"The hardest to learn was the least complicated " Just happen to think about this lyric and how it relates to our training. We tend to want to do more and complicate things when relaxing and doing less is what will allow the technique to work. I guess that isn't just a lesson for kenjutsu but also life.🙂

Greetings all, I am very pleased to connect with a group of people devoted to learning the principles of Nami ryu Kenjutsu as created by sensei James Williams. I’m coming to this practice from a background in Zen Buddhism and long distance shooting. There are not many endeavours that combine the development of mind, spirit and body with martial applications and I was very pleased and excited to come across videos of Williams sensei as he discussed the idea of elimination of movement (akin to Buddhist ideas of emptiness) and flow in the moment. If I understand correctly, the meaning of Nami Ryu is something like “engaging the flow of the moment with full awareness” which is close to the activity of zazen (mindfulness sitting practice in Zen). Although now retired and dealing with some physical limitations due to rather severe spine injuries, I am prepared to learn everything I can about Nami ryu Kenjutsu. I live in the country (near Ottawa/Montreal) and have been looking for online training opportunities but would like periodic meetings in person. , Wayne

How do you declutter and organise your lives being martial artists . I have been looking at minimalist living these days taking the Japanese philosophy and try to delay things and materials of immediate gratification . Any art for that matter has steps to perfection though perfection cannot be achieved by human it is more of refinement of the skills . How do you guys go about it . Would love to hear

Hi Sensei. I know this is probably more likely to happen against a woman. If I am face to face with an attacker and they grab my hair on top of my head my thought process is pin their hand to my head and quickly step back and slightly bend at the waist while I turn toward the arm that is grabbing me, breaking their grip, hopefully. If however I am grabbed by the hair from behind it would be much easier to pull me off balance as I get pulled back. Part of me thinks try to sit down so I don't get slammed to the ground. But not really sure going to the ground is a great option. When you have a chance would you be able to do a video with hair pull from front and behind? Also happy to hear thoughts from others. Than you.

"A person's errors are their portals of discovery." In thinking about this quote it helps me to let go of the inevitable frustrations that can arise when I can't quite seem to get a technique I am working on. Rather than looking at it as consistently failing, I can more easily recognize it as a part of the learning process. Maybe I am not displacing my opponent with my cut but I am gaining a better understanding of balance. At the very least I am learning what doesn't work. 🙂Seeing our mistakes as portals of discovery gives us permission to make mistakes as long as we are willing to learn from those mistakes. I would love to hear the thoughts of others.