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TIME and TRAINING - Thoughts on Living Martial Arts

I had to look up a hashtag this morning while I reviewed my FB feed. #METTA. It means something like, wishing others well; goodwill; loving kindness. I am sure others have their own twist on what it means. It’s hard to go wrong with “goodwill toward” all living beings, even though that sounds like a Christmas card. Exercising compassion toward yourself and others is part of the Code of Bushido. It is part of living your practice. I’ve been trying to exercise it every time I h

vmilewski

Aug 63 min read

Guns, Mace, and Haters: Everyone has an opinion, informed or not.

I’ve been training in the martial arts continuously for 35 years, teaching for 30. Yet, those who have never stepped into a gi or on a dojo floor or practiced self-defense in its practical applications over decades seem to want to diminish, dismiss, or denigrate those who do have training. Why—hubris, ego, bullying? Who knows. What I do know is that it’s consistent, whether it’s me or a world champion who has nearly a foot on me and over a decade more teaching. Haters gonna h

vmilewski

Jun 233 min read

Thoughts on Establishing MSR One Year On........................JUNE 1, 2026

We officially opened Midwest Shorin Ryu Health & Wellness Center on June 2nd, 2025, after the death of our Sensei, Dan Schroeder, Master Tadashi Yamashita’s top student. There was considerable questioning among Sensei Schroeder’s students as to what should happen next. I decided that I wanted to continue what Sensei Schroeder passed on to all of us. So, Vince and I, together with dojomates from the old school who liked my vision and were inclined to journey down the path we w

vmilewski

Jun 13 min read

TAI CHI PRACTICE and the BEGINNER’S MIND

When I went to save this document, it saved it under: Tai Chi and the Beginner. Perhaps that’s a better title. I am by all accounts a beginner. My practice is hours old (8 one-hour sessions over eight weeks plus some additional hours of practice on my own.) What I “know” about Tai Chi is limited. It’s not colored or clouded by time. And it’s simple—like a child summing up her world. Here’s what I know for certain—I want to continue. Tai Chi helps me center my KI (in my Okinaw

Morganne MacDonald

Apr 134 min read

YOGA, CHAKRA & CHAIR YOGA - MOM & ME

How Yoga Practice with mom & friends has helped transform our lives for the better. I’m embarking on a new phase of strength training. This one’s as much about the spirit and the mind (like karate-do) as it is about the body. Overall health and wellness, just feeling better and greeting the day with gratitude, is now something I actively cultivate. Mom does too. I’m incredibly proud of my mother-in-law. There are many reasons for this. Chief among them is her tenacity and h

vmilewski

Feb 265 min read

WHAT I LEARNED FROM ONE DAY WITH OUR 5-YEAR-OLD WEE WARRIORS

I want to train like a Five-Year-Old. They come to the floor with no judgment, minds ready to learn something wonderful that will add to their joy, and they give everything they have—every ounce of their concentration. I want to train like a Five-Year-Old. An empty mind ready for filling, totally present in the moment, doing what is being shown at 100% of their ability. How cool is that? One thing that I’ve always loved about martial arts in general—including Tai Chi and Yoga

vmilewski

Feb 133 min read