Shintaido of America arranged for two Keiko to celebrate H.F. Ito on the weekend of 17 & 18 May 2025. Nicole Beauvois, who lives in France, was in the SF Bay Area for these events. Saturday’s morning Keiko was on Mount Tamalpais , a peak in Marin County, California.
In the evening, we gathered for a potluck dinner & music at the home of Jennifer Peringer and Martha Rodriguez.
On Sunday, Shin Aoki, General Instructor, led Keiko at Lake Temescal in Oakland, California.
About 15 gathered at 8:30am on Saturday the 17th of May. Robert Gaston, Senior Instructor, led the group with the movements of Taimyo on Mount Tam with an overlook of the Pacific Ocean. HF Ito often came to Mount Tam to meditate and gain inspiration. He also brought groups to study Shintaido on Mount Tam.
This inspirational point on the mountain top lent itself to grounding us, while the vista gave us the ability to expand beyond ourselves.
Several people commented on feeling Ito Sensei very strongly. Some commented they could hear him laughing as we struggled to maintain our balance when the gusts of wind blew strongly off the ocean. Others saw Ito in the overhead clouds that were blowing by.
After Taimyo, the group gathered for a picnic to spend more time together and share memories of HF Ito. Our picnic area was in a grove of trees that proved a peaceful break from the wind. Over our casual picnic people told stories and caught up with each other. After many hugs and more laughter, we said our goodbyes until the next event.
At 6pm on Saturday the 17th of May, we gathered for a potluck dinner and music at Jennifer and Martha’s home. Over Indian curry, pasta, salads, and desserts, we continued our conversations. People brought music, poetry, and other creative expressions to share. David Sirgany read poetry. Elli Nagai-Rothe spoke of her experience of growing up with Shintaido and HF Ito that began at the age of six. Kazu Shibao brought photos of HF Ito from 1982. Jennifer strummed her guitar, while Martha played her clarinet. Everyone joined in for these two songs: “Le Martiniana” and “I’ll Fly Away”. Both songs are often sung after the death of a loved one.
On Sunday, the group gathered for Keiko at Lake Temescal. Shin Aoki led the group, deepening our connections. Shin honored HF Ito by teaching Daikihon, the three core movements of Shintaido: Eiko, Wakame and Tenshingoso. Shin explained we learn the kata (movements) from our teachers and transmit the kata as purely as we can to others. However, each of us add our own heart and soul to this transmission.
After warmups, led by Derk Richardson, Shin started with Eiko Sei. We studied Wakame reaching directly to the core of our partner. Then, we studied what Ito Sensei often called “Welcome, come this way.”
One person reached into their partner’s core with a Tsuki attack, while the second person used their hand with palm facing inward, and pivoted allowing the energy to go past. We built upon this kumite as one partner continued to move past and turned, repeating first with a right Tsuki, then a left Tsuki, ultimately both people moved in an infinity spiral of movements.
This kumite included deflecting the attack with “Ah” , transforming this into Tenso and we let our partner sink into the earth. Shin finished with Tenshingoso Sei and Tenshingoso Dai.
Enjoying the sunny weather, we stayed lakeside for a second picnic breakfast. HF Ito was present throughout our meal as his portrait graced the table. We departed the morning with hugs and plans for keeping our connections with each other.
To close with part of the song: “I’ll Fly away,” lyrics by Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch:
I’ll fly away To a land where joys will never end I’ll fly away.
Peace practitioners from around the globe will gather for a week of virtual shared practice and community dialogue about how the Space of Love can inspire our practice and life.
We hope you will join us across space and time to explore “The Space of Love” Aikukan 愛空間 this summer with peace practitioners in the Global Taimyo Community (GTC). Our theme draws from an interview in Taimyo, the British Shintaido Newsletter 2010 entitled, Unification Beyond Conflict and the Space of Love.
Sunday 20 July – Opening 90 minutes Thoughts from Masashi Minagawa on Aikukan Practice together Small group conversations and large group sharing
Monday through Friday 21 – 25 July Drop-in participation in 30-40 minute Taimyo practice sessions led by instructors around the world
Saturday 21 July – Closing 90 minutes Tomi Nagai-Rothe recounts Ito-sensei’s stories about the growth of the Global Taimyo Community and reflects on the future Practice together Small group conversations and large group sharing
Visit the Readings and Videos page of the GTC website for more in-depth articles and other sharing. GTC is organized by the Planning Team – Sarah Baker, Connie Borden, Rob Gaston, Masashi Minagawa, Jean Marc Otto Bruc, and Tomi Nagai-Rothe – and features a website with many GTC resources including links to video and the Day Street Dojo website.
The Shintaido of America Board of Directors and National Technical Committee invite all SOA members to a community meeting on 15 June 2025. This meeting will be held on ZOOM. Over the ninety-minute meeting, the SOA board will share updates on activities, the NTC will present planning for 2026 and the active teachers will share about their teaching activities. There will be time for discussion with our members.
The ZOOM meeting will start at 9am West Coast time//12noon East Coast. We will start doing Shintaido movements so we can connect across time and space. ZOOM link to be sent to SOA members closer to the date. Check your email!
Shintaido of America is planning two keiko to celebrate H.F. Ito on the weekend of 17 & 18 May 2025. Since 1975, Ito Sensei practiced and taught Shintaido on Mt. Tam and at Ocean Beach. These are two places where he gained inspiration for his teaching. So, following his last wishes, we have planned keiko at these locations. Nicole Beauvois, who lives in France, will be in the SF Bay Area for these events. We will also gather for a potluck dinner & music and a potluck brunch.
All are welcome. No charge. Donations can be made to the H.F. Ito Memorial Fund – http://www.shintaido.org/store/. (indicate donation for H.F. Ito Memorial Fund)
17 May 2025. Taimyo at Mt. Tam, Marin County 8:30AM — arrive at Hang Glider site #1 on Mt. Tam. This site is 1.2 miles from Rock Springs trail head parking; at the “T” where Pantoll Road ends – take a left onto West Ridgecrest Blvd to Hang Glider Site #1.
Rob Gaston will lead Taimyo. After our practice, let’s enjoy a meal—bring your own picnic breakfast. There is limited or no internet connection on Mt. Tam. Carpooling is recommended. Check your navigation guides for specific information. Allow at least one hour for travel up this mountain road that is frequently shared with bicyclists. A large map of the Mt. Tam site is available upon request.
6PM- Potluck dinner and music at Jennifer and Martha’s home. Bring a dish to share. Bring music, poetry, or other creative expressions to share. Address to be shared in May.
CHANGE OF LOCATION 18 May 2025 Keiko at Lake Temescal in Oakland, CA. (not at Ocean Beach, San Francisco) 8am to 10am — Keiko led by Shin Aoki
11am to 1pm — Potluck brunch at Connie and Mike’s. Bring a dish to share. Basics of coffee/tea, egg dish, and soup will be provided.
Interested? Contact Connie Borden at president@shintaido.org. While no registration is required, it is helpful to know an approximate number of attendees for planning of keiko and meals.
The announcement for the Shintaido Northeast Kangeiko 2025 went out in January. Kangeiko means cold-weather practice and is a time to come together for keiko. This year’s Kangeiko theme was Cultivating Inner Life: Finding Freedom in the Form. The event was held at the Montague Meeting House, in the Berkshires of Massachusetts.
Finding Freedom in the Form
In Shintaido, the phrase “Ten Chi Jin Ware Ware Ittai” (天地人我々一体) embodies the unity of Heaven (Ten), Earth (Chi), and Humanity (Jin)—a philosophy that extends beyond the dojo into a way of life. At its core, it teaches that true mastery comes not from isolated skill or strength but from a seamless integration of mind, body, and spirit. Through disciplined practice, a practitioner transcends mere technique and steps into a deeper form of Freedom—the ability to act without hesitation, move without resistance, and live without internal conflict.
In a stressful situation, the principle of Ten Chi Jin manifests in how a seasoned practitioner moves with balance, awareness, and adaptability. Earth (Chi) represents grounding and stability, the foundation of any practical stance or technique. Heaven (Ten) symbolizes intuition and perception, the ability to read an opponent’s intent before they act. Humanity (Jin) is the bridge where skill and spirit merge to create seamless action. Senior Instructor Bela Breslau demonstrated using the bokuto and free hand Shintaido that when a practitioner unites these three elements, they achieve a state of flow where techniques arise effortlessly, free from fear or doubt.
This integration leads to Freedom in movement—the ability to react instinctively rather than being bound by rigid Form. In Shintaido, it’s not simply learning to fight but responding to life with fluidity, adapting to challenges with the grace of water encountering a stone. This way of practicing is the path to internal and external Freedom—one that cannot be achieved through brute force but only through deep understanding and unity with the world.
Freedom Through Oneness
Instructor Stephen Billias led the second Keiko with a strong emphasis on oneness. A notable exercise was a two-person Shoko sword meditation. One person performed Shoko for an extended period while assisted and supported by a second person. This exercise was a powerful reminder of the spiritual truth expressed in ‘Ten Chi Jin Ware Ware Ittai’-that the separation between self, and the universe is an illusion. In Shoko’s meditation, suffering arises from resistance—from seeing oneself as separate from the flow. When practiced with awareness, Shoko becomes a tool for dissolving this illusion. The two-person Shoko meditation exercise Stephen led was a poignant reminder that we need each other to succeed in humanity (Jin).
Path to True Freedom
Senior Instructor Margaret Guay, a highly respected teacher in Shintaido, led the third Keiko with bokken sword techniques. Margaret showed that Freedom is not an absence of rules but a mastery of them—the ability to transcend limitations not by ignoring them but by understanding them so profoundly that they cease to be restrictive. With a beautiful Dai Jodan cut, she showed not to fear confrontations but to overcome them. ‘Ten Chi Jin Ware Ware Ittai’ is to live aware, grounded, and free. It is to see no separation between action and stillness, force and surrender, self and universe. The Kangeiko emphasized that Freedom in the Form is not just how to cut but how to live with a mind unburdened, a spirit untamed, and a body in perfect harmony with nature.
Thank you to Senior Instructors Margaret Guay, Bela Breslau, Instructor Stephen Billias, and Master Instructor Micheal Thompson for leading and organizing this successful Kangeiko.
