Alaska Kyudo Renmei

June 9 & 10 Yachiyo and I did a workshop with Delfin Labrador in Anchorage Alaska.

We decided to form the Alaska Kyudo Renmei and promote the art of kyudo in Alaska.

These are the adults that attended the workshop; we also had almost a dozen kids too.

I didn't post the kids pic at this time, because I want to respect the privacy and get permission from their parents.

These are the group's leaders: Yachiyo Beal; Budo Rick; Delfin Labrador; and Bill Templin.

Bill and Jeremy perform Ritsu-Rei (standing bow) before the approach the target.

Congratulations to Labrador Sensei and everyone in Alaska for their accomplishment.

We lost a dear friend and Kyudo Dokokai Instructor, Bodhihanna Kistner. Bodhihanna was almost 89 years old when she passed away in Maui Hawaii.

This pic is from August 2013. For 6 years Bodhihanna and Budo Rick have been leading kyudo workshops in Maui Hawaii. They held most of the workshops at the Lahaina Jodo Mission.

Bodhihanna Kistner's Workshop on Kyudo // Мастер-класс по Кюдо: Бодхихан...

Yumi no Michi

2015 Pasadena Obon Video

2015 Pasadena Obon

Kyudo: Japanese Archery Documentary Short

Rick Beal kyudo

Kyudo: Japanese Archery Documentary Short

Rick Beal giving a Kyudo intro to Chris Lee at the 2013 Asian Archery Ex...

Kyudo, for me, is based on the teachings handed down to me by my teacher. There are several principles in the teachings that effect me in a particularly strong way.

One of these principles is change. This change is shown in our training as we adapt the movement of shooting; we are both moving and standing still at once... growing up inside while we expand the with the bow until the arrow flies; I love this.

Another is the principle of the asymmetrical balance. The idea that everything counts, but not equally. It works on a 70/30 rule of ratio's that seems to apply to so many things in my life that it amazes me. Then with the 'change' principle applied the ratio changes from moment to moment making life fresh and challenging all the time. There is also a natural ratio of 60/40 that without our interference appears in many aspects of kyudo; The bow for instance is asymmetrical with 60% to the heavens and 40% to the earth, this natural ratio seems to be appearing more and more in my life.

Of course all this is discovered from the quiet meditative mind we develop.
As we meditate we recognize our mortality. Then, although we embrace change, and our inevitable death, we use this recognition as motivation to live life to the fullest... every moment of every day... laughing and smiling.

What a wonderful life we develop when we stand quietly and learn from the japanese bow and arrow...

Teaching

When Kosaka Sensei said, 'Rick carries my legacy,' he actually said Rick, and others, carries my legacy. Since this was the first time I'd heard him utter such a statement, I wondered who the 'others' were. I'm fairly certain though that the 'others' refers to Nobuyo Okuda and Robert Williams.

When I first started to help Kosaka Sensei teach the classes, Nobuyo and Robert were among my first two. Robert was extremely talented and seemed like an enlightened Guru to me already, I even wondered why he came, did he really need this training?

Nobuyo too, was already a tea teacher. Nobuyo wanted to live here in the U.S. so she gave up the Iemoto (inheritor) position of her families practice in favor of her sister.

I think that to have me start teaching with these two was almost a joke among the 'real' Sensei.

They asked me to teach Nobuyo how to 'walk'. This was our basic instruction in walking, sitting, kneeling, and bowing that was my main practice when I started with the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai. I was so pleased and proud that they asked me to teach someone. I walked up (with my nose in the air) and said, 'follow me' and had her copy my movements as I had copied the Sensei who taught me. But as I watched Nobuyo-san from the corner of my eye, I quickly realized that she was already better than I was. I lead her through the movements a few time and said, 'ok, she knows it.. now what do you want me to do?' I think they sent me to make tea.

After I was 'stamped' Nobuyo-san began to call me Sensei (even though we had agreed years before that there was only one Sensei in our school, and that was Kosaka Sensei); but I insisted on calling her Sempai (senior) too. So although the Sensei' teased me by having me try and teach those already beyond me, we now tease eachother with such phrases as Sensei and Sempai too.

American Zen Archery (post 1)

I call this American Zen Archery because I am an American both trained in japanese archery and also trained in zen meditation.