Kotodama

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if someone has bumped into a good site about kotodama?

Jasper

I don't know about any good sites but, you might want check out the spiritual foundations of aikido by William Gleason and or The Secrets of Aikido by John Stevens. Gleason's book is WAY more indepth than Stevens' but Steven's gives a good overview of the origin of kotodama and a good primer to a otherwise very complex and hard to understand topic that even most Native speakers of Japan have some problems with.

The following is a message I posted from the General Section under topic: kototama.

Richard Harnack wrote: If you can find Nakazono's book, it is very informative, much more than either Steven's or Gleason. You may want to check to see if the Koto(d)(t)ama Institute is still in existence. If so, they had tapes and programs on Kotodama.

Inochi: The Book of Life, by Sensei Masahilo Nakazono (1918-1994). This book presents the ancient principle of Kototama. The 50 life rhythms, where the 5 mother sounds combine with the 10 father rhythms to produce life, are explained fully. The practice opens one up to the highest human capacity. The three orders of society are delineated and explained in detail. This is a softbound book (1984). Includes illustrations and sound charts. 119 Pages -- $12

You can buy this and 4 other of Nakazono's books at: http://www.kototamabooks.com/

The Kototama Institute closed about 10 years ago, but one of his students are keeping his books in print.

Nakazono Sensei studied Aikido with O Sensei. He was also a student of George Ohsawa, the founder of macrobiotics, and Sakai Sensei, who taught the spirit of finite form, Jizo Bosatsu.

Additionally, see:
Kototama Principles

+ Also +

Winter 2001 Newsletter: Shobu Aikido of Boston The Human Spirit and Aikido by Bill Gleason, Sensei

Mantrayana and Koto(dama/tama): a suggestive mapping (1.1)
copyright 1994, 1995, Fred Little

located on Aikido FAQ

[Edited by tedehara on March 31, 2001 at 04:45pm]