Clouds in the West: Lessons from the Martial Arts of Japan

Clouds in the West: Lessons from the Martial Arts of Japan
by Dave Lowry

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Book Summary Information

Author: Dave Lowry
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2004-12-01
ISBN: 1592285902
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: The Lyons Press

Book Reviews of Clouds in the West: Lessons from the Martial Arts of Japan

Book Review: Another long winded entry with occasional glimpses
Summary: 3 Stars

This is a compilation of various articles that have appeared (usually more than once) in various martial arts magazines over the years (I say this because I've seen most of them in various magazines). Many of them are more examples of the author's pedantic, condescending treatment of those who do not agree with his enlightened, elitist views, but the chapter on Nakaima (a term coined by Donn Draeger in one of his books) and Igen are very good, and the section on igen (dignity) should be required reading for many people, and not just martial artists. I'll keep this book, but it is definitely not required reading unless you can speak Japanese or study some extremely esoteric Japanese martial art.

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Summary of Clouds in the West: Lessons from the Martial Arts of Japan

Today, thanks to novels and movies such as The Last Samurai and Shogun, as well as "MacDojos" in every strip mall, we've been heavily exposed to the martial culture of Japan. As Westerners have become taken with budô, the traditional martial arts, they've become more sophisticated. Once content with instructional manuals, many readers today are searching for the deeper concepts of budô. In CLOUDS IN THE WEST, Dave Lowry continues the fascinating, lifelong philosophical journey through the essence of traditional Japanese martial arts that he began years ago in his earlier books, Autumn Lightning and Sword and Brush, and developed more fully in Moving Toward Stillness. Speaking now as a mature martial artist, a teacher with students of his own, Lowry addresses a variety of topics that demonstrate how varied and multifaceted are the lessons and insights gained from training, how the budô are integrated into daily life for the serious practitioner, and how they resonate, from ancient times to today.

Among the essays: .

Why Zen has very little to do with Japanese martial arts. .
What martial arts and the art of flower arranging have in common. .
Why johinsa, or "a cultured refinement," is as important as a good front kick. .
Austerity-the dominant aesthetic of martial culture. .
Kosei, or "individualism," in the context of martial arts.

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