Vermont Kyudo

kyudo ceremony at karme choling

Lj and Jack Stewart open the Karme Choling 40th Anniversary Celebrations in 2010


lj stewart at kyudo ceremony

Kyudo as Meditation

As a result of her long search for a "moving meditation" to incorporate into her everyday life, Lj Stewart began to practice Kyudo or "The Way of the Bow".

Kyudo is descended from the ancient Japanese art of archery for use in hunting and battle. Over time, as the use of the bow as weapon decreased, the practice of archery came into use as competition and ceremony. This ceremonial form of archery, together with the influence of Zen Buddhism, led to the concept of Kyudo or Japanese archery as a contemplative practice or meditation.

Lj began to practice Kyudo in 1994 and in 1998 became an instructor in the "Heki Ryu Bisshu Chikurin Ha" Kyudo Lineage. She was named to this position by Kanjuro Shibata Sensei XX of Kyoto, Japan, the official bowmaker and archer to the Japanese Imperial Family at that time.

Lj continues to practice Kyudo and is honored to be in a position to help spread the practice of Kyudo in the West. She, along with her husband, Kyudo practitioner Jack Stewart, practice and offer instruction at their Kyudojo at the Barnet Tradepost Wellness Center in Barnet, VT.

For more information about Vermont Kyudo and their schedule of classes, please visit their website at VermontKyudo.com