Undergraduate student & artist Michelle Ng found her new passion on campus: Taijutsu. A Japanese martial art offered at St. Mike’s Wellness Studio, Taijutsu classes are led by two practitioners, Remi Pulwer & his longest-practising student, who volunteer their time, knowledge and decades of experience. As someone utterly new to martial arts – and in search of herself– training in taijutsu for two years transformed Michelle’s philosophy, movement, and circles of community.
Lost. Stagnant. Burnt out. I was wandering in circles, chasing my tale to find my path.
A friend told me about taijutsu, a Japanese martial art rooted in reality and philosophy during war and peace, a lifelong art about honing the body, mind, and heart to protect yourself and loved ones. An art of adaptation and self-defence. You adapt to your age, gender, build, disability, or injuries. To the situation & surroundings. To evade or end the fight before it even begins if possible.
You create a better you.
Around Halloween two years ago, I tried it out on a whim. I came in the rain still with silver dragon scales painted on my arms and legs… And from that first class, I was enthralled.
A new path beckoned.
A practical yet philosophical martial art. Friends (buyuu) I made there. A stronger yet softer heart, open mind, and sense of belonging. My tale does not have to end in a spiral; it can follow my will. I could make my own path.
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From 2003 to now, St. Michael’s librarian Remi Pulwer has dedicatedly found space for training in the city and downtown campus (moving from Alumni Hall to the John M. Kelly Library, and then finally to Elmsley Hall’s old bike storage).
In 2013, his vision led to the St. Mike’s Wellness Studio that encompasses taijutsu and other arts space for training the mind and body together. Boxing. Crochet. Dance. Kudoki Kung Fu. Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu. Tai Chi. Yoga. Meditation. Acting.
Remi and his student, Alex Gaskin, lead taijutsu classes as volunteers. With mirrors, changerooms, movable mats, and a shower and a washroom, the space can adapt to myriad activities. It is also near several U of T libraries, key campus buildings and subway stations. The amenities, location and schedule make the Wellness Studio accessible for U of T students, including the whole St. Michael’s community.
Although I love learning, university truly was, and still is, a struggle for me. Finding this art, dojo, and community came at the right time. Taijutsu will push you. It is no sport; it is a martial art. Realistic, challenging and physical. It is not about points or ranks. It is about survival, protection and respect for humanity. It is about bettering yourself every day, within and outside of the dojo. The system of Bujinkan has propelled taijutsu worldwide homogenizing elements from nine historical schools of
Budo, each with its own flavor. We study a set of three basic scrolls practicing all schools’ principles of budo, refined in combat by Japanese warriors.
In this art, we are all beginners, no matter how long or hard we train. We adapt as we change. As our friends, foes and worlds change. As we create our worlds. I am a small woman slowly learning how to control her body and mind, but that’s okay. Here, we all strive to better ourselves a bit every day.
After all, taijutsu is all about adapting.
Given the complexity and realism of this art, who you learn from and who you train with are important stones for your path. Since I started almost two years ago, I have visited and made friends in more dojos in Toronto and other cities.
Thanks to fate, I am truly grateful for the classes with Remi and his student Alex, and that I started my new path at the Wellness Studio. They both shared so many stories & insights with me about taijutsu, art, and life. How to stop running from the thunderstorms in my head & life – academic burnout. How to control my emotions and body anywhere. How to keep going & find myself. Create & challenge into a new me. Remi’s decades of training in taijutsu, his passion for the arts, literature, history, and more, his kindness and humor make his dojo (BuyuuKai Toronto) truly special – ‘BuyuuKai’ means a group of friends training together – and that’s what this place is all about: Friendship, Growth, Community.
If you feel incomplete, stuck, or lost, free yourself to write your own tale… Come train with us.
St. Mike’s Wellness Studio Registration
https://bit.ly/BuyuuKaiToronto
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