Transcript for Shintaido means

Shintaido means "new body way"

Shintaido. Hearing this Japanese word,

you might imagine it has something to do

with the classical martial arts.

Shintaido's roots are in traditional

Japanese karate and sword movements.

But the purpose of Shintaido is not to learn fighting techniques.

Rather, it's to help us live in a better way.

In Deerfield, Massachusetts

Shintaido practitioners gathered

for an annual workshop

at the Shintaido Farm.

He's going to just collapse into the ground

and hit his head.

So, just keep one arm up

and just step back, same hand down.

It's a little scissors move here.

So he will roll this way.

It's fun when your body opens to the movement.

-- Is there an emotional component to the experience? --

Joy! Childish joy!

Rolling! Haven't we all done that kind

of thing for ages before becoming adults?

So it's bringing back this joy.

As far as the practice of martial arts

in this modern time,

I think we all live a very comfortable, protected life.

And, we all live in a "comfort zone"

Having the martial element

in our daily life through practice

challenges us and gives us

a chance to break through.

And it takes a little courage to do that.

That's why it's so important

to keep that essence of a martial art

within Shintaido.

What's interesting for me in the practice

is the invisible part.

That we are able to communicate in that way.

So it's not just physical exercise.

It's communication on a bigger level.

Shintaido, which means, "new body way"

includes the study of martial arts,

meditation, and artistic expression.

It was developed in Japan in the 1960's

by the Rakutenkai group under the

leadership of Hiroyuki Aoki.

The goal of Shintaido is to go a step beyond

the traditional martial arts, so the forms

of Shintaido demonstrate a feeling

of openness and freedom.

Throw, catch, and relax.

Try to receive the jo into your body.

Let the momentum determine

your movement. Try not to block it or stop it.

This one is a lot about letting go.

So if you're holding onto anything

in your head, or emotions,

this is the time to free it up.

So, you can toss it in the air and

just let that piece come down and take you into the earth.

It's definitely had a positive effect.

You start to think in a different way.

Once you visit other parts of your brain,

the right side of your brain,

then it becomes more familiar

so you can function from there more often.

How did you feel when you came to your first Shintaido class

and suddenly people were doing all this yelling?

At first I was a little surprised

that Shintaido was such a vocal art.

Initially, I was reluctant to use my

voice because I really never had.

But once I did, it started to open up

something for me and once I was using

my voice on a regular basis,

I found it to be really freeing.

When I went to my first Shintaido class and they said,

"Ok, now we're going to your voice." I said,

"Right. Sure. We'll see what happens..."

I didn't really expect anything and all of a

sudden everyone belts out these big, "Ah's"

"Okay..." So my first couple were

just really tiny, tiny voices. Eventually I got warmed up to the idea.

Traditionally, meditation has been practiced

in a very quiet environment.

But in reality, we live a very noisy

and busy life.

We need to be able to have this meditative

element even while we are moving

and living in a noisy world.

directed and edited by David FRANKLIN

music by fluttr effect

videographer Carlyn SALTMAN

producer Stephen BILLIAS

associate producer Bill BURTIS

a production of Shintaido of America

a non-profit organization