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Teja Bell - A martial artist making a difference
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Teja began his journey studying martial arts in 1965. Beginning with Judo and Kung Fu, his teacher was Tatsumo Makami (Sifu Makami passed away in 2005). Shortly thereafter, Teja included Yoga and Meditation studies with Sarah Plummer. In 1969 he branched off to explore Theosophy and Zen Meditation. And 1971 found him studying Aikido with Jeff Fox Sensei (a student of Akira Tohei Sensei)..jpg)
He received a black belt ranking in Tae Kwon Do Karate with In Mok Kim, a 9th degree black belt in that art. A younger Teja competed in tournaments and did full contact fighting. Yang Style Tai Chi and Qigong followed, taught by Li Leita--who was a lineage Master in the “Yang Style.” He continued his Aikido studies with Robert Nadeau Shihan and Frank Doran Shihan at City Aikido in San Francisco. During this time he notes that he “created a series of advanced training programs for students preparing for black belt level examinations as well as creating and teaching children’s Aikido program[s] at the old Tam Dojo-- what is now Aikido of Tamalpais. He also trained with the well-known Aikidoists Richard Strozzi-Heckler, Wendy Palmer Sensei and George Leonard Sensei. In 1984 he traveled to Japan where he studied with the late Saito Sensei and lived at the Iwama Dojo.
Upon returning to the States, Teja studied with Bruce Kumar Frantizis in “Chinese Internal Martial Arts” as well as Qigong. He learned six systems: Dragon and Tiger, Marriage of Heaven and Earth, Bend the Bow, Energy Gates, Spiraling Energy Body and Gods Playing in the Clouds. He also learned the three systems of Chinese internal martial arts: Wu Style (long form and short form), Xing-Yi and BaGua. He also studied with Sifu Paul Dillon, learning the esoteric martial art and meditation system known as “Liu He Ba Fa.” Under Sifu Dillon’s direction, Teja also trained in Neigong, Tai Chi Ruler as well as the “12 Animal” forms and “the complete and extensive two-part Long Form.” .jpg)
Teja has also taught a Low Impact form of Aikido that he calls "Reduced Impact Aikido.” He now holds the rank of 5th degree black belt in Aikido, awarded to him by Nadeau Sensei. He teaches on-going classes in Aikido, Meditation and Qigong and is a teacher of Dr. Richard Paul’s “Critical Thinking.” He is a regular teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and is the Martial Arts Instructor and Qigong Instructor at Hollow Bones Rinzai Zen Order.
Lest one think Teja is all martial arts and no play, he is also an accomplished professional musician, recording artist and record producer. His album “Dolphin Smiles” was the number 3 hit in the Billboard International and R & R charts in the Top Ten Contemporary Jazz Artists. “Dolphin Smiles” was rated the No. 1 “New Age Album” in Japan’s Musician Magazine. He has played with jazz greats Ahmad Jamal and Vince Delgado. He is the owner of Samurai Sound, located in Petaluma, CA, a full production-recording studio. He has composed the original theme music for DVDs by Mitsugi Satome Shidhan, Rancho Strozzi Institute and numerous other organization, dojos and teachers, including all the technical cues. (You can obtain a full discography and list of Samurai Sound’s productions by contacting Teja.)
Teja states: “I am committed to the lifelong pursuit and mastery of these disciplines, and to the ethical and empowering communication and transmission of their essential qualities, for the benefit of all sentient beings.”
For more information about Teja, a remarkable martial artist making a difference, and his work, please email him at tejabell@comcast.net.
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