New location

Thank you for a great year! I'm proud of all of you and the progress you've made. We've had a fickle year with the studio we were at, but this will finally change with our new location. Here is the address:

School of Ballet Arts
55 North 1400 West
Lindon, UT

(Coming from SLC area exit at 1600 N., turn right and pass Timpanogos Harley Davidson, turn right onto Geneva Rd. Northbound, You'll drive under the freeway and stay on the road for about 30 seconds, then turn left onto W. 500 N., turn left onto N. Anderson Lane and follow for about 30 seconds and you'll arrive at School of Ballet Arts. If you get lost call me!

******************************************************************

We are shaping up the way we do things at the dojo! We'll be focusing more on iaido as an art, physical art, and a traditional way of self defense. This will require more from the student physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We'll also be adapting 5 maxims found in most traditional arts in Japan:

1. Character
2. Sincerity
3. Effort
4. Etiquette
5. Self-control.

Let's make 2012 a great year! Here are some things to look forward to:
-Tameshigiri
-Nihon Matsuri participation
-Aikido seminar
-Quick hand-to-hand self-defense seminar
-Annual trip in Fresno
-Zen meditation

***For students who bring a friend and they join Iwayama Dojo, you will recieve a month of free tuition***

メリークリスマス

 Thank you for a wonderful year! I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday break and remember this spoken by The Buddha, "However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?" Go lift someone's spirit, tell a loved one how much you care about them, or do something to make someone else happy. By lifting up others, you lift yourself up as well! -Sorensen Sensei

Lao Tzu

Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment. -Lao Tzu

Overcoming Obstacles

I've always found that when I'm practicing martial arts and struggling to understand a concept or technique that the thing that is usually holding me back is often the thing that I needed to learn the most. The little things that it took for to overcome the obstacle made me stronger and eventually helped me realize my goal and better understand a concept or technique. There is a zen proverb that says that the obstacle is the path and as you study martial arts this becomes more and more true. Don't let obstacles knock you down, strike them first.

10,000 Cuts

Iaido is often considered to be a repetitious

martial art where the practitioner spends most of their time swinging a blade practicing cuts, one after the other, while maintaining good posture and footwork. This is correct! When you begin to feel like your training is too repetitious, remember when Bruce Lee said, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” This applies to any martial art, especially iaido.

Feeling inadequate?

“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”   

Zen du Jour

However deep your

Knowledge of the scriptures,
It is no more than a strand of hair
In the vastness of space;
However important appears
Your worldly experience,
It is but a drop of water in a deep ravine.

-Tokusan

Thought for the Day

Sun Tzu once said that to confront the enemy with annihilation, they will then survive; plunge them into a deadly situation, and they will then live. When people fall into danger, they are then able to strive for victory. Please remember this when sparring with your opponents. To rush in with the intent to destroy, or to taunt them into a deadly situation you will likely be the one to perish. Keep your cool!

Sensei's Movie Recommendation: The Hidden Blade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V33a3yQIc-8

The Hidden Blade

Directed by: Yoji Yamada

A Japanese warrior is forced to leave his family in the care of two other samurai when he complies with a request for his services in another town. They do their best to protect the family when they come under attack during his absence.

Holiday Special

Iaidoka,

The holidays are here! For many of us this means time with our families, excuses to drink hot chocolate, and private iaido lessons with Sensei. Every year the dojo offers discounted private lessons and accepts donations to help raise money for the New Year. To sign-up, review the scheduled times below and email me at least a week in advance.

Cheers,
Sorensen Sensei

Dates/Times

Wednesdays 8:00pm-9:00pm

November – 23, 30

December – 7, 14, 21

Saturdays 8:00am-9:00, 9:00am-10:00am, 10:00am-11pm, 11:00am-12:00pm

November – 19

December – 3, 10, 17

Holiday Prices

$25/1 hour

$35/1.5 hours

$45/2 hours

Do!

Miyamoto Musashi once said that tomorrow's battle is won during today's practice. These words have never been more true than in today's society. Let them permeate into the deepest part of your brain and think about all the times during a day when you should be doing something to prepare for tomorrow. If it is work, or a school assignment we can often find every excuse in the book (not our school books) to put it off because it's not very much fun or will require too much mental effort. Todays challenge: Do!

Do not overthink the things you must do today to be ready for tomorrow, just do them. This dedication will help cultivate good habits and prepare you for a lifetime of success. As a martial artist, this ability to do and not procrastinate are essential.

Losing Your Mind

It is essential to lose the mind [in order to free it]. -Shao Yang

No First Strike

"A sword must never be recklessly drawn" was the most important tenet of conduct in the daily life of a samurai. It was essential for the honorable man of the day to bear things to the very limit of his ability before taking action. Only after reaching the point where the situation could no longer be tolerated was the blade drawn from its scabbard. This was a basic teaching of Japanese bushido. -Gichin Funakoshi

Experience Over Devotion

Buddha said, my follower should not accept my teaching out of devotion, but rather your own experiment. Even Buddha himself, in order to get final enlightenment needed hard work -Dalai Lama

No matter who the teacher, the subject, or past commitment you must know for yourself. This is very important in martial arts. If your teacher tells you to do something and you do not understand the concept or technique, you had better discipline yourself and practice until you know for yourself. The hard work and dedication will pay off in the end when you yourself have had the experience. You will become a better martial artist.

11.11.11 Challenge

Sakura Martial Arts Festival, near Kyoto, Japan (Toyama Ryu Iai Do Kai Honbu Dojo)

Today's practice:
11 minutes of meditation
11 minutes of cutting makko giri, migi/hidari kesagiri, morote-tsuki, gyaku kesa giri, suihei giri.
11 minutes of kata practice

"Kaisu O Kasaneru!" (Develop your skills through mindful repetition)

If you complete this, please comment below (must be on 11.11.11) and you will receive a free thirty minute private lesson.

Zen du Jour

    The one who is good at shooting does not hit the center of the target. -Zen saying

Don't forget to rei!

When we bow in and out during class, this is what is said by either the teacher or senior student, please learn the responses to the third rei when bowing in and out:
I.  Shomen ni rei
II. Sensei ni rei
III.Otagai ni rei (everyone else will say: yoroshiku onegaishimasu
(Pron: yo-row-she-coup own-a-gaee-she-mawss)
Bowing out:
I. Tou rei
II. Sensei ni rei
III. Otagai ni rei (Everyone will say Arigato Gozaimasu)
(Pron: Awe-ree-gah-toe go-zaee-mawss)

Zen Koan

One Zen koan, or story, tells of a man hanging by his teeth from a tree branch dangling over the edge of a cliff. A man approaches him and says, “Why did Bodhidharma travel from India to China?” If the man refuses to answer, he will fail the test. If he answers, he will fall to his death. What should he do? The answer to this koan (and all koans) lies beyond logic and must be perceived on a deeper level.   –Eva Adamson

Take a moment and reflect on this koan. I have come to the conclusion that if the man in the tree danging by his teeth were to tell the wandering observer that he could care less, this might emulate the appropriate answer. This is an appropriate Zen response. I would agree with the man hanging by his teeth because personally I do not care why Bodhidharma came from India to China.

Be good

"Just practice good, do good for others, without thinking of making yourself known so that you may gain reward. Really bring benefit to others, gaining nothing for yourself. This is the primary requisite for breaking free of attachments to the Self." - Dōgen

In the dojo we strive to maintain an atmosphere of good, as a student of budo, do good to your fellow classmates. When you're outside the dojo strive to do good to those close to you, especially those you may be meeting for the first time or those whom you dislike. This is the samurai way.

"Osu!"

The roots of this slang are filled with a lot of mystery as the people who say it typically don't know where it came from. More often, martial artists will claim that it may have come from the word onegaishimasu. Wherever it came from, Westerners have become very fond of using it any chance they can. Traditional styles think its a joke, and from the video above, so do the Japanese. To maintain etiquette in the dojo, "Hai" or "Ei" are more appropriate responses (hai being more formal). Osu!

Miyamoto Musashi

"The Way is in Training"

Beginner students, advanced ideas

Students ask me from time to time what the most important thing is that they should learn. In regard to iaido, I stress that beginners spend a lot of time learning how to properly execute nukisuke and focus on footwork. Sincerely practicing these will create good habits. If you're lazy now, and do not take these simply things seriously, you'll create habits that are hard to break as you advance in your training.

Luckily, you should always have a beginner's spirit, so we practice these everyday!

Confucius-of-the-day

Do you want to know what knowledge is?
When you know something, recognize that you know it,
and when you don't know something,
recognize that you don't know it.
That's knowledge.
The Analects of Confucius
Book 2, Chapter 17

Happy Halloween!

Have a happy halloween everyone! Remember to take down any ninjas you see trick or treating. To help us celebrate this dark holiday please enjoy some Japanese death poems:

Had I not known
that I was dead
already
I would have mourned
my loss of life. -Ota Dokan 1432-1486

Whether one passes on or remains is all the same.
That you can take no one with you is the only difference.
Ah, how pleasant! Two awakenings and one sleep.
This dream of a fleeing world! The roseate hues of early dawn!
-Tokugawa Ieyasu 1542-1616

Like a rotten log
half buried in the ground -
my life, which
has not flowered, comes
to this sad end. -Minamoto Yorimasa 1104-1180

Yamada Jirokichi

"Sword and mind must be united.
Technique by itself is insufficient,
and spirit alone is not enough."

Zen Meditation - Zafu/Zabuton

For students interested in purchasing the sitting pad (zabuton) and cushion (zafu) visit Zabuzabu. It's around $85 for the set, but remember that a blanket or sturdy pillow with a folded beach towel or yoga mat will work just fine.

The Analects of Confucius

As westerners, we're fascinated by the samurai, often wanting to connect ourselves to the code by which they lived their lives that molded who they were. There are many books written about the warrior's code, but I like to look a little further to find the roots of these treasured precepts that dominated Japanese society, their influence still seen today in modern Japan. Study the words of Confuicus. You may have heard many things said by this great philosopher, but many of his teachings found their way into the homes of the samurai. A good place to start your Confucius study is to read The Analects.

Bruce Lee

As we begin sparring, remember these words from Bruce Lee:

Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend.

Shoto Training

Please make sure you have a shoto as we'll begin training with them on November 9th.

Humility in the Dojo

Student-to-student relationships are the framework that keeps a dojo together. The student-to-teacher relationship is the heart that keeps the dojo in order. As you work with each other in class there is a bond that forms as students with more experience practice with students who are still learning to hold their bokken. The senior student wants to give some resistance, but must help instill the confidence necessary for the junior student to continue in their training and feel successful. This is crucial and will keep the dojo’s wheels turning.
Often, we question why we practice slow standardized sparring techniques or have a series of preset movements to avoid our attackers. In real life, our opponents will use any means necessary to bring us down. We practice like this for many reasons that I will discuss at another time, but they benefit us much more than we see at present.
When practicing with fellow classmates, there needs to be a sense of humility. If the junior student overcomes the senior student in partner sparring, how should the senior student react? He or she must not try and protect a “shattered” ego, but accept that they were sloppy or lax and this is why they were overcome. Students with more seniority often feel the need to salvage their pride and explain to their junior classmate what went wrong or why they didn’t listen to the instruction received and it was indeed their fault that they were defeated. The junior student can see right through this and will lose confidence in that senior student’s ability.
These things are accepted by the teacher as students continue to work together and learn how to give proper resistance, yet allow each other to progress at a comfortable pace. However, this behavior is not acceptable from the teacher.
The word Sensei in Japanese often translates as, “teacher,” nothing more. The word has been mystified in western culture to describe a paradisiacal instructor who never makes any mistakes and knows all there is to know about the martial ways and life. Unfortunately, this is a false perception of sensei because he or she is really just there to pass down knowledge learned from their respected teachers. They accompany you on your path to becoming a skilled martial artist and hope that someday you will be more advanced and have acquired more skills than them. A sense of respect is required as they are a teacher and have more experience, but they are still a human and far from perfect.
As students are instructed by their teacher, they must be aware that should they overcome the sensei, how he reacts will let them know if they have a Mr. Miyagi or a Mr. Lawrence. Does he accept that you overcame him and esteem you or does he feel the need to defend his pride and make up a lousy excuse for becoming careless and inattentive? If it is the latter, run away as fast as you can and find a new teacher. Get out of there because this is not the type of person you want to learn from. This teacher is too busy defending their false sense of pride and does not care about their student’s progression or seeing them succeed. They shouldn’t be instructing and might be better off training for mixed martial arts competitions rather than wasting their time in a traditional dojo setting.
Whether you are a teacher, senior student, or a new budoka still learning your way around the dojo, please be humble and remember to leave any egos and pride at the door before you enter. These little things must be attended to and taken care of. We are all students striving to do our best and refine our skills. Being humble and constantly striving to maintain a beginner’s spirit will make your experience as a martial artist more enriching and allow you to reach your full potential.

Japanese Katana vs. 9mm

Japanese Katana vs. 9mm

Don't try this at home! You may have already seen this clip from Youtube, but it does show how strong the samurai blade is. Obviously, they did not use a family heirloom or anything super expensive. Imagine how much stronger a more expensive or famously forged blade would be.

Sensei's Movie Recommendation

 SAMURAI FICTION
Directed by: Hiroyuki Nakano

(From IMDB) Three centuries ago, a precious sword was stolen by Kazamatsuri -- the historic sword, priceless for the clan (Shogun Tokugawa donated it to clan 80 years before that, at the same time that he established them as the local rulers). The Clan Lord's counselor's youngest son Heishiro goes to retrieve the sword himself to protect the clan from the shame or possible demise. He is accompanied with two friends, Shintaro and Tadasuke, and followed by the ninjas of the clan. After Kazamatsuri wounds Heishiro and kills one of his friends, the young aristocrat still wants revenge more than the sword itself, but meanwhile having to recover from his wounds, in the small forest house of a lonely samurai and his daughter. At the same time, Kamazatsuri stays in nearby town in the entertainment center run by Okatsu and falls into her. The older samurai tries to dissuade Heishiro from fighting with Kamazatsuri, but is himself gradually drawn into the conflict.

(Note from Sensei) A few big name Japanese actors took the time to star in this zany comedy taking a break from the often very dramatic portrayals of the samurai. The humor remains very Japanese, but anyone can laugh and enjoy this film. I highly recommend it if you need a good laugh. (Plus, the ninja is similar to Paul...constantly injured, but staying strong)

New Dojo Name Contest Winner!

Mike Kanzler is our winner!!! Here is our official dojo name:

岩山道場

Iwayama Dojo

(Trans. Rocky Mountain Dojo)

We'll design some cool hoodies for this winter season with our new dojo name!

Thomas S. Monson

"On occasion we need to make a second effort - and a third effort, and a fourth effort, and as many degrees of effort as may be required to accomplish what we strive to achieve."

Takuan Soho

“Completely forget about the mind and you will do all things well”
-Takuan Soho

Zazen Seminar

When: Saturday, October 29, 2011
Where: Kanzeon Zen Center International 1268 E. South Temple SLC, UT 84102
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm

***For students interested, we will be going out to lunch after. We will plan rides accordingly for those who are interested in lunch and not. Please wear comfortable clothing and come prepared to relax and learn to study your own mind. Please bring a small donation in cash (however much you are comfortable with)



Dalai Lama

Spirituality concerns our own motivation, while secular activity implies working in the world. Because motivation pervades all action, it is important that we have a positive motivation. Whatever we are involved in, whether it's politics, education, medicine, law, engineering, science, business or industry, the nature of our motivation determines the character of our work.
-His Holiness The Dalai Lama

Hojo Soun - Article 21

Always work at reading, writing, martial skills, archery, and horse-riding. There is no need to detail this. Hold literary skills in your left hand, martial skills in your right. This is the law from ancient times. Never neglect it.

Dojo Name

Please submit any names you think would be great for our dojo. They can be emailed to Sorensen Sensei at toyamaryu.utah@yahoo.com.

There will be a prize from Japan for the name that is picked.
Even though some animes are decent, please don't do anything crazy from one of your favorite Naruto or Kenshin episodes.

"In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few" - Suzuki

Teavana is great, check them out!



http://www.teavana.com/

So long summer...

The summer months are coming to a close this week, so we'll be moving our class from outside to being back in the studio. Your feet have adjusted to being outside avoiding rocks, twigs, puppy presents, and fallen opponents. Now they get to be reacquainted with the hard floors of the dojo.
Please wear your uniforms to class to save time as some nights we won't be able to go over the 1 hour period, so we must start right at 7.

When: Wednesday evenings
Time: 7:00-8:00
Where: Studio 6

***Tuition is due the first Wednesday of each month***

Dojo Koi Pond

[See inferior portion of this page]

Don't forget to click in the koi pond and feed our fish ;-P

Utah Dojo Newsletter

My initial goal was to have our newsletter released four times a year with a fall, winter, spring, and summer issue. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. At one point, I was releasing a month-to-month newlsetter, but was quickly tired of writing all the articles and information for them. You'll notice that I've been recruiting students to write specific items or do a little samurai history for it. I appreciate the help and plan on us making all four editions next year with some help from others because people are really more interested in what other classmates have to say.

A Brief Modern History - Toyama Ryu

Toyama Ryu is based on the forms taught at the Toyama Military Academy prior to and during World War 2. The Toyama Ryu Iaido Kai was founded by Kiyoshi Morinaga. Morinaga Sensei entered the Toyama school in 1921, and graduated in 1922. In 1926, he became an instructor of kenjutsu and jukendo. In 1940, Morinaga became the chief instructor of kenjutsu. At this time, there were five kata estabilished by the previous instructors.

1. Opponent in front: Gyaku Kessa-giri, Makko-giri.
2. Opponent to right: Suihei-giri, Makko-giri.
3. Oppenone to left: katate tsuki, Migi Kessa-giri
4. Opponent to rear: Hidari kessa-giri, makko-giri
5. Opponent near in front: Makko-giri, Morote-zuki

In 1941, Morinaga had added three kata and removed one, as described in a book on the use of the army sword and tameshigiri he published.

5. Multiple opponents
6. Opponent in front and back
7. Opponents to right and left

In 1945, Morinaga retired from the army as a colonel.

In 1964, Morinaga moved to Kyotanabe where he started the Tanabe Kenyukai where he taught kendo to youths.

In 1976, He created the Toayama iaido shinkyo kai, which became the Dai Nippon Toyama Ryu Iaido Kai in 1980, and is now the Toyama Ryu Iaido Kai.
Today, Toyama ryu is practiced by men and women of all ages, in Japan and the United States.

Toyama Ryu Seminar – Utah Dojo

When:  August 6, 2010

Time: 9am-1pm
Where: TBD (Depends on number of participants, will be in Utah County)

Cost: $25/Students $30/Non-students

What to bring: Please wear iaidogi or karate gi, if you do not own either, please

wear gym clothes. Bring bokken or let Sorensen Sensei know if you need one.


***Schedule***

9:00 Warm up, Bow in, Strength training

9:30 Sword basics
-Cutting, Etiquette & Seiza, Chiburi, Noto

10:00 Kata/ Kumitachi

-Kiso-iai, Ippon-me, Nihon-me

-Hon-iai, Ippon-me, Yonhon-me

- Mae

11:30 Tameshigiri/Samurai Chess

1:00 Awards, Bow out

***Please come prepared and bring a water bottle***

Please contact Jake Sorensen @ (801) 851-0020 if you have any questions.

Toyoo Inoue Shihan

Inoue Shihan will be visiting Fresno August 26, 27, and 28. He is a very close friend and teacher of mine and I am very excited to have this opportunity to train with him again in person. I hope that everyone from the dojo can make it!

Iaido

Iaido (drawing way) is based on Iaijutsu (drawing art) and was practiced by the samurai. Iaido is a modern way of budo (martial way) and in a sense can be seen as a do (way, path) of the mind that one travels throughout one’s life seeking perfection in the art. While learning Iaido the practitioner (Iaidoka) also learns to quiet the mind, and control both their bodies and energy.

Iaido sword techniques are renowned for their practicality, immense cutting power and gracefulness. This also makes it the perfect martial art for men and women of all ages to learn sword skills in a friendly and safe environment, blending together physical and mental disciplines as well as spiritual growth.