Fine Books on Asian Arts & Meditation
Discover the amazing world of Asian cultural arts, spirituality, and meditation with the help of Michi Publishing. Contact us today to learn more about our books, ask questions, or to ask us about publishing your book.
MICHI PUBLISHING
THE BOOKS
From shodo--"the Way of calligraphy"—to budo—"the martial Way"—the Japanese have succeeded in designing their traditional arts and crafts as paths to meditation. The names of these skills frequently end with the word Do, also pronounced Michi, which equals the "Way." When practicing a Way, we unearth universal principles that go beyond a specific discipline, relating to the art of living itself. Featuring the books of H. E. Davey and other select writers, works by Michi Publishing center on these Do forms. Michi Publishing’s focus is on classical Asian arts, spirituality, and meditation, benefiting all cultures.
Most Michi Publishing books are offered in paperback and e-book formats. Look for them at your favorite book store or order them from Amazon.com. While the books are presently only offered in English, they are available in many countries and internationally through Amazon. Want more information? Contact us here.
The True Paths to Meditation
The True Paths to Meditation
By Sawai Atsuhiro
ISBN-10: 0990421406
ISBN-13: 978-0990421405
190 pages
Paperback: $15.95
E-book: $8.99
“A simple guide to effective meditation that moves the reader from concentration to genuine meditative experience. The author maintains that such experiences are actually natural to us and that ‘harsh ascetic practice’ is unnecessary. Sawai Atsuhiro shows that meditation teaches how to deal with the stresses of modern life, improves one's general health, and can lead to the realization that we are one with the universe. Several methods of effective meditation are described. This is a book that will cause even the casual reader to want to meditate.”
-- Robert E. Carter, author of Encounter with Enlightenment and Becoming Bamboo: Western and Eastern Explorations of the Meaning of Life
Sawai Atsuhiro’s The True Paths to Meditation masterfully explains simple and profound forms of meditation, which the author learned from the celebrated founder of yoga in Japan, Nakamura Tempu. Mr. Nakamura taught Shin-shin-toitsu-do (“The Way of Mind and Body Unification”) for five decades, authored popular books and trained many of Japan’s most notable people in government, business, sports, martial arts, and entertainment.
As one of Mr. Nakamura’s closest students, Mr. Sawai received the highest level of teaching certification in Shin-shin-toitsu-do from him. He is a retired college professor and a bestselling author of meditation books in Japan. He is also the President of the International Japanese Yoga Association in Kyoto, which has members in over 20 nations.
In The True Paths to Meditation, his first English language book specifically written for Westerners, Mr. Sawai provides comprehensive insights into his unique life philosophy, evolved from over 50 years of Zen and yogic meditation. He also introduces methods to release the power of ki—the life energy of the universe. Using the forms of meditation in this book, you can realize deeper calmness, concentration, willpower, and a more positive way of living.
Complete with useful photos, a handy glossary, and suggestions for ongoing practice, The True Paths to Meditation will appeal to folks new to meditation as well as experienced meditators.
Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation
Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation
By H. E. Davey
Michi Publishing
ISBN 1-880656-60-4
224 pages
Paperback: $18.95
E-book: $9.99
Based on the eclectic Western-Eastern teachings of Nakamura Tempu, this step-by-step introduction to Japanese yoga (Shin-shin-toitsu-do) presents stretching, healing, and meditation exercises designed for mind/body integration. It was the first book in English to detail the life and teachings of Mr. Nakamura. In Japanese yoga, which is based on mind and body unification principles, the ultimate goal is enhanced concentration, calmness, and willpower for a longer, healthier, and fuller life. Developed by Nakamura Tempu in the early 1900s from Indian Raja yoga, Japanese martial arts and meditation practices, as well as Western medicine and psychotherapy, Japanese yoga offers a new approach to experienced yoga students and a natural methodology that newcomers will find easy to learn.
After a brief history of Shin-shin-toitsu-do, H. E. Davey presents Mr. Nakamura's Four Basic Principles to Unify Mind and Body. These principles relate the meditative experience to the movement of everyday living and thus make it a "dynamic meditation." Each of the Four Basic Principles is illustrated with step-by-step explanations of practical experiments.
Readers are then introduced to different forms of seated and moving meditation, health exercises, and self-healing arts. All these are linked back to the Four Basic Principles and can enhance performance in art, music, business, sports, and other activities. Readers learn to use Japanese yoga techniques throughout the day, without having to sit on the floor or seek out a quiet space.
Included at the end of the book are simple but effective stretching exercises, information about ongoing practice, and a glossary and reference section. H. E. Davey also shows how Japanese yoga relates to various classical Japanese arts as part of a tradition of spiritual practice with spiritual and aesthetic roots in India, Japan, and the West. Amply illustrated and cogently presented, Japanese Yoga belongs on every mind/body/spirit reading list.
"Will make many yogis feel right at home... Davey's readable, friendly guide is definitely worth a look."
— Yoga Journal, July 2002
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life
By H. E. Davey
Michi Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-0615856339
318 pages
Paperback: $21.95
E-book: $9.99
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life details the life and meditation techniques of Nakamura Tempu (1876-1968). Mr. Nakamura taught Shin-shin-toitsu-do (“The Way of Mind and Body Unification”) for over 50 years and authored bestselling books. He trained over 100,000 people, including members of the Japanese Imperial Family, government officials, business leaders, top athletes, celebrated actors, martial arts experts, and notable novelists.
The book begins with Mr. Nakamura’s early years and a global quest to cure his tuberculosis. This search took him to the USA, where he studied medicine at Columbia University. Next, he traveled to Europe, where he lived with actress Sarah Bernhardt and researched psychology. In Egypt he encountered Kaliapa, an Indian mystic and yoga master, who brought him to India for a final attempt to save his life. After austere meditation in the Himalayas, Nakamura Tempu attained enlightenment, shook off the bonds of illness, and returned to Japan a changed man.
The Teachings of Tempu uses episodes from Mr. Nakamura’s life to introduce his philosophy of mind and body unification, his forms of meditation, and how these skills can help you attain better health as well as deeper calmness, concentration, and willpower. It contains rare photos from Japan, which chronicle his long life. Also featured are extensive quotes from his books, the first time his writing has been offered in English. The Teachings of Tempu presents experiments and exercises you can try at home to understand mind and body unification—the essence of Mr. Nakamura’s realization and the secret to unlocking human potential. Illustrations of these exercises and forms of meditation are provided, along with an Introduction by Sawai Atsuhiro, a leading teacher of Shin-shin-toitsu-do and a direct student of Mr. Nakamura. Dr. Robert Carter, author and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy for Canada’s Trent University, wrote the Foreword.
Pick up your copy today at your local book store or order a discounted copy immediately from Amazon.com.
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life
By H. E. Davey
Michi Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-0615856339
318 pages
Paperback: $21.95
E-book: $9.99
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life details the life and meditation techniques of Nakamura Tempu (1876-1968). Mr. Nakamura taught Shin-shin-toitsu-do (“The Way of Mind and Body Unification”) for over 50 years and authored bestselling books. He trained over 100,000 people, including members of the Japanese Imperial Family, government officials, business leaders, top athletes, celebrated actors, martial arts experts, and notable novelists.
The book begins with Mr. Nakamura’s early years and a global quest to cure his tuberculosis. This search took him to the USA, where he studied medicine at Columbia University. Next, he traveled to Europe, where he lived with actress Sarah Bernhardt and researched psychology. In Egypt he encountered Kaliapa, an Indian mystic and yoga master, who brought him to India for a final attempt to save his life. After austere meditation in the Himalayas, Nakamura Tempu attained enlightenment, shook off the bonds of illness, and returned to Japan a changed man.
The Teachings of Tempu uses episodes from Mr. Nakamura’s life to introduce his philosophy of mind and body unification, his forms of meditation, and how these skills can help you attain better health as well as deeper calmness, concentration, and willpower. It contains rare photos from Japan, which chronicle his long life. Also featured are extensive quotes from his books, the first time his writing has been offered in English. The Teachings of Tempu presents experiments and exercises you can try at home to understand mind and body unification—the essence of Mr. Nakamura’s realization and the secret to unlocking human potential. Illustrations of these exercises and forms of meditation are provided, along with an Introduction by Sawai Atsuhiro, a leading teacher of Shin-shin-toitsu-do and a direct student of Mr. Nakamura. Dr. Robert Carter, author and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy for Canada’s Trent University, wrote the Foreword.
Pick up your copy today at your local book store or order a discounted copy immediately from Amazon.com.
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life
By H. E. Davey
Michi Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-0615856339
318 pages
Paperback: $21.95
E-book: $9.99
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life details the life and meditation techniques of Nakamura Tempu (1876-1968). Mr. Nakamura taught Shin-shin-toitsu-do (“The Way of Mind and Body Unification”) for over 50 years and authored bestselling books. He trained over 100,000 people, including members of the Japanese Imperial Family, government officials, business leaders, top athletes, celebrated actors, martial arts experts, and notable novelists.
The book begins with Mr. Nakamura’s early years and a global quest to cure his tuberculosis. This search took him to the USA, where he studied medicine at Columbia University. Next, he traveled to Europe, where he lived with actress Sarah Bernhardt and researched psychology. In Egypt he encountered Kaliapa, an Indian mystic and yoga master, who brought him to India for a final attempt to save his life. After austere meditation in the Himalayas, Nakamura Tempu attained enlightenment, shook off the bonds of illness, and returned to Japan a changed man.
The Teachings of Tempu uses episodes from Mr. Nakamura’s life to introduce his philosophy of mind and body unification, his forms of meditation, and how these skills can help you attain better health as well as deeper calmness, concentration, and willpower. It contains rare photos from Japan, which chronicle his long life. Also featured are extensive quotes from his books, the first time his writing has been offered in English. The Teachings of Tempu presents experiments and exercises you can try at home to understand mind and body unification—the essence of Mr. Nakamura’s realization and the secret to unlocking human potential. Illustrations of these exercises and forms of meditation are provided, along with an Introduction by Sawai Atsuhiro, a leading teacher of Shin-shin-toitsu-do and a direct student of Mr. Nakamura. Dr. Robert Carter, author and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy for Canada’s Trent University, wrote the Foreword.
Pick up your copy today at your local book store or order a discounted copy immediately from Amazon.com.
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life
By H. E. Davey
Michi Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-0615856339
318 pages
Paperback: $21.95
E-book: $9.99
The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life details the life and meditation techniques of Nakamura Tempu (1876-1968). Mr. Nakamura taught Shin-shin-toitsu-do (“The Way of Mind and Body Unification”) for over 50 years and authored bestselling books. He trained over 100,000 people, including members of the Japanese Imperial Family, government officials, business leaders, top athletes, celebrated actors, martial arts experts, and notable novelists.
The book begins with Mr. Nakamura’s early years and a global quest to cure his tuberculosis. This search took him to the USA, where he studied medicine at Columbia University. Next, he traveled to Europe, where he lived with actress Sarah Bernhardt and researched psychology. In Egypt he encountered Kaliapa, an Indian mystic and yoga master, who brought him to India for a final attempt to save his life. After austere meditation in the Himalayas, Nakamura Tempu attained enlightenment, shook off the bonds of illness, and returned to Japan a changed man.
The Teachings of Tempu uses episodes from Mr. Nakamura’s life to introduce his philosophy of mind and body unification, his forms of meditation, and how these skills can help you attain better health as well as deeper calmness, concentration, and willpower. It contains rare photos from Japan, which chronicle his long life. Also featured are extensive quotes from his books, the first time his writing has been offered in English. The Teachings of Tempu presents experiments and exercises you can try at home to understand mind and body unification—the essence of Mr. Nakamura’s realization and the secret to unlocking human potential. Illustrations of these exercises and forms of meditation are provided, along with an Introduction by Sawai Atsuhiro, a leading teacher of Shin-shin-toitsu-do and a direct student of Mr. Nakamura. Dr. Robert Carter, author and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy for Canada’s Trent University, wrote the Foreword.
Pick up your copy today at your local book store or order a discounted copy immediately from Amazon.com.
The Japanese Way of the Artist
The Japanese Way of the Artist
By H. E. Davey
Michi Publishing
ISBN-10: 0990421449
ISBN-13: 978-0990421443
510 pages
Paperback: $22.95
Including extensive illustrations and an all-new introduction by the author, The Japanese Way of the Artist anthologizes three complete, out-of-print works by the Director of the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts. With penetrating insight into the universe of Japanese spiritual, artistic, and martial traditions, H. E. Davey explores everything from karate to calligraphy, ikebana to tea, demonstrating how all traditional Japanese arts share the same spiritual goals: serenity, mind/body harmony, awareness, and a sense of connection to the universe.
Supplemented by resource guides and glossaries of Japanese terms, the three books in The Japanese Way of the Artist bring ancient teachings to life:
Living the Japanese Arts & Ways presents 45 essential principles--like wabi, "immovable mind," and "stillness in motion"--that are universal in the Japanese classic tradition. It received a Spirituality & Health magazine Best Spiritual Books Award.
Brush Meditation provides an extensive introduction to Japanese calligraphy, showing how even the most elemental brush stroke reveals your physical and mental state.
The Japanese Way of the Flower examines practical methods for looking at nature and leads the reader through simple meditations as a prelude to learning how to create simple, elegant ikebana compositions.
H. E. Davey is Director of the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mr. Davey's articles on Japanese cultural arts, and his Japanese calligraphic art, have appeared in such magazines as The Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Body Mind Spirit, and Yoga Journal. He has also contributed to Japanese publications such as Hokubei Mainichi, the Nichibei Times, and Gendo.
Secrets of the Brush: Life Lessons from the Art of Japanese Calligraphy
Life Lessons from the Art of Japanese Calligraphy
By H. E. Davey
Michi Publishing
ISBN-10: 0990421457
ISBN-13: 978-0990421450
224 pages
Paperback: $20.95
Secrets of the Brush: Life Lessons from the Art of Japanese Calligraphy is the first new book in years from award-winning author, artist, and sensei H. E. Davey. Mr. Davey is the author of The Japanese Way of the Artist, a widely admired how-to book that lets even beginners try Japanese calligraphy. An internationally acclaimed shodo calligrapher and ink painting expert, his new work covers the 20 years he studied under a venerated Japanese master, Kobara Ranseki, the late recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun. Expanding on the meditative emphasis of The Japanese Way of the Artist, Secrets of the Brush shifts away from technical instruction to focus on life altering aesthetic and spiritual principles.
It uses an innovative format mingling biography, autobiography, and Japanese art history, with shodo and meditation instruction. Secrets of the Brush explores Zen-like life lessons the author absorbed over two decades. Combining over 50 years of experience in Japanese arts with themes from old Asian texts, cult movies, punk rock, and more, H. E. Davey explains rarely understood Eastern principles that will positively change your life. These concepts increase skill in Asian arts, including calligraphy, painting, martial arts, tea ceremony, and meditation. Even fans of Western art can use this book to transform their craft.
It’s packed with incredible new artwork from one of the Western world’s leading exponents of shodo. Full-page illustrations and a comprehensive glossary complete this guide to life and an ancient Japanese art.
“Demonstrating the Japanese aesthetic of elegance (shibumi), Davey uses words with clarity and simplicity to describe the non-word realm of practicing these arts—calligraphy, martial arts, tea ceremonies, painting—and the spiritual meaning of such practice . . . Davey is thoroughly steeped in Japanese culture and able to respectfully introduce and explain how those sensibilities are inextricably woven through the arts. As an American who has been accepted within traditional Japanese arts realms, he can offer a helpful cross-cultural lens on what terms and behaviors mean.”
Publishers Weekly review of Living the Japanese Arts & Ways
“H. E. Davey combines a remarkable technical facility in the Japanese art of the brush with a deep understanding of its spiritual profundities. His book offers a marvelous practical introduction to Japanese calligraphy as well as insights into the essence of this art. It is a unique and fascinating presentation of a little-known art of self-cultivation.”
Dave Lowry, author of Sword and Brush, on Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony