I was interviewed recently by Rokas Leonavičius for his very popular youtube channel, Aikido Siauliai. Rokas interviewed me at our mutual friend Patrick Cassidy’s home, during the Riviera Seminar, May, 2016. We spoke of many wide-ranging topics during the interview, but we mostly looked at what my vision is for “The Future Of Aikido.”
It was early 1998, and I had just finished an eight-year phase of life, living in Japan. I had been studying Aikido full time with my teacher Morihiro Saito Sensei, at the famous Iwama dojo. Even though I had achieved a sense satisfaction in what I had accomplished during this time, there was also a subtle itch of wanting something more, something I wasn’t finding in my Aikido life in Japan.
Welcome to my first post for The Integral Dojo Blog. In this space, I will explore everything concerning the nature of a “Path” of practice. So it seems appropriate that here in our first post that we ask “What is a Path of practice”? So here are just a few of the many important elements.
In This Very Life: The Liberation Teachings of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 1995)
As you might know, Sayadaw U Pandita was my meditation teacher. His book is hands down the best guide for anyone who is interested in doing extended Vipassana meditation retreats. It is safe to say that no other teacher has impacted the establishment of the Dharma in the West as much as the late Burmese meditation master Sayadaw U Pandita.
A highly skilled Dharma and meditation teacher for over 60 years, U Pandita guided thousands of yogis through the Progress Of Insight, including many of the top Western meditation teachers such as Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, Ram Das, Daniel Goldman, Sharon Salzberg, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and Sam Harris.
You won’t find a better guide for your practice. This book is suited for beginners, for advanced practitioners, and for anyone who aspires to realize the Dharma in this very life!
Eyes Wide Open: Cultivating Discernment on the Spiritual Path (Sounds True, 2009)
In “Eyes Wide Open” Mariana Caplan has created a first of its kind “field guide” for walking a spiritual path. She has laid out a post-modern map of the major interior spaces you need to consider on your path – cultural, psychological, tantric, and shadow work. She also writes on the critical issue of what it means to be in a relationship with a spiritual teacher in a postmodern world. For anyone interested in cultivating wisdom, orientation and clarity on the spiritual path, “Eyes Wide Open” is essential reading.