Yamaoka Tesshu – the Swordsman, Calligrapher and Zen Teacher

Thanks to a fellow kendo dojo member, I recently started reading the life story of Yamaoka Tesshu (山岡 鉄舟, 1836-1888), a master swordsman, calligrapher and Zen

A Furry Three-Legged Trooper Named Duke and Heijoushin (平常心)

The cool “Duke”.

I met and walked a three-legged dog named Duke with a friend a few evenings ago.  He is a cool “dude.”  He had lost

A Paper Napkin and Saving $50M – Deautomization and Getting Unstuck

When aware, we are no longer robots. – Young, KendoNotes

Here’s two stories on the topic of deautomization* and getting unstuck from automated patterns of behaviors: one about a paper napkin and a second on saving 50 million

Witnessing a Transformation in the Demeanor of a Child in Kendo

The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled. – Plutarch

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

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

On Fire in Shiai – An Anecdote on the Power of Music

An old memory came to mind while watching some of the snowboarding events during the recent 2018 Winter Olympics.  I noticed how some of the athletes would rhythmically

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.