Sensei's Final Teachings: On the Mastery of Qigong, Tai Chi, Aikido, Yoga, and Life (The Writings of Jim Berg, MD)

It is the 50th anniversary reunion of the dojo where Sensei has taught many students. Sensei’s Final Teachings: On the Mastery of Qigong, Tai Chi, Aikido, Yoga, and Life contains the last words from the Sensei on the principles of the disciplines he devoted his life to help his students to master. The Sensei taught technique after technique, form after form to the students, but it was not just techniques and forms he was passing on. In this final teaching, the Sensei wanted to be sure that his students understood the intimate principles that these forms have to offer. A musical scale is a prototypical form that opens the whole world of playing beautiful music together. Sensei taught his students precisely how to do the forms; now he wanted to make sure they knew the principles of why to practice. The main reasons are for health, vitality, longevity, and to become in harmony with the Great Way of Nature, to become enlightened, and to create a beautiful world. Thus, he elucidated on the way to achieve this wisdom through the principles of qigong, tai chi, aikido, yoga, and life. Sensei knows that this may be his final opportunity, so he does not hold back. His made these teachings as profound as he was able. Interspersed through Sensei’s talk are his shorter poetic verses that define a principle he seeks to get across. Though he did not speak the poems at the time of his talk, they were added afterwards to further consolidate Sensei’s thoughts on the subject. The appendix includes a series of more in depth poems that include Longevity, Chakras and Meridians, Samadhi and the Jhanas, Strategies of Loving-kindness. These give further insights into Sensei’s mastery on the wisdom path. Every sensei should require their students read this.