Hiroyuki Aoki

Shintaido has been called an 'avant-garde martial art.' It is still a young discipline, but it has begun to enjoy popularit around the world-in Japan and in the United States and Europe. It was created in teh 1960s by author Hiroyuki Aoki-who trained for many years in karate and bojutsu stick fighting before going on to estaablish this new system. Shintaido draws deeplly on various ancient martial arts. A form of meditation in motion, it is a way to increaased self-awareness and serenity.

The spiritual basis of Shintaido is the desire to reawaken the natural properties of the body, to open the consciousness and to strengthen the bonds between people and between people and nature. Technically it is a very comprehensive program of body movement, ranging from ancient practice and sparring techniques that have been completely reshaped and adapted, to new and original techniques for heightened awareness and caoncentration.

Here then are some of the greatest kata from the ancient Ryukyuan (Okinawan) stick-fighting techniques, combined with a comprehensive array of kihon waza and various meditative techniques, all arranged so that they are accessible even to beginners.

Within the broad field of Shintaido are various subdisciplines such as Shintaido karate and Shintaido kenjutsu (sword techniques). One of the most popular of these is Shintaido bojutsu, which uses a very long (six-foot) wooden staff, or bo.

Shintaido bojutsu is considered by many to be the most exciting area of Shintaido. One reason is that the use of the big bo allows practitioners to feel the shintaido spirit more expansively. For instance, one of the most basic and profound meditation exercises involves stretching toward heaven and then toward the horizon. Doing this with a bo naturally extends one's reach geatly, increasing the sense of connectedness to all of nature.

LIkewise, the bo offers great freedom when doing kumibo, or partner practice. Since any hitting is done bo on bo, and not directly against a person, it is possible to use full force and to follow the movements through. The bo allows practitioners to move and communicate even more freely than on could empty-handed.

Total Stick Fighting, heavily illustrated with nearly 700 photographs, is the first book to be published in any language on this area of Shintaido. Aimed at beginners through intermediate-level practitioners, it starts with such simple but crucial exercises as bo juggling, bo balancing and catch-bo-which help develop ambidextrousness in handling the bo and a sense of intimacy with it-and moves on to detailed introductions of the basic techniques that are the building-blocks of longer kata (series of movements) and kumibo (sparring).

It outlines three of the most important kata, and goes on to describe in detail three kinds of sparring: basic kumibo, applied kumibo and soei kumibo. It also introduces Tenshingoso, a lengthy, meditative kata that is nearly 'sacred' to Shintaido practitioners.

A definitive text written by the system's founder, Total Stick Fighting can be used to amplify and reinforce study under a teacher, or for study on one's own. It is sure to be of interest to students of martial arts and to people who are looking for an enjoyable form of exercise that also offers a way to greater spiritual centeredness.

Hiroyuki Aoki mastered and trained in bojutsu stick fighting before going on to found Shintaido and Shintaido bojutsu. For years he was a close discipline of renowned karate master Shigeru Egami, and in his study of karate he rose to the highest rank, of fifth-level black belt. He founded Shintaido-a system of body movement that draws deeply on various martial arts-in 1965. Shintaido is now taught in twelve countries. Aoki is head of the International Shintaido Federation as well as of the Japan Shintaido Association.

Shintaido is a form of body work that makes it possible to realize one's true self, purify the soul and elevate the spirit.

Contents

Foreword-Michael Thompson, Shintaido of America
Introduction
1-Basic exercises
2-Kihon waza
3-Kata
4-Basic and applied kumibo
5-Soei kumibo
6-Advanced kata: Nidan no kata
7-Tenshingoso and meditation
Appendices
I The greater structure of Shintaido
II A look at Daijodan, Jodan, Chudan and Gedan
III Stances: Foot positions
IV Moving in musubidachi
V Shintaido points of contact
Glossary… (mehr)

Do the Japanese have more to teach us than how to increase productivity?

What is 'modern' martial art?

How can the actual practice, not just the idealistic philosophy, of a body movement help us to change our lives and our world?

In this book, Hiroyuki Aoki explains why he decided that the traditional martial arts had become irrelevant in this age and how Shintaido, 'a new body art,' was born.

Mr. Aoki has drawn from many idsciplines and philosophies in addition to the Japanese martial arts-including yoga, Zen, secret Buddhist techniques and western art-to create a modern body movement system.

This is the first and only English edition of Mr. Aoki's work, complete with more than 200 photographs. Now, you can explore the Shintaido program with your own body.

Contents

About the author and this book
Introductin
Life, burn
Part One The philosopphy and history of Shintaido
Chapter one What is Shintaido?
Chapter two How Shintaido was born
Section one: Meeting Master Shigeru Egami
Section two: Gorei as conducting and classical studies through kata
Section three: The martial arts and the history of the evolution of consciousness
Section four: the sword technique of Harigaya Sekiun: Expanding time, space and energy
Secation five: Developing a modern martial art
Section six: The locus of one swing of the sword is itself a sign-stripping away spirituality
Section seven: Looking for the strongest technique
Section eight: Tenshingoso: An embodiment of the hidden cosmic breath
Section nine: The birth of Eiko: the gyroscope of Shintaido
Chapter three What Shintaido has conceived: Hikari to Tawamureru-'Playing with light'
Chapter four To overcome the barriers to mutual understanding
Translator's note
Part Two Technique: advice for practitioners
Chapter one Eiko
Section one: Eiko Dai
Section two: Eiko kumite
Chapter two Tenshingoso
Section one: Tenshingoso (sei and dai)
Section two: Tenshingoso kumite
Chapter three Toitsukihon
Section one: Toitsukihon (Eiko sei)
Section two: Toitsukihon (Eiko sei) kumite
Chapter four Kenkain-hoko
Chapter five Advice for instructors
Section one: fist and knuckles
Section two: Japanese terms used in practice; Their meaning and significance
Section three: Nineteen characteristics of Shintaido
Words for practitioners
Glossary… (mehr)