Spiritual Tactics In This Time of Great Uncertainty

You are not alone. Given our world’s events, your inner ground is very likely shaking. And your ability to maintain balance, like so many of us, is being challenged. You need a firm foothold and sure grasp to maintain your stability in this time of great uncertainty....
Of Swordsmen & Rat Catchers

Of Swordsmen & Rat Catchers

This story was originally entitled The Wonderful Art of a Cat. It was written to describe the importance of spiritual elements within the Martial Arts. The original author was Ito‑Tenzen‑Tadanari, the eldest son of Ono-Jiroemon‑Tadaaki, the originator of the Ono...

Seiuchin Kata Bunkai: Devils in the Detail

If you’ve watched the Seiuchin Kata Bunkai video, you’ve gotten the technical skinny for applying a double joint lock against several straightforward attacks. However, in the video, I only presented the form’s overt technicalities, not the covert ones. The...

THE GUTTER RONIN: How Darkness Overtakes Light

By Shifu Hayashi Tomio This story recounts a series of events that took place over a ten-year span from early 1970 to early 1980. It is not my intent to disparage anyone in this tale but rather to candidly portray the interplay of light and shadow in the soul. The...