Mountain Winds Budo, a name blended of both Eastern and Western cultures to help us remember that the traditional paths of budo are an ongoing, adaptive path that have become modern practices in the 21st century.
I have been a native Brook Trout fishing fanatic since I was very young. A true gift of understanding life from my grandfather. While chasing the magic found in landing and releasing a Brookie, I also discovered the "mountain winds" long before my martial studies began. If you find a spot along a small, hidden native trout stream anywhere and listen, you'll hear the wind moving through the trees. If you let go and listen from within, you'll find time alters. It slows and we can live each minute as it is, no more, no less. This is the essence of what we strive for in our training at Mountain Winds Budo. To aspire to the practice budo with this same feeling.
Many have likely seen one or more of Akira Kurosawa's films. I would have never thought it possible to capture the feeling of the mountain winds except by living it. Kurosawa's films come very close to capturing this feeling as I understand it on film.
I am a Marine no longer on active duty, an Experimental Archaeologist, and a History Professor. Like many, I have studied various martial disciplines beginning in 1985. I became involved in the Takamatsu-den arts in the fall of 1992. As my training progressed, I recognized that I wanted formal, focused training in kenjutsu which lead me to Wolfe and Manning Sensei of Itten Dojo. Both are kind souls who have given more than I could have asked for. And a special thanks to both Uhler Sensei and Hashimoto Sensei for sharing their understanding of kenjutsu with us!
If you would like to know more about Mountain Winds Dojo, email, call, or come and train with us. The door is always open!
Master Yoda reminds us, "Always in motion is the future!"