Martial Arts and Culture
Inner Dharma is a writing project maintained by Mark Raugas that is concerned with traditional martial arts and culture. I want to thank all of its readers who provided their feedback and encouragement over the last twenty years.
A selection of its content is organized below by area of research. Some of my work has also been published at Kogen Budo (opens in a new tab). I also have a book available on Jikishinkage-ryū kenjutsu (opens in a new tab) that may be of interest.
Research Projects
[ glossary · topic map · methodology ]
☰ Shinkage-ryū History
The history and texts of the Shinkage-ryū tradition, centered on its Kashima-Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū branch — founding stelae, factional descent, the documentary record, and close readings of the densho.
☰ Kenjutsu in Transition
The institutional turn of swordsmanship across the bakumatsu–Meiji transition — the shogunal Kōbusho academy, and the gekken exhibitions and Butōkukai that carried kenjutsu into modern kendō.
☰ Japanese Mountain Religion
Shugendō, mountain asceticism, and Japanese esoteric Buddhism — and their influence on classical martial traditions.
Contact
I may be reached via email at .
