In Budo—which can be translated as "The way of brave and enlightened activity"—martial arts and spirituality merge at the highest level of skill. Budo Secrets contains the essential teachings of Budo's greatest masters of sword, Karate, Judo, Aikido, and other disciplines. John Stevens has gathered an eclectic and historically rich collection of teachings that include principles and practice guidelines from training manuals, excerpts of texts on Budo philosophy, and instructional tales gathered from a number of sources. Since many of the martial arts masters were also fine painters and calligraphers who used brush and ink as a teaching medium, Stevens has included their artwork throughout with explanation and commentary.

This book includes the training secrets of such masters as:

   •  The legendary swordsmen Miyamoto Musashi, Yagyu Renya, and Yamoaka Tesshu
   •  Gichin Funakoshi, the father of modern Karate
   •  Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido
   •  Kyuzo Mifune, the greatest Judo master of the common era


From a historical perspective, the lessons in this book provide a fascinating view into the minds of Japan's most esteemed martial artists. But the teachings are far from dated: Most are absolutely essential for today's martial artists regardless of school or discipline, and are applicable to fields such as business, education, and psychology.

About the Author

Length: 144 pages

Publication date: 2001