John Stevens (scholar) explained

John Stevens (born 1947)^[1] is a Buddhist priest, teacher of Buddhist studies and Aikido teacher.

Stevens formerly taught Eastern philosophy at Tohoku Fukushi University in Japan. His Aikido rank is 7th dan Aikikai. He lived in Sendai from 1973 to 2013.He currently resides in Honolulu, Hawaii where he instructs at Aikido-Ohana dojo.

Biography

Stevens was born in Chicago but grew up in Evanston, Illinois. He moved to Sendai in Japan in 1973 in order to study Buddhism and began practising Aikido soon afterwards. He practiced under Hanzawa Yoshimi Sensei and then under Shirata Rinjiro Sensei.^[2]

He has created his own system of Aikido, which he calls Classical Aikido, which is a complete system emphasizing misogi, kotodama, and the unity of aiki-ken, aiki-jo, and taijutsu (body arts). He has taught it all over the world.^[3]

Bibliography

Stevens has written over thirty books on Buddhism, Aikido and Asian culture, including:

• Training with the Master – Lessons with Morihei Ueshiba (2004 Edition)
• Zen Brushwork: Focusing the Mind With Calligraphy and Painting
• Lust for Enlightenment: Buddhism and Sex
• The Sword of No-Sword: Life of the Master Warrior Tesshu
• The Secrets of Aikido (1997 Edition)
• Abundant Peace
• Aikido: The Way of Harmony
• Invincible Warrior (1999 Edition)
• Zen Bow, Zen Arrow (2012)
• Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei (Shambhala 1988, Echo Point Books 2013 paperback,)
• The Philosophy of Aikido (2013 paperback edition)
• Extraordinary Zen Masters: A Maverick, a Master of Masters, and a Wandering Poet (2013 paperback edition)
• Sacred Calligraphy of the East (2013 paperback edition)
• The Way of Judo: A Portrait of Jigoro Kano (2013)
• Three Budo Masters (1995)
• The Shambhala Guide to Aikido (1996)
• Budo Secrets (2001)

Translations and collections

• The Art of Peace (2011 Edition)
• Best Aikido: The Fundamentals (Illustrated Japanese Classics)
• The Aikido Master Course: Best Aikido 2
• Budo Secrets
• Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf: Zen Poems of Ryokan
• One Robe, One Bowl: The Zen Poetry of Ryokan
• Wild Ways: Zen Poems of Ikkyu (Companions for the Journey)
• Lotus Moon: The Poetry of Rengetsu (Companions for the Journey)
• Rengetsu: Life and Poetry of Lotus Moon
• Mountain Tasting: Zen Haiku by Santoka Taneda
• The Heart of Aikido: The Philosophy of Takemusu Aiki by Morihei Ueshiba
• The Essence of Aikido: The Teachings of Morihei Ueshiba (1993)

External links

• Books by John Stevens Shambhala Publications

Notes and References

1. Web site: Interview with Renown Aikidoist John Stevens. Matrasko. Cheryl. aikido-world.com. 2001-09-09. 2 September 2010. 2008-09-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20080919153805/http://www.aikido-world.com/articles/JohnStevens-interview1.htm. dead.
2. Web site: John Stevens . .adp-i.cz . 18 June 2014.
3. Web site: John Stevens . shambhala.com/ . Shambhala . 18 June 2014.