The Way of Japanese Calligraphy.

The Way that can be named is not the Way.

Upfront it is clear that Shodo, The Way of Writing, is not THE WAY,

But it is A WAY and I have teacher.  She has accepted me to be her student.  First I have to learn to write with my right hand, sit straight, keep the paper straight.  I have to write with a pencil.

I want to discover The Heart of Japan, The Soul, The Spirit.

And I came to Japan the first time on June 6, 1980.

I’ve studied The Way of Tea, The Way of Aikido, The Way of Zen, and the Way of Tai Chi.  These are all spiritual paths, and there is ONE PATH.

Some of these I studied very seriously but without a teacher.

One needs a teacher.

I have a real Tai Chi teacher.

Her name is Matsukage-sensei.

She is very strict.

I’ve already been studying with her for 5 years, and she openly wonders why I haven’t learned the simplest foot move.  It is impossible to put into words how important this is to me.

I now have a calligraphy teacher.  Her name is Maisaka-sensei.

I just underwent my second class.  To write with my right hand is painful.  That’s all for today.