All Sensei Panel Discussion

The Shu-Ha-Ri Dialogues

The “Shu-Ha-Ri Dialogues” series started on a lark when I reached out to Ellis Amdur Sensei for his thoughts on the way I was using these 3 stages as a teaching model in my dojo. That short interaction between Ellis and I morphed into some 360 participants, in 6 sessions, with over 10 hours of dialogues between myself and 4 other Koryu and Aikido teachers. On Sunday, Feb. 28th the “Shu-Ha-Ri Dialogues” series culminated with an all sensei panel discussion.

The "Shu-Ha-Ri" Dialogues

The Blueprint Of Development

Miles Kessler Sensei - "Shu-Ha-Ri Dialogues"

Growth and development often follow the trajectory of your personal life stories. Stories that are life lessons which profoundly shaped who you are. My own path of “Shu-Ha-Ri” (3 Stages Of Mastery In Traditional Martial Arts) mirrors my personal story as a dual practice lineage holder in Aikido and Buddhist meditation. A life trajectory that shaped how I see “Shu-Ha-Ri” as a universal map of development. In fact, it is the blueprint of development.

Shu-Ha-Ri Dialogues

If You Don’t Have Power, You Don’t Have Choice

Toby Threadgill Sensei - "Shu-Ha-Ri Dialogues"

In this 4th session of the “Shu-Ha-Ri Dialogues” series, I speak with my old friend Toby Threadgill Sensei. Toby is the Shihan (headmaster) of the Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu school of traditional martial arts. As the first non- Japanese to become the official headmaster of a Koryu jujutsu school, Toby is in a unique position to share his rich and in-depth understanding of  “Shu-Ha-Ri” the 3 stages of mastery in traditional Japanese martial arts.

"Shu-Ha-Ri Dialogues