Inner Dharma
Inner Dharma is a writing project concerned with classical and traditional martial arts and culture. I have consolidated this activity into a smaller number of entries, prioritizing content that is linked to from elsewhere online.
December 2025
Information on a new book on Jiki Shinkage-ryū.
September 2025
Some thoughts looking back at Inner Dharma, a writing project concerned with classical and traditional martial arts and culture that was active between 2005 and 2025.
July 2025
On 26 July 2025, the world lost one of its most knowledgeable teachers and scholars of classical Japanese martial culture.
May 2025
The title is a pun on a famous saying associated to Shintō-ryū, the art of war is the art of peace. Old traditions are small traditions — it is the content that matters.
May 2025
Last year I began additional training in the union of Yoga and Buddhism offered through Tibet House. As part of this training, an essay comparing the Astanga (8-limbs) of Patanjali with the Buddhist Noble Eightfold path.
September 2024
Link to an essay on kata, heiho and shugyo, where I compare and contrast different surviving lines of Shinkage-ryū and reflect on my own practice.
June 2024
I learned aspects of Japanese swordsmanship at the Hōbyōkan before moving to Seattle in 2016. I then worked with a small number of people in order to maintain my practice. My students now host a weekly practice of introductory kata at Lonin League in Seattle.
February 2021
A description of some of my efforts to keep my practice of kenjutsu intact after moving to the Pacific Northwest. After moving, I decided to focus solely on Shinkage-ryū and pause my study of Shintō-ryū. I trained initially alone and over time tested my skills in unscripted environments. This is some of what transpired.
October 2019
An essay describing my experience, thinking, and choices regarding attempting to practice multiple koryū and then deciding not to.
June 2017
Attending a seminar detailing excerpts from the Taiji classics.
February 2017
Collected thoughts on the historical influence of Chinese martial arts on Japanese jujutsu and how they relate to the topic of aiki in Aikido and Daito-ryu. What interested me about internal martial arts and how I have related that experience to my practice of Japanese budō.
June 2013
A brief reflection on a demonstration of Araki-ryū and Tenshin Buko-ryū at the NAMT 2013 Night of Budo.
October 2012
Collecting what I know of NYC area Aiki-jujutsu schools inspired by the teaching of Daito-ryu Kodokai, especially Yonezawa Katsumi.
March 2008
Early influences on my training — how I moved from modern to classical approaches to training.