Kyle Sloan Let me start with this: If you play with knives, you’re going to get cut. Period. I seriously doubt there is anyone reading this who hasn’t been cut with a kitchen knife while performing some task of slicing, … Read More
by Nick Lowry Been thinking lately about a three tier curriculum for our dojo– at first was considering the the standard beginner, intermediate, and advanced idea but that seemed a little clumsy, linear and hierarchical — and would probably lead … Read More
by Nick Lowry Rank is in the eye of the beholder Where do high ranks come from?what makes a high dan rank in budo, a high dan rank? Is it technical ability? teaching ability? contribution to the art? What does … Read More
From 2011 Shochigeiko by Nick Lowry The original walking developed in the late 40’s — filmed in the early to mid 50’s–17 walking waza — taught at Waseda to develop skill sets of aiki for judo players Unsoku — foot … Read More
by Nick Lowry So a friend today told me that my old sensei is a much better choice for aikido training for him than I am because “He will give me answers.” He went on, “….when i ask you and … Read More
by Nick Lowry A wise old sensei once pointed out that if you take a whole variety of different hard stylists and watch their kata, an educated eye can tell them apart , but when you take that same lot … Read More
by Nick Lowry A student once asked a zen teacher about “Transmission” and wondered how a clear message, a clear and undiluted dharma reality, could be transmitted from person to person across time and culture, from the historical Buddha’s time … Read More
by Nick Lowry Innumerable times over the years students have come to ask the difference in JUTSU and DO, and for the most part my answers have always been to describe the basic surface distinctions; the historical, the philosophical, technical … Read More
by Nick Lowry Karma is about what we do to and with ourselves—about action and consequence and about the shape of our lives. There is something quite mechanical about karma—it is sometime taken as a punitive or rewarding idea or … Read More
by Nick Lowry Do not seek conflict and do not maintain guile. Do not hide or run away from conflict and do not blind yourself. Each transition requires awarness and precision — we tend to want to avoid problems and … Read More