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.
What if you could learn from your pick of ONE THOUSAND of the world’s top teachers, therapists, coaches, and thought leaders? Would you seize the opportunity? Well, this month is your chance! You can learn directly from some of the most inspiring men and women form the world of embodiment… and it is totally free. This is your chance to get a front-row ticket for The Embodiment Conference.
I was recently interviewed by Layman Pascal from the “Integral Podcasters.” I don’t often go into full “Integral Geekiness” on this blog but in my conversation with fellow integralist Layman, I allowed myself to be out loud and proud in our wide-ranging discussion. Our dialogue returned again and again to a core integral communication skill for meeting others where they are, but not leaving them there.
The author Sam Harris says that “the evolution of human civilization has been nothing less than a series of successful conversations.” But what exactly does it take to have a successful conversation? This is the question I recently explored with the authors of the new book “Compassionate Conversations – How To Speak And Listen From The Heart.”
On May 22nd, 2020 Mark Walsh invited me back to the Embodiment Podcast to join a panel discussion in a series he is appropriately calling “Return Of The Plague Dialogues.” I joined Mark on the panel with Philip Shepherd, author and embodiment teacher, and Rafe Kelley, of “Evolve, Move, Play.” Listen below to our free-flowing discussion of how we coped with the pandemic lockdown, how our embodiment practices supported us, and how we assess things going forward.
The recent killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin has unleashed a torrent of protests against systemic racism in cities across America, that have also echoed throughout the world. Regardless of where you stand on the issue of systemic racism, there is no denying that we are a society in conflict. To better understand the urgency of this issue, I invited several of my fellow Aikidoka to join me on a panel discussion & community call where we explored the question, “What is an Aikido response to systemic racism?”
If there is anything we’ve learned in these challenging times, it’s that resiliency is not a given. It must be earned. Facing life’s challenging experiences will develop resiliency… if you face them with courage, patience, and a little faith. However, if you want to grow your capacity for resiliency then there is no substitute for a developmental practice. Any practice that is committed, long-term, and keeps you at the edge of your comfort zone will gradually develop your physical, psychological, emotional, and yes, even spiritual resiliency.
We’ve all been there. For sure if you’re a parent, but if not then you only have to remember back to your childhood. The long road trip with mom and dad in the front seat and the kids in the back bored out of their minds. It’s just a matter of time before that incessant, and annoying question comes from the kids in the back seat – “are we there yet?”
Last fall I offered free meditation coaching sessions to a limited number of people in my audience. Those who participated were a varied group of meditators that ranged from novice to experienced that included therapists and leadership trainers, martial artists and dancers, people who follow traditional meditation schools, and people who had an eclectic collection of meditation methods. In the following coaching demo, I work with Celynn Morin who is herself, a wellbeing coach.
Over the past 4 years, I have written close to 100 blog posts at the intersectionality of Aikido, meditation, and personal development. In one way, or another, all of my blog posts explore the same essential question: What does it mean to walk a higher path of practice? A question that is very relevant in these uncertain times. I went through my archives and picked out 10 posts that I think will support you through these uncertain times. With Love.
