The Influence of Five Masters

Friday Knight News

"Your heart is full of fertile seeds, waiting to sprout." Morihei Ueshiba

It is impossible to list all of the masters that have influenced the martial arts but listing those that have influenced ourselves is less daunting. For me one such list could contain Morihei Ueshiba, Bruce Lee, Mas Oyama, Joe Lewis and Kenji Tomiki as examples of masters that were living and have influenced me during my lifetime. Then again another list might have Joe Lewis, Bill Wallace, Tony Annesi, Masaaki Hatsumi and Fumio Demura as masters that I've met that have influenced me. These categories and list could go on and on.

Morihei Ueshiba words have long been quoted in our home, and his teaching (especially his older work), has influenced the art that was handed down to me. Although, I have noticed over time that subconsciously I have quoted Musashi more often than any other martial artist in my blogs with Bruce Lee following up as a distant second. Our school of martial arts has been influenced by aikido although we tend to use a smaller circle approach. My sensei used an aiki format but after I received my menkyo kaiden I took several years to restructure the syllabus and reverted to some of the jujutsu structure and nomenclature, this was my seed. The above photo is my wife of 37 years as of this July 4th 2015, she tends to do most of her budo in the garden, although she still trains with a knife.

 "A dojo without a makiwara is just a glorified dancing studio." Masutatsu Oyama

Mas Oyama was my  first martial art hero, that I tried to emulate, while I liked Kato I was in my teen age years before the Bruce Lee bug got me. Still I have followed Oyama's advice on the striking post in my jujutsu dojo as well, although I no longer punch the makiwara with my fist, it took me years for the callous that I had to wear off. Also on days when I do not hit the striking post due to weather, (my mother taught me not to stand on the roof while holding a fork in lighting storms), I do utilize the iron palm bag. My original striking post work came from my kempo but even it had an element of jujutsu in its teachings.


"When sensei said to hit like this, I did what sensei said."  Michael DePasquale Sr.

Even though I practice jujutsu as my main art, I have found that not only my teacher but other jujutsu-ka have employed the striking post in their training.  I'm not sure if this was a practice in Hakko Ryu but our style of jujutsu was heavily influenced by this system. I also receive some unusual insights and advice into this subject from several conversation with Michael DePasquale Sr. I believe he was referring to his instructor Junji Saito when he described his method of striking the makiwara, I understand that his style of jujutsu also had a Hakko Ryu foundation. I greatly admired this man (Michael DePasquale Sr.), and his wife was a very sweet woman. Perhaps what I admired most about Michael DePasquale Sr. was that he was a family man like myself. My sensei told me that his sensei had a his menkyo kaiden in Hakko Ryu and a master rank in aikido, while my sensei had master rank in karate, jujutsu and aikido.

"Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend." Bruce Lee

 I, like that water, can be both tranquil and dynamically powerful. I have tried to maintain a tranquil family life, and my martial arts flowing and powerful. I find that I liked Bruce Lee's philosophy as much as his martial art while I have found jujutsu to be more suitable to my nature. I do like the concept of being able to flow or crash, it seems to me that jujutsu has given me a method of doing both. These five master quoted in red today have had a big influence on me even though I had only met and trained with one of them from this list physically. DePasquale was the only one from this particular list that laid hands on me, Musashi, Lee, Oyama, and Ueshiba only left their students, their words and their writing behind to point the way. Yet many others that are around today have been able to train with many of those masters I had mentioned, well, that is except for Musashi. Still I like training in a system that was geared to and around sword and knife work, both of which are part of my everyday training, like writing. However, I have found that (regardless of their rank), each martial artist I have trained with or read their thoughts has helped broaden my perspective on life and the martial arts.

“It is said the warrior's is the twofold way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both ways. Even if a man has no natural ability he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way.” Miyamoto Musashi

The following are links to my Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker,” series.

My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.

Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)

Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past. 

Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)

The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.


Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)

Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.

Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)

Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.


Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)

Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.

Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6 

Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.