quickly fading away, and this is especially sad to see in Japan, a culture that once epitomized the idea that everyday items can be crafted and presented in a manner that adds meaning and beauty to our lives. Traditional Japanese culture at one time embodied the notion that how something is done is as important as the final outcome of a given action, and that how an object is presented and packaged is as important as the item in the wrapper. This philosophy of merging beauty with daily activities, and with commonly used objects, makes life better in countless ways, an idea we can all benefit from, and an idea well-presented in How to Wrap Five Eggs.
About the Reviewer: H. E. Davey, the Director of the San Francisco Bay Area-based Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts, is also the author of The Japanese Way of the Artist, Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony, Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation, and other works. He is a direct student of the famed calligrapher Kobara Ranseki Sensei, and he holds the highest rank in Ranseki Sho Juku calligraphic art. His Japanese calligraphy and painting has been in numerous exhibitions in Japan, where he has received multiple top awards. For more information about H. E. Davey and his classes in Japanese arts and forms of meditation, visit www.senninfoundation.com
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Fudoshin Calligraphy
This is H. E. Davey’s calligraphy of fudoshin, or “immovable mind.” You can click on the images to enlarge them.
Fudoshin is the goal of many Japanese arts and forms of meditation. It doesn’t describe a rigid, hardheaded state of mind, but rather a condition of complete mental stability, one that isn’t easily disturbed by whatever comes up in life.
It is painted using sosho and gyosho scripts, in the style of master calligrapher Kobara Ranseki Sensei. This piece of artwork was featured in Furyu magazine, along with the books Brush Meditation and The Japanese Way of the Artist.
All skillful Japanese calligraphy should display a unity of calm and action. In this case, Davey Sensei’s brushwork is so dynamic that it appears to be moving, but each character is still balanced and composed. This is the result of over 25 years of shodo training in the USA and Japan.
You can commission Davey Sensei, Sennin Foundation Director, to create this fudoshin calligraphy for your home, office, or meditation room. He can be contacted at hedavey@aol.com.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
H. E. Davey's Calligraphic Art
These two scrolls by Hiseki Davey Sensei were shown at a major exhibition of Japanese calligraphy held in San Francisco in 2000. They also were shown at the Kokusai Shodo Ten in Urayasu, Japan, where they received top awards.
The calligraphy on the left is an example of Davey Sensei's kanji art, and the Chinese characters read, "Rocky mountains are embraced by white clouds." The art on the right is an example of his kana calligraphy, with a large Chinese character meaning "waterfall," which was painted to resemble a waterfall. It reads, "The waterfall no longer flows, but its sound remains in my mind and heart."
Davey Sensei can create similar hanging scrolls for your home or office. Contact him at hedavey@aol.com.
Nakamura Tempu & Japanese Yoga
Nakamura Sensei lived in India, where he studied the art of Raja yoga, the yoga of meditation. After studying medicine at Columbia University, he blended Indian meditation and health improvement with his background in medicine, psychology, Japanese healing arts and meditation, and Japanese... martial arts. He taught for many years in Japan, authored best-selling books, and counted among his students a large number of Japan's top executives, politicians, fine artists, athletes, martial artists, and people from every walk of life. But few Westerners have yet been exposed to these extraordinary teachings. Learn more at http://www.senninfoundation.com/.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
The Japanese Way of the Artist
To learn more about Japan's classic arts and crafts, pick up a copy of The Japanese Way of the Artist by Sennin Foundation Director H. E. Davey. Included in a single volume are:
* Living the Japanese Arts and Ways: 45 Paths to Meditation & Beauty
* Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony
* The Japanese Way of the Flower: Ikebana as Moving Meditation
The three works anthologized here are essential to understanding the spiritual, meditative, and physical basis of all classical Japanese crafts, fine arts, and martial arts. Living the Japanese Arts & Ways covers key concepts—like wabi and “stillness in motion”—while the other two books show the reader how to use brush calligraphy (shodo) and flower arranging (ikebana) to achieve mind-body unification. Illustrated with diagrams, drawings, and photographs.
Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation
For a limited time only, we're offering autographed copies of H. E. Davey Sensei's landmark book Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation for just $18.95. These are BRAND NEW copies of an out of print book, which is becoming increasingly hard to find and going up in price.
Emphasizing gentle stretching and meditation exercises, the ultimate goal of Japanese yoga (Shin-shin-toitsu-do) is enhanced mind/body integration, calmness, and willpower for a healthier and fuller life. Developed by Nakamura Tempu Sensei in the early 1900s from Indian Raja yoga, Japanese martial arts and meditation practices, as well as Western medicine and psychotherapy, Japanese yoga offers a new approach to experienced yoga students and a natural methodology that newcomers will find easy to learn.
After a brief history of Shin-shin-toitsu-do, H. E. Davey Sensei presents Mr. Nakamura's Four Basic Principles to Unify Mind and Body. These principles relate the meditative experience to the movement of everyday living and thus make it a "dynamic meditation." Each of the Four Basic Principles is illustrated with step-by-step explanations of practical experiments.
Readers are then introduced to different forms of seated and moving meditation, health exercises, and self-healing arts. All these are linked back to the Four Basic Principles and can enhance performance in art, music, business, sports, and other activities. Readers learn to use Japanese yoga techniques throughout the day, without having to sit on the floor or seek out a quiet space.
Included at the end of the book are simple but effective stretching exercises, information about ongoing practice, and a glossary and reference section. Amply illustrated and cogently presented, Japanese Yoga belongs on every mind/body/spirit reading list.
Synopsis
Based on the eclectic Western-Eastern teachings of Nakamura Tempu Sensei, this step-by-step introduction to Japanese yoga (Shin-shin-toitsu-do) presents stretching, healing, and meditation exercises designed for mind/body integration. It is the first book in English to detail the life and teachings of Mr. Nakamura. In Japanese yoga, which is based on mind and body unification principles, the ultimate goal is enhanced concentration, calmness, and willpower for a longer, healthier, and fuller life. H. E. Davey Sensei also shows how Japanese yoga relates to various classical Japanese arts as part of a tradition of spiritual practice with spiritual and aesthetic roots in India, Japan, and the West. Illustrated, with a glossary and reference section.
Reviews
"Will make many yogis feel right at home... Davey's readable, friendly guide is definitely worth a look."
— Yoga Journal, July 2002
Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation is the first and only book in English on the original Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga. It received outstanding reviews in various magazines around the world, including Yoga Journal in the USA and Tempu magazine in Japan. On Amazon.com, Borders.com, and Barnes & Noble.com, it received an overall five star top rating, but you can't get BRAND NEW autographed copies of this out of print book from anyone but us! Visit http://www.senninfoundation.com/davey_yoga.html to order your copy today.
Japanese Jujutsu
The Sennin Foundation Center presents instruction in Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu, a traditional and non-competitive martial art. While many Westerners use "jujutsu," "jujitsu," or "jiu-jitsu" to describe their art of self-defense, most of these methods bear little resemblance to the original Japanese jujutsu, Japan's oldest martial art. Both aikido and judo stem from jujutsu, and our dojo is one of few in the USA to offer authentic Japanese jujutsu.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Book Review: "The Sound of One Hand"
The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin
By Audrey Yoshiko Seo and Stephen Addiss
Reviewed by H. E. Davey
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Shambhala (September 7, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590305787
ISBN-13: 978-1590305782
Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 8.3 x 1.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
List Price: $65.00
Hakuin Ekaku (1685–1768) is one of the most prominent figures in the history of Zen, and this gorgeous book focuses on his life, ink paintings, and brush calligraphy. He can be considered the instigator of contemporary Japanese Rinzai Zen practice, one of the two major schools of Zen in Japan. He notably emphasized the value of koan practice in awakening, a technique that concentrates on the solving of metaphysical questions, such as the famous koan, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”
He is also known for having rejuvenated the monastic existence of his time. However, his philosophy wasn’t restricted to the monastery. Hakuin was the classic Zen master of the people, celebrated for taking his instruction to every branch of society, to people in all walks of life, and his painting and calligraphy were particularly potent vehicles for those lessons. He used long-established Buddhist images and sayings—but also themes from legends and every day living—many of which are found in this lavishly illustrated hardback. Hakuin fashioned a new visual idiom for Zen: insightful, whimsical, and different from everything that came before. He is one of the most famous practitioners of Zensho, “Zen calligraphy.” Admirers of Japanese calligraphic art (shodo) should, however, note that not all calligraphy indentifies itself as “Zensho,” and this is but one of many styles of calligraphy practiced in Japan.
In his long life, Hakuin produced thousands of ink paintings and calligraphies. These works of art, combined with his voluminous writings, stands as a testament to his philosophy, illuminating why some feel he was the most significant Zen master of the past 500 years. All of this is thoroughly covered in The Sound of One Hand. The tone of the writing is more scholarly than light, and while his artwork and life is painstakingly examined, The Sound of One Hand will not serve as a basic introduction to Zen. It’s focus is on Hakuin’s Zen life and Zen art, and to some degree it presupposes an existing knowledge of Zen Buddhism.
The Sound of One Hand is a study of Hakuin and his art, illustrated with examples of his work, well-known pieces like “Three Blind Men on a Bridge” as well as lesser acknowledged artwork. It is, without a doubt, the most complete volume on Hakuin and his Zen art currently available.
About the Reviewer: H. E. Davey, the Director of the San Francisco Bay Area-based Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts, is also the author of The Japanese Way of the Artist, Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony, Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation, and other works. He is a direct student of the famed calligrapher Kobara Ranseki Sensei, and he holds the highest rank in Ranseki Sho Juku calligraphic art. His Japanese calligraphy and painting has been in numerous exhibitions in Japan, where he has received multiple top awards. For more information about H. E. Davey and his classes in Japanese arts and forms of meditation, visit http://www.senninfoundation.com/
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Testimonials from Japanese Yoga Experts
Hashimoto Tetsuichi
"H. E. Davey has shown great diligence in his study of the Shin-shin-toitsu-do method of Japanese yoga. As my personal disciple since 1986, he has successively received private instruction, through correspondence, telephone, and in periods of intensive tutoring ...during his travels to Japan.I would like it to be known that he has made great progress in his assiduous practice of Shin-shin-toitsu-do and I expect him to advance further in the future. As an expert in the arts of Japan, particularly classical brush writing and the martial arts, he has thoroughly researched the relationship of Shi-shin-toitsu-do to these skills.I wish to commend him for his consummate character and attainment, and fully endorse him as an educator." — Hashimoto Tetsuichi Sensei is a resident of Tokyo, and he is one of the most senior disciples of Nakamura Tempu Sensei, founder of the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga. He started his study of Shin-shin-toitsu-do directly under Nakamura Sensei in 1950.
Sawai Atsuhiro
"I would like to recognize and praise H. E. Davey Sensei's long years of great effort and sincere teaching of Shin-shin-toitsu-do, or Japanese yoga. In Japan, there are a number of teachers of the methods discovered by Nakamura Tempu Sensei, founder of Shin-shin-toitsu-do. I am one of those teachers, but we teach on the average of once a month at best. With the exception of the late Nakamura Sensei, Davey Sensei is the only member of the Tempu Society that is a fulltime instructor of Shin-shin-toitsu-do.More and more people in Japan are coming to know of Davey Sensei's teachings and practices across the Pacific Ocean (as well as the activities of his students and assistant instructors). They are greatly impressed—especially by the fact that Master Davey has been teaching Japanese yoga professionally almost every day for many years. Our head of the Tempu Society in Japan, Mr. Omi Koji, is among the people that admire Master Davey's talents and efforts." — Sawai Atsuhiro Sensei is a direct student of Nakamura Tempu Sensei, the founder of Japanese yoga. He has attained the highest level of instructor certification in Japanese yoga, and he is one of the most advanced practitioners of Shin-shin-toitsu-do in Japan. He began studying Shin-shin-toitsu-do in 1958, and he eventually served as a personal assistant to Nakamura Sensei.
"The Japanese Way of the Artist"
Check out The Japanese Way of the Artist Blog at http://japanesewayoftheartist.blogspot.com/
Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation
Want to read more about Nakamura Tempu Sensei, Japanese yoga, and the book Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation? Just drop by our sister blog at http://japaneseyoga.blogspot.com/. You can also learn more about these subjects at the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts website: www.senninfoundation.com.
Art of Shodo
Check out H. E. Davey Sensei's new review of The Sound of One Hand, a book about Hakuin's Zen calligraphy, at the Art of Shodo Blog (http://artofshodo.blogspot.com/). Davey Sensei is the author of The Japanese Way of the Artist and the Director of the Sennin Foundation.
Japanese Art
For more information about Japanese fine arts go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_art
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Classes
The Sennin Foundation Center Albany , Berkeley , El Cerrito , Kensington, Oakland , Richmond , Martinez , San Pablo , Hercules, Pinole, El Sobrante, Emeryville, San Francisco , San Rafael , and Piedmont since 1981.
The Sennin Foundation Center Japan
Visits are by appointment only. Please call, write, or send e-mail if you would like to drop by to pick up some free literature and/or talk to an instructor about our various programs. Everyone is welcome to visit.
The Sennin Foundation Center
for Japanese Cultural Arts
1053 San Pablo Ave.
Albany, CA 94706 USA
for Japanese Cultural Arts
1053 San Pablo Ave.
Albany, CA 94706 USA
Telephone: 510-526-7518 (evenings)
E-mail: hedavey@aol.com
E-mail: hedavey@aol.com
Friday, June 25, 2010
New Teachers
The Sennin Foundation Center has two new teachers of Japanese yoga: Wesley Keppel Henry Sensei and Troy Swenson Sensei. They both received Shihan–dai (“Associate Instructor”) certification, and they are now teaching Shin-shin-toitsu-do classes for children and adults at our dojo.
Swenson Sensei also recently received Menkyo Shodan in Saigo Ryu, which is the first classical teaching license in this form of martial arts. Keppel-Henry Sensei is working toward teaching certification in Saigo Ryu as well, and both instructors are studying Japanese healing arts at our dojo. Swenson Sensei is also practicing in our Integrated Shodo & Meditation program, where he is learning the ancient art of Japanese brush calligraphy.
Congratulations to Keppel-Henry Sensei and Swenson Sensei!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
"Budo"
Perhaps the best documentary about the traditional Japanese martial arts yet, Budo: The Art of Killing is let down only by the unfortunate title. It was filmed quite a few years ago, and while it does lean toward the more sensational aspects of budo, and although it isn't always accurate, the film still holds up well today. Top Japanese experts were featured, and budo's connection to the mind, nature, and Japanese culture is well explored.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
SMAA California Seminar in June
On June 26 and 27, the Shudokan Martial Arts Association will offer a special seminar in conjunction with the Sennin Foundation Center Albany , California , just across the bay from San Francisco
Through Japanese yoga, martial artists and average people alike can learn to manifest their full potential in a wide variety of situations. Instruction will emphasize how unique 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 and distinctive immobilizations that can be performed with the hanbo. Think of it as “jujutsu with a stick.” Sign up soon to enjoy fun and vigorous training in a martial art that’s seldom taught in a seminar format. This is a rare opportunity to practice an authentic system of traditional hanbo-jutsu as it’s been taught in Japan
But more than this, the SMAA California Seminar is your chance to learn how unification of mind and body principles can lead to greater power, balance, and grace in hanbo-jutsu and other martial arts as well. Discover how coordination of mind and body leads to effortless effectiveness in self-defense and daily life.
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 experience in June, an event that will present new ways of approaching budo and daily living. The various attending SMAA officials are hoping to make new friends and meet old training partners at the SMAA California Seminar.
When:
Saturday, June 26 and Sunday, June 27
Where:
The Sennin Foundation Center
Who:
H. E. Davey (Featured instructor for Japanese yoga/meditation and Saigo Ryu hanbo-jutsu, 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 26
8:45 to 9:45 AM (Introduction to Japanese yoga and meditation principles. Wear a t-shirt and loose pants.)
10:00 to 11:30 AM (Saigo Ryu hanbo-jutsu. Wear a white gi.)
11:45 AM (Sightseeing in the San Francisco Bay
Sunday, June 27
8:45 to 10:15 AM (Meditation in Japanese yoga, martial arts, and daily life. Wear a t-shirt and loose pants.)
10:30 AM to 12:00 PM (Saigo Ryu hanbo-jutsu. Wear a white gi.)
12:15 PM (Sightseeing in the San Francisco Bay
Cost:
General Public—$60 for all Japanese yoga and martial arts classes
SMAA Members--$40 for all Japanese yoga and martial classes (Save $20!)
Hanbo—$14.99 with tax included.
Housing and Meals:
Albany is located in the East Bay , across from San Francisco , and next to Berkeley
A Holiday Inn can be found in nearby Berkeley
The Hotel Durant is also located in Berkeley
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
A registration form was e-mailed to all SMAA members. If you do not have Internet access, we can also mail you a form. All fees and a completed registration form must be received by the Sennin Foundation Center Sennin Foundation Center
Map:
Visitor & Tourist Information:
Airports & Transportation:
800-435-9736 or 650-821-8211
510-563-3300
Rentals car are available at both airports.
Contact Information:
H. E. Davey
510-526-7518
Thursday, May 13, 2010
About Our Dojo
The Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts has been offering instruction in traditional Japanese arts under experienced, certified teachers since 1981. Established in California by H. E. Davey Sensei, it presents separate training in Japanese systems of yoga, healing arts, martial arts, and fine arts. Ongoing classes are available to people of all ages and levels of health, including classes for children ages five and up.
Members of the Sennin Foundation Center have access to the rich traditions of Japan's cultural arts through practice in the group's classical dojo (literally, "training hall of the Way"). Much more than simply a school or studio, an authentic dojo is a gateway into the timeless realm of Asian art and personal development, allowing members of the Sennin Foundation Center to realize vibrant well-being and longevity. In fact, the word "Sennin" describes the ancient Japanese equivalent of a yogi. The Sennin were known for their high degree of enlightenment, splendid health, and according to some ancient myths, their ability to attain immortality. This same emphasis on spiritual realization and physical fitness is stressed by the Sennin Foundation, thus the use of the term Sennin.
H. E. Davey Sensei, and by extension the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts, is affiliated with a number of elite organizations, which serves to illustrate the group's close ties with Japan and the nature of the Sennin Foundation's programs. Some of these professional affiliations are as follows:
1. Zaidan Hojin Tempu-Kai (The Tempu Society)--A Tokyo-based organization founded by the late Nakamura Tempu Sensei. Dr. Nakamura was the originator of Shin-shin-toitsu-do, a distinctive form of Japanese yoga based on mind and body unification.
2. Ranseki Sho Juku (Ranseki Japanese Calligraphy Institute)--A private San Francisco Bay Area study group for shodo, or Japanese brush writing practiced as meditation and fine art, created by the late Kobara Ranseki Sensei, Headmaster of Ranseki Ryu shodo.
3. Kokusai Shodo Bunka Koryu Kyokai (International Japanese Calligraphy and Cultural Exchange Association)--Headquartered in Urayasu, Japan, this international organization is sponsored by Japan's Ministry of Education.
4. Kokusai Budoin (International Martial Arts Federation)--The Kokusai Budoin of Tokyo is sponsored by Japan's Imperial family and acts as a worldwide umbrella organization for most traditional Japanese martial arts and ways.
5. Shudokan Budo-Kai (Shudokan Martial Arts Association)--The SMAA is an international coalition of Japanese and Western martial arts teachers, featuring martial artists from a variety of different systems. With members in several nations, the group works toward the preservation and cultivation of classical Japanese martial arts and ways.
6. International Hoplology Society--A unique scholarly organization founded by the late Donn F. Draeger Sensei, regarded by some as the world's foremost Western Japanese martial arts authority, author, and historian. The IHS is based in the USA and dedicated to studying the effects of the martial arts and ways on civilizations throughout history.
7. The Sennin Foundation, Inc.--A federally tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation, which is headquartered in California, and which promotes the study of Japanese cultural arts for personal transformation. The Sennin Foundation, Inc. sponsors Michi Online: Journal of Japanese Cultural Arts (www.michionline.org), an electronic journal and online resource for the Japanese arts community.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Free Classes
On May 6, 2010 the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts in California will offer introductory classes in Japanese yoga and martial arts. The Japanese yoga class, which will start at 7 PM, will feature yoga and meditation principles. It will be an introduction to how these principles of mind and body unification can help us in Japanese yoga and daily life.
Following the Japanese yoga training, Heard Sensei will present an optional introduction to Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu, a traditional Japanese martial art. Since he will incorporate Japanese yoga principles of mind and body unification in the martial arts practice, participation in the preceding Japanese yoga instruction is required. Heard Sensei has an advanced teaching license in Saigo Ryu, and he has received a fifth-degree black belt from the Shudokan Martial Arts Association Jujutsu Division (www.smaa-hq.com).
If you and/or your friends would like to participate, please call 510-526-7518 (PM) to register. Then, drop by 1053 San Pablo Ave. in Albany, California at 6:45 PM. If you are not already a Sennin Foundation member, you will need to fill out a registration form and waiver. Wear loose clothing and bring a notebook.
After the class, you will have a chance to purchase related books and CD-ROMs, and you and/or your friends can also make arrangements to join the Sennin Foundation Center if you like. We hope you will make plans to attend this special event.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Recommended Reading: Sho: Japanese Calligraphy
Product Description
Christopher Earnshaw illuminates the techniques, history and philosophy of calligraphy with over 300 illustrations in Sho: Japanese Calligraphy. Calligraphy, along with poetry and painting, has been for centuries a discipline that all students of culture had to master. Brush writing reflected inner character, and many great masters of calligraphy were respected Zen priests, warriors and emperors. From practical lessons on brushwork to hints about exhibiting finished work, this beautiful volume is the fledgling calligrapher's best reference source. Its meditations on the philosophy of calligraphy will also offer new insights to students of Japanese culture and character.
About the Author
Born in Oxford, England in 1953, Christopher Earnshaw studied calligraphy and Japanese studies at Daito Bunka University in Tokyo and classical Japanese and Chinese through London University. He has held several exhibitions both privately and as the group Terakoya, in Japan and abroad. Receiving his master's license Shodo Kyojusha Shikaku Ninteisho in calligraphy in 1978, he exhibited several times in the Mainichi exhibition, the first time being in 1979 and received a gold prize in the twentieth All Japan Calligraphy exhibition. Presently he lives with his family near Kobe, Japan and works for a British pharmaceutical company.
Recommended Reading: Modern Bujutsu & Budo (Martial Arts & Ways of Japan, Vol.3)
This is the final book in the Martial Arts & Ways of Japan series written by the late Donn Draeger. It covers the modern martial arts that evolved from the earlier martial disciplines mentioned in Classical Bujutsu and Classical Budo. Covering arts like judo, karate-do, aikido, kendo, iaido, and others, Modern Bujutsu & Budo is important reading for anyone interested in tradtional Japanese martial arts.
This three volume series established Donn Draeger as perhaps the ultimate Western authority on the history and evolution of koryu bujutsu and modern budo.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Recommended Reading: Classical Budo (Martial Arts & Ways of Japan, Vol.2)
Product Description
Donn Draeger was one of the most famous and well-respected martial artists of the twentieth century, and he was a pioneer in bringing Asian martial arts study to the West. Here, he illuminates the compelling historical, political, and philosophical events that gave rise to the development of the budo arts. The classical budo, or "martial ways" are not combat systems like their forerunner, bujutsu, or "martial arts"; nor are they sports like modern judo, kendo, or karate. They are first and foremost spiritual disciplines, whose ultimate goal, achieved through the most rigorous mental and physical training, is self-realization in the tradition of Zen Buddhism. The author details the history, philosophy, and methods of a variety of these "martial ways," some using weapons and some weaponless, and reveals how they evolved from their combative roots. The book includes fascinating artwork from classical sources, and archival photographs of modern budo masters in action.
About the Author
Donn F. Draeger was a U.S. Marine Corps officer and a historian of martial arts disciplines, in which he held a variety of expert ranks and teaching licenses. He was technical director of the magazine Martial Arts International and author of many books on the fighting arts of Asia. He died in 1982.
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