臨兵鬥者皆陣列前行

Lín bīng dòu zhě jiē zhèn liè qián xíng
may all those who preside over warriors be my vanguard

内法 · Inner Dharma

Inner Dharma is a writing project of Mark Raugas concerned with traditional internal martial arts and Japanese swordsmanship.

Essays and Updates
posts listed by topic can be found here
10 January 2026

New Book on Jikishinkage-ryū kenjutsu

I have collected my notes on Jikishinkage-ryū kenjutsu into a single volume and expanded them with research into Japanese language historical documents and publications on that art. The result is now available as a small book.

12 October 2025

Contrasting Modern and Classical Mindsets

We examine some features of armed and unarmed grappling and small weapon styles from the medieval period to modernity and draw some parallels and distinctions between them, especially as related to combat sport and contemporary military practices.

27 July 2025

In Memorium: David A. Hall (1947-2025)

On 26 July 2025, the world lost one of its most knowledgeable teachers and scholars of classical Japanese martial culture.

12 July 2025

Japan Pilgrimage

Moon Mountain Hall (月山館) – read as Gassankan in Japanese and Yueshan-guan in Mandarin – is the name I use for my ongoing training activities. It was chosen in homage to Gassan and Dewa Sanzan, where in 2004 I decided to shift from teaching modern goshin-jutsu to focus on older martial arts.

9 July 2025

Jikishinkage-ryū passing from Edo to Meiji

Discussion of a famous lineage of Jikishinkage-ryū and how it may have ended in the late 19th century.

30 June 2025

From Kodachi to Kogusoku

Examining the role of kodachi kata in the progression of skill in Jikishinkage-ryū kenjutsu, with a description of application to close quarter armed grappling.

15 June 2025

Raito and Sente

Examining the relationship between combative posture and initiative in a portion of Jikishinkage-ryū. What is first observed may be quite different from hidden layers of meaning and practice.

21 May 2025

Koryū-wa koryū nari

The title is a pun on a famous saying associated to Shintō-ryū, the art of war is the art of peace. Old traditions are small traditions — it is the content that matters.

5 May 2025

Comparing Patanjali's 8 Limbs with Buddha's Noble 8-fold path

Last year I began additional training in the union of Yoga and Buddhism offered through Tibet House. As part of this training, an essay comparing the Astanga (8-limbs) of Patanjali with the Buddhist Noble Eightfold path.

20 April 2025

Kiai is Not a Sound

Discussing my study of Japanese swordsmanship in the context of internal martial arts principles and esoteric Buddhist practice.

15 February 2025

An Example of Kuzushi

An example of the deconstruction of kata. Kuzushi is the name for the activity of pulling apart and analyzing kata in Shinkage-ryū, making connections between different parts of its curriculum. It also at times can refer to sudden, spontaneous, change.

15 December 2024

Hōjō ken Kokoro-e sho

Text on Jikishinkage-ryū Hōjō (foundational) swordsmanship, provided for reference based on Jikishinkage-ryū Sōhonbu and Hōbyōkan material. This is typically chanted or recited before performance of the Hōjō kata of Jikishinkage-ryū.

10 December 2024

Visiting Kyoto and Nara

Visiting sacred places has been an important component of my martial arts training over the years. I recently spent time visiting Kyoto and Nara.

9 September 2024

Divergence and Unification in Shinkage-ryū

Link to an essay on kata, heiho and shugyo, where I compare and contrast different surviving lines of Shinkage-ryū and reflect on my own practice.

15 June 2024

Tōsha Dōjō

Tōsha Dōjō is a small training activity that meets weekly as part of Lonin League in Seattle and is focused on traditional kata practice and free sparring with armor and shinai.

16 February 2023

General Qi Jiguans's Jixiao Xinshu and Reflections on Claims of Martial Virtue

An essay published at Kogen Budo, where I look at some older writings from Japanese koryu that reference classical Chinese military treatises, and then examine how practices described in those works may be represented in arts surviving today.

1 January 2023

Jiki Video

Links to some representative video of Jikishinkage-ryū in Japan.

10 February 2020

Pressure Testing in Classical Budō

A description of some of my efforts to keep my practice of kenjutsu intact after moving to the Pacific Northwest. After moving, I decided to focus solely on Shinkage-ryū and pause my study of Shintō-ryū. I trained initially alone and over time tested my skills in unscripted environments. This is some of what transpired.

15 January 2020

YCGF Weapons Practices

The Taiji, Bagua and Xingyi taught as part of Yin Cheng Gong Fa includes an extensive curriculum of jian (sword), dao (saber), and qiang (spear).

15 October 2019

Gogyō Exegesis

An essay describing my experience, thinking, and choices regarding attempting to practice multiple koryū and then deciding not to.

1 October 2019

Perspectives and Priorities

Opportunity can be fleeting in classical and traditional martial arts training. Each art lives or dies in a single generation. Strong arts can become but weak echoes of their former selves without proper training intensity.

3 May 2018

Kagu no mine

Kagunomine is the spring peak observance practiced in certain forms of Shugendo. With spring in full bloom, I look back over the last six months and provide an update on my training. Ideas both orthodox and heretical abound.

18 June 2017

Classical Taijiquan

Attending a seminar detailing excerpts from the Taiji classics.

23 February 2017

Aiki and Internal Training

Collected thoughts on the historical influence of Chinese martial arts on Japanese jujutsu and how they relate to the topic of aiki in Aikido and Daito-ryū . What interested me about internal martial arts and how I have related that experience to my practice of Japanese budō.

15 February 2017

Winter Light

I'm happy to be hitting the tail end of winter. Reflections on recent discussion on internal training, Shinkage-ryū and Shintō-ryū, and the merits of walking a long, slow, path to excellence in physical culture.

9 September 2016

Whirlwind

Moving to Seattle — continuing to walk the same paths.

23 May 2016

Wu Taiji Quan Seminar with Zhao Zeren and Zhang Yun

Zhao Zeren and Zhang Yun taught a series of three seminars on the Wu Style Taiji Quan of Wang Peisheng during May 2016 in Princeton, Pittsburgh, and Silver Spring.

13 May 2016

Taiji Classics

An important translation of the Taiji Classics has been published. Highly recommended.

28 March 2016

Jujutsu and Gekkiken

Short update on my continued training activities in Baltimore.

28 February 2016

Shinai and Bogu

Discussion of training implements that allow for free practice in traditional martial arts.

20 January 2016

Masakikai Hobyokan Kagamibiraki 2016

I had the pleasure of attending the 12th annual Kagami Biraki hosted by the Masakikai and Hoboykai in Sterling, Virginia.

15 August 2015

Princeton Bagua and Taiji Seminar

At the end of summer, I traveled to Princeton for a seminar in Bagua and Taiji and was accepted as a formal lineal student by my teacher, Zhang Yun.

13 August 2015

Time passes

Decluttering practice, finding inspiration.

4 January 2015

White Out and Eight Immortals

In the new year, I have decided to focus my martial arts efforts to continued regular participation in two schools — Yin Cheng Gong Fa and the Hobyokan

17 November 2014

Distilling a core practice from many options

I am, over time, attempting to focus my kenjutsu practice. I have studied under two schools of Japanese swordsmanship that may once have been related in the distant echoes of time, but now are quite divergent. It is interesting to explore the benefits each provide to a practitioner, and how they relate to my continued focus on internal martial arts.

11 April 2014

Are You Connected?

An analysis of basic concepts of normal force in the context of internal martial arts.

23 September 2013

The Fifth Season

In Chinese Medicine, there are five fundamental elements that reinforce or supress one another – they are water, wood, fire, earth, and metal. Each corresponds to a season

17 June 2013

NAMT Night of Budo 2013

A brief reflection on a demonstration of Araki-ryū and Tenshin Buko-ryū at the NAMT 2013 Night of Budo by Ellis Amdur a reknown kobudo, aikido and internal martial arts researcher and practitioner, demonstrating two arts he has mastered.

10 October 2012

NYC Aiki-jujutsu: History & Aftermath

Collecting what I know of NYC area Aiki-jujutsu schools inspired by the teaching of Daito-ryū Kodokai, especially Yonezawa Katsumi.

15 August 2011

Vinyasa Yoga and Vajrayama

In early 2007 I completed a 200 hour level Yoga Alliance certified teacher training at Midtown Yoga in Baltimore under Kim Manfredi in Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga. I took the step to engage in formal teacher training to deepen my asana practice, which began as an adjunct to my rock climbing, endurance sports, and martial arts practices. Over time, I have found the approach yoga takes to provide a strong foundation for continuing to live and train in a manner that cultivates health and well-being, beyond the technical excellence one might cultivate in any speciific activity or sport.

10 May 2011

Three Treasures and Six Harmonies

A discussion of cultivated skill and power generation in internal martial arts.

15 July 2010

Bagua and Aikido

An examination of baguazhang body mechanics compared to modern kempo derived from Aikido and related arts. A discussion of power generation in internal martial arts.

1 March 2010

Early Influences

Early influences on my training — how I moved from modern to classical approaches to training.

10 October 2008

Gassankan Jujutsu

In Baltimore, after leaving my first dojo in NYC, I continued to work on refining the modern goshin-jutsu 護身術 methods I had first learned with my colleague Ben Lawner. The result was a smaller curriculum informed by our practice of Gao lineage bagua.

1 April 2008

Liu Dekuan Linear Baguazhang

Linear bagua of Liu Dekuan consits of 64 short movements practiced in eight sets.