SUMMER READING
By Keo Cavalcanti, 6th Dan Zen Judo, hcavalca@richmond.edu

The Zen Master Taisen Deshimaru used to say that the heart of a martial art was a combination of wasa (technique), ki (life energy), and shin (spirit/attitude of mind). He warned practitioners that only wasa and ki were not enough. Practice should be infused with the right spirit, with a deep understanding with the way the universe (the Tao) works.
Is your practice in a rut? Has your training become old, stale? Does it seem to be more of the same old thing? If so, why go beyond the techniques? Use the Summer to explore the shin side of the martial arts.
There are at least three readings that I would recommend that range in reach from something written for someone with a beginner's interest to something very detailed and very rich. For beginners in the study of Zen, I would recomend a short book by Joe Hyams, entitled "Zen in the Martial Arts" (Bantam Books, 1982, ISBN: 0-553-27559-3). It's easy reading and right to the point. Joe takes us on a tour of different martial arts, showing where the Zen in each practice comes out.
For those with a bit more of time and curiosity, my suggestion is Taisen Deshimaru's "The Zen Way to The Martial Arts" (Arkana-Penguin books, 1982, ISBN: 0-14-019.344-8). Master Deshimaru goes back to the ancient roots of martial arts and of Zen. It's pure wisdom. Finally, for the stout of heart and mind I recommend the best book I've read in the subject so far: Winston L. King's "Zen and the Way of the Sword: Arming the Samurai Psyche" (Oxford University Press, 1993, ISBN: 0-19-509261-9). King is a professor of Eastern Philosophy/Religion, who understands deeply both the philosophy of Zen and the development of Bushido (the code of the samurai, the ancient martial artists). It's a slow but great reading and I guarantee you'll take what you learn in the book back to the tatami. May your practice be filled with wasa, ki, and shin!

AUGUST - MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FOR ALL AMERICAN ZEN JUDOKA

This note is for all American Zen Judo sensei and Zen Judoka. August 31 is the deadline to renew your annual membership in American Zen Judo. In order to continue to hold a (belt) rank with American Zen Judo you must renew your membership annually. By doing so you are supporting the work of spreading Zen Judo in America. If you do not have a membership form please ask your Sensei for one. If you are a Sensei and do not have membership forms, please contact us (hcavalca@richmond.edu) and let us know how many you need. We will be glad to provide you with them. We are also asking Zen Judo Sensei to send us a list of all of the Zen Judo students in their clubs with their respective promotion dates.
We are in the process of building up a national database for American Zen Judo and we want to make sure we don't miss anybody. The annual membership fee remains the same as last year: $15 for all ranks. This is also a good time to renew your students' insurances too. All Zen Judo clubs in America are required to have liability coverage in order to operate. Here at the Wadokan we use the AAU insurance.

A STORY FROM A VERY PROUD MUM
By Diane Beaumont, 3rd Dan Zen Judo, DianeEBeaumont@aol.com.

A story from a very proud mum - which I'm sure will embarrass my son! Will started judo in Wareham when he was just under 6. He was one of the youngest and smallest children in his year group and was being bullied at school. Bill (his dad) and I decided that some form of martial art would increase his confidence so he would no longer look the victim.
We went along to various local clubs and decided that the Wareham Zen Judo Club was teaching the right sort of values and which we as a family adhered to. All went well - Will enjoyed his judo but had to work very hard. He was certainly not "a natural". I think he had two left feet and two left hands as well!
Gradually his judo progressed. Will met and trained occasionally with Mac, although most of his training was in Wareham with Brian Bagot sensei. Will was given a special award for tenacity when he reached his 1st Dan. He has become a very valued member of Wareham club teaching twice a week and getting on well with adults and children alike. He has provided a role model for many other boys and young men in Wareham.
So why write this piece now?
Will has just been awarded his 3rd Dan by Brian Bagot. Well done son from a very proud mum. I think I was more nervous when he was performing his kata than any of my gradings. Will is just about to go off to Plymouth University so we'll all miss him. Its all because of a little boy getting bullied at school that we now have 3 members of the family on the mat - all Dan grades but that's another story.

LEADER OF ZEN JUDO SPAIN AWARDED PROMOTION
By Brian Bagot, 6th Dan Zen Judo, BBagot@aol.com.

One of the purposes of my trip to Spain was to assess Sensei Bartolomé Cañellas' Judo expertise. Grading a new Sensei is like assessing the quality of a meal in a new restaurant, after the first mouthful you are impressed (or not), you see how the staff (waiters/cooks/pupils) treat him/her, how eagerly they serve/cook/conduct themselves, how the dish looks on the plate, the environment (dojo) is arranged and the ambience tells you a great deal.
Tolo's meal (figuratively speaking) was great. I saw how his students, which incidentally included two senseis of other disciplines, were in awe of him. How he treated them and earned their respect, how he took time out to practice with each of them at the appropriate moments in the session, how he added his guidance when needed and how he would not hesitate to ask questions when something occurred he was not sure of.
It is also important to mention Tolo's support of the Zen style, his eagerness to do things right and train his students in the correct way. His whole demeanour suggested a man confident within himself but willing to alter his style to suit Zen Judo. There was not a negative hint in his conduct. In fact I was impressed with the whole package. It was reminiscent of my first practice with the American Zen students way back in Nashville.
I left with the impression that we have here somebody who will make a great ambassador for our style in the future, and the promotion to 4th Dan seemed the only way I could suggest to reward his dedication sufficiently. Incidentally he has been a 3rd Dan IJF for many more years than he should have, simply because he does not do compete/contest.

Editor note (Sensei Cavalcanti): Following Brian's leadership and upon further conference with Val Churchill, we decided collectivelly to award Sensei Bartolomé the 4th Dan rank in Zen Judo. He received his belt and rank diploma in mid-July. He was very honored, surprised and joyful with the promotion and in his words promised to "re-double his efforts and put all his energy in the promotion of the art in Spain." We are truly proud to have him as a member of our family.

ZEN JUDO FAMILY WEBSITE UPDATES (UK)
By John Robertson, 1st Kyu Zen Judo Family, 1st Dan BZJFA ,
Zen Judo Family website (UK) www.zenjudo.co.uk
john@zenjudo.co.uk

If you are a regular visitor to the website you will have noticed that there have been some changes, I hope that these are helpful. The main change is a search facility on the home page which seems to be working ok but if anyone has problems please let me know. I should be updating the Zen Judo Family Tree in the next week or so time permitting, this will be in Acrobat format and I hope more accurate than the present one.
I have noticed that there is a number of Dan grade registers on the various websites which tend to be limited in scope, my intention is to put a register on to my site which will be open to all Dan grades in any country which practice the Zen Judo style. To that end if you hold a Zen Judo Dan grade please send your Name; Grade; Main Club and other Dan Grades held. If you don't want your e-mail address published please say so. Please remember to tell me if your grade changes.
I would also like to welcome Sensei Bartolomé Cañellas into Zen Judo Family and extend my congratulations on being awarded his 4th Dan.

ZEN JUDO GRADINGS

Sensei Gordon Lawson is proud to communicate to the Zen Judo families the results of the grading for the Nottingham Area on the 1st July 2001.
After successfully testing, Josh Astley was awarded his yellow belt; Neil Cartwright,Michelle Barratt, William Padgett, Katherine Shaw, Ian Welch, Thomas Padgett, James Welsh, Nicholas Brown, Ryan Welsh, Richard Brown, and Annabel Pawlikow were awarded their orange belts; Alan Brown, Matthew Robinson, Louise Parker, Rebecca Shaw, Elizabeth Mead, Laura Groves,Tom Welch, Neil Warner, Dave Bunce, Brendon Maynes, and Philip Davis were awarded their green belt; and Lorraine Hempshall was awarded her blue belt. Congratulations are in order to all Judoka.

Sensei Jim Dart tells us that Reading's Dan grading proved "very successful, if somewhat protracted!" Sensei Jo Winslow graced the club with her presence and with Sensei Jim Dart and Sensei Tom Williams, spent from 1pm until just after 7.30pm putting the candidates through their paces.
Three members were up for Shodan: Stuart Edwards, Bruno Rojas-Fisher and Daniel Jones. A further three were taking the test for Nidan: Joe Williams, Chris Lambourn and Andy Lambourn. The Kenshindoryu Judo syllabus includes 'combat versions' of techniques and Sensei Winslow seemed to appreciate the added discomfort these caused, along with the grimaces and coughing resulting from the locks and strangles !
The second Dan candidates performed their own throws, followed by Nage No Kata and, after a gruelling afternoon waited with their colleagues for the results to be announced, which confirmed unanimously:
Joe Williams, Chris Lambourn, and Andy Lambourn were awarded Nidan. Bruno Rojas-Fisher and Stuart Edwards were awarded Shoda, And Daniel Jones was awarded Provisional Shodan.
Stuart was then presented with a Katana to recognise his achievement in obtaining Dan grades in all three arts taught at the Kenshindoryu (Wadoryu Karate, Jujitsu, Judo), becoming the third member to achieve this feat.