I recently witnessed something quite astonishing. The demeanor of a young child, who had been learning kendo for at least several years, changed remarkably during a Continue reading “Witnessing a Transformation in the Demeanor of a Child in Kendo”
Category: Stories
Kiai, Presence and the Second Circle
A few days ago, I witnessed a remarkable change in the kiai of a longtime fellow dojo member. Until that day, for as many years as I can remember, her kiai had sounded Continue reading “Kiai, Presence and the Second Circle”
On Fire in Shiai – An Anecdote on the Power of Music
An old memory came to mind while watching some of the snowboarding events in the recent 2018 Winter Olympics. I noticed how some of the athletes would rhythmically Continue reading “On Fire in Shiai – An Anecdote on the Power of Music”
Kyudo and Kendo – “How Can They Be Identical?”
This is a story of a learning experience I had, among many, thanks to a professor and teacher, Yokoyama Naoya (横山直也) sensei, years ago when I was a student in Japan. Continue reading “Kyudo and Kendo – “How Can They Be Identical?””
The Chassé for Strengthening the Hikitsuke – A Tribute to John Yamamoto Sensei
This article has a twofold purpose. It describes a ballet technique, known as the chassé, which can serve as an exercise to strengthen one’s hikitsuke (the fast follow-up of the Continue reading “The Chassé for Strengthening the Hikitsuke – A Tribute to John Yamamoto Sensei”