Sennin Foundation Blog

Holiday

2012-01-10T07:52:00.001-08:00

The Sennin Foundation Center will be closed on Monday, January 16. We hope everyone has a nice holiday.

Kobara Sensei 7th Year Memorial Service

2011-12-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

On December 17th, 2011 the Seventh Year Memorial Service for Kobara Ranseki Sensei took place at the Buddhist Church of San Francisco at 1:00 PM. Kobara Sensei was the founder and Shihan ("Headmaster") of the Ranseki Sho Juku system of Japanese calligraphy and painting as well as the Vice President of the Kokusai Shodo Bunka Koryu Kyokai, which is based in Urayasu, Japan.

The private service was attended by around 20 people, mostly members of the Kobara family and H. E. Davey Sensei and Miyauchi Somei Sensei, two of his closest students of shodo. Although Kobara Sensei taught many people the ancient art of brush calligraphy over several decades, only four people ever received Shihan-Dai, the highest level of teaching certification. Davey Sensei and Miyauchi Sensei are the last two living Shihan-Dai of Ranseki Sho Juku shodo. They lead the Wanto Shodo Kai, "East Bay Shodo Association," in Oakland, California. Davey Sensei is also the Director of the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts, where classes in Integrated Shodo & Meditation are offered.

A Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service started the event, followed by a traditional offering of incense to Kobara Sensei by members of his family, Miyauchi Sensei, and Davey Sensei. The memorial service closed with comments from Kobara Kazuko, Kobara Sensei's wife. She recalled his deeply spiritual nature, how he viewed most everyone as members of his family, and how his last words were expressions of gratitude.

Following the service, refreshments were offered at the church social hall, which contained pictures of Kobara Sensei as a child, teaching shodo, receiving awards at international shodo exhibitions, and being presented with the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government.

The Japanese Way of the Artist

2011-12-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

The Japanese Way of the Artist is a collection of three of H. E. Davey's most popular books. It's published by Stone Bridge Press (www.stonebridge.com). 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.

An Excerpt from Chapter Two: Introduction to Mind & Body Unification

2011-12-13T10:09:00.001-08:00

As human beings we seek freedom—political freedom, religious freedom, freedom from discrimination The free use of our minds and bodies—freedom of action in general—is an innate urge.

Each action we take is an act of self-expression. We often think of large-scale or important deeds as being indications of our real selves, but even how we sharpen a pencil can reveal something about our feelings at that moment. Do we sharpen the pencil carefully or nervously so that it doesn’t break? Do we bother to pay attention to what we’re doing? How do we sharpen the same pencil when we’re angry or in a hurry? Is it the same as when we’re calm or unhurried?

Even the smallest movement discloses something about the person executing the action because it is the personwho’s actually performing the deed. In other words, action doesn’t happen by itself, we make it happen, and in doing so we leave traces of ourselves on the activity. The mind and body are interrelated.

How do you feel when you’re unable to express yourself? Imagine you couldn’t speak or in some other way communicate. An extreme example perhaps, but how would it feel? In the same way that we suffer if we’re unable to express ourselves, we also languish when we cannot, for whatever reason, assert ourselves skillfully. Self-expression is natural, even inevitable, for all of us; and skilled, efficient self-expression goes beyond mere activity and enters the realm of art.

For instance, many of us realize that our handwriting tends to reflect our personalities or at least our state of mind at the moment we put pen to paper. However, when we become conscious of our handwriting as an act of self-expression, when we allow our creativity to flow through the brush or pen in a way that’s not only efficient but also coordinated and dexterous, we call what we’re doing calligraphy—the art of writing.

Just as writing can become calligraphy when it’s creatively, skillfully, and consciously performed, so can all other activities become art. In this case, we are reflecting upon life itself as an artistic statement—the art of living.

Vacation

2011-12-11T16:31:00.001-08:00

The Sennin Foundation Center will be closed from December 23 through January 2. The first classes of 2012 will be on January 3.

Thank you for supporting our dojo in 2011. We hope we can count on your continued support in 2012. We also hope you have great holidays and a very Happy New Year.

2011-11-29T14:38:00.000-08:00

Every new day alive is a gift from the universe, but some people begin what could be their last day by complaining. This not only wastes the day, it weakens the subconscious mind.

Nakamura Tempu, founder of the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga & meditation

2011-11-26T07:37:00.001-08:00

We are never separate from the infinite and eternal life of the universe. Within this eternal process of existence is life and death. Regardless of whether we’re alive or dead, we are always part of this immense course of existence. Though we may change form between living and dying, we’re never separate from the endless process of life that is the universe.

Before we were born, we were in the wo...mb of our mother. And before we were in her womb, we were in the life of our father. Before we were in our father's life, we were in the great life of the universe. From this point of view we can conclude death is nothing but a return to our original state. We could perhaps also say death is what changes our present life into a new life. We return to the infinite and eternal life of the universe when we die.

So our minds must transcend both birth and death, being attached to neither. In a way, this is to go beyond rejoicing in birth and lamenting death. Thus we should ask ourselves if there’s any real reason to fear death. We must never fear death without a reason.

Nakamura Tempu, founder of the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga & meditation

Free Japanese Yoga & Martial Arts Classes!

2011-10-27T22:25:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, November 3 the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts will offer an introductory class in the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation, along with an introduction to Saigo Ryu martial arts. This event is FREE. The classes will take place at 1053 San Pablo Ave. in Albany, California, right across the bay from San Francisco.

The martial arts class is not required, and it will follow the Japanese yoga program, which starts at 7:00 PM. Since the Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu training will refer to principles of mind and body unification covered in the Japanese yoga class, everyone will want to participate in this first part of the evening. You can read more about both subjects at www.senninfoundation.com.

Wear loose clothing and bring a notebook. Preregistration is needed and easily accomplished. Just leave a voice mail at 510-526-7518. Give us your name and phone number, then indicate that you would like to participate in one or both classes. Let us know if anyone else is coming with you, and we'll see you on Thursday. Please arrive a few minutes early for general registration.

The classes will be taught by Troy Swenson Sensei, who has been studying and teaching at the Sennin Foundation Center for several years. He has teaching certification in Japanese yoga, and he received a black belt from the Shudokan Martial Arts Association Jujutsu Division. He is also the assistant editor of the SMAA Journal.

Don't miss your chance to learn how Japanese yoga and/or martial arts can help you realize better health, deeper calmness, and enhanced concentration in everyday life.

Halloween

2011-10-27T21:27:00.001-07:00

The Sennin Foundation Center will be closed on October 31. Have a Happy Halloween!

Japanese Yoga & Martial Arts for Kids

2011-10-09T18:46:00.001-07:00

Since 1981, we've been offering a fun and well-structured program in Japanese yoga and martial arts for children age five and above. These affordable classes are taught by experienced instructors and are non-competitive. Class sizes are small, and instruction is personalized.

Learn an Effective & Traditional Martial Art

The Sennin Foundation Center presents training in Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu, a traditional 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.
Our class features a wide variety of powerful throwing, pinning, and grappling techniques stemming from older methods (kobudo) originating in the Aizu-Wakamatsu area of Japan. Saigo Ryu also features advanced training in the sword, spear, staff, short stick, iron fan, and other weapons. It is unique and distinct from many more well-known martial disciplines (like karate-do, kendo, and iaido). While training is dynamic, and the practiced self-defense techniques effective, the emphasis is on subduing an opponent without unnecessary injury. Children improve their health while learning martial arts as meditation, which helps them to remain calm under pressure. Some students have likened training in our dojo to "moving Zen."

Combining Self-Defense with Japanese Yoga & Meditation

Instruction in the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation is included at no extra charge. Japanese yoga training makes it easier to master the martial arts, and it helps children to realize their full potential in other activities as well. Studying Japanese yoga and aiki-jujutsu gives young people a great opportunity to develop self-discipline, self-confidence, willpower, respect for others, as well as a stronger mind and body. Children learn meditation, stretching, breathing exercises, mind and body coordination drills, along with valuable self-defense techniques. Training in Japanese martial arts is vigorous, but due to the disciplined nature of our classes, we have few injuries. Parents report that their children show increased calmness at home, confidence in social situations, and better grades in school.

An Exceptional Teacher & Teaching Staff

As someone who began studying Japanese yoga and martial arts as a child, H. E. Davey Sensei, one of the highest ranking traditional jujutsu teachers outside of Japan, was ideally suited for creating a program for children. Under his guidance, and with the help of his staff of expert teachers, young people from Albany, Berkeley, and the Bay Area have discovered their true potential and hidden talents for many years.
Parents can learn more about our program for children by visiting Martial Arts & Kids. Give us a call, and we'll be happy to discuss how we can help your son or daughter to become healthier, safer, and more confident.

Testimonials from Top Martial Arts Experts

Recommended Websites

Visit www.senninfoundation.com for more information.

Mu

2011-10-07T23:43:00.000-07:00

A number of Ways (Do), owing to the fact that a Do is a particular expression of the Way of the universe itself, have used the term mu to point to the sum and substance of the universe. And since it is the mind after all that perceives the absolute universe, various mental states in the Ways have appellations that utilize the character for mu as well. Originating in Buddhism, but having parallels in other religions, mu means, “the void,” or “nothingness.”--H. E. Davey, The Japanese Way of the Artist

2011-10-07T23:21:00.000-07:00

"Do not think of work—any work—as a duty. If it is a duty it will become a burden. How do you turn a burden into a pleasure? Live respectfully, correctly, positively, and boldly."--Nakamura Tempu Sensei

About Japanese Calligraphy

2011-09-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

Expanded attention, deeper relaxation, increased focus and resolve . . . shodo students have a chance to achieve lasting spiritual transformation through the classical art of Japanese calligraphy (shodo). Simple step-by-step exercises let beginners and non-artists alike work with brush and ink to reveal their mental and physical state through moving brush meditation.

Kanji, or "characters," used in both Japan and China, have transcended their utilitarian function and collectively can serve as a visually stirring piece of fine art. Shodo allows the dynamic movement of the artist's spirit to become observable in the form of rich black ink. In shodo, you can sense both the rhythm of music as well as the smooth, elegant, and balanced construction of architecture. Many practitioners feel that the "visible rhythm" of Japanese calligraphy embodies a "picture of the mind"--and calligraphers recognize that it discloses our spiritual state. This recognition is summed up by the traditional Japanese saying: Kokoro tadashikereba sunawachi fude tadashi--"If your mind is correct, the brush will be correct."

Some Japanese calligraphers and psychologists have written books on the examination of our personality through calligraphy. Just as Western companies have employed handwriting analysts to help them select the best individuals for executive posts, the Japanese have traditionally expected their leaders in any field to display fine, composed script. This stems from the belief that brush strokes reveal the state of the body and subconscious mind--its strengths and weaknesses--at the moment the brush is put to paper. It has also been held that the subconscious can be influenced in a positive manner by studying and copying consummate examples of calligraphy by extraordinary individuals. Japanese tradition teaches that by using this method, we can cultivate strength of character akin to that of the artist being copied. Since shodo is an art form, it's not strictly necessary to be able to read Chinese characters, or the Japanese phonetic scripts of hiragana and katakana, to admire the dynamic beauty of shodo. Within Japanese calligraphy, we find essential elements that constitute all art: creativity, balance, rhythm, grace, and the beauty of line. These aspects of shodo can be recognized and appreciated by every culture.

Holiday

2011-08-29T13:23:00.001-07:00

The Sennin Foundation Center will be closed on Monday, September 5, in honor of Labor Day. We hope everyone has a nice holiday. Thanks for your support of our dojo.

About our Dojo

2011-08-03T15:18:00.000-07:00

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.

Change

2011-07-27T08:33:00.001-07:00

Always remember that the future comes one day at a time.
Dean Acheson

Nakamura Tempu Sensei

2011-07-14T15:17:00.000-07:00

Nakamura Tempu Sensei, founder of the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation. Shin-shin-toitsu-do = "The Way of Mind and Body Unification."

"Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation," is a book focused on the mind and body unification principles and exercises of Nakamura Tempu Sensei. New, signed copies of this book by H. E. Davey can be purchased at http://senninfoundation.com/davey_yoga.html.

Free Japanese Yoga & Martial Arts Classes!

2011-07-12T15:53:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, July 14 the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts will offer free introductory classes in the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation, along with a free introduction to Saigo Ryu martial arts. The classes will take place at 1053 San Pablo Ave. in Albany, California, right across the bay from San Francisco.

The martial arts class is not required, and it will follow the Japanese yoga program, which starts at 7:00 PM. Since the Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu training will refer to principles of mind and body unification covered in the Japanese yoga class, everyone will want to participate in this first part of the evening. You can read more about both subjects at www.senninfoundation.com.

Wear loose clothing and bring a notebook. Preregistration is needed and easily accomplished. Just leave a voice mail at 510-526-7518. Give us your name and phone number, then indicate that you would like to participate in one or both classes. Let us know if anyone else is coming with you, and we'll see you on Thursday. Please arrive a few minutes early for general registration.

The classes will be taught by Kevin Heard Sensei, who has been studying and teaching at the Sennin Foundation Center for nearly 30 years. He has Soshihan teaching certification in Japanese yoga, the highest level possible, and he received a sixth degree black belt from the famed Shudokan Martial Arts Association's Jujutsu Division.

Don't miss your chance to learn how Japanese yoga and/or martial arts can help you realize better health, deeper calmness, and enhanced concentration in everyday life.

Wesley Keppel-Henry Receives Menkyo Shodan

2011-06-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

Wesley Keppel-Henry and Troy Swenson

practicing Japanese yoga at the Sennin Foundation Center

Wesley Keppel-Henry Sensei was promoted to the rank of Menkyo Shodan in Saigo Ryu martial arts on June 23, 2011. This is the first of a series of teaching certificates issued in Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu and related weapon based martial arts.

Keppel-Henry Sensei previously earned Shihan-dai teaching certification in the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation, which she teaches to children and adults at the Sennin Foundation Center. She is also studying in the Sennin Foundation healing arts program that stems from the principles of mind and body unification found in Shin-shin-toitsu-do.

Keppel-Henry Sensei is originally from Oregon, and she received a B.A. degree in biology from the University of California--Berkeley. She is presently employed as a teacher at a private school in the Bay Area.

Vacation

2011-06-21T15:56:00.001-07:00

The Sennin Foundation Center will be closed for our annual summer break from July 2 through July 9. We hope everyone has a nice vacation. Thanks for your ongoing support of our dojo.

Healing Arts at the Sennin Foundation Center

2011-05-29T23:28:00.000-07:00

Nakamura Tempu Sensei, founder of the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga, also taught a method of self-healing and bodywork (hitori ryoho or hitori massage). His emphasis was on yuki, which is the transference of life energy through a massage-like technique.

In most aspects of life, it is vital to be able to throw 100 percent of ourselves into the moment at hand, and this positive mental state is called Ki no dashikata, or "the projection of life energy." When our life energy freely exchanges with the life energy that pervades Nature, we're in our happiest and healthiest state.

We've all met exceptionally positive and animated individuals, people who project a "large presence." The intangible, but unmistakable, "big presence" an energetic individual is projecting can be thought of as universal life energy, and it is an indispensable aspect of yuki.

And in Japan, the universal essence that pervades all of the Nature has a name. It is called Ki.

An understanding of Ki is not something that can be fully detailed on a web site. For the moment, the principal points to remember are that Ki amounts to the animating force that vitalizes all creations, and that a relaxed body, along with a positive mental state, sets it free. On the other hand, physical tension and/or the negative use of the mind cause Ki ga nukeru--"the withdrawal and the loss of Ki."

Ki has been described in a variety of ways, by an equally wide variety of people. In the Sennin Foundation, we are thinking of Ki as the essential building block of nature. That universal substance from which all things emanate, exist as, and revert to . . . the connective membrane of the absolute Universe. (Of course, just as all the cells in the body are inseparable from the body, we can only draw an artificial separation between the Ki that links all creations in Nature and Nature itself.)

Unfortunately, discussions of Ki are frequently covered in mystical tones, and some writers have suggested that Ki is invisible. This depends on one's point of view. Certainly it is hard to observe the motion of Ki as something which is apart and different from the various and boundless different aspects of Nature.

A nondualistic worldview does not inevitably reject the relative world, but instead, sees the absolute oneness of Nature that underlies all relative differences. In this case, a willow tree is Ki, and when the wind causes the tree to lean, it is Ki blustering. And we are Ki watching the motion of Ki in the Universe, which is Ki itself. The wind blowing the willow, the swaying tree, the mind that sees and moves with the wind and willow--all are external reflections of diversified elements of Ki, or of the sum total of the Universe. Ki is then not some much preternatural, invisible, or elusive, but it is instead, all encompassing. Ki's genuine far-reaching and down to earth character is reflected in the Japanese language itself, which uses this ordinary term in a seemingly immeasurable number of popular compound words and expressions.

Yuki means "transfusion of Ki," and it functions in a way that is not dissimilar to a blood transfusion (yuketsu). In essence, it is possible, by studying methods of mind-body coordination and Shin-shin-toitsu-do meditation, to learn to transfer Ki from the thumbs, fingertips, and palms to weakened parts of the body, as a way of boosting the natural healing process. Students at the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts can receive instruction in this unique art of healing.

"I've found the healing arts instruction at the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts to be logical, simple, and comprehensive. Of equal importance, I've been able to use these techniques to help heal my own injuries and illnesses as well as those of some of my friends."--A Sennin Foundation student.

Japanese Yoga & Meditation

2011-05-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

Shin-shin-toitsu-do is the form of Japanese yoga and meditation offered at the Sennin Foundation Center. Shin-shin-toitsu-do, "The Way of Mind and Body Unification," was founded in the early 1900s by Nakamura Tempu Sensei.

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.

A Dynamic Teacher of Mind/Body Unification

H. E. Davey Sensei, Director of the Sennin Foundation Center, has studied with several of Nakamura Sensei's top students, including Hashimoto Tetsuichi Sensei and Sawai Atsuhiro Sensei. Both teachers are Senior Advisors to the Sennin Foundation Center. Davey Sensei began studying Shin-shin-toitsu-do as a child. He is the award-winning author of the book Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation (Stone Bridge Press), which was featured in Yoga Journal in the U.S. and Tempu magazine in Japan. He's also a member of Tempu-Kai, the Japanese association that preserves the legacy of Nakamura Sensei.

Unique Methods to Improve Physical & Mental Health

Our Shin-shin-toitsu-do class offers you practical forms of seated and moving meditation, breathing methods for health, stretching exercises, autosuggestion for altering negative habits, stress management, and self-healing techniques that are little-known in the West. Emphasis is also placed on the development of ki (chi in Chinese). Ki amounts to life energy, and its cultivation has a profound effect on mental and physical health. You, like many of our students, may experience greatly enhanced concentration, willpower, calmness, relaxation, and physical fitness.

Make a positive and life-altering decision. Consider adding Shin-shin-toitsu-do to your life, and discover a way of living rooted in health, happiness, and harmony.

Testimonials from Japanese Yoga Experts

Recommended Websites

Japanese Yoga & Martial Arts for Kids

2011-05-25T02:11:00.000-07:00

Learn an Effective & Traditional Martial Art

Our class features a wide variety of powerful throwing, pinning, and grappling techniques stemming from older methods (kobudo) originating in the Aizu-Wakamatsu area of Japan. Saigo Ryu also features advanced training in the sword, spear, staff, short stick, iron fan, and other weapons. It is unique and distinct from many more well-known martial disciplines (like karate-do, kendo, and iaido). While training is dynamic, and the practiced self-defense techniques effective, the emphasis is on subduing an opponent without unnecessary injury. Children improve their health while learning martial arts as meditation, which helps them to remain calm under pressure. Some students have likened training in our dojo to "moving Zen."

Combining Self-Defense with Japanese Yoga & Meditation

An Exceptional Teacher & Teaching Staff

Parents can learn more about our program for children by visiting Martial Arts & Kids. Give us a call, and we'll be happy to discuss how we can help your son or daughter to become healthier, safer, and more confident.

Martial Arts at the Sennin Foundation Center

2011-05-25T02:05:00.000-07:00

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.

Discover an Effective & Traditional Japanese Martial Art

Our class features a wide variety of powerful throwing, pinning, and grappling techniques stemming from older methods (kobudo) originating in the Aizu-Wakamatsu area of Japan. Saigo Ryu is a sogo bujutsu, an "integrated martial system," and it also features advanced training in the martial arts of the sword, spear, staff, short stick, iron fan, and others. It is unique and unlike many more well-known martial disciplines (like karate-do, kendo, and iaido). While training is vigorous, and the practiced self-defense techniques effective, the emphasis is on subduing an opponent without unneeded injury. Students improve their health while learning martial arts as meditation, which helps them to remain calm under pressure. Some students have likened training in our dojo to "moving Zen."

Our instructors also teach methods for cultivating ki (chi in Chinese). Ki is the life energy that animates human beings, and an understanding of it is useful in both martial arts and daily life.

An Exceptional Instructor & Teaching Staff

H. E. Davey Sensei, the primary instructor at the Sennin Foundation Center, is the author of numerous books, including Unlocking the Secrets of Aiki-jujutsu and Living the Japanese Arts & Ways. He began studying the Saigo Ryu tradition at just five years old. He received the rank/title of Nihon Jujutsu Kyoshi from the Kokusai Budoin, which defines Kyoshi as a "Master's certificate and equal to modern ranks of sixth- to eighth-degree black belt." Kokusai Budoin was founded over 50 years ago in Japan, where it is affiliated with the Japanese Imperial Family, and where it functions as an international federation for most budo, or martial arts. In 1995, Davey Sensei and his students became the first Westerners permitted to give their own demonstration of aiki-jujutsu at the Kokusai Budoin's annual All-Japan Martial Arts Exhibition. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Shudokan Martial Arts Association, which has given him a seventh-degree black belt and a Shihan teaching license.

Combining Jujutsu with Japanese Yoga & Meditation

Holiday

2011-05-23T14:22:00.001-07:00

The Sennin Foundation Center will be closed on Monday, May 30. We hope you have a nice holiday.

Kevin Heard Receives So-shihan Certification

2011-05-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

Recently, the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts promoted Kevin Heard to So-shihan in the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation. He received the same advanced teaching certification in this discipline’s related healing arts (yuki). This is the highest possible rank and similar to a PhD. Mr. Heard has been studying and teaching at the Sennin Foundation Center for nearly 30 years; he is the first and only person to have received So-shihan certification.

On a related note, Mr. Heard was also recently promoted to rokudan, sixth-degree black belt, by the Shudokan Martial Arts Association Jujutsu Division. The SMAA is an international coalition of Japanese and Western martial arts experts. Mr. Heard is now one of the highest ranking members of the SMAA Jujutsu Division. You can read more here: http://shudokanmartialartsassociation.blogspot.com/2011/04/kevin-heard-receives-sixth-dan.html.

Mr. Heard 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, open source software, and privacy and security in the digital age. He is co-author of Mastering Netscape SuiteSpot 3 Servers (Sybex).

He regularly teaches Japanese yoga, healing arts, and martial arts to children and adults at the Sennin Foundation Center. You can read more at www.senninfoundation.com.

The Essence of Japanese Yoga

2011-05-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

Four Basic Principles to Unify Mind and Body

1. Maintain a positive mind.

2. Train the mind to arrive at full concentration.

3. Use the body obeying the laws of nature.

4. Train the body progressively, systematically, and regularly.

Nakamura Tempu, founder of the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation

Mu

2011-04-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

This artwork was commissioned by a Facebook friend in Canada, Ms. Angie Kehler, and it now resides in her collection of Japanese art. It is the character mu, "nothingness," painted by H. E. Davey Sensei in the abstract and cursive sosho script. The calligraphy was done on a traditional shikishi, a piece of stiff paper, roughly 9 x 10 inches, and used in classic Japanese painting and calligraphic art. (Click on the images to enlarge them.)

The artwork is hand painted and one of a kind. It arrived in Canada in a shikishi specific frame from Japan. Many examples of Japanese calligraphy in the West are not traditionally and correctly framed. Since they are not traditionally framed, they don't really look right; since they are often not behind glass, they don't last very long before they start to deteriorate. This is not the case with the artwork produced by Davey Sensei, Sennin Foundation Director, for his customers.

"The artwork is beautiful. The movement is both exquisite and powerful."

Angie Kehler

Free Japanese Yoga & Martial Arts Classes

2011-04-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, April 7, the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts will offer FREE introductory classes in Japanese yoga and martial arts. The classes will start at 7 PM at 1053 San Pablo Ave., Albany, California. The teacher will be Kevin Heard Sensei, who has nearly 30 years of training in both disciplines. He will focus on principles of mind and body unification common to both arts. To attend these free classes, call 510-526-7518, and leave your name, phone number, and indicate that you would like to participate. Wear loose clothing and arrive 10 minutes before the classes start. Take a look at the text below for more information.

Japanese Yoga & Meditation

Make a positive and life-altering decision. Consider adding Shin-shin-toitsu-do to your life, and discover a way of living rooted in health, happiness, and harmony.

Martial Arts

Our class features a wide variety of powerful throwing, pinning, and grappling techniques stemming from older methods (kobudo) originating in the Aizu-Wakamatsu area of Japan. Saigo Ryu is a sogo bujutsu, an "integrated martial system," and it also features advanced training in the martial arts of the sword, spear, staff, short stick, iron fan, and others. It is unique and unlike many more well-known martial disciplines (like karate-do, kendo, and iaido). While training is vigorous, and the practiced self-defense techniques effective, the emphasis is on subduing an opponent without unneeded injury. Students improve their health while learning martial arts as meditation, which helps them to remain calm under pressure. Some students have likened training in our dojo to "moving Zen."

Our instructors also teach methods for cultivating ki (chi in Chinese). Ki is the life energy that animates human beings, and an understanding of it is useful in both martial arts and daily life.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

2011-03-11T07:54:00.001-08:00

Our thoughts go out to our friends and teachers in Japan, which was recently hit by a large earthquake and tsunami. We hope all our friends are OK, and we hope you will donate to help people in Japan. If you’re not sure how to do this, you can go to http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/japan-earthquake-tsunami-relief/.

About The Japanese Way of the Artist

2011-02-24T16:18:00.000-08:00

H. E. Davey combines a remarkable technical facility in the Japanese art of the brush with a deep understanding of its spiritual profundities. His book offers a marvelous practical introduction to Japanese calligraphy as well as insights into the essence of this art. It is a unique and fascinating presentation of a little-known art of self-cultivation.--Dave Lowry, author of Sword and Brush

An Amazon.com Review of Japanese Yoga

2011-02-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

5.0 out of 5 stars

Much more than yoga

December 30, 2010

By David Orman

If you are interested in anything Japanese, this is one of those books that you will find yourself reading multiple times. . . and still learning per each read.

When I first read the title, I anticipated teaching on stretching and perhaps breathing and other elements associated with traditional yoga, albeit from a Japanese perspective. This book does include these aspects but so much more. From visualization to Shodo and a dozen other topics in between, this book covers more of a lifestyle vs. a how-to-do-yoga.

I found it extremely helpful and would highly recommend it.

Holiday

2011-02-14T10:43:00.001-08:00

The Sennin Foundation Center will be closed on February 21. We hope everyone has a nice holiday.

Movement

2011-02-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

Movement never lies. It is a barometer telling the state of the soul's weather. ~Martha Graham

The founder of Shin-shin-toitsu-do (Japanese yoga) also taught that the body reflects the mind, and that physical training can help us understand and develop concentration, willpower, a positive attitude, and other mental qualities. Learn more by reading Japanese Yoga by H. E. Davey, Sennin Foundation Director.

Hashimoto Tetsuichi

2011-02-06T21:37:00.000-08:00

This is a recent photo of Hashimoto Tetsuichi Sensei, Sennin Foundation Senior Advisor. Hashimoto Sensei is a direct student of the founder of Shin-shin-toitsu-do, a system of Japanese yoga and meditation taught at the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts in California. Hashimoto Sensei holds the highest teaching certification in this art.

Hashimoto Sensei is over 80 now, and he is one of the teachers of H. E. Davey Sensei, Sennin Foundation Director and author of Japanese Yoga. This picture was taken at his home in Tokyo by his son Hashimoto Koji, also a friend and supporter of our dojo as well as a teacher of Japanese yoga.

Thoughts

2011-01-19T17:03:00.000-08:00

A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.

Mohandas Gandhi

Both Gandhi and Nakamura Tempu mentioned this idea, echoing the sages of ancient India. To learn more about how the mind can create health and illness, fortune and misfortune, read Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation, which is based on Nakamura Sensei's teachings.

The Japanese Way of the Artist

2011-01-19T16:46:00.000-08:00

To read more about Japanese art and meditation, check out The Japanese Way of the Artist. You can order your copy at:

http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Way-Artist-Living-Meditation/dp/1933330074/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=12926379...77&sr=8-1

Dream

2011-01-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers.

Orison Swett Marden

Nakamura Tempu was the creator of Japanese yoga, and as a young man he was inspired by the positive thinking advocated by Marden's writings. To learn more, pick up a copy of Japanese Yoga at http://senninfoundation.com/davey_yoga.html.

A Positive Mind

2011-01-05T12:50:00.000-08:00

Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.

Michael Jordan

Japanese yoga aims at the culitvation of a positive mind through autosuggestion and meditation. Learn the art of meditation. Pick up a copy of Japanese Yoga at http://senninfoundation.com/davey_yoga.html

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T12:13:00.001-08:00

We hope all of the fans of the Sennin Foundation Facebook page and Sennin Foundation Blog have a very Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-20T13:47:00.001-08:00

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.

Review of "The Zen Art Book"

2010-11-11T12:55:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-11-11T11:14:00.000-08:00

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.

Fudoshin Calligraphy

2010-11-09T16:56:00.000-08:00

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.

H. E. Davey's Calligraphic Art

2010-11-07T14:05:00.000-08:00

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.

Japanese Yoga

2010-11-07T12:48:00.000-08:00

http://senninfoundation.com/davey_yoga.html

Nakamura Tempu & Japanese Yoga

2010-11-07T12:29:00.000-08:00

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/.

The Japanese Way of the Artist

2010-10-31T19:46:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-31T19:39:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

Book Review: "The Sound of One Hand"

2010-10-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

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.

Testimonials from Japanese Yoga Experts

2010-10-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

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"

2010-10-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

Check out The Japanese Way of the Artist Blog at http://japanesewayoftheartist.blogspot.com/

Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation

2010-10-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-19T11:13:00.001-07:00

For more information about Japanese fine arts go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_art

Classes

2010-09-14T13:07:00.001-07:00

The Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts is a small traditional dojo and its walls are tastefully adorned with H. E. Davey Sensei's dynamic Japanese calligraphy. Located just across the bay from San Francisco, it is usually open throughout the week. It has been serving the communities of 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's orientation is relatively noncommercial in approach, and group instruction is personalized, involving small numbers of serious students. Private lessons are also available, and all fees are reasonable, allowing individuals from a variety of income brackets the opportunity to practice. Davey Sensei and a staff of assistant instructors offer noncompetitive instruction in the traditional Japanese arts mentioned on this website. In their teaching of Japanese yoga & meditation, holistic healing arts, effective martial arts, and Asian fine arts, they carry on the authentic and time-honored traditions of Japan's past.

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

Telephone: 510-526-7518 (evenings)
E-mail: hedavey@aol.com

New Teachers

2010-06-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

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!

"Budo"

2010-05-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

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.

SMAA California Seminar in June

2010-05-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

On June 26 and 27, the Shudokan Martial Arts Association will offer a special seminar in conjunction with the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts. The featured instructor will be H. E. Davey, SMAA Primary Director and SMAA Jujutsu Division Shihan/seventh dan. The theme of the weekend will be “Japanese Yoga & Hanbo-jutsu.” 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, including the hanbo—a three-foot stick. 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 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 for Japanese Cultural Arts

1053 San Pablo Ave.

Albany, CA 94706

USA

www.senninfoundation.com

http://senninfoundation.blogspot.com/

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 Area)

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 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!)

Hanbo—$14.99 with tax included.

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:

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 two weeks prior to the seminar. It will not be possible to register after this date. 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

Rentals car are available at both airports.

Contact Information:

H. E. Davey

hedavey@aol.com

510-526-7518

About Our Dojo

2010-05-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

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.

Free Classes

2010-05-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

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.

The class is free to both Sennin Foundation members and the public. The instructor will be Kevin Heard Sensei, who has been studying Japanese yoga, healing arts, and martial arts for over 25 years. He has a Shihan teaching license in Japanese yoga, a very advanced rank.

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.

Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation

2010-04-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

Based on the eclectic Western-Eastern teachings of Nakamura Tempu Sensei, Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation is a step-by-step introduction to Japanese yoga (Shin-shin-toitsu-do). It 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 Nakamura Sensei. 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.

The Japanese Way of the Artist

2010-04-13T11:58:00.000-07:00

The Japanese Way of the Artist:Living the Japanese Arts & Ways, Brush Meditation, The Japanese Way of the Flower

By H. E. Davey

512 pp
6 x 7.75"
Paperback
135 B&W illustrations and photographs
ISBN 978-1-933330-07-5
$19.95

Now in a single volume, three essential works on Japanese aesthetics, spirituality, and meditation.

Living the Japanese Arts & Ways: 45 Paths to Meditation & Beauty

“Davey uses words with clarity and simplicity to describe the non-word realm of practicing these arts-calligraphy, martial arts, tea ceremony, painting-and the spiritual meaning of such practice. . . . A wonderful complement for practitioners of meditation, especially Zen.”
Publishers Weekly

The Michi Mission: From chado—“the Way of tea”—to budo—“the martial Way”—Japan has succeeded in spiritualizing a number of classical arts. The names of these skills often end in Do, also pronounced Michi, meaning the “Way.” By studying a Way in detail, we discover vital principles that transcend the art and relate more broadly to the art of living itself. . . . Books in the Stone Bridge Press series Michi: Japanese Arts and Ways focus on these Do forms. They are about discipline and spirituality, about moving from the particular to the universal.

The three works anthologized here are essential to understanding the spiritual, meditative, and physical basis of all classical Japanese creative 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.

In the Michi series, H. E. Davey explores the mind/body connection that lies at the heart of traditional Japanese arts and culture. Mr. Davey is Director of the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts in the San Francisco Bay Area.

We're on Facebook!

2010-04-08T08:03:00.001-07:00

Want to learn more about traditional Japanese forms of yoga, healing arts, martial arts, and fine arts? Become a fan of the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts at www.facebook.com. Follow us on Facebook and get all the latest Sennin Foundation news.

Free Month of Japanese Yoga & Martial Arts for Kids!

2010-04-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

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.

Shudokan Martial Arts Association California Seminar (1)

2010-03-30T15:20:00.001-07:00

SMAA California Seminar (1)—June 26 and 27, 2010

When: Saturday, June 26 and Sunday, June 27

Where: The Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts
1053 San Pablo Ave.
Albany, CA 94706
USA
www.senninfoundation.com

What: Japanese yoga & meditation, Saigo Ryu hanbo-jutsu

Who: H. E. Davey--http://www.smaa-hq.com/bio.php?bioid=2
With attending SMAA Senior Advisors:
Kevin Heard Sensei--http://www.smaa-hq.com/bio.php?bioid=11
Ohsaki Jun Sensei—http://www.smaa-hq.com/bio.php?bioid=18
Ann Kameoka Sensei—http://www.smaa-hq.com/bio.php?bioid=13

Theme: Students will receive instruction in the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation. The focus will be on unification of mind and body in action. Exercises will help participants to achieve deeper calmness, balance, and coordination in budo, but also in their daily lives as well.

Saigo Ryu hanbo-jutsu training will use many of the principles of mind and body unification practiced in Shin-shin-toitsu-do, and it will focus on the hanbo, a three-foot stick. Hanbo-jutsu, as practiced in Saigo Ryu, features dynamic throwing and pinning techniques using the hanbo for additional leverage and pain compliance. Think of it as “jujutsu with a stick.” (Hanbo can be purchased from the Sennin Foundation Center.)

No prior experience is needed in any of the above-mentioned arts. It is important, however, not to miss the first classes on June 26, which will introduce the basics of these disciplines.

Contact Information: hedavey@aol.com, 510-526-7518

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.

Registration Deadline: All fees and a completed registration form must be received by the Sennin Foundation Center two weeks prior to the seminar. It will not be possible to register after this date, and space is limited. The Sennin Foundation Center reserves the right to close registration at any time when the maximum number of participants has been registered.

Troy Swenson Receives Japanese Yoga Teaching Certification

2010-03-30T13:18:00.001-07:00

Sennin Foundation member Troy Swenson recently received Shihan-dai ("Associate Instructor") certification in the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation. Swenson Sensei also studies in the Sennin Foundation's healing arts, martial arts, and fine arts programs. He is working toward teaching certification in these disciplines as well.

Mr. Swenson joined the Sennin Foundation Center in 2005, and he lives in El Sobrante, California. He works as a structural engineer.

For more information about Japanese yoga, visit http://www.senninfoundation.com/.

Sennin Foundation General Information

2010-03-30T13:02:00.001-07:00

The Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts was formed in 1981. Since then, we’ve been teaching Japanese yoga and meditation, healing arts, martial arts, and fine arts. Japanese yoga and martial arts classes for children, age five and above, are also available.

We’re at 1053 San Pablo Ave. in Albany, California, between El Cerrito and Berkeley. We’re accessible by BART and bus. Visits are by appointment, and you can set up an appointment to visit and ask questions, pick up free literature, and/or register for classes by calling 510-526-7518 (PM).

Beginning classes in Japanese yoga and meditation take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Our class in Japanese healing arts takes place on Monday nights. Classes in martial arts are also on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Classes in Integrated Shodo & Meditation, which focus on brush writing and ink painting, are taught in private lessons. And our classes in Japanese yoga and martial arts for children are available Monday through Thursday in the evening.

All classes are semi-private, meaning we do not teach large groups to avoid watering down the quality of instruction. Private lessons are also available.

Prices are reasonable. Discounts are offered for paying more than one month at a time.

All the arts that we teach emphasize unification of mind and body in action. Participating in them develops willpower, concentration, calmness, and other important character traits. You can read more about these disciplines at www.senninfoundation.com. While there, check out the books for sale. Most of these publications can be purchased at the Sennin Foundation Center, and they represent another way to learn about our classes.

The best way, however, to understand what we offer is to call us at 510-526-7518 in the evening. If you get the answering machine, it probably means we’re in the middle of a class. Just leave a message, and we’ll call you back as soon as the class is over. We prefer telephone communication to e-mail, because telephone calls allow us to more effectively explain our programs and their price structure.

Thank you for your interest in the Sennin Foundation Center and this blog. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

Sennin Foundation Teacher has Book Published

2010-03-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

Dr. Kyle Kurpinski, a Sennin Foundation teacher of Japanese yoga and martial arts, recently had his first book published. How to Defeat Your Own Clone: And Other Tips for Surviving the Biotech Revolution has been getting great reviews. Visit the book's Facebook page for more information or go to http://www.kylekurpinski.com/.

Kurpinski Sensei has been a Sennin Foundation member for several years, and he teaches weekly at our dojo. He is also one of the leading U.S. cell biologists.

Free Japanese Yoga Class

2010-01-04T11:03:00.000-08:00

On January 7, the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts will offer a FREE introductory class. The class, which will start at 7 PM, will feature Japanese 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. The class is open to both Sennin Foundation members and the general public.The instructor for this class will be Kevin Heard Sensei, who has been studying Japanese yoga for over 25 years. He has a Shihan teaching license, a very advanced rank.If you and/or your friends would like to participate, please call 510-526-7518 (PM). 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.

Kevin Heard Sensei

2009-07-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-26T13:08:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

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.

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!

2009-02-03T12:26:00.001-08:00

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!

2009-01-06T12:03:00.000-08:00

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!

"Crazy for Kanji"

2008-12-17T12:17:00.000-08:00

H. E. Davey Sensei's Japanese calligraphy will be featured in the upcoming Stone Bridge Press book Crazy for Kanji. A sample of his brush writing, which will appear in the new book, can been seen above. It shows the three different script styles commonly used in Japanese calligraphic art.

The kanji, or "Chinese character," depicted in all three illustrations is do (a.k.a. michi), which means "a road" in its more utilitarian usage and "the Way" in more spiritual terms. Many traditional Japanese arts that are practiced for spiritual realization end with the character for do. Examples are shodo ("the Way of brush calligraphy") and budo ("the martial Way," in other words, martial arts). In the illustration above, do is brushed using kaisho, gyosho, and sosho script styles. Moving from left to right, each script becomes more and more abbreviated and abstract.

You can learn more about how shodo functions as an ancient system of writing, moving meditation, and abstract art, by visiting our sister blog Art of Shodo at http://artofshodo.blogspot.com/.

You can purchase Davey Sensei's latest book The Japanese Way of the Artist, which covers Japanese calligraphy in detail, through Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Way-Artist-Living-Meditation/dp/1933330074/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229545807&sr=8-1

Want to find out more about the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts Integrated Shodo & Meditation program? Just drop by www.senninfoundation.com.

You can read more about The Japanese Way of the Artist and the upcoming Crazy for Kanji at www.stonebridge.com. Stone Bridge Press focuses on books about Japanese culture that will appeal to many readers of this blog.

From "Unlocking the Secrets of Aiki-jujutsu"

2008-12-09T15:20:00.000-08:00

Preface from Unlocking the Secrets of Aiki-jujutsu

By H. E. Davey

Aiki-jujutsu is a traditional Japanese combative discipline that has the potential to vitally transform the lives of its participants. This transformation takes place of course in the realm of one's newly developed skills of self-protection, but due to the nature of the art, it is also equally possible to experience profound spiritual realizations.

I was once asked by a skilled jujutsu instructor why I had "tacked on" this spiritual emphasis to what were essentially arts of combat, and if I had not added this dimension to the arts that I was teaching, why was this dimension there to begin with? In other words, why use as unlikely a medium as a martial art for spiritual development? Over the passing years, I have reflected on that question many times.

One of the essential issues that we have to deal with throughout our lives is the certainty of our own demise. Many of us have tried to put it out of our normal consciousness for many years, with the thought returning only occasionally--perhaps late at night while lying awake in bed, with no other activities to distract us from the inevitable outcome of life. It is a fear that never leaves.

Resolving this fear is something that is vital for any human being wishing to be at peace with him or herself. In fact, it is this fear which has prompted the great religions, philosophies, and teachings throughout recorded history, for by encountering this ultimate fear, we in turn face a number of our other anxieties as well. We are then forced to consider what lies beyond our limited physical form and discover our spiritual natures. We have come to see these related subjects, however, as being solely the domain of mystics and priests. At least, many of us find it strange to find them outside the sphere of philosophy and/or religion . . . especially in a martial discipline.

Still, what better place to encounter one's own mortality than in a combative art? It is the essential character of arts like aiki-jujutsu that they involve, ultimately, the potential death of one or both participants. This is not the same as facing death in the abstract--sitting alone with one's eyes closed, as in certain forms of meditation--but rather in the face of a rapidly approaching fist or weapon. In fact, if one does not come to grips with the true makeup of the human psyche and spirit, while at the very least, considering the issue of dying, it is impossible to make real progress in aiki-jujutsu. Of course, it is possible to cultivate technical skill and appear formidable within the relatively safe confines of the dojo, or "training hall." However, when faced with a sudden, violent, and potentially life-threatening attack, even in the dojo (but especially in daily life), few of us have the mental constitution to handle such an assault effectively. We will "freeze" unless the mind has also been deliberately and directly trained to deal with violence and the reality of human mortality. This mental training is absolutely essential for realizing genuine combative effectiveness, and it is not an issue that will simply "take care of itself " by engaging in hard physical practice, despite the fact that a number of martial arts teachers have tried to convince of the public of just that myth. (Otherwise, most professional athletes would have arrived at these spiritual realizations in the course of their training as well.)

Beyond combative efficiency, aiki-jujutsu gives us the opportunity to see ourselves clearly and to face our own fears in a way that few people in modern society will ever experience. Actually, when deeply and properly practiced, aiki-jujutsu promotes an inevitable spiritual examination. Furthermore, if one explores any combative discipline long enough and seriously enough, it is actually impossible to fail to face one's anxieties, fears, and mortality. These are not issues that have been "tacked on" to the Japanese martial arts and ways, but are inescapable aspects that lie at the very heart of these disciplines.

Nonetheless, one still needs a proper understanding of aiki-jujutsu to grasp the art's deeper dimensions. No amount of effort, if it is misguided, will allow most people to unlock the mysteries of aiki-jujutsu; and therefore, authentic instruction is vital. This book is designed to serve only as an introduction to a dynamic and infinitely subtle martial discipline.

The first half of Unlocking the Secrets of Aiki-jujutsu is designed as an overview of aiki-jujutsu in general, while the second portion illustrates the techniques of Saigo Ryu, since this is the system of aiki-jujutsu with which the author is most familiar. Moreover, the techniques depicted in the book are only a representative sampling of the skills taught in Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu. (While one chapter explains a limited number of techniques in detail, it was not possible to continue this detailed explanation throughout the book due to space limitations. However, the following chapter does shows a fair variety of techniques but without explanation. This is, once again, due to space constraints.) They do not depict this system's official kata, or prearranged formal exercises, which form the foundation of most aiki-jujutsu methods. (They are actually individual techniques drawn from various dissimilar kata and kata no oyo, or applied techniques that are derivative of those official kata techniques.) This is deliberate, as charlatans in the past have attempted to learn one of Japan's martial arts or ways from a book and bill themselves as instructors of disciplines that they have never studied. The credentials of individuals claiming to teach Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu can be checked by contacting the author at the address given in the appendix.

With the increasing international popularity of aikido, a martial way that is derived from aiki-jujutsu, aiki-jujutsu itself is being drawn into the limelight. However, aiki- jujutsu is a practice that was not readily available to the public for most of its history, and this situation has only recently begun to change. Thus, the amount of reliable information about the art is limited, but the public's interest in this art is steadily growing. Clearly, any little-known art that has managed to gradually capture the attention of the public is in danger of being exploited, distorted, and/or misunderstood. This has, unfortunately, already started in the case of aiki-jujutsu . . . before it has even had a chance to establish its legitimate principles. Hence, the need for a comprehensive, English-language introduction to the art is vital, and I have written this book for this reason, and because a number of senior Japanese and Western martial arts teachers have requested such a book.

Aiki-jujutsu's essence is contained in its name. Ai means "to meet," or alternately, "harmony" and "union." Ki describes the vital life energy that animates all living things as well as all of Nature. Ju can mean "gentle," but in this context it is more readily translated as "yielding," "flexible," or "non-resistant," while jutsu indicates an "art." Thus, in aiki-jujutsu, one discovers an art with which to master conflict by means of harmonizing with the life energy that animates the opponent and pervades Nature. Through this all-embracing state of harmony, then, it is possible to overcome an opponent, or even to face the "tests" life continually sends our way, by arriving at a state of non-resistance. This state, however, is not passive but actually extremely dynamic. For example, imagine trying to push a ping-pong ball under the water with one finger. The ball will seem to yield to the force of the finger, only to whirl away and pop up out of the water again and again. Its unsinkable quality comes from non-resistance, not passivity. Through the study of genuine aiki-jujutsu we can become like this floating ball, responding quickly and flexibly to life's changes, yet never being overwhelmed by them.

About the Author: H. E. Davey is the Director of the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts. To learn more about the Japanese cultural and martial arts, visit The Japanese Way of the Artist blog at http://japanesewayoftheartist.blogspot.com/.

An Article from "Furyu" by H. E. Davey

2008-12-09T15:05:00.001-08:00

Budo and the Art of Japanese Calligraphy

By H. E. Davey

(This article first appeared in the Spring-Summer 1995 issue of the Furyu: The Budo Journal.)

Many students of traditional Budo (martial arts) have read that the education of the bushi consisted of a dual emphasis on bun and bu. Bu refers to the study of martial strategy and combat, while bun indicates the literary and fine arts of Japan. Some scholars of Budo have even declared that bun and bu must be considered as one. For example, Nakajima Masayoshi Sensei, fifth headmaster of Takenouchi-Hangan-Ryu, has written that, in addition to the ryu's eighteen classical martial arts, students are taught such fine arts as Shakuhachi (five-holed flute), Shimai (a form of Noh dance), Yokyoku (Noh song), Sado (tea ceremony), and Kado (flower arrangement). Moreover, in feudal Japan, young bushi, or samurai, of the Aizu clan attended the Nisshinkan, where in addition to taking part in the martial activities that many would expect from an institute of samurai education, the youths also received detailed instruction in the Chinese classics, religion, etiquette, classical music, mathematics, healing arts, astronomy, and Japanese calligraphy. It was the art of brush writing, in fact, that was among the most important of studies for the higher-ranking bushi. Actually, for many ancient warriors, as well as present-day Japanese martial arts experts, Japanese calligraphy (Shodo) amounts to a vital part of Budo training.

Shodo, or the Way of Calligraphy, is studied by a multitude of Japanese, from college professors to housewives. However, even in Japan, few fully grasp the connection between Budo and Shodo, or how Japanese brush writing can be used as an exceptionally effective form of supplemental training for the Budoka. This is holds true despite the fact that many past masters of the martial arts and ways were also masters of Shodo. Well-known martial artists such as Miyamoto Musashi; Aikido's founder, Ueshiba Morihei Sensei; and Muto Ryu Kenjutsu's founder, Yamaoka Tesshu Sensei, are all held in equally high regard as calligraphers. Yamaoka Sensei is a fine example of a master of the dual ways of Sho and Bu. Terayama Katsujo Sensei, in his foreword to The Sword of No-Sword, writes:

Yamaoka Tesshu was an outstanding figure of the turbulent era that marked the birth of modern Japan. In the public sphere, Tesshu negotiated with Saigo Takamori and arranged for the peaceful transfer of power from the old order to the new; as an individual student of the Ways, Tesshu attained profound enlightenment at the age of forty-five and realized the inner principles of swordsmanship, Zen, and calligraphy. Thereafter, Tesshu was like Miyamoto Musashi, "passing one's days without attachment to any particular Way" (Book of Five Rings). Tesshu too became an extraordinarily versatile and prolific master: a peerless swordsman who established the No-Sword School; a wise and compassionate Zen teacher in the Tekisui tradition; and an unrivaled calligrapher who gathered all things of heaven and earth in his brush. Even today, nearly a century after his death, Tesshu's incredible vitality can still be discerned in his brushwork. 1

As the actions of the sword in Kenjutsu can be considered a reflection of one's mind, in Shodo, the dynamic movement of the artist's spiritual force, or Ki, becomes visible in the form of jet-black ink. Like traditional Budo, Shodo, which is derived from 3000-year-old Chinese characters adopted by Japan, can be practiced as a means of cultivating Ki. In Zen and the Art of Japanese Calligraphy, Omori Sogen Roshi expresses this idea:

The work of a Zen artist, on the other hand, is permeated by what Hakuin called the "overwhelming force of enlightened vision." That force is kiai. Ki, the energy of the cosmos, is always present but remains dormant if not cultivated. Kiai is to be full of ki; it is incorporated in the ink as bokki. 2

Setsudo said about this: "Bokki is not, as most people believe, the colour of the ink, and does not depend on the quality of the brush, ink, and paper. If one's ki is not extended into the work, the bokki is dead." 3

The clarity of the bokki is not seen with the eyes, it is sensed with the hara, the physical and spiritual centre of one's body. Bokki reveals the calligrapher's inner light.

Many followers of Budo, especially Aikido and Aiki-jujutsu practitioners, place a similar emphasis on the cultivation of Ki, kiai, and hara in their own disciplines, just as Shodo is viewed by its disciples as an equally effective method of developing oneself spiritually. A spontaneous creative gesture that has much in common with abstract expressionism, Shodo is more than mere writing, and its skilled practitioners believe that the "visible rhythm" created by the brush is a "picture of the mind" which reveals the calligrapher's physical and mental condition. For hundreds of years in China and Japan, leaders in any field, including Budo, were expected to demonstrate a powerful, composed script. Recently, major American and European corporations have started to employ handwriting analysts to help them select future executives; however, the study of byohitsu, or "sick strokes," is not new to Japan. It is believed that the subconscious mind is unmasked at the moment the brush is put to paper. It is also felt that one's subconscious can be positively influenced by copying masterpieces of Japanese calligraphy executed by exceptional individuals such as Yamaoka Tesshu Sensei.

Like Budo, Shodo is ultimately a means of cultivating the personality by developing positive subconscious habits. Martial arts author Michel Random writes, "It is said that internal serenity drives the brush. The brush in effect interprets the deepest part of the subconscious. The 'wisdom of the eye' is what relates the characters to each other as though assembling the movable and the immutable, the ego to the 10,000 things in the universe, the present to the timeless."

Each brush stroke in Japanese calligraphy must be perfectly executed since the artist never goes back to touch up any character. Each movement of the fude, or brush, is ideally performed with the full force of one's mind and body, as if one's very life depended upon the successful completion of each action. It is this spirit of decisiveness, of throwing 100% of oneself into the moment's action without hesitation, that perhaps most clearly connects Budo and the art of Japanese calligraphy.

Random further states in The Martial Arts:

For is not the ability to make the stroke flow naturally, to let the brush move freely across a thin piece of paper, also a superior struggle of the most testing kind? The spontaneous stroke of the brush is reminiscent of the quick free thrust of the sword or the freedom of the arrow fired effortlessly. Wherever there is distress, worry or uneasiness, there can be no perfect freedom or swiftness of action. 4

In Shodo, all mistakes are final, just as in the martial arts a mistake ultimately, or at least symbolically, results in the Budoka's death. For this reason, many beginners in calligraphy lack the spiritual strength to paint the character decisively. Each stroke must be delivered like the slash of the bushi's sword, yet the brush must be held in a relaxed manner, as well as manipulated without a loss of controlled calmness. Through rigorous training, a kind of seishin tanren (spiritual forging), the student's mental condition is altered, and this change in consciousness is expected to be carried into the individual's daily life as well. For the Budoka, the added strength and composure, which is cultivated by Japanese calligraphy allows him or her to more instantly respond to an opponent's attack without hesitation. In one sense, the shuji-gami, or calligraphy paper, which is so sensitive that the ink will "bleed" through it in seconds, is one's opponent and the brush one's sword. Every kanji, or character, must be painted with a perfect asymmetrical balance, which like a person's balance in Jujutsu, must be developed until it is maintained on a subconscious level. (In fact, the author has found his prior training in Aiki-jujutsu to be invaluable for sensing balance in Shodo, and over the years, his study of calligraphy has enabled him to more precisely see, and correct, a lack of balance in the bodies of his Aiki-jujutsu students.)

Shodo requires a balanced use of the mind and body, as well as a state of mental and physical integration. As many novices in the martial arts have discovered, it is sometimes rather difficult to make the mind and body work together as a unit. To simply paint a straight line can be a surprising challenge, one that can be accomplished only through a coordination of one's faculties. In Japanese painting and calligraphy, a strongly concentrated mind must control the brush, and a relaxed body must allow the brush to act as an exact reflection of the mind's movement. Shodo, as much as Budo, demands this coordination. Through calligraphy practice, the martial artist has an additional means of realizing the essential harmony of thought and action, and a visible means of illustrating this state of unification at that. To achieve unification of mind and body, of course, demands a positive, concentrated use of the mind, along with a natural and relaxed use of the body. It is this enhancement of concentration and relaxation that many people, including Japanese practitioners of the martial arts, find so appealing.

Just as Judo begins by gripping the opponent, and Iaido begins by gripping the sword, so too does Shodo start with the student's hold on the brush. Unless the proper method of holding is mastered, no real progress is possible. Some teachers in the past tried to suddenly pull the brush from the student's hand as a means of testing the grip. An ink-covered hand would reveal an improperly held brush. However, squeezing tightly is not the answer, because this does not produce flowing, dynamic characters. Limply gripping, on the other hand, results only in a loss of brush control. It was, and is, therefore essential to learn to hold the fude in a way that is neither tense nor limp, with a kind of "alive" grip in which one's Ki is projected from downward-pointing fingers through the brush, out of the tip, and into the paper. This same supple, yet firm grip, is vital in most forms of Budo, and it has been characterized as "Ki de toru," that is, holding with Ki.

As an individual prepares to paint, he or she will notice if the tip of the brush is still or shaking. A wobbling brush not only makes it difficult to paint stable kanji, but it also indicates an unstable, nervous mental state. In Shodo, and Budo, the body reflects the mind. Therefore, the bushi would also notice if his opponent's kissaki (sword tip) began to tremble, for this was often an indication of suki--a break in the opponent's composure and concentration, and an opportunity to attack. In Shodo, as in Budo, as in daily life, the mind and body are interconnected.

In both Shodo and Budo, one's spirit controls the brush or, in the case of Budo, one's body. The Shodo student needs to strongly focus on the character to be painted for a split second, and then without hesitation, move the brush in a relaxed manner. In this way, the Shodo artist endeavors to succeed mentally before the brush even touches the paper, in much the same way that a skilled Budoka will spiritually win before engaging the opponent. Japanese calligraphy dictates that the movement of a person's Ki slightly precedes the brush as it draws the character.

Shodo has a "visible rhythm"; in other words, the kanji sit in repose on the paper, but they must look and feel as if they are moving. (This is the state of dochu no sei, or "stillness in motion," that is often alluded to in esoteric densho, or manuals containing a school's most profound teachings. Its converse is "motion in stillness." It is the unity of these two conditions that results in skilled Shodo and Budo.) To create this dynamic, yet balanced feeling, the brush must flow in a free and easy manner. Each kanji has a set number of strokes that must be brushed in a precisely defined order. Within the form of each character, the brush should move smoothly from one stroke to the next. This creates a rhythm, which must not be broken if the character is to take on a dynamic appearance, and unless a constant flow of concentration is maintained, this rhythm will be broken. Many people have an unfortunate tendency to cut off their stream of attention at the completion of an action. In calligraphy, this often happens when finishing a single character or at the end of a line of words. It is vital to maintain an unbroken flow of Ki and concentration throughout the artistic act. In Budo as well as Shodo, this is known as zanshin (literally "remaining mind"), and it indicates a kind of "mental follow-through" and unbroken condition of calm awareness. Shodo has been used in the past, as well as the present, as a way for Budoka to develop zanshin without the presence of an actual opponent.

Both Budo and Shodo have been characterized as forms of "moving meditation." Michel Random eloquently describes this unique method of meditation with the brush:

The sign is repeated until total spontaneity is achieved, completely free from thought . . . spontaneity and not automatism of movement which is contrary to the object of the exercise. In calligraphy (as in the martial arts), the space between the lines is what matters. It is this space which gives the signs their beauty. In Zen painting, we find the same need for pressure and spontaneity. Here, we see the result of the movement of the brush and ink on the paper. The brush is dipped in encre de chine. The special quality paper is very fine and absorbent. The brush hardly needs to touch the paper to make a large blob. Therefore, the hand must skim or fly across the paper without stopping. Thought is free. 5

Few realize that many of the brush strokes in Shodo are similar, or the same as, the lines of the fude in Japanese ink painting (Sumi-e). Both the Japanese and the Chinese use pictographs as well as thousands of ideograms in their languages, each with a specific meaning, producing a virtually limitless combination of expressions. A large number of kanji are actually abstract and abbreviated pictures which can evoke emotion in the viewer, just as some paintings do, owing to their variety and depth. For this reason, it is not uncommon to find that some Japanese calligraphers can actually paint, and some Sumi-e experts can execute calligraphy, as the two arts overlap considerably.

Shodo is, thus, an art that can be appreciated just as much by individuals that cannot read Japanese as by those that can. For just as it is possible to enjoy the rhythm and sound of music, without being able to read the notes, it is also possible to appreciate Japanese calligraphy without being fluent in Japanese. In the dynamic beauty of Shodo, one finds the essential components that make up all art--balance, rhythm, grace, and the beauty of line. These aspects of Shodo, which are also found in properly performed Budo, can be appreciated by all cultures.

Dave Lowry, the esteemed author of Autumn Lightning, describes his impressions, as a young American, observing the calligraphy painted by his sensei:

... Sensei was writing in the much older kanji characters of Japanese script with ink and a soft bristled brush. There is a maxim in the bujutsu, ken, sho, ichi, a reminder that the katana and the brush are one and the same in practice and the swordsman must wield his blade with exactly the accuracy and artistry with which he employs a brush to render the intricate characters of calligraphy. Sensei's characters, like his swordsmanship, were adroit and flowing, unconsciously expert. 6

It is the author's hope that this article will encourage American martial artists to look beyond Budo's more obvious physical aspects, to realize that it is a Way born out of the arts, religions, and history of Japan; that it is a cultural art like tea ceremony, Shakuhachi, Shodo, and others; and that ultimately, it is not possible to fully remove Budo from Japan's cultural matrix without altering beyond recognition its true form. In fact, it may help individuals not fluent in Japanese to realize that Shodo is often painted in ancient and highly abstract scripts, such as tensho and sosho, which the average Japanese cannot even read. (Shodo is, however, an enjoyable, stimulating method of learning the Japanese language--the international language of Budo.)

Perhaps, through the practice of Shodo, Western martial artists can come to also understand the other so-called "impenetrable" Japanese cultural arts that the bushi considered an invaluable part of his education, and which are so rarely explored by Budoka today.

Notes:
1. John Stevens, The Sword of No-Sword, Boulder: Shambhala,1984, p. vii.
2. Omori Sogen and Terayama Katsujo, Zen and the Art of Japanese Calligraphy, Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1983, p.10.
3. Michel Random, The Martial Arts, London: Octopus Books Limited, 1978, p. 98.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Dave Lowry, Autumn Lightning, Boston: Shambhala, 1985, p.142.

About The Author: H. E. Davey is the Director of the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts, located in Albany, California (near San Francisco). It offers classes in Japanese Yoga, Japanese healing arts, Aiki-jujutsu, and Shodo. He is also a direct disciple of Shodo master Kobara Ranseki Sensei, Vice President of the Kokusai Shodo Bunka Koryu Kyokai of Japan. He holds the highest rank in Kobara Sensei's method of Shodo, and he exhibits his artwork annually in Japan at the International Shodo Exhibition (Kokusai Shodo-Ten), where he has received various awards, including Jun Taisho, the Associate Grand Prize.

An Article by H. E. Davey, Sennin Foundation Director

2008-12-09T14:44:00.000-08:00

Shodo: Japanese Brush Meditation
Article and Calligraphy by H. E. Davey

More and more Americans are captivated by Japan’s traditional art forms. In the 21st century, it’s almost as common for children to participate in martial arts like judo as to play baseball. Your wife may study Japanese flower arrangement, while you read the latest book on Zen released by a major American publisher. Although classical Japanese arts have grown in popularity, they aren’t inevitably well understood, and not everyone realizes that martial arts (budo), flower arrangement (kado), tea ceremony (chado), and other activities are actually spiritual paths.

Note that the terms for each of these disciplines end in the word “do,” which means the “way,” as in a way of life leading to spiritual realization. Not only are such arts more than what’s seen on the surface, numerous other activities were “spiritualized” in ancient Japan. Many of these arts are little known in the West, or at least little understood. One of the most popular arts in Japan, also ending with the designation “do,” is shodo—the “way of brush calligraphy.” Western participation in shodo is much smaller than in Japan, and many people have never heard of it.

Of course, a few American art connoisseurs may have seen shodo in museums or books, and some young people in the USA sport tattoos of Japanese characters. Still, even Westerners that know of shodo seem to think that it’s too esoteric, or too difficult to read, to be accessible to most non-Japanese.

I’m living proof that this needn’t be the case.

Discovering Shodo
I began practicing martial arts at age five, tutored by my father, who had studied these arts initially from Japanese-Americans. He later lived in Japan, where his martial arts study continued and intensified.

In addition to the aiki-jujutsu that I learned from my dad, I enrolled in a local judo school. Even as a child, I admired the beautiful Japanese brush writing on the walls of our dojo, or training hall. I didn’t know what it said, but I knew I liked it.

Skipping ahead a few years, I grew interested in painting and drawing in high school and majored in art in college. I also began studying Japanese language, meditation, and healing. And I still admired the calligraphy I saw in homes and businesses of Japanese-American friends, but no teacher of shodo was available to me.

Jumping forward even further, in 1981, I formed the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts in Northern California. The primary focus of study at the Sennin Foundation Center is Shin-shin-toitsu-do, the “Way of Mind and Body Unification.” Shin-shin-toitsu-do is a form of Japanese yoga and meditation created in the early 1900s by Nakamura Tempu Sensei. In addition to Japanese yoga, the Sennin Foundation Center offers instruction in Japanese healing arts and martial arts (aiki-jujutsu). I teach all three arts, and over the years, I’ve developed teachers to assist me. However, I also wanted to offer my students optional instruction in brush writing. Unfortunately, in 1981, I’d still hadn’t found a shodo teacher that I wanted to study under.

Practice Begins
After searching for years, in 1986, I met Kobara Ranseki Sensei, one of the most skilled shodo artists living outside of Japan. Deeply impressed, I began practicing with Kobara Sensei, originator of the Ranseki Sho Juku of San Francisco. Kobara Sensei has evolved a distinctive type of shodo and a creative program of instruction. He has, moreover, received numerous awards for excellence from various shodo associations as well as the Japanese government. With his help, I was in time able to exhibit my artwork annually at the International Shodo Exhibition in Japan, where I’ve also received awards, including Jun Taisho—the “Associate Grand Prize.” In 1993, I received Shihan-dai teaching certification, the highest rank in Ranseki Sho Juku calligraphy.

Upon receiving certification, I began offering my students of Shin-shin-toitsu-do instruction in shodo. Like Shin-shin-toitsu-do, shodo is a “way,” traditionally functioning in Japan as both fine art and moving meditation. As such, it’s ideal for students of Shin-shin-toitsu-do or any type of meditation.

Yet some of my students were intimidated by the “foreignness” of shodo, and few Westerners seem to grasp how it functions as dynamic meditation that leads to deeper concentration, willpower, and calmness. To counteract this lack of understanding, I authored Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony in 1999. And I hope this article will also lead to a greater appreciation of shodo and its spiritual components in the West.

The Roots of Shodo
Around 2700 BC, according to Chinese tradition, an enigmatic man with four eyes called Tsangh-hsieh created the first Chinese characters. Captivated by the footprints of beasts and birds, he gave birth to the earliest Chinese system of writing. The God of Heaven was believed to have been so moved by Tsangh-hsieh's bird-based characters that he made grain drop from the clouds as a symbol of his happiness with humankind.

Unfortunately for our four-eyed friend, archaeology paints a different picture. Drawings engraved on pieces of tortoise shell and oracle bone date from the Shang Period in China, which is from 1766-1122 BC. These pictures were the archetypes of Chinese characters.

Ancient shamans would bore holes in the shells and/or bones, which were then placed in a sacred fire. The surfaces of these objects would crack and split. Chinese priests, who etched their impressions of “The Voice of Heaven” on the bone or shell using simple sketches, deciphered the resulting fissures. Eventually these pictographs were utilized for legal transactions, conducted via the exchange of etched strips of bamboo or wood. Later, such writings came into religious and official usage as bell inscriptions.

Much later in history, these inscriptions developed into the kanji, or “Chinese characters,” that Japanese and Chinese are familiar with today. Various script styles, such as kaisho (similar to printing in English), gyosho (a semi-cursive script), and sosho (an abstract, cursive form of writing), eventually evolved.

Starting around 552 AD, many elements of Chinese culture came to the Japanese island nation. Chinese characters also arrived on Japan's shores during this era.

Japan had a spoken language, but no system of writing at this time. Thus, the Chinese method of written communication was readily adopted. Initially the Japanese used the entire multitude of Chinese scripts, embracing quite a few of the Chinese readings while adding as many of their own. Characters were later modified in Japan, and new phonetic scripts called hiragana and katakana were born.

An Ink Painting of the Spirit
The spoken languages and cultures of Japan and China differ greatly, but they share a common set of Asian characters, which although pronounced differently by Chinese and Japanese, often convey similar meanings. It’s important to note here that while these characters are utilized for written communication, Japanese calligraphy should not be thought of as just penmanship. In light of the fact that Chinese characters began as simplified drawings or pictograms, it’s evident that no clear-cut dividing line can be found between drawing, ink painting (sumi-e), and calligraphy. Ink painting and shodo originally used the same brush, ink, and paper. Even certain brush strokes are similar. Shodo can be thought of as a system of writing and abstract art originally based on abbreviated drawings. In characters like mountain (yama), for example, it’s still easy to see three mountain peaks.

Kanji transcended their utilitarian function and collectively serve as visually stirring fine art. Shodo allows the dynamic movement of the artist’s ki ("spirit") to become observable in the form of rich black ink. In great examples of shodo, you sense the rhythm of music as well as the elegant balanced construction of refined architecture. Many practitioners feel that the visible rhythm of Japanese calligraphy ultimately embodies a picture of the mind, and calligraphers recognize that it discloses our spiritual state. This recognition is summed up by the saying: Kokoro tadashikereba sunawachi fude tadashii—"If your mind is correct, the brush will be correct."

Shodo and Mind and Body Harmony
With a bit of thought, it’s apparent that the mind controls the body. Based on this line of thought, it is equally clear that the actions of the body serve as a reflection of the mind. Witness the slumped posture of someone who’s depressed and the shaking hand of a nervous student about to take an exam.

In like manner, in shodo the mind controls the brush through the hand, and the lines the brush creates reflect the mind. In this way, shodo functions as an outer reflection of our mental state.

Some Japanese calligraphers and psychologists have written books on the examination of personality through calligraphy. Just as American companies have employed handwriting analysts to help them select the best individuals for executive posts, the Japanese traditionally expected their leaders in any field to display refined, serene script.

It is even said that health defects are revealed in byohitsu, “sick strokes.” This stems from the belief that brush strokes unveil the state of the body and subconscious mind—its strengths and weaknesses—at the moment the brush is put to paper. It has also been held that the subconscious can be influenced positively by copying consummate examples of calligraphy by extraordinary individuals. Tradition teaches that using this technique, you cultivate strength of character akin to the artist being copied.

Even today, some of Japan’s highest executives and politicians endeavor to develop traits for success by reproducing the artwork of an emperor or famous religious leader. At its ultimate level, shodo has historically been regarded as a means of refining personality.

What’s more, most people want to realize their greatest personal potential. We want to bring the full force of our minds and bodies to bear upon whatever we do in life. Yet for many of us, it’s difficult to coordinate the mind and body. The body may turn the pages of a magazine or the steering wheel of a car, but our minds are frequently elsewhere. Such lack of attention becomes visibly apparent in shodo, and thus Japanese calligraphy serves as a means of learning how to unite the mind and body. Just as a car only functions well when the front and rear wheels move in the identical direction, we only display our full potential when the mind and body harmoniously work toward a related aim.

In shodo, thoughts and actions must match, and we must direct the full, coordinated energy of the mind and body into the artwork we create. Failure to do so causes characters to end up where we hadn’t intended, lines to nervously quiver, and the overall creation to lack vigor and grace. In essence, shodo offers Americans the same benefit it has traditionally offered Japanese—an instantaneous, visible barometer of mind and body unification.

Shodo for the West
Just as many Western people appreciate jazz, rock and roll, or blues without being able to read music, so can Americans appreciate shodo when they’re properly exposed to it. Since shodo is an abstract art, it’s not strictly necessary to be able to read Chinese characters or Japanese phonetic scripts to admire the dynamic beauty of shodo. Within Japanese calligraphy, we find the essential elements that constitute all art: creativity, poise, rhythm, gracefulness, and the beauty of line. While shodo is a fun way to learn about Japanese language, initial lack of Japanese reading ability needn’t be a stumbling block to shodo appreciation, and the universal aspects of shodo can be recognized and admired by every culture.

Bringing the mind fully into the immediate moment, realizing mind and body harmony, seeing directly into the actual character of the mind—all of this relates to meditation and all of these points are part of shodo. Shodo remains one of ancient Japan’s most sophisticated arts of moving meditation.

About the Author: H. E. Davey is the Director of the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts, which is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He can be reached at www.senninfoundation.com and by telephone at 510-526-7518 (evenings). He is the author of the books Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony, Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation, The Japanese Way of the Flower: Ikebana as Moving Meditation, Living the Japanese Arts & Ways: 45 Paths to Meditation & Beauty, and Unlocking the Secrets of Aiki-jujutsu.

An Article by Japanese Yoga Expert Sawai Atsuhiro Sensei

2008-12-09T13:56:00.000-08:00

Autosuggestion in Japanese Yoga & Daily Life
By Sawai Atsuhiro

My teacher Nakamura Tempu Sensei was the founder of the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation. One of his central teachings was the use of autosuggestion to alter the subconscious mind and thus change negative habits. I learned various forms of autosuggestion directly from Nakamura Sensei, and I’d like to explain how they can help you to become more effective and cheerful in your daily lives. But first, you’ll need to know a bit about the nature of the mind.

The Conscious Mind and the Subconscious
When we think in everyday life, this thinking takes place in our surface waking consciousness. We can call this surface awareness the conscious mind.

Elements in surface consciousness are influenced by elements that are kept in the subconscious mind. The subconscious lies deep beneath the covering of the conscious mind, and we’re not typically aware of the workings of the subconscious during our waking hours.

During our sleep, however, the subconscious rises to the surface and the conscious mind is moves into the background. This is why a number of authorities claim that dreams are a manifestation of the subconscious.

More than just the motivator for our dreams, the subconscious is a kind of storeroom for most of the elements in the mind. If the elements stored in the subconscious are negative in nature, the conscious mind cannot think positively. If elements stored in the subconscious are positive, the conscious mind thinks positively. In short, the subconscious records past experiences, events, and especially feelings. The elements stored in the subconscious constantly influence our conscious thoughts, emotions, and actions.

Even if we consciously try to be positive, we cannot easily do so if negative elements are in the subconscious. Elements in the subconscious minds of many people are negative, and this influences their conscious minds. As the result, they tend to think pessimistically. They are inclined to take a negative attitude toward anything. They are easily angered, complain often, and are fearful of even small matters.

Suggestions
“Suggestions” are sometimes defined in psychology as something that enters the mind and has an impact on it. Such suggestions are received by the conscious mind and recorded by the subconscious mind.

When we see, hear, or say something repeatedly, these suggestions have a large impact on the subconscious. A happening that is dramatic or traumatic also has a great impact on the subconscious. Whatever is stored in the subconscious tends to have an unconscious influence on all of our conscious actions.

There are many sources for these suggestions such as spoken words, letters in books we read, our behaviors and that other people. Any phenomena around us produce some suggestions that are recorded by the subconscious.

We should be aware of what kind of suggestions we receive in everyday life. Such awareness is necessary, because both positive and negative suggestions exist. A positive suggestion influences the subconscious to be bright, cheerful, energetic, and brave. Negative suggestions do the opposite.

Those who are weak in mind are inclined to accept negative suggestions and reject positive ones. Those who are strong in mind are not negatively swayed by discouraging events. The purpose of the various forms of autosuggestion, or jiko anji, is to create a positive, vigorous, and powerful mind.

Many people do not understand the nature of the mind. They may have accumulated numerous negative elements in their subconscious minds. These negative materials in the subconscious produce many negative habits like smoking, pessimism, insomnia, and others.

Fortunately, you can readily grasp the relationship between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind if you receive clear instruction and information about this topic. So it is important to realize that we can easily change negative habits into positive ones. And this will allow you to quickly adopt a more positive mental attitude, which is also extremely important for success, health, and happiness.

I’d like to offer you four simple methods of autosuggestion:

1. Renso Anji
2. Meirei Anji
3. Dantei Anji
4. Hanpuku Anji

Renso Anji
Renso means “to think of things one after another.” Anji means “suggestion.”

In Renso Anji we simply think of positive things one after another as we’re about to fall asleep. From the time we get into bed, until we are asleep, we must not imagine anything negative. In other words, avoid thinking of something that makes you angry, fearful, or sad.

The surface consciousness blurs and the subconscious arises and becomes more active, when you are sleepy. So autosuggestion is easiest and most effective at this time. (Any suggestions we receive right as we’re about to fall asleep penetrate the subconscious more directly, in that they don’t need to filter through layers of waking consciousness.)

When you are sleeping, the conscious mind is resting and the subconscious is active. So, as previously noted, dreams are reflection of the workings of the subconscious, which is why some psychiatrists analyze dreams to understand the subconscious motivations of their patients.

When we are falling asleep, we easily accept any suggestion into the many depths of the subconscious, because right before sleep, the conscious mind and the subconscious are in a process of transition. The most ideal time to positively influence the subconscious is, therefore, the moment before we fall asleep.

If we think of positive matters one after another, they will enter the subconscious easily. And the content of our subconscious will gradually become more and more positive. In a few days or months, many people find themselves changed. One example of such a change can be found in the nature of their dreams. Why not have happy dreams instead of unhappy dreams?

Although they are more highly educated than in the past, many people in modern times hold on to negative feelings like anger, fear, and sorrow. As the result, they weaken the mind’s power. Even rich people, who eat gourmet dinners, are often plagued by insomnia stemming from their fears and sorrows. Simply being well-educated and wealthy isn’t enough to guarantee happiness.

For such people, the situation will not change until they change the nature of their minds. One way to do this is to change the nature of what they think about before falling asleep. Then they will sleep well. Deep sleep is very important. Sleeping lets us receive a great amount of ki, or “life energy,” from the universe. The time when we sleep is the time when we relax completely, and in a state of deep relaxation, the universe and the individual are closely united.

Meirei Anji
We can create a stronger form of autosuggestion by using a mirror just before falling asleep. It’s called Meirei Anji.

Meirei means “ordering or commanding.” Anji means “suggestion.”

In Meirei Anji, we utter a single simple sentence, which serves as a positive suggestion. Shortly before we speak this command to the subconscious, we watch our face in the mirror, or more exactly, we look at our reflected face between the eyebrows. Then, we speak to our reflected image and strongly order ourselves to become what we want to be.

Examples of positive suggestions for Meirei Anji are:

· “Your confidence will become strong!”
· “You will not be worried about your illness!”

You need not speak loudly, but you should be very serious at the moment you make this suggestion to your subconscious. Just one suggestion is good and effective. If you use many suggestions, they may confuse the subconscious.

Quality is more important than quantity. Say it just once, then immediately go to sleep. Intensity is important.

I hope you will soon feel the effects of Meirei Anji, but even if you don’t notice sudden results, I advise you to continue to practice it every night. Just as it took time to develop negative habits, it may be some days before you feel the effects of Meirei Anji.

We have acquired bad habits over many years. It is unrealistic to expect these harmful habits to be gone instantly by using Meirei Anji.

A French psychologist taught Nakamura Tempu Sensei this form of autosuggestion using the mirror. But he suggested we do it as often as possible during the daytime. Nakamura Sensei modified it and advised us to do it before falling asleep, because it is psychologically the most effective.

Furthermore, Nakamura Sensei was skilled in shodo, Japanese brush calligraphy. Students, who want to improve in shodo, can use a sentence like this:

“You will become fond of shodo.”

This is more effective than “You will be good at shodo.” If we come to like something, we study it harder and naturally become good at it.
Children that wet the bed during sleep can use a sentence like this:

“You will wake up when you want to urinate.”

People who want to correct their stuttering should not say, “Your stuttering will be gone.” Rather they should say, “You will not care about stuttering.” A person’s psychological state and ability to speak are closely connected. If we stop worrying about stuttering, we often stop stuttering.

The same can be said of many problems in life. We create problems by worrying about them.
People who are ill should not say, “You will recover from the illness.” They should say, “You will not worry about your illness.” This is not to indicate that you shouldn’t get medical treatment, it is more an indicator of the psychosomatic effect of the mind. The mind controls the body; positive mental states have a very real impact on our health.

The sentence we use for this autosuggestion should be an imperative form, not a prayer or a request. For example, “Your confidence will be strong” is an imperative sentence. “Please make my confidence strong” is more like a prayer or request.

In addition, we must order ourselves (the face in the mirror) to change. We should use the word “you” instead of “I” in Meirei Anji for this reason.

Don’t be impatient in practicing this method. Be diligent and keep going. I promise that the time will come soon when you can recognize the effectiveness of this method for changing your personality and habits.

Dantei Anji
Dantei means “affirm.” Dantei Anji compliments Meirei Anji.

When we get up in the morning, we can respond to the previous night’s order that we gave our subconscious. We can, in short, affirm the previous night’s command we spoke to our face in the mirror.

We need not use a mirror in Dantei Anji. Your sleepy face isn’t perhaps the best image of yourself or the first thing you want to see in the morning.

If your suggestion the previous night was “Your confidence will become strong,” then upon waking say aloud, “My confidence has become strong.” In this way, we affirm the previous night’s suggestion.

Hanpuku Anji
You can repeat the same suggestion even during the daytime. Frequent repetition of a single suggestion is very effective, and you can do this mentally or out loud, with or without a mirror. Hanpuku means “repetition.” Again, work on only one suggestion at a time. Once you’ve boosted your confidence or stopped smoking, go onto a different suggestion.

Since the early 1900s, thousands of people in Japan have learned and benefited from these four forms of autosuggestion. I’m one of those people.

Now that my colleague H. E. Davey Sensei is writing books about these methods and teaching them across the USA, I’m hoping many of you will achieve the same happy results.

About the Author: Sawai Atsuhiro Sensei is a direct student of Nakamura Tempu Sensei, founder of the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation. He holds the highest teaching credentials issued by the Tempu Society. He is also Professor Emeritus of English for Kyoto Sangyo University, and a Senior Advisor for the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts. To learn more about autosuggestion and Japanese yoga, visit www.senninfoundation.com.

Japanese Yoga & Martial Arts for Children

2008-12-09T13:52:00.001-08:00

Since 1981, we’ve been offering a fun and well-structured program in Japanese yoga and martial arts for children age five and above. These affordable classes are taught by experienced instructors and are non-competitive. Class sizes are small, and instruction is personalized.

The Sennin Foundation Center presents training in Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu, a traditional 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.

Parents can learn more about our program for children by visiting the blog Martial Arts & Kids. Give us a call at 510-526-7518, and we’ll be happy to discuss how we can help your son or daughter to become healthier, safer, and more confident.

Traditional Japanese Martial Arts

2008-12-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

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.

Our class features a wide variety of powerful throwing, pinning, and grappling techniques stemming from older methods (kobudo) originating in the Aizu-Wakamatsu area of Japan. Saigo Ryu is a sogo bujutsu, an “integrated martial system,” and it also features advanced training in the martial arts of the sword, spear, staff, short stick, iron fan, and others. It is unique and unlike many more well-known martial disciplines (like karate-do, kendo, and iaido). While training is vigorous, and the practiced self-defense techniques effective, the emphasis is on subduing an opponent without unneeded injury. Students improve their health while learning martial arts as meditation, which helps them to remain calm under pressure. Some students have likened training in our dojo to “moving Zen.”

Our instructors also teach methods for cultivating ki (chi in Chinese). Ki is the life energy that animates human beings, and an understanding of it is useful in both martial arts and daily life.

H. E. Davey Sensei, the primary instructor at the Sennin Foundation Center, is the author of numerous books, including Unlocking the Secrets of Aiki-jujutsu and Living the Japanese Arts & Ways. He began studying the Saigo Ryu tradition at just five years old. He received the rank/title of Nihon Jujutsu Kyoshi from the Kokusai Budoin, which defines Kyoshi as a “Master’s certificate and equal to modern ranks of sixth- to eighth-degree black belt.” Kokusai Budoin was founded over 50 years ago in Japan, where it is affiliated with the Japanese Imperial Family, and where it functions as an international federation for most budo, or martial arts. In 1995, Davey Sensei and his students became the first Westerners permitted to give their own demonstration of aiki-jujutsu at the Kokusai Budoin’s annual All-Japan Martial Arts Exhibition. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Shudokan Martial Arts Association, which has given him a seventh-degree black belt and a Shihan teaching license.

Instruction in the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation is included at no extra charge. Japanese yoga training makes it easier to master the martial arts, and it helps us to realize our full potential other activities as well. Give us a call at 510-526-7518 to find out how aiki-jujutsu can help you toward self-protection and self-perfection.

Integrated Shodo & Meditation

2008-12-09T13:12:00.001-08:00

Shodo means the “way of calligraphy,” and it is one of the most respected Asian fine arts. Painted with a brush and ink, Japanese calligraphy uses centuries old kanji (“Chinese characters”), which due to their pictographic nature have similarities to abstract expressionism. Balance, grace, dignity, vibrant movement, and the beauty of line combine to create a dynamic ink painting of the mind that people the world over have come to admire.

The Sennin Foundation Center offers you an opportunity to study genuine Japanese shodo—an art rarely taught in English —for artistic expression and moving meditation. Students study kanji as well as hiragana and katakana—phonetic scripts—along with classical ink painting. You’ll also learn to brush age-old haiku and waka poems, sometimes with accompanying ink and water painted illustrations (sumi-e). Sumi-e is a bit similar to Western watercolor painting, and shodo is a fun way to study Japanese language, while you learn about Japanese culture.

H. E. Davey Sensei, the primary instructor at the Sennin Foundation Center, is the author of Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony, Living the Japanese Arts & Ways: 45 Paths to Meditation & Beauty, and The Japanese Way of the Artist. He is a top student of the late Kobara Ranseki Sensei of Kyoto, the founder of Ranseki Sho Juku calligraphy. He studied with his teacher for 20 years, and he received the highest rank in Ranseki Sho Juku brush writing. He exhibits his artwork annually at the International Shodo Exhibition in Japan, where he received Jun Taisho, the “Associate Grand Prize,” among numerous other awards. Davey Sensei’s artwork has been featured in many American and Japanese magazines and newspapers.

Integrated Shodo & Meditation is a special program created by Davey Sensei to teach traditional Ranseki Sho Juku shodo to Westerners in an accessible manner that leads to meditation. This class has been liked to “Zen with a brush,” and it combines group instruction in Shin-shin-toitsu-do forms of meditation with private lessons in Japanese calligraphy. Along with the combination of meditation and art, students learn exercises for enhancing ki, human “life energy” (chi in Chinese). Strengthening ki enhances our health, and ki is the enigmatic and dynamic force behind beautifully powerful calligraphy and painting.

Authentic shodo is rarely taught in English in the West. You can read more about Davey Sensei, Kobara Sensei, and Integrated Shodo& Meditation at the Art of Shodo blog. Contact us soon at 510-526-7518 to learn how shodo and meditation can help you discover beauty and serenity in your daily life.

Sennin Foundation Blog

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