Over the 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, Pacific Shintaido hosted its annual Kangeiko workshop in the Technology Middle School gymnasium in Rhonert Park, California.
General Instructors Shin Aoki and David Franklin led the four keiko, guiding us through a curriculum that addressed PacShin’s 2025 theme, No Separate Self. Shin Sensei acted as Director of Instruction for the event with David Sensei as our Guest Instructor visiting from the Czech Republic.
By inviting David Sensei and Shin Sensei to instruct, the Pacific Shintaido board (Shin Aoki, Cheryl Williams, and Derk Richardson) sought to provide them with the opportunity to share glimmerings from their recent international travels to Dokan ’24 in England, as well as to recognize their accomplishments in the International exams offered there.
Derk Richardson and Cheryl Williams acted as co-organizers of the event, and Derk read the following quotations and comments as part of his opening remarks:
Masashi Minagawa Sensei’s thoughts on Kangeiko:
“Kangeiko means cold Keiko. The reason we practice at a cold time is that when we face great nature, we realize how powerless and small we are. We try to find nature within ourselves. Through this, we can try to awaken our sleeping potential self. It is a challenge to try to get rid of our old self and find a new beginning.
At New Year we refresh our old selves and go back to the original beginner’s mind. Then we celebrate the coming year and ask for health and happiness.
At Kangeiko especially, we try to find the real existence, our own nature inside ourselves.”
Derk continued with thoughts from the PacShin board on the chosen theme:
“We chose our theme this year, “No Separate Self,” not as a foundation for any specific curriculum, but, rather, as something like a riddle or a koan, something to roll around in your brain, tumble in your consciousness, feel in your body. We were inspired by the recognition of how separated we often are from one another, increasingly from nature and the environment, and definitely by seemingly intractable economic, social, and political divisions. And how much suffering we engender in our lives and in the world through our clinging to the notion of our separate self.
“Inspiration also came from the late Buddhist teacher and writer Thich Nhat Hanh, who, when describing “emptiness,” one of the three characteristics of existence, along with suffering and impermanence, defined it as being empty of any separate self. “The Heart Sutra,” he wrote, “teaches us that form may be empty of self but it’s full of everything else.”
“A wave on the ocean has a beginning and an end, a birth and a death,” he wrote. “But Avalokiteshvara tells us that the wave is empty. The wave is full of water, but it is empty of a separate self. A wave is a form that has been made possible, thanks to the existence of wind and water. If a wave only sees its form, with its beginning and end, it will be afraid of birth and death. But if the wave sees that it is water and identifies itself with the water, then it will be emancipated from birth and death. Each wave is born and is going to die, but the water is free from birth and death.”
He finished his introductory comments with this set of quotations:
“In the Vietnamese literary canon, there are two lines of poetry by the twelfth-century Zen master Khánh Hỷ of the Ly dynasty that say:
“If the cosmos exists, then the smallest speck of dust exists.
If the smallest speck of dust doesn’t exist, then the whole cosmos doesn’t exist.”“Were mind and matter me, I would come and go like them. If I were something else, they would say nothing about me. —NĀGĀRJUNA, Mūlamadhyamakakārikā or Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way
“Instead of separate, discrete entities, everything is flowing, interacting, and impinging on each other. We and the sun and the trees, all is perpetual flowing.” Joanna Macy, “Positive Disintegration”
For those interested in additional information on these writers, more can be found at the following links:
Over twenty Shintaido practitioners, from the greater San Francisco Bay Area as well as Oregon, Florida, and the Northeast, participated during the weekend. Each keiko was taught entirely by one instructor. On Saturday morning, after Martha Rodriguez led warmups, Shin Sensei led the class through tachi jumping, wakame kumite, and Eiko Dai with bokutoh around the gym. The keiko then focused on tenshingoso applications using bokutoh, including partner practice with the idea of receiving with wakame feeling and then an immediate counterattack–filling the vacuum left by the passing of the attacker’s sword. Shin sensei finished his instruction with Standing Meditation: Poses #1 through #5, visualizing unification inspired by the theme, “No Separate Self”:
#1 unification with earth; #2 unification with people; #3 unification with world and nature; #4 unification with heaven/spiritual world; #5 unification with self.
After a midday potluck brunch hosted by Nicole Masters at her home in Cotati, the gasshuku continued with David Franklin Sensei leading both warm-ups and a free-hand and bokutoh class inspired by renki kumite. The class began with sumo walking focused on a wide stance with feet gliding smoothly across the floor. David Sensei continued with a 3-person wakame exercise, one leader as wave and two partners as wakame, and then with Daijodan Kirikomi. The breakout portion ended with “Sandpipers vs Wave” that had the Shintaido practitioners as a tight group acting as sandpipers while one from the group acted as the ocean wave (opening back with ‘ah’ and cutting forward with ‘eh’), either gentle or strong, slow or rapid. This continued the vacuum idea from Shin Sensei’s previous keiko.
David Sensei continued with chair exercises. The keiko participants were asked to form a circle of chairs and then perform chudan tsuiki on kibadachi either fully resting on the chair or floating slightly above, based on their body condition and comfort level, followed by the same exercise using gyakuzuki, from the seated position to standing up. This was followed by four renki kumite exercises with partner:
(1) hooking with fingers (2) fingertips barely hooking (3) palm to palm, pushing toward the partner’s center (4) tsuki vs cupping hand.
The keiko ended with a meditation exercise (Hoten and Hokushin) and then a timing exercise with three people. In the first variation, person A performed Daijodan Kirikomi; person B Chudan tsuki; while person C acted as the “starter” who signaled to person A when to cut person B. In the second variation, person A performed Daijodan Kirikomi; person B faced away from person A to do Chudan-zuki. Person C was tasked to anticipate A’s cut and give a signal to person B with sufficient time to avoid being cut from behind. A demo of San-Nin-Ichiretsu by Senseis David Franklin, Jennifer Perringer, and Robert Gaston ended the keiko.
About half the participants joined for dinner at a local Greek restaurant in the evening.
On Sunday morning, Sally Gaston led warmups for David Sensei’s second keiko that continued the development of his renki-inspired bokutoh and free-hand curriculum. A central idea of this keiko was Zeno’s Dichotomy Paradox and thus the infinite reach of shoko or a tsuki. The Renki Kumite variations consisted of:
(1) “Shake hands” (2) Connection through the ulnar side of the wrists (3) Connection using both hands (right and left) (4) Two hand connection in a group of three (5) Connection with gyakuzuki vs. palm; tsuki person aimed toward the center of the opponent and chased the center while the opponent received and deflected.
The keiko was followed by a second potluck hosted again by Nicole Masters.
The final keiko combined elements of the first three keiko. David Sensei began with a chudan honzuki practice that focused on a step forward using the front foot. The goal was to give no anticipatory or preparatory movement. This was followed by variations of timing practice:
(1) Tsuki vs receiving w/ palm (2) Receiver stepping back at timing B (pushing and receiving happen at the same timing) (3) Receiver stepping back at timing A (receiving happens slightly before the push) (4) A group of three: Attacker, Receiver, and “starter.”
This was followed by bokutoh or free-hand practice (Daijidan-Kirikomi, Seichu-ken (Kyukajo #4A)) and then Kumitachi (Kyukajo #4A – Daijodan vs Seichu-ken). The kieko ended with a wakame and tenshingoso inspired version of Renki Kumite using both hands (right and left) at the same time, ulnar and radial sides changed freely, in three variations:
(1) with two people (2) in a group of three (3) with everybody together in a circle.
In the closing ceremony, a final note was given to the theme of “No Separate Self” when Nicole Masters read this passage.
“I received this when my husband passed 3 1/2 years ago. It has given me comfort and inspiration that, I will dance again. It has been a hard road but the music of life is finally moving through me again. Having Kangeiko at my home was a wonderful life-embracing experience for me.”
“Someday you will be faced with the reality of loss. And as life goes on, days rolling into nights, it will become clear that you never really stop missing someone special who’s gone, you just learn to live around the gaping hole of their absence. When you lose someone you can’t imagine living without, your heart breaks wide open, and the bad news is you never completely get over the loss. You will never forget them. However, in a backward way, this is also the good news. They will live on in the warmth of your broken heart that doesn’t fully heal back up, and you will continue to grow and experience life, even with your wound. It’s like a badly broken ankle that never heals perfectly, and that still hurts when you dance, but you dance anyway with a slight limp, and this limp just adds depth to your performance and the authenticity of your character. The people you lose remain a part of you. Remember them and always cherish the good moments spent with them.” Author Unknown
As a year ends, it is often time to reflect on what has been accomplished. Here are some highlights from Shintaido of America for 2024.
2024 was a year of transitions, starting with the death of Ito Sensei at the end of December 2023. Shintaido of America held a ZOOM Celebration of Life for Ito Sensei along with our international community from the UK, France, Germany, Czech Republic and Italy
Shintaido of America gained new SOA Board Members – Jim Sterling and David Palmer. Sandra Bengtsson agreed to be Acting Treasurer. At the end of the year, Nancy Billias completed 12 years of service on the SOA board to live full time in the UK. Doshu Michael Thompson stepped down from his role on the SOA Board.
After Dokan ’24, held in August in the UK, we saw the transition to Karate Godan & Shintaido General Instructor for Shin Aoki, Yondan Karate for David Franklin, Yondan Bojutsu for Robert Gaston and Jennifer Peringer, Shintaido Senior Instructors for Byron Russell and Margaret Guay, Shintaido Graduate for Heather Kuhn, and an appointment to Doshu for Connie Borden.
With the leadership of Robert Gaston as NTC Chair, Shintaido of America saw more keiko and workshops. Rob traveled to France to learn the newest boh kata and returned to teach a workshop in the SF Bay Area. Byron and Margaret in their new roles lead a one-day workshop in the SNE Region and are planning monthly keikos. Jennifer Peringer added students to her Monday Boh class and started a Thursday Karate class. Rob added a Tuesday night Shintaido class. Connie is piloting a Wednesday afternoon class on ZOOM to practice Shintaido. Shin Aoki has been invited to teach at the UK Daienshu in April of 2025. Lee Ordemann has had two successful Shintaido programs at a local library.
Plans for 2025 are developing with the SOA Board considering offering the Global Taimyo Community fiscal sponsorship. This will have the benefit of stability for GTC. Look for announcements about the one-week Taimyo program for July 2025. Our Shintaido of America YouTube continues to grow with published videos so check in 2025 for new releases. 2026 is in the planning stages for SOA as 2026 is the 50th Anniversary of the founding of Shintaido of America.
Here are the Board Members and Officers of Shintaido of America
BOARD MEMBERS – voting (as of December 2024)
Connie Borden, President David Franklin, Podcast Robert Gaston, NTC Chairperson David Palmer, member at large Laura Sheehan Barron, member at large Jim Sterling, Editor Body Dialogue
BOARD OFFICERS – non-voting (as of Mar 2024) Sandra Bengtsson, Treasurer Chris Ikeda-Nash, Financial Officer Robert Kedoin, Webmaster
As a year ends, it is often time to reflect on what has been accomplished. Here are some highlights from Shintaido of America for 2024.
2024 was a year of transitions, starting with the death of Ito Sensei at the end of December 2023. Shintaido of America held a ZOOM Celebration of Life for Ito Sensei along with our international community from the UK, France, Germany, Czech Republic and Italy
Shintaido of America gained new SOA Board Members – Jim Sterling and David Palmer. Sandra Bengtsson agreed to be Acting Treasurer. At the end of the year, Nancy Billias completed 12 years of service on the SOA board to live full time in the UK. Doshu Michael Thompson stepped down from his role on the SOA Board.
After Dokan ’24, held in August in the UK, we saw the transition to Karate Godan & Shintaido General Instructor for Shin Aoki, Yondan Karate for David Franklin, Yondan Bojutsu for Robert Gaston and Jennifer Peringer, Shintaido Senior Instructors for Byron Russell and Margaret Guay, Shintaido Graduate for Heather Kuhn, and an appointment to Doshu for Connie Borden.
With the leadership of Robert Gaston as NTC Chair, Shintaido of America saw more keiko and workshops. Rob traveled to France to learn the newest boh kata and returned to teach a workshop in the SF Bay Area. Byron and Margaret in their new roles lead a one-day workshop in the SNE Region and are planning monthly keikos. Jennifer Peringer added students to her Monday Boh class and started a Thursday Karate class. Rob added a Tuesday night Shintaido class. Connie is piloting a Wednesday afternoon class on ZOOM to practice Shintaido. Shin Aoki has been invited to teach at the UK Daienshu in April of 2025. Lee Ordemann has had two successful Shintaido programs at a local library.
Plans for 2025 are developing with the SOA Board considering offering the Global Taimyo Community fiscal sponsorship. This will have the benefit of stability for GTC. Look for announcements about the one-week Taimyo program for July 2025. Our Shintaido of America YouTube continues to grow with published videos so check in 2025 for new releases. 2026 is in the planning stages for SOA as 2026 is the 50th Anniversary of the founding of Shintaido of America.
Here are the Board Members and Officers of Shintaido of America
BOARD MEMBERS – voting (as of December 2024)
Connie Borden, President David Franklin, Podcast Robert Gaston, NTC Chairperson David Palmer, member at large Laura Sheehan Barron, member at large Jim Sterling, Editor Body Dialogue
BOARD OFFICERS – non-voting (as of Mar 2024)
Sandra Bengtsson, Treasurer Chris Ikeda-Nash, Financial Officer Robert Kedoin, Webmaster
I arrived on 3 October, 2024 to prepare for the ceremony with our hosts Mr. and Mrs. Yamazaki who are long-time friends of Fugaku and own the inn at Mt Asama.
Thanks to new technologies, we were able to communicate using a little English and a little Japanese.
It was raining and we were trying to imagine what we would do if the rain did not stop for the ceremony.
On the morning of 5 October, there was a beautiful mountain mist. I went to the dojo and practiced Diamond 8 cuts, and asked Mother Nature if she could clear up for the ceremony.
One hour before our friends arrived, it had cleared up !!!! We set up a table in the middle of the dojo with a white tablecloth, a photo of Fugaku (the one that I personally like so much), vases with flowers on each side, a candle to light, a wooden container for the sake and a glass.
Hideko san and Kazuo Hokari san arrived at Komoro station at 3pm, Also arriving were Misao Natsubori san, Watanabe san and Junko Yamamoto san (his last catch like Fugaku would have said). Iida san and Ushida san drove from Kyoto and arrived directly at the ‘Tengu onsen in Asama Lodge.)
Everyone had a moment to get their room keys. The Kansai Shintaido group changed into their keiko gi. A 3:30 pm we left together for the beautiful dojo surrounded by the mountain with the Fugaku’s urn in my arms. Misao brought a bottle of good sake for me to put in the wooden container for Fugaku, and Akemi san (the wife of Yukihiro Yamasaki, our host) filled the glass with water.
I lit incense, bowed and prayed in front of Fugaku’s photo, and everyone in turn did the same. We played the Dalai Lama’s chant throughout the ceremony.
I spoke to Fugaku indicating that I also represented his family (Yoshitaka san, his brother, Hiroko san, his sister, his 2 elderly cousins and their families) as well as my family in France and all the people around the world who were associated with this moment.
Hokari Sensei explained his relationship with Fugaku describing the history of Fugaku from Egami sensei onwards.
“My name is Hokari, an old friend of Ito-sensei. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, and on behalf of Nicole and late Ito-sensei, I thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend Ito-sensei’s ash scattering ceremony today. All of you gathering here are people who have met Ito-sensei in your own ways, and have been instructed by him for many years, and have worked together to spread Shintaido.
I also express my gratitude to Mr. Yamazaki, the owner of Asama Sanso and his family, who prepared a thoughtful alter for the ceremony.
I apologize for the inconvenience to tell my about personal relation with Ito-sensei. The first time I met him was 60 years ago, at the summer training camp of the Chuo University Karate Club, where he was the captain of the club.
The Niigata University Karate Club, where I worked, also belonged to the same Shotokai as Chuo University, so I was allowed to participate in the training camp.
At that time, the Chuo University Karate Club was regarded as the headquarters of the Shotokai, with Egami Sensei as a master instructor and Aoki Sensei as a deputy instructor.
Some years later, after that event, Aoki Sensei moved away from karate and founded Rakutenkai with the aim of developing a new martial art that cultivated humanity. Since I was so fascinated by the philosophy advocated by Aoki-sensei, I left Shotokai, and jumped into Rakutenkai, where I met Ito-sensei again.
Rakutenkai’s practice resulted in Shintaido, and the Shintaido Association was established to spread throughout Japan and the rest of the world. Ito-sensei worked a division manager for spreading Shintaido, whereas I worked as a division manager of the general affairs.
Eventually, Ito-sensei moved to the United States and then France to promote Shintaido, mainly outside Japan and I stayed in Japan to serve as a general manager of the International Shintaido Federation, coordinating with the Shintaido groups in Japan, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, and other countries.
About 15 years later, I was hit by a truck driven by a drunk driver while jogging, and all my relatives were gathered to the hospital, because my life was in danger.
Fortunately, with the support of my robust body cultivated in Shintaido, I survived, but my pelvis was broken into three pieces, and both knees and both ankles were broken. That made it impossible for me to practice Shintaido, although it did not interfere with my daily life.
Therefore, I had to leave Shintaido, but have continued to have a close personal relationship with Ito-sensei, shared ideas based on Shintaido philosophy, and discussed not only Shintaido, but also a wide range of topics, including world politics and economic issues.
As you know, more than 10 years ago, Aoki Sensei launched a new martial art to replace Shintaido, called “Kenbu Tenshin-ryu”, that resulted in the situation where Shintaido has almost disappeared in Japan.
Ito-sensei struggled with whether he should follow Aoki-sensei, or continue with the Keiko-system of Shintaido. Finally, he made up his mind to believe in, and pursue Shintaido Keiko system, and instructed people who followed him.
Now that Ito-sensei has departed, I hope all of you will carry on his legacy and pass on Shintaido to future generations.
With that, I would like to conclude my remarks. Thank you.”
Then Watanabe san performed Tenshingoso with voice. Mr. and Mrs. Yamasaki and their children Dai san and Emma san joined us. It was their first time doing Shintaido.
It was so good.
Then I showed a short video of Fugaku singing “gin gin gira gira”, a nursery rhyme about the setting sun that he used to sing on the hill near the chapel where we practiced.
For him, it was a prayer for every person who had died since 1 May 2023*. I suggested that we sing this song twice for him, and he sang it as a form of Kotodama. It was so good that we could offer it to him.
Then came the scattering of the ashes. I took the urn, and we took turns scattering them around the dojo.
We separated Fugaku’s ashes into two portions, and scattered the majority all around dojo, and buried a small portion in a space between a monument and a couple of old trees planted by Japanese Royal families, that is located in the forecourt of Asama-sanso. He will stay in the dojo as well as under the Royal family’s trees. It seems as if his soul covers all around the big nature surrounding Asama-sanso, a place he loved so much.
We were moved, and happy to have been able to respect his wishes.
We came back and some of us set up the altar in the tatami room reserved for us for dinner.
We all soaked in the onsen with water straight from the volcano, which is red because it contains iron.
Before we started eating, Mr. Yamasaki offered sake to everyone and also to Fugaku in front of his picture. They also served part of the big dinner that we had.
Thanks to Misao san for her efforts in organizing the visit of our dear friends. Thank you to our friends for coming to see me. A warm gratitude to the Yamasaki family who supported me and offered their precious time to accompany Fugaku’s ashes to this place that was so precious to him. Thank you to all his friends who prayed around the world. Thanks also to our friends in Tokyo who couldn’t make it but whom Tamiko Sato san will be bringing together on 9 September for a memorial dinner.
Nicole Beauvois October 6, 2024 At Asama-Sanso lodging
As I wind down my 50+ year Shintaido career, I’m starting to look back on all that as happened during that time.
When I had come back to the U.S. after my introduction to Shintaido in France, I started to teach it in Geneva NY, where I had had a spectacularly unsuccessful and short-lived academic career. A couple of years later, Ito wrote me that he was intending to move to San Francisco to start a Shintaido school there, and suggested that we either join forces there or maintain bases on the two coasts. Since I had only been practicing for a few years and needed to deepen my understanding, I decided to move west. There, we created the nonprofit Rakutenkai Shintaido of America along with some Hobart College exiles including Pamela Olton, Bela (formerly Nancy) Breslau, Jim Sterling, Tom Abbott, and Stephen Pizzella.
I’m not going to attempt to recapitulate our story since then, only that, in addition to holding regular and intense morning & evening classes in the Bay Area, we hosted several international events featuring Aoki Sensei and several of the original Rakutenkai members from Japan. There was also a kind of French invasion when a few of Marc Bassis’s students came to study with Ito.
My West Coast experience, interrupted by a 2-year stay in Japan, ended in 1982 when I moved back East to Cambridge MA where I started a new chapter in my Shintaido career, thereby taking up the first option Ito had suggested eight years previously.
Since then, obviously, a lot has happened and times have changed. I have more or less retired from active participation in Shintaido events, outside of the occasional keiko with New England members. And, I will also be retiring from the SoA board by year’s end. In a way, I have always thought of myself as an observer as well as a participant in the Shintaido movement, so it’s not all that difficult to leave the organization behind while remaining interested in its evolution.
That’s not all that surprising given that I earned a Ph.D. in French literature, but had no problem abandoning that path to take up a weird body movement in France. Now, I move on to the final chapter which will include my Hitorigeiko consisting of Kenkotaiso, parts of Taimyo, and Minagawa’s deeply researched Diamond 8 program which is a way for me to keep Eiko in my practice.
Finally, on the occasion of “Dokan 24” in the U.K., Ula Chambers wrote in the welcoming brochure: “Dokan: the Circle, represents continuous and everlasting practice. It exists in both past and present while looking forward into the future. At its heart is peace and emptiness. Anybody may join or leave the Circle at any point. Dokan celebrates the journey of the individual and combines it with that of the whole group. It has neither beginning nor end.”
Another image for this event was a design by Charles Burns based on an ammonite fossil found by Nagako Cooper. It represented continuous growth and change as seen in the form of a spiral. It turns out that the spiral movement is one of Shintaido’s “hidden” forms. So there’s still more to study “jusqu’à la fin de l’histoire” (until the story comes to an end).
Dokan 2024 International gasshuku, in a significant way, started for us at different times. For the organizing team and Director of Instruction it began several years ago after the 2021 exams. Plans and theme ideas began percolating in their heads, with artwork and discussions. The location, Worth Abby, was tested out last year at the British Shintaido Daienshu and it worked well. At the closing ceremony Ula Chambers announced the theme of the 2024 International, Dokan, the way of the circle.
Enthusiasm for Dokan ’24 grew over the year and there were 54 people in attendance. People came from Japan, USA, UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic and Italy. Also, this was an opportunity for many of the international attendees to link their gasshuku travel to a trip to Europe. We began to arrive on 15 August at Worth Abby and saw the location in a beautiful country setting, 30 miles south of London. Connections and warm greetings began.
The first day, began with checking in and finding our rooms, getting an orientation, meeting of teams and lots of hugs, reconnections and chats with old and new friends from around the world.
For some of us, it included the International Technical Committee (ITEC) meetings and keiko. For those not in ITEC, it was a chance to practice for exams or organize their gasshuku job teams.
For me, there was a wonderful afternoon keiko taught by Pierre Quettier on Goho Batto-ho in the sports center.
We met up with the rest of the early arrivers for dinner at the cafeteria, pulling our tables together so we could hear as many conversations and reconnect as much as possible. Those not in the ITEC keiko, talked about a wonderful time of practicing together in preparation for exams in the gorgeous Victorian wood and stain glass appointed, Whitehead room, lovingly called the Harry Potter room.
Following a welcoming meal, the evening included ITEC meetings about upcoming examinations and further planning. Others, hung out in the tea corner over seen with love by Margaret Guay who throughout the gasshuku could be relied upon for sustenance, warm feeling, conversation and laughs.
There were, 25 people, who had stayed the night and woke up with Taimyo led by Margaret Guay. In the morning light, and with dew on our feet, Taimyo transported us to calm old English countryside.
For ITEC members, the morning was filled by a thought provoking keiko by David Franklin on Renki kumite where we explored our way of breathing and moving , our connection to our partner and the outer limits of our balance.
In the afternoon we held joint SOA and ESC examinations. Heather Kuhn from USA, took her Graduate exam, and Craig Thorn, from England, took his Kenjutsu Nidan exam.
The Dokan ’24 International Gasshuku officially began at 5pm with the opening ceremony and a dedication to Ito sensei. His picture was posted on the wall and remained there throughout the gasshuku. Charles Burns, organizer extraordinaire, welcomed attendees. The opening ceremony concluded with Nicole B. presenting Minagawa sensei with Ito Sensei’s sword.
After supper we started the Opening Keiko in the Sports Hall. This was led by Ula and Gianni bringing everyone one together with a theme of Tenshingoso (solo, kumite and Tenshingoso massage). “The keiko had a warm, uplifting feeling and reminded us how nice it was to be all together in person.”
This keiko was followed by a presentation by Minagawa sensei and Michael sensei to announce the end of a “first wave” of Shintaido and a new era of leadership. Connie sensei and Ula sensei were awarded the rank and responsibilities of being our Doshu for the next 4 years. “The air in the room changed dramatically for me. Like a poof. All the unspoken contracted energies released in an instant.” This announcement of the new Doshu brought a palpable energy and excitement.
Each morning of the main gasshuku started with an early morning Taimyo taught by various ITEC members, Mieko H, Connie B., Robert G. and cumulating with Charles B. They were in a grassy open space looking west over the school’s golf course and the woods beyond. The scattered trees and expansive view had participants returning to the space throughout the gasshuku, whether for their private practice and meditation, or in groups to work on kumite for exams. There were spontaneous gatherings for a beautiful sunset that boggled the mind. The Taimyo practices and the draw of the space had reoccurring circular feel for me. It was the place that I came back to observe the changes in me throughout the gasshuku.
Keiko Two, Three and Four on Saturday the 17th and Sunday the 18th were longer, held outside on the sports fields a short walk across a bridge over the road.
There were Shintaido warmups for the whole group. Led first by Shin, then Pierre, and lastly Alain. Then we split into three groups that participants could join, Kenjutsu by, Pierre Quettier, Bojutsu, by Alain Chevet or Karate, by Shin Aoki. The keiko space was immense so each group moved to various edges of the field and focused on the curriculum.
Please read the descriptions of each keiko provided by the Goreisha.
Kenjutsu Program: From Common Standards to Personal Fluency
by Pierre Quettier
First of all, I wish us to review and set-up a formal toitsu-kihon program, specific to kenjutsu, performed with either a bokken or iaito. This study will include a review of the stepping exercises particular to the needs of this program. These exercises will be presented in the light of our experiences in France teaching complete beginners: those otherwise ignorant of Shintaido conventions.
In the same spirit, I will share our approach to Shoden-no-kata. At this event I will introduce a formal (sei) version of the kata, in preparation for the flowing (dai) manner that we are accustomed to.
In different vein, I also look forward to sharing most or all of the various battō-ho (sword-drawing exercises) handed down by Master Ito from the Toyama-ryu tradition he studied with Master Obata. These will be new to some people, while familiar to others, so we shall work together to harmonize our understanding of this new aspect of the shintaido kenjutsu program.
Last, but not least, I will invite all participants (according to their level) to engage with – and enjoy combining the above with – familiar exercises, such as san-nin ichi-retsu or jissen kumitachi, with one or several partners.
Bojutsu program: Return to the Future (a new approach to kata)
by Alain Chevet
It is with emotion that I express my gratitude to Ito Sensei for sharing with us his ultimate vision of the kata Shoshi-no-kon.
In keeping with the Dokan theme, it seemed obvious to me to dedicate this meeting to Shoshi-no-kon.
While being anchored in history, Shoshi-no-kon is also the manifestation of innovative creativity. All the kata are transmitted to us by the elders of past generations. It is up to us to study and practice them with respect. However, it is also up to us to bring them to life. We do this by practicing them to discover their multiple facets: martial, educational, social, spiritual…
In this spirit, I will share an approach to Shoshi-no-kon through interactions between the kata, the kugiri keiko from this kata as well as applications in kumibo.
This is also an opportunity to have a fresh look at the practice of kata in general. The participation of practitioners at different levels will promote a joyful practice imbued with “beginner’s spirit”.
Karate Program: Karate and the Rhythms of Nature
by Shin Aoki
In these keiko we will explore three elements that can enrich and deepen the experience of karate kumite:
finding and connecting with our partner’s center
managing the compression and expansion of space; and
refining our timing through heightened awareness.
Toward these ends, our physical movements will include, respectively, renki kumite, irimi and stepping practice, and wakame, all of which will be applied to basic forms of karate kumite
Saturday evening David Franklin and Arin Farahini led us in a workshop on “Shintaido as a performing art.” We engaged in a keiko of sound and movement, emotion and contemplation. We used techniques from theater to think “outside the box” about what is performance and what is the relation to our own Shintaido.
One person expressed, “I appreciated the profound presence of indigenous and holistic, communal wisdom.” For me it changed a way of looking at both. I could think of performance of Shintaido in new spaces for other more artistic reasons and what might be the feelings and thoughts of the observer watching me do Shintaido movement.
Sunday evening, Ula Chambers and Connie Borden facilitated a Keiko “stories activity.” We formed groups of 5-10, and shared past/present keiko experiences. Impressions included, “I am proud of the international Shintaido culture. I believe our practice represents an expression of what so many American liberals are reaching for but struggle to find.” “I have been at many events that have aspired to the connection and honest expression shown here.”
Exams on Sunday and Monday Mornings
High level karate and Bohjutsu exams took place on Sunday morning on the large outside dojo. So many examinees did well and there were more highlights than can be easily expressed in one article. Observers said it looked if the examinees left everything on the field expressing all they had. Ito-sensei’s picture was placed prominently at the examiners’ table and his presence was felt. The closeness and feeling of the exam led to a spontaneous eiko-dai across the field by examinees and audience together and returning arms around each other’s shoulders to a large circle wakame before returning our dorm rooms and having lunch.
The second day of exams on Monday morning featured high level Shintaido Kenjutsu and Shintaido exams. Again, the exams were exciting and inspirational to watch and participate in. The second day of exams concluded with Godan Kenjutsu by Alain and Pierre. This included performance with “naked blade”. The results of all exams are posted at the end of this article.
With the exams completed we headed into Keiko Five. Gianni sensei led us in a keiko to take care of our tired bodies. It focused tenshingoso massage from warming up to kumite making connection with other parts of body and unifying the movement by entire group. Images of people in laughter as they do Tenshingoso on their backs with their feet or massaging their partner by opening ahh as their arms massaged their partners’ back. Laughter and smiles erupting. The three groups showed a demonstration to the other what was studied. Gianni finished the keiko with Eido Dai – in partners, whether with boh, Bokken or open hand with a partner.
After this keiko and before dinner, exam results were given and the evening was filled with a festive party. We began after supper and stayed late into the night. Arin started with an invocation, Heather recited love poems, all were held in rapture as Marta and Jennifer sang and Jennifer accompanied on the piano, Reesa, Ida-san’s daughter, played a beautiful piece and Shin-san taught and led the group in line dancing.
Tuesday the 20th , the last day of the gasshuku began as usual with Taimyo. Charles chose to lead us from the far side of the valley. For me, this expanded my view and my keiko to be ready to go out into the world beyond the gasshuku. It brought up images from the gasshuku as I became an audience and a performer in a series of memories and my feelings and imagination reached out across the valley.
After breakfast, we gathered in the gym for the final keiko led in parts by Ula, Connie and Minagawa -sensei. They prepared us well to leave with joy and brightness. Ula did warm ups and unified our movement. Images of energy flowing around the room and through us danced in my head. Connie’s gorei brightened our feeling and raised our energy while Minagawa brought us together in a connected deep closing meditation.
Closing Ceremony and presentations were in the Whitehead room. Gasshuku teams were thanked and appreciation was given to the instructors and organizers. A special moment of appreciation was given to Ito-sensei and fellow Shintaidoist who died this past year. People gave feedback about the event and many tears (mine included) were flowing. Diplomas were presented, and Michael and Minagawa- sensei expressed their faith in the future of Shintaido as the new Doshu, and Go-dan will act like bookends with all the Yon-dan and General Instructors’ knowledge on the library shelves.
