I work with a small group in Seattle on aspects of Kashima-shinden Jiki Shinkage-ryū katageiko (partner form practice) in a manner that I feel is compatible with my broader study of traditional internal martial arts.
I trained as part of an unofficial line of Kashima-shinden Jiki Shinkage-ryū maintained at the Hōbyōkan following the teachings of Namiki Yasushi and Itō Masayuki. I practiced there from 2008 to 2016, and was awarded a chuden (中伝; middle transmission) license associated to my practice by Dr. David Hall in 2018.
The formal kata of Jiki Shinkage-ryū serve as a foundational practice and frame of reference from which we can begin to understand the core principles of swordsmanship and develop our skill.
The advantages provided by Jiki Shinkage-ryū in the development of posture, distance, timing, body alignment, awareness of angle and centerline, balance, root (stance), power generation, and resolve (spirit) allow us to then be in a good position to begin a free practice of pressure testing called tameshi ai, where students can test themselves in order to bring out the spontaneous and intuitive mindset necessary for developing higher levels of skill.
Our practice is a form of austerity called shugyō (修行; ascetic training) that develops the body, mind, and spirit.
Update
Jake Harlin and Nicky Sayah Sina worked with me beginning in late 2018 and now lead Tōsha Dōjō, which meets as part of Lonin League.
