Doshi Richard Van Donk
“Always have the courage to live what you love and to love what you live.”
Richard J. Van Donk was born in Stockton, California on July 15th, 1950.
Warrior names: Kofukuryu (Happy Dragon), Mr. Happy & Yee Ha by Soke Hatsumi.
Spiritual Name: Satchitananda (Satji for short), meaning Sat (Truth) Chit (Consciousness) Ananda (Bliss).
Richard considers himself to be a perpetual student of life, always questing the divine within everything and everyone. This journey of self discovery has brought Richard all over the world to discover everlasting Truth, Consciousness and Bliss. On his path to wisdom and spiritual growth he went to every holy sacred site he could and found the wisest teacher, guru, mystic, priest, priestess, or shaman to share with him their knowledge.
Richard spent time visiting such sacred places and people as the Pyramids & Nile temples in Egypt, Machu Picchu in Peru, Satgurus & Temples all over India, the Dalai Lama, the holy lands of Israel, Stonehenge, Glastonbury & Avebury in England, Ephesus, Delphi & Istanbul in Turkey, Mt. Shasta, California, American Indian holy sites, Mikkyo Temples in Japan, the Hunas of Hawaii, and the Central American ancient civilizations of Palenque, Teotihuacan and several others deep in the jungles of Mexico, searching and studying aspects of spirituality. He has studied Mikkyo (and Kuji Kiri) with a master teacher in Japan and Hamsa Kriya Yoga from a Himalayan Nath Yogi (Acharya teacher level).
Sourcing and Uni-Dynamics™
Due to his tremendous amount of worldwide research Doshi Van Donk is considered a Philosopher by many. He has taken the best from all these sacred civilizations and teachers and formulated an Enlightenment process called ‘Sourcing’ which he has taught worldwide. His core teachings are embodied in Uni-Dynamics™ “The science of being One.” Richard initiated a World Peace 2000 Breath of Peace at the start of the new millennium. He loves to share the wisdom acquired from his quests.
More Personal Info
When not doing personal consulting or teaching, Richard spends his spare time playing music, doing yoga, writing and soaking in hot springs. He is happily married to his wife Linda and has 2 grown children.
A Lifetime on the Warrior Path
Richard started formal martial arts training at the age of 17, informal at age 11. Doshi Van Donk is the Founder and Director of the International Bujinkan Dojo Association (Ninjutsu) and Bushindo Martial Arts University, operating worldwide with its International Dojo Headquarters in Middletown, Northern California, U.S.A. His wife, Linda, a Shidoshi (10th dan), is the Assistant Director of Training.
Richard is one of the highest ranking Bujinkan Ninjutsu teachers outside of Japan and an internationally acclaimed Eskrima Grandmaster (personal student and inheriting Grandmaster of the late DeCuerdas Grandmaster Gilbert Tenio). He has also been awarded black belt levels or above in Karate (2nd dan), Jujitsu (9th dan), Tae Kwon Do, Muso Tenshin Ryu Iaijutsu (yondan), Aikido (nidan), and Enshin Ryu Iaido and BattoJutsu (from Grandmaster Kenshinsai Machida). In 1996 and in 1997 the World Head of Family Sokeship Council awarded him its most prestigious award of Grandmaster of the Year for his contributions to martial arts. He has been inducted into many Master and Grandmaster councils.
Ninjutsu
Doshi Van Donk is a personal student of Ninjutsu Grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi of Noda city, Japan, and traveled to train with him at least twice a year since 1985, when he received his (Nidan) 2nd degree Blackbelt and Shidoshi-ho (junior teaching license) directly from Soke Hatsumi. At this time Soke Hatsumi also made him a personal student in a special ceremony at Shihan Ishizuka’s dojo.
In early 1987 Richard passed his 5th degree test in Japan in front of a panel of Japanese Shihan. At that time Richard was told he was only the 9th non-Japanese person to be awarded this rank in the art’s almost 2,000 year history. Soke Hatsumi awarded him his 10th degree Blackbelt Menkyo license on Dec. 2, 1995 (Soke Hatsumi’s birthday), his 11th dan on Takamatsu’s birthday in March 2000, Junidan (12th degree) on March 28th, 2001, Ju-sandan (13th degree) on December 2nd, 2002, and Ju-Yondan (14th degree) on April 2nd, 2004. Doshi Van Donk has been responsible for pioneering the ranking structures used by many instructors throughout the Bujinkan. In 1991 he was awarded the Golden Dragon Medal from Soke Hatsumi for his pioneering efforts. On Dec 2nd, 2005 he received the final menkyo license grade of Ju-Godan (equal to 15th dan) in the Bujinkan Ninjutsu/Budo Taijutsu system from Grandmaster Hatsumi.
Go to www.Ninjutsu.com for more details.
DeCuerdas Eskrima
True DeCuerdas is a pure blade fighting system that is one of the rarest mother systems of Eskrima. DeCuerdas means to wind up, as in winding a watch (‘spring forward’), and has deep spiritual and philosophical roots as well as a very powerful weapons art. Richard was given the rare title of Master (Professor) in DeCuerdas Eskrima from the late Grandmaster Gilbert Tenio, who then passed his art down to him before his death, making him the next designated Grandmaster of the Tenio DeCuerdas Eskrima System. Richard studied diligently with Grandmaster Tenio for 14 years and much of his training was received one on one. Grandmaster Tenio had mastered 17 different Eskrima styles and was world renowned for his disarming ability. He was a great master who is truly missed. Doshi Van Donk calls his system Dynamic DeCuerdas Eskrima and has students in many countries studying this system through the distance learning course.
Go to www.DeCuerdasEskrima.com for details.
Sword (Iaido/Battojutsu)
One of Richard’s great loves is the bladed arts. The sword became a passion and was the first reason to travel to Japan to train with Soke Hatsumi in Ninjutsu. Ninjutsu teaches Kobudo, real battlefield sword fighting skills. Richard also wanted to learn the presence of being taught in a formal Iaido (way of the draw) sword school and Battojutsu (cutting on the draw and real traditional fighting skills). So early in 1990 he began training with Kancho (Head of Family) Kenshinsai Machida, a renowned Japanese Sword Grandmaster of several systems. Richard received a Chudan level makimono scroll in Enshin Ryu Iaido and BattoJutsu, and a nidan level in Takeda Ryu Aikido in a short time. In March 2001 Richard was the first non-Japanese person to be awarded the Shoden level makimono in Muso Tenshin Ryu Iaijutsu (universal heart sword school) from Grandmaster Kenshinsai Machida. In March 2003 he was awarded Chuden Mokuroku level (5th dan) in Muso Ikken Ryu Batto Jutsu from Kancho Machida, the highest rank issued to anyone outside of Japan. A beautiful handwritten densho scroll was also transmitted during a Mikkyo ritual ceremony.
“Be Happy” and “Make it Better” are his mottos.
Take the Next Step to the Next Level of Your Life
Whether you want to just be taken to the Next Level in your life or you need a radical Paradigm Shift now, I am here waiting to assist you in that experience.