Sensei’s Blog

  In recent weeks we have been concentrating on the hips instead of the feet. Last evening we went back down to the feet to make sure that we are good with the hips. It's the whole chain from tip of sword to floor that is important, sure, but we teach from the extremities and … Continue reading Posture-Pedic – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

Would be nice if this was the new normal, University shut down and students gone, not much in the way of traffic this morning as I drove to With the Grain, my usual morning cafe. That first sip of Grainer's Gold, a special blend from Guelph's own Planet Bean roastery is pretty good. Somehow it's … Continue reading Back to normal – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

I hope everyone got lots of loot and cards with money in. May I be so bold as to suggest a place for that cash burning a hole in your pocket, before you get out there to scrape your car windows to hit the mall and buy another pair of boots you don't need. We … Continue reading Christmas Money – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

One of our students who lives and works in China is heading for Japan in a couple of weeks to challenge 6dan once more, so we have been working on seitei jo while he is here. It's a tough situation for him, he is teaching a few students but has nobody to practice with. At … Continue reading Who’s on first. – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

Doug Lytle - Nidan Passed!!  

There are school boards that won't allow martial arts to use their space. There are universities that won't allow martial arts classes. Sports insurance companies seem to be amalgamating and becoming monopolies which means the fees are going up. Yet I have seen nothing to indicate that sports are any more dangerous than they were … Continue reading We’re Dyin’ Here – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

  Is there anything in the world more useful than a fourth dan. More knowledeable, more precise, more, and this is important, more conservative. Fourth dans are magical. Sometimes they don't have that actual rank name, depends on the system, but they are a couple years past the place where they know it all and … Continue reading Ode to the Fourth Dan – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

This past weekend, November 28-29, 2017 was the Peterborough Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu seminar. This is largely a family affair with 40 participants who are all students of Goyo Ohmi sensei. Seven years this year I believe, and it is a great source of renewal to me every time. Simply put, I remember why I … Continue reading Peterborough Koryu Seminar 1: (My sensei says) – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

Seitei iai last evening because the Pamurai is heading for Italy with the rest of the seniors who are off to grade. I have been a terrible instructor for the last few years and we need to tighten things up. Iaido is the place where we can work against an opponent, full force, with a … Continue reading Time within time – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo