Stephen K. Hayes Auto-Biography

First memory of encountering martial arts was a "Lassie" TV show in early 1950s, where a small Japanese boy used his martial arts training to defeat a gang of American farmyard bullies, and then restore their dislocated bones. You could learn such powers of "making there be rightness"; having the capacity for harming if forced, healing if permitted? I had to have that!

Began formal training in 1960s with returning Viet Nam War vets at Miami University karate club. James Bond movie and book references to ninja invisible warriors inspired me to reach beyond the limits of physical toughness training. There are realms of mind and even spiritual power in the martial arts? I had to have that!

Inspired by monk warriors on Kung-Fu TV show in early 1970s. Began searching for "a real teacher". Enlightened spiritual intelligence coupled with compassionate care for others on one hand, and awesome physical protective powers and skills on the other. There really is a tradition of mythic greatness based on timeless ideals of self-development and fullness of awakening human potential - martial arts as a religion? I had to have that!

Moved to Japan to find a school of the ninja warriors that had inspired me for so many years. Accepted for training at Togakure ryu grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi's home dojo with his 15 students. Appalled that so few people on earth would have access to what I was searching for. Vowed to share the timeless knowledge with as many people as possible. Surprised that my teacher was so unrecognized and under-appreciated - even by some of his own students. Vowed to make my teacher an international figure in the martial arts. As my way of showing my appreciation, I would make my teacher a god, and an independently wealthy god at that, in the eyes of his students. I had to do that!

Began writing books and teaching seminars around the world in early 1980s. Used public appearances as way of testing my skills and knowledge, transforming the abstract and stylized kihon fundamentals I had studied in Japan into actual combat-useful methods, and promoting the image and history of Masaaki Hatsumi. During years of travel and teaching, met many wonderful people, but learned far more than I ever expected - or really wanted to know - about the dark, weak, and depraved side of human nature as well. I was challenged by enemies and betrayed by friends who joined those enemies who worked to silence my voice. By the late 1980s, government agents were investigating actual murder plots against me. Retired from public attention.

Found myself accompanying His Holiness the Dalai Lama in a protective capacity through the 1990s. Moved and inspired by the presence of the kind of authentic greatness I had sought since childhood. Once again vowed to offer the ideals of the highest warrior path to other seekers like me who lived to embrace and embody the noblest of human aspirations. Made difficult decision to found SKH Quest Center in the late 1990s as a home for those who shared my passion for the quest of reaching for the highest of human fulfillment by means of recognizing and learning to deal with the lowest of human instincts. Through realistic and honest training in how to defend against the degenerate forces of those troubled enough to want to hurt others in order to feel pleasure, we can learn the principles for activating and unleashing the highest of our human possibilities.

Quest Center is founded on a very strong and bluntly stated code of mindful action - how to live a worthy life. You can't learn how to become a winner by spending all your time with losers. By spending time with proven role models who have been through the battles and can now demonstrate what powerful living looks like, we develop the momentum of accomplishment that leads to being winners in life ourselves. Still inspired to this day by original exaggerated images of intelligence, compassion, and strength that I saw in those TV shows, movies, and novels. There is a tradition of inspiration for people who long for the taste of mythic-level self-expansion in pursuit of an ideal so high that we never will surpass it? I had to have that!

I am still seeking it, and will do all I can to create such a tradition for myself and others.

Stephen K. Hayes