Category Archives: General thoughts

Rank Is Not Competence

Posted on March 19, 2013 by

I have been traveling to train in Japan over 50 times over the last 23 years. I’m what you can call a “Jurassic ninja”.  But yesterday for the first time I forgot my belt on the mats. I left it right after Nagato … Continue reading →

Posted in General thoughts, Japan Trip | 24 Comments

Henka: A Poetic Strangeness

Posted on March 16, 2013 by

We often use the word “Henka” 変化 when referring to an adaptation of a given waza. But this word is more than it seems. I remember Sensei explaining once that in a Ryûha, a henka is described as a part of the … Continue reading →

Posted in General thoughts | 3 Comments

Yama Michi

Posted on March 6, 2013 by

In a recent and interesting article Dan Ordoins quoted Emerson: “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Thank you Dan this sentence made me think a lot!

Posted in General thoughts | 1 Comment

Japan Trip April 2012 – Diary

Posted on April 24, 2012 by

I came back yesterday from a fantastic trip and I hope you have been able to share with me the things I trained in Noda. I have been asked in Japan why I was writing so much*. It is to … Continue reading →

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Ultimate Teaching

Posted on April 22, 2012 by

Today was my last class with sensei during this japan trip and it was a very nice class where we could train also with long weapons. As sensei was coming a little late I was asked to begin the class … Continue reading →

Posted in General thoughts, Japan Trip | 2 Comments

Happô Biken

Posted on April 19, 2012 by

Today I gave a class on biken jutsu at the honbu and we studied the kukishin sword. The two hours passed so fast that we didn’t have time for a break as we use to have here in mid class. … Continue reading →

Posted in General thoughts, Japan Trip | 1 Comment

Sanshin Is Kihon Happô

Posted on April 18, 2012 by

The Japanese people are very found about numerology and sensei being Japanese I was not surprised yesterday night when he said “the sanshin no kata is the kihon happô”. In this blog I already wrote a few articles referring to … Continue reading →

Posted in General thoughts, Japan Trip | 5 Comments

Use a Telescope to see through Space and Time

Posted on November 29, 2011 by

On Sunday I did a technique at the opening of the class that sensei used to teach us the shizen karada – the natural body movement. Karada – body ( 自然 体) is a often used by sensei during his … Continue reading →

Posted in General thoughts, Japan Trip | 4 Comments

Japan: Stop Howling, Act!

Posted on March 16, 2011 by

What happened in Japan a few days ago is a terrible thing but I am sad to see the way things are covered in the media and at the political level. Japan has suffered one of the biggest earthquakes in … Continue reading →

Posted in General thoughts | 4 Comments