Friday Knight News
“Teaching people a large number of sword techniques is turning the way into a business of selling goods, making beginners believe that there is something profound in their training by impressing them with a variety of techniques.” Miyamoto Musashi
To me seminar study is the way of the heihosha. No matter what style you study, every outside influence changes your perspective and appreciation for other styles, systems, and the skills of other people. They help keep us humble and inspired, well at least they should. On that note James Williams will be conducting a Nami Ryu Aiki Heiho annual seminar for the Dojo of the Southern Wind. It will be held at the Bushido Dojo in Joelton, Tennessese on Friday, June 10th and 11th. If you would like to see the correlation with kenjutsu and jujutsu please contact Brian Williams: (615) 293-8369 for more details.
The writing of Mushashi has been my major inspiration especial as it relates to blade arts as he was a true heihosha. Although my stylistic influences range from kenjutsu, battojutsu to medieval swordsmanship, kali, escrima and kung sul. Even though my blade style is influenced by both eastern and western sources (from private study and from seminar instruction), I still practice a gendai battojutsu type of sword art. I have no ranking in any koryu sword art and only teach sword kata that was derived from koryu or gendai kata. Each of the assimilated kata has to correlate to our systems style of gendai jujutsu. Still seminar training helps me find new interpretations to it.
I love to explore kenjutsu, battojutsu and other blade arts as my kenjutsu/battojutsu was derived from schools that stole techniques, that was until sharing them became in vogue. Which to my understanding is how all koryu kenjutsu once operated. I have found that James Williams has affected my sword work more than anyone I've met. As such, so has his teachers (Don Angier, sensei and Kuroda Tetsuzan, sensei), influenced me, even if it was indirectly. Both Don Angier of Yanagi-ryu, are Kuroda Tetsuzan of Kuroda-han are two of the greatest sword masters that I've even seen, even if it has only been via digital imagery.
My sensei, Tom Manson, and James Williams, sensei have spoken about the importance of assimilating lessons and influences to make an art your own. I try to emulate a method acting type of discipline with both my pen and sword work. I find it helps me maintain my dedication to both arts; those of the pen and sword. I have tried to encapsulate their (Manson and Williams, sensei), message in a quotation used from my most resent and upcoming Dream Walker series story-line, "Ruger Jackson Xanderland." In the story our hero (Ruger Jackson), is being instructed by a Japanese martial art examination board on the importance of this (heihosha), subject. “Any lineage that is frozen in time in regard to techniques weakens over time. In feudal times this was not the custom, they say steel sharpens even so man must sharpen other men. This is the definition of being a man of strategy, a heihosha. You must make the art your own.”
"Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.” Miyamoto Musashi
To me seminar study is the way of the heihosha. No matter what style you study, every outside influence changes your perspective and appreciation for other styles, systems, and the skills of other people. They help keep us humble and inspired, well at least they should. On that note James Williams will be conducting a Nami Ryu Aiki Heiho annual seminar for the Dojo of the Southern Wind. It will be held at the Bushido Dojo in Joelton, Tennessese on Friday, June 10th and 11th. If you would like to see the correlation with kenjutsu and jujutsu please contact Brian Williams: (615) 293-8369 for more details.
The writing of Mushashi has been my major inspiration especial as it relates to blade arts as he was a true heihosha. Although my stylistic influences range from kenjutsu, battojutsu to medieval swordsmanship, kali, escrima and kung sul. Even though my blade style is influenced by both eastern and western sources (from private study and from seminar instruction), I still practice a gendai battojutsu type of sword art. I have no ranking in any koryu sword art and only teach sword kata that was derived from koryu or gendai kata. Each of the assimilated kata has to correlate to our systems style of gendai jujutsu. Still seminar training helps me find new interpretations to it.
I love to explore kenjutsu, battojutsu and other blade arts as my kenjutsu/battojutsu was derived from schools that stole techniques, that was until sharing them became in vogue. Which to my understanding is how all koryu kenjutsu once operated. I have found that James Williams has affected my sword work more than anyone I've met. As such, so has his teachers (Don Angier, sensei and Kuroda Tetsuzan, sensei), influenced me, even if it was indirectly. Both Don Angier of Yanagi-ryu, are Kuroda Tetsuzan of Kuroda-han are two of the greatest sword masters that I've even seen, even if it has only been via digital imagery.
My sensei, Tom Manson, and James Williams, sensei have spoken about the importance of assimilating lessons and influences to make an art your own. I try to emulate a method acting type of discipline with both my pen and sword work. I find it helps me maintain my dedication to both arts; those of the pen and sword. I have tried to encapsulate their (Manson and Williams, sensei), message in a quotation used from my most resent and upcoming Dream Walker series story-line, "Ruger Jackson Xanderland." In the story our hero (Ruger Jackson), is being instructed by a Japanese martial art examination board on the importance of this (heihosha), subject. “Any lineage that is frozen in time in regard to techniques weakens over time. In feudal times this was not the custom, they say steel sharpens even so man must sharpen other men. This is the definition of being a man of strategy, a heihosha. You must make the art your own.”
"Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.” Miyamoto Musashi
My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with some science fiction, a dose of conspiracies theory, along with laughter, love and mystic experiences. 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 meditation. 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: 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 cope with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past.
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: 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: We find a new apprentice, Adam, which 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: 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 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.
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