The Way of the Jo (Jodo)

Greg Clarke holds the rank of Sandan (3^rd dan) in both Jodo and Iaido. He has been a student of Ward Jardine Sensei, Godan (5^th dan) in Shinto Muso Ryu Jodo, chief instructor at Renseikan Dojo. Also, Greg has trained under Don Croft (4^th dan) at Anshin Dojo, and under the instruction of Kevin Hyatt, (4^th Dan) and David Lee (4^th Dan) at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.

Both Jodo and Iaido are taught here at Peaceful Warrior Dojo. The main focus is on Jodo but instruction of Iaido is also part of the curriculum. The practice of Jodo involves the use of a wooden sword.

Both Jodo and Iaido fall under the larger umbrella of Kendo. You can learn more about all organizations at https://kendo-canada.com/.

Greg Clarke is currently the President of Jodo Canada. You can find the Statement of Purpose for Jodo Canada on their website by clicking here.

The jo is a stick roughly four to five feet long. Longer than a cane and shorter than a staff.

Jodo means roughly "the art of the stick". There are two main sources of Japanese jo training in the west, one in the various Aikido organizations and one in the Kendo Federations under their jodo sections. The Kendo style of Jodo is derived from Shindo Muso Ryu, and there are some places of instruction in that art outside the Kendo umbrella. Other arts which use sticks of similar size exist as well, in many different cultures.

The art that Jodo-Canada supports is the Jo within the Kendo Federation. In this art the jo is used exclusively against the sword. The Kendo dojo in Canada practice the Zen Ken Ren Jo, the so-called Seitei Jo. Many of these dojo also practice the other forms of Shindo Muso Ryu, and even the associated arts of that school. This varies from dojo to dojo.

This informaiton was taking from the website of Jodo Canada. To read more you can click here.

Iaido is the traditional Japanese martial art of drawing and cutting with the samurai sword. The purpose of Iaido is to develop awareness, centeredness, sincerity, a calm mind, and mental and physical harmony through the practice of traditional sword techniques.

The art of Iaido (居合道　pronounced ee-i-do) is elegant and would appear to be simple. The student sits or stands quietly, draws out a blade and cuts through the air all in one motion, then puts the sword back into the scabbard. To the casual observer, there is not a lot to see. Iaido, however, is an exacting art which demands a high level of focus and mental concentration. It is an art of precise motions with only centimeters of tolerance and split second timing. It is also an individual art that involves the student and the sword struggling to achieve perfection of form.

Iai translates literally to “meeting in a place” but a deeper meaning is “flowing from peace, to conflict, then back to peace”. This transmission from peace to conflict and back again with an innate state, neither prepared nor unprepared of mind is the most difficult part to train, for a samurai or martial artist.

For more information you can visit Kendo Canada.