Free Classes

On May 6, 2010 the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts in California will offer introductory classes in Japanese yoga and martial arts. The Japanese yoga class, which will start at 7 PM, will feature yoga and meditation principles. It will be an introduction to how these principles of mind and body unification can help us in Japanese yoga and daily life.

The class is free to both Sennin Foundation members and SMAA members. The instructor will be Kevin Heard Sensei, SMAA Senior Advisor, who has been studying Japanese yoga, healing arts, and martial arts for over 25 years. He has a Shihan teaching license in Japanese yoga, a very advanced rank.

Following the Japanese yoga training, Heard Sensei will present an optional introduction to Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu, a traditional Japanese martial art. Since he will incorporate Japanese yoga principles of mind and body unification in the martial arts practice, participation in the preceding Japanese yoga instruction is required. Heard Sensei has an advanced teaching license in Saigo Ryu, and he has received a fifth-degree black belt from  the Shudokan Martial Arts Association Jujutsu Division (www.smaa-hq.com).

If you and/or your friends would like to participate, please call 510-526-7518 (PM) to register. Then, drop by 1053 San Pablo Ave. in Albany, California at 6:45 PM. If you are not already a Sennin Foundation member, you will need to fill out a registration form and waiver. Wear loose clothing and bring a notebook.

After the class, you will have a chance to purchase related books and CD-ROMs, and you and/or your friends can also make arrangements to join the Sennin Foundation Center if you like. We hope you will make plans to attend this special event.

Suino Sensei Iaido Video

Check out this cool YouTube video of Nicklaus Suino Sensei performing Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu iaido: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnnmiv1fkWM

Suino Sensei is a seventh dan and one of two Directors for the SMAA Iaido Division. He studied iaido in Japan with Yamaguchi Katsuo Sensei, tenth dan.

2010 SMAA Utah Seminar

These are images from the 2010 SMAA Utah Seminar. Click on the photos to see a bigger image. The instructors were Nicklaus Suino Sensei, who taught Kodokan judo and Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu iaido, and Cyndy Hayashi Sensei, who taught Aikikai aikido. To get all the latest SMAA seminar information and member discounts, join the SMAA. Visit www.smaa-hq.com.

"The Best of the SMAA Journal" CD-ROM

To celebrate its 15th anniversary in 2009, the SMAA created a special CD-ROM that contained a sampling of some of the best stories and articles to appear in the SMAA Journal since 1994. We mailed this free of charge to everyone in the SMAA as a way of showing our appreciation to our members. Although our anniversary has past, it’s still not too late to get a copy of this CD-ROM, which is packed with hard to find information about budo and koryu bujutsu. For $8.95, plus $3.00 shipping and handling ($5.00 outside the USA), we’ll send you The Best of the SMAA Journal. Send your check or money order to the SMAA HQ. Supplies are limited to the number of CDs remaining.

A Note to Members of the SMAA

We have recently become aware of at least one other martial arts group that uses the acronym “SMAA.” Please note that the Shudokan Martial ArtsAssociation is not affiliated with any other group or organization that uses SMAA to identify itself. Though we do not believe any careful observer would confuse our thoughtful, traditional approach with that of another organization, we suggest that you be sure to type in “Shudokan Martial Arts Association” when seeking information about our association. Our website can be found at http://www.smaa-hq.com/, and our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ShudokanMartialArtsAssociation.

The Sennin Foundation is on Facebook

The Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts has a new Facebook page. This is the dojo of H. E. Davey, editor of the SMAA Journal. Want to learn more about traditional Japanese systems of yoga, martial arts, healing arts, and fine arts? Become a fan of the Sennin Foundation's Facebook page and get all the latest news and photos. Just drop by www.facebook.com.

SMAA Utah Seminar

The recent SMAA Utah Seminar was a big success, and we'll have photos for everyone soon. Thanks to the SMAA members from California, Utah, Michigan, Colorado, and other areas that supported this event. And a big thanks to Nicklaus Suino Sensei and Cyndy Hayashi Sensei for teaching all the classes in iaido, judo, and aikido.