Thursday, February 23, 2017

Kobara Ranseki Sensei

Kobara Ranseki Sensei was one of the world's preeminent masters of Japanese calligraphy and ink painting. He studied classical Japanese art for over 50 years, winning numerous awards in international exhibitions. Kobara Sensei received Kyokujitsu Tanko Sho—the “Order of the Rising Sun (with Silver Rays)”—from the Japanese government for his numerous years of promoting and preserving traditional Japanese art and culture via his contributions to shodo and tea ceremony. This rarely bestowed award comes in the form of the Kunsho, a Medal of Honor.

Ranseki Sho Juku shodo, his method of instruction, continues to this day at a private club in Oakland, California called Wanto Shodo Kai ("East Bay Japanese Calligraphy Association"). The teachers at the Wanto Shodo Kai are Hiseki Davey Sensei and Miyauchi Somei Sensei, both of whom received the highest possible rank in Ranseki Sho Juku shodo.

Davey Sensei is offering instruction in Integrated Shodo & Meditation to the general public at his Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts. Interested parties should visit www.senninfoundation.com and/or purchase a copy of The Japanese Way of the Artist at www.amazon.com. This book contains the most detailed biography of Kobara Sensei in print, along with information about his system of brush calligraphy

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Amazing New Book!


“A simple guide to effective meditation that moves the reader from concentration to genuine meditative experience. The author maintains that such experiences are actually natural to us and that ‘harsh ascetic practice’ is unnecessary. Sawai Atsuhiro shows that meditation teaches how to deal with the stresses of modern life, improves one's general health, and can lead to the realization that we are one with the universe. Several methods of effective meditation are described. This is a book that will cause even the casual reader to want to meditate.”

Robert E. Carter, author of Encounter with Enlightenment and Becoming Bamboo: Western and Eastern Explorations of the Meaning of Life

Sawai Atsuhiro’s The True Paths to Meditation masterfully explains simple and profound forms of meditation, which the author learned from the celebrated founder of yoga in Japan, Nakamura Tempu. Mr. Nakamura taught Shin-shin-toitsu-do (“The Way of Mind and Body Unification”) for five decades, authored popular books and trained many of Japan’s most notable people in government, business, sports, martial arts, and entertainment.

As one of Mr. Nakamura’s closest students, Mr. Sawai received the highest level of teaching certification in Shin-shin-toitsu-do from him. He is a retired college professor and a bestselling author of meditation books in Japan. He is also the President of the International Japanese Yoga Association in Kyoto, which has members in over 20 nations.

In The True Paths to Meditation, his first English language book specifically written for Westerners, Mr. Sawai provides comprehensive insights into his unique life philosophy, evolved from over 50 years of Zen and yogic meditation. He also introduces methods to release the power of ki—the life energy of the universe. Using the forms of meditation in this book, you can realize deeper calmness, concentration, willpower, and a more positive way of living.

Complete with useful photos, a handy glossary, and suggestions for ongoing practice, The True Paths to Meditation will appeal to folks new to meditation as well as experienced meditators.

Look inside the book: https://www.amazon.com/True-Paths-Meditation-Sawai-Atsuhiro-ebook/dp/B00LH4QGJM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1487715342&sr=8-1