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John Stevens (scholar)

John William Stevens (December 2, 1947 – July 21, 2025) was an American Buddhist priest, author, professor of Buddhist studies and Aikido teacher.

Stevens lived in Sendai, Japan, from 1973 to around 2008, where he taught Eastern philosophy and Aikido at Tohoku Fukushi University. His Aikido rank was 7th dan Aikikai. After leaving Japan, he moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he resided until his death on July 21, 2025.

Biography

Stevens was born in Chicago but grew up in Evanston, Illinois. He moved to Sendai in 1973 in order to study Buddhism and began practicing Aikido soon afterwards. He trained with many teachers throughout his career, but his main teacher was Shirata Rinjiro (9th dan Aikikai), about whom he wrote the book Aikido: The Way of Harmony. He created his own system, which he called Classical Aikido, which is a complete system emphasizing misogi, kotodama, and the unity of aiki-ken, aiki-jo, and taijutsu (body arts). He taught it at numerous seminars all over the world.

Criticism

John Stevens is known to insert his own wording as well as remove original significant wording in his Japanese to English technical translation in aikido publication.

Bibliography

Stevens wrote over thirty books on Buddhism, Aikido and Asian culture, including:

  • Training with the Master – Lessons with Morihei Ueshiba (2004 Edition)
  • Zen Brushwork: Focusing the Mind With Calligraphy and Painting
  • Lust for Enlightenment: Buddhism and Sex
  • The Sword of No-Sword: Life of the Master Warrior Tesshu
  • The Secrets of Aikido (1997 Edition)
  • Abundant Peace
  • Aikido: The Way of Harmony
  • Invincible Warrior (1999 Edition)
  • Zen Bow, Zen Arrow (2012)
  • Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei (Shambhala 1988, Echo Point Books 2013 paperback, )
  • The Philosophy of Aikido (2013 paperback edition)
  • Extraordinary Zen Masters: A Maverick, a Master of Masters, and a Wandering Poet (2013 paperback edition)
  • Sacred Calligraphy of the East (2013 paperback edition)
  • The Way of Judo: A Portrait of Jigoro Kano (2013)
  • Three Budo Masters (1995)
  • The Shambhala Guide to Aikido (1996)
  • Budo Secrets (2001)

Translations and collections

  • The Art of Peace (2011 Edition)
  • Best Aikido: The Fundamentals (Illustrated Japanese Classics)
  • The Aikido Master Course: Best Aikido 2
  • Budo Secrets
  • Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf: Zen Poems of Ryokan
  • One Robe, One Bowl: The Zen Poetry of Ryokan
  • Wild Ways: Zen Poems of Ikkyu (Companions for the Journey)
  • Lotus Moon: The Poetry of Rengetsu (Companions for the Journey)
  • Rengetsu: Life and Poetry of Lotus Moon
  • Mountain Tasting: Zen Haiku by Santoka Taneda
  • The Heart of Aikido: The Philosophy of Takemusu Aiki by Morihei Ueshiba
  • The Essence of Aikido: The Teachings of Morihei Ueshiba (1993)

References

External links