Meditations on God

For those who are interested in my main martial study, Taikyoku Budo, under the guidance of my teacher Budd Yuhasz and our training advisor Ellis Amdur, I recommend starting with the following essays and books:

ESSAYS:

1. A Brief History of Taikyoku Mind & Body, by Robert Van Valkenburgh

2. The Birth of Taikyoku, by Ellis Amdur

3. Who We Are and Why We Do What We Do, by Budd Yuhasz

BOOKS:

1. Hidden in Plain Sight: Esoteric Training Power Within Japanese Martial Traditions, by Ellis Amdur

2. Old School: Essays on Classical Japanese Martial Traditions, by Ellis Amdur

3. Dueling With O-Sensei: Grappling with the Myth of the Warrior Sage, by Ellis Amdur

Together, Amdur’s martial art books create a trilogy of Japanese martial art history (Old School), morality (Dueling with O-Sensei), and esoterica (Hidden in Plain Sight).

If you read Old School and are interested in reading more about koryu (classical Japanese martial traditions), I recommend these books from Koryu.com:

1. Koryu Bujutsu: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, volume 1, edited by Diane Skoss

2. Sword and Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, volume 2, edited by Diane Skoss

3. Keiko Shokon: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, volume 3, edited by Diane Skoss

Also of interest, the following books give an in depth look at how principles of classical Japanese martial arts, such as reigi (etiquette), maai (spacing), kamae (posture/stance), etc. can be used to navigate difficult social interactions toward desirable outcomes by changing our internal and external selves (kiai):

1. The Coordinator: Managing High-Risk High-Consequence Social Interactions in an Unfamiliar Environment, by Ellis Amdur

2. Words of Power: A Guide for Ordinary People to Calm and De-Escalate Aggressive Individuals, by Ellis Amdur

Note: None of the books are specifically about Taikyoku Budo, per se. However, they all offer pieces of the puzzle.