Happy New Year! We start off the year with a new book, "Legacies of The Sword: The Kashima-Shinryū and Samurai Martial Culture", by Karl F. Friday with Seki Humitake, a small excerpt on meditation and the powerful use of it to achieve true mastery of the warrior arts.

Last excerpt of 2022 from the book, "You Are Here: Discovering The Magic of the Present Moment", by Thich Nhat Hanh. From the chapter, "Becoming Truly Alive".

A short talk about how we can reach excellence in our practice. Also informing how practitioners and non can think of how to keep growing through a limitless mindset.

Excerpt from Morihei Ueshiba's book, BUDO, on The Principle of Adjusting Mind and Body.

This episode talks about this special place that exists within our Aikido community, where there is no competition - except with the self.

Tips on how parents can help their young people attend Aikido Seminars.

Thoughts and observations on dojo etiquette.

Excerpt from the book "You Are Here", by Thich Nhat Hanh on Happiness.

Small talk on gathering for the Holidays in the Aikido world.

Excerpt from “In The Dojo”, by Dave Lowry on weapons.

A small commentary on seminars for beginner aikidoists.

Friday Special on thoughts on the kyu levels in training, and the expectations on growth as a practitioner.

Excerpt from the book "Budo" on basic points of training.

Excerpt from the book "Budo", by Morihei Ueshiba

Snippet from "A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind" on rest!

A look at the yudansha (black belt) ranking levels in Aikido by their individual meaning, as written by the late Nobuyoshi Tamura Shihan, shared from the website odtuaikido.org of Ankara, Turkey.

Concluding the chapter on the hakama from the book "In The Dojo".

My small commentary on how Aikido can be seen in the real world we live in. Including "Playing Possum" with finding "openings" in situations, plus meditation.

The wearing, material, training in, sitting, use of the hakama with some more history!

More on the chapter of The Hakama, from In The Dojo.

Excerpt from "In The Dojo", by Lowry. More on the piece of the Aikido uniform called the hakama, and some background history on it.

Excerpt from "In The Dojo: A Guide to the Rituals and Etiquette of the Japanese Martial Arts", by Dave Lowry

Excerpt from A Monk's Guide on taking care of our teeth and how that relates to a deeper purpose for us!

Defensive Aikido strategy ideas to use off the mat!

Some basic benefits knowing Aikido brings you from the practice and study of the art.

Ideas on how to build on this valuable aspect of Aikido practice for daily life.

Hospitality starts with cleanliness, excerpt from the book "A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind". Little ways we can create hospitality.

What Matsumoto-san calls Deodorization of space with incense in exchange of air.

Guidelines for best time to clear and clean, from the book, "A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind", and how it relates to healthy living, practice, a form of fasting/detox.🌼

Etiquette on meal time and correlation with building community through food.

How to repair shoji doors, and a deeper meaning of care and attention, from the book by Shoukei Matsumoto.

Continuation from our last episode on the Butsuma, and how to clean it. Thoughts on how you can create your own corner of peace and tranquility in your own home.

Excerpt from "A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind", on the subject of shrines within homes and public spaces, the care and attention of.

From the book: "Budo", by Morihei Ueshiba.

Excerpt from "Budo", second part to Hand Techniques.

Excerpt from "Budo: Teachings of the Founder of Aikido", on hand techniques.

Excerpt from the book, "Budo: Teachings of the Founder of Aikido", by Morihei Ueshiba. Page 38 on Precautions for Training, where O Sensei talks about very basic but life enhancing ways to do the regular practice of aikido. I also talk a little about the correlation in the world outside of the dojo where we can interpret these ideas for our easier living.

Excerpt from "Budo: Teachings of the Founder of Aikido", by Morihei Ueshiba

Excerpt from, "Budo: Teachings of the Founder of Aikido", by Morihei Ueshiba

Excerpt from,"The Japanese Tea Ceremony: Practice the Ancient and Tranquil Ritual of Sado, The Way of Tea", by Anthony Man-Tu Lee

Excerpt from "A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind", by Shoukei Matsumoto on another way to arrive to a sound mind that all of us can practice.

Gardens, from the book "A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind", by Matsumoto. How gardens can help in bringing richness to your life.

Excerpt from Matsumoto-San's book, on laundry, why and how to do laundry daily and how it helps our physical and psychological well being.

Excerpt from Matsumoto's book on Lighting fixtures, and how Wisdom can be increased by the care and attention of them.

Excerpt from "A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind", focus on floors and the reality behind the physical act of cleaning, and how we can improve our lives.🌸

Fabulous excerpt from Shokei Matsumoto's book, from the chapter The Kitchen, Bathroom, and Toilet, on ettiquette in the bathroom and details on what we all can do to live a nicer life because of the practice.🌸

Celebrating Juneteenth, a small description of this notable Federal Holiday in the U.S., source Wikipedia. Acknowledging the warrior spirit in humanity which is linked to the power of love as Aikido represents, with a small story of an experience reflecting back energy.

Excerpt from Shoukei Matsumoto's book, on Uchimizu, and expressing gratitude by this practice.