Keep Going!

    

We have all heard these two words numerous times from Soke.  However, the big question is have you been constantly hearing these words over the course of the last 20 years? If you have not, then has your teacher?

 

Soke talks about the evolution of the Bujinkan and the necessity to keep going.  What does this mean, well, it means what it says, you keep going and keep training.  

The Bujinkan has evolved, and Soke has evolved.  It is natural, and in the course of things, expected.  What Soke was doing or saying 20 years ago, may be similar, but definitely not the same.  Things change.  Things evolve. This is natural.

 

There are too many people out there that say, “We used to do it this way”, or “the training has changed”. But they are missing the point.  Of course it was different back then, but does that really matter if we keep going?

 

What we learn is just a flash in the instance of time and it is gone.  But that’s ok, because we will have another chance to learn if you keep going.. Maybe not the same exact thing, but that’s what is natural about this art, the similar things may happen, but it is not entirely the same. Could Leonardo da Vinci paint the Mona Lisa twice, exactly the same? This is an art from that we are pursuing.  Each moment, each technique, each experience is a unique one and that’s why is it better.  So, unless you keep going, how do you expect to improve?

 

Life is naturally evolving.  Therefore, we must remain natural to evolve naturally.  Don’t fixate on something, because it will deviate you from the natural path.  The natural path is the correct one, because it is natural.

 

Too many have given up on “keep going”.  Too many criticize what was then, but they have no clue of what is now.  Too many think they have it and run away to teach it.  But how much time have they really put in?  They are cheating themselves and cheating their students. Because this is a life art, it takes a lifetime to master.  If you stop the flow of time and try to control something, it will naturally mutate into the stagnant surroundings that have been created by the lack of naturalness.

Too many chase what they think is the truth.  They package it and sell it, and teach it. Soke is the first to say that it is different and infinite.  But in order to get there you need a lifetime of experience.  Too many seek the easy route…seek only the material knowledge of technique. Well at least they have something to show for their effort.  But is this a physical art? 

Soke does not teach.  He inspires.  Inspiration is the catalyst that is needed for one to find their own path.  Once you find that path, then just keep going.  Its that simple.

Do you doubt?

    

A very important point was made by Noguchi Shihan a few weeks ago. This comment has rang through my mind, and I’m compelled to write about it now.

 

Noguchi Shihan told us that “if you doubt your technique or ability, then you should just leave”.  At first glance, this may seem like a harsh comment, but it maybe one that will save your life.

 

Confidence is a very important aspect if not the most important aspect of martial arts and combat.  In budo, we have the specific term “Shin Gi Tai” that refers to the 3 aspects of mind, body and spirit or a more direct translation of Mind, technique and body.  All 3 must be in alignment for mastery of a martial art. Without the confidence of mind then the other two will not follow.  How can you expect to be skilled if you don’t have the confidence?

 

Soke often makes reference to “Luck” and how it works with us and against us in life.  Therefore, we must have the confidence that we will conjure only the “good” type of luck and not doubt the outcome.

 

As I stated before in an earlier post, technique is basic and should not be forgotten, but currently there is little value attached to technique. It is expected that one has trained long enough to understand this, or at least be training with someone who does.

 

If you are in a real conflict, you have to be 100% sure that you will succeed or you are handicapping yourself in a potential life or death situation.

 

I’m 100% confident that this is why Noguchi Shihan said, “if you doubt yourself or your technique then you should just leave”.  

In shinkengata, there is no room for doubt.  You must win, it is that simple.

This is Japan

    

     Sorry, I have been away on business and neglected the blog.  However, it hasn’t left my mind at all.  I have had so many positive comments and excellent response regarding the blog that I feel even more confident that this is the right thing to be doing..  Some people have contacted me interested in translating it into other languages such as Spanish and German.  I think that this is very good for the Bujinkan community, and energy in the right direction.  So, please keep an eye out for other languages.

 

Now on to my point… This is Japan…so it should be treated like Japan.  A very important point of being a budoka, or a ninja is blending in.  Unfortunately, in Japan, if you are not Japanese, you stick out like a black sheep amongst many white ones.  So what can we do to decrease the impact?

 

Please remember that we are training in a traditional martial art and despite the very unique openness of our Soke; there are still things that should be avoided.  The one that I feel like addressing today is the aspect of Tattoos. However, this is realted to all things and basic common sense can identify simliar things that should be avoided as well.

 

In the west tattoos are widely accepted and even seen as a form of fashion.  To have a tattoo is not necessary attached to a fixed idea, but in Japan, even though not always spoken of, this is not the case.

 

Japan is becoming more and more westernized and more and more forgiving, however having a tattoo is still a sign of someone being attached to some criminal element.  In history, those that are sporting tattoos are considered to be part of Japan’s criminal organization or the Yakuza.

 

So, the Bujinkan, being a martial art that strictly prohibits the teaching of criminals, is difinately not the place to sport a tattoos.  Now, when I say sport a tattoos, I’m referring to the decision you make in how much you show in training.  The typically accepted Bujinkan training wear is a pair of Gi pants, a belt and a t-shirt.  But if you have many tattoos and wear a tank top, you are being insensitive and disrespectful to the art, our soke, the Shihan and Japan in general.  Some will have the additude of “this is no big deal” or “i don’t care”. Well, unfortunatley if this is the case, then it is better if that person just not come to Japan.  Becuase this additude is not welcome.

 

Again, I will reiterate that we have the most open Japanese teacher of Japanese martial arts, but why make yourself a target.

 

Now, I’m not writing this because I detest tattoos, I’m writing this because we as a community need to be more respectful of our teacher and the culture of Japan. It is up to us to preserve this martial art. Soke is not traveling the world to teach, so we must come here to train with him and in my opinion too many people are not sensitive enough to the fact that this is Japan and think that they are here just for the training and ignore the surrounding environment.

 

For the goodness of our reputation and for the Bujinkan, consider being considerate.  Agian this is by no means limited to tattoos, but too sensitivity to Japanese culture in general and furthermore the basics to blending with your surroundings a very exterme basic of Ninpo.

 

Soke is constantly teaching us how to NOT make ourselves a target.  Try putting that teaching to use, it will make a difference for the individual and the Bujinkan Community.

   

“Bujinkan Community”

 

     Last night I told Soke about this blog.  I wanted him to know that I was writing since he has told me so many times before to do so. He was happy to hear about it and said that it is important for the community of the Bujinkan.  He has talked about this many times before, and I feel that this has become a more significant need for the future of the Bujinkan.  

It seems that many of the past politics have become less of a problem.  I think that this is because people have matured and are more confident in their abilities and there is less of a feeling of need of competition between Shidoshi.

 

This is a real accomplishment, because the future of this art is in our hands.  In the future, coming together for training will be important to maintain consistency for what is being taught in Japan.  Soke is currently not traveling overseas now and not everyone can make the trip to Japan.

 

Some recent events (and not so recent events) around the world are evident of this Bujinkan community that come to mind are the Aussie Taikai that turned out to be a very successful and positive event from what I hear.  There is also the Buyu camp in CA and the east coast as well as other events.

 

These types of events are going to become more and more important for the Bujinkan and Soke is putting strong emphasis on this sense of community.

 

I recently felt that this was true at the last seminar in CA that was hosted by my long time Buyu, Ken Lux in Granite Bay CA.  There were several people attending from the local (and not so local) Dojo’s and the sense of community was very strong.  When I got back to Japan, I wasted no time in letting Soke know about this training and named all the Shidoshi who attended. Many of them are my sempai from the early days of the Stockton Dojo.  He again, emphasized that this is very important for the future of the Bujinkan.

 

I strongly urge people to take advantage and participate in training events that are in the positive direction of this aspect of community as much as possible.  It’s not only important for individual training, but for the future of the Bujinkan.

  

Play!

    

     Last night Soke re-emphasized a very important point that he has been talking about for years. When he first visited the USA, he used the word “play” to give practitioners to cue to start training.  This word is very significant according to Soke and carries deep meaning in how we should be training and our thinking of taijutsu. 

To play is to be childlike, and to remain “sunao”, or in English, pure.  This way intention remains pure and your heart is always zero.  We play in our training as a child does, to explore innocently our world of Budo. This also refers to, as Soke has stated many times this year, “the room for play” in taijutsu.  This is similar to the aspect of being zero and “free” as Soke often states.  

In this year’s theme of Kukishin Ryu, we are working on developing this room for “play”.  This also incorporates the ability to seamlessly incorporate the use of weapons into taijutsu. And just for further clarification, weapons in the Bujinkan definition are basically anything, and not fixed on common sense perception of what a weapon is.  We are taught that anything is a weapon and therefore our common sense falls into what is conceived as uncommon sense. 

Please find and maintain room for play in your life and in your taijutsu.  This is a very strong hint to discovering what Hatsumi Soke is currently teaching. 

Is the world full of victims or warriors?

 

This may come off as controversial, but hey, that is one reason I decided to create this blog.

A month ago, I took my family back to the US for a visit and it was just as the shooting incident happened at Virginia Tech. 

 I was shocked to hear about the incident, just as anyone else would be, and saw it as a real tragedy.  I also listened to the majority of the people around me who said “that’s why we need gun control, to stop these types of things” Well; I see it another way… 

I can’t help wondering why a guy with a handgun can shoot 32 people without anyone doing something to stop him.  I realize that this may sound easier that it seems, but with a handgun, you have to reload and there must have been some opportunity to take action.  Or, if there was just a few people involved who had been trained in something real, may have been useful to stop him. Maybe a few lives could have been saved.  I realize that there are many “what if’s” here, but I hope that maybe someday the teachings of the Bujinkan will spread to enough good people that someone trained and capable will be there next time to stop these tragedies.  Maybe a perfect world, but I think Soke is right when he says we need to focus on survival more and more these days.

 

Think of it this way, one armed kid who is trained and responsible, could have saved 32 lives.  Pardon me for thinking this way.  But I choose not to be a victim.

Are you a collector?

 

Soke often says “if you focus only on the waza, you will become only a collector of waza”.  I believe that this is a comment that we have all heard numerous times.

 

I think the global point here, if you are not sure, is that fixation or attachment will weaken you as a budoka.  What we seek and strive for in martial arts is “Internalization”. Without internalization, then what we have learned is useless to us.

 

Clearly, Soke has internalized this art and when it is internalized, it is real.  That is why we all train with him and not the karate master on the other side of the mat.  To internalize something takes many years of training.  So, if someone was to say “I know this art, or I’m good at it” I would say, well how long have you trained? That person might have strong taijutsu and look great, but internalization is a natural process and takes time and there is no shortcut.  I made this point in an earlier post about empty taijutsu.  Even if someone can look good, does not mean that their taijutsu is not empty.

 Back to the point about waza.  It is natural to want to collect the waza, because then you have something tangible.  When you have something tangible, then you can rely on it, sell it to others in a seminar and use it to get you somewhere.  But the truth is what we are seeking in this art is not tangible.  So beware of the desire to fixate on waza, and beware of those that will show you the waza.  With this fixation, there is a lack of internalization, and not what we are striving for if we are training with Hatsumi Soke.     

Are you off balance?

 

     Soke talks about balance quite a bit.  But was really does he mean by balance? Being a translator for Soke, I’m the first to say that some things are lost in translation, but words are the source of all evil according to Japanese Buddhism anyway.

 

Soke is off balance.  That’s right, his balance is off.  That’s why he is free to move.  He is at a point that can be free to go anywhere at anytime depending on the change of the attack of the opponent.  

Think about it.  If you look at Soke, his kamae, or even better said lack of kamae, is small, refined and unpredictable.  We were taught in the early days to have wide, stable kamae.  So stable that actually you really cannot move from this position.

 

So I urge all Bujinkan members to find your off balance point.  But don’t misunderstand this post in thinking that you can get there by shortcut.  The basics must be internalized before this works or makes sense.  You must first have a form to break; otherwise your taijutsu will be empty.

Being off balance also puts the opponent to a disadvantage and makes attacks and movement predictable.

Clearly one of the secrets of this art, or Budo in general, is to be in balance, off balance.

  

What is “Henka”?

 

     I had a conversation with Soke last night at Ayase training regarding the aspect of “Henka”. Due to the inspiration of this conversation, I have renamed my blog “Henka”

According to Soke, the aspect of Henka is not only critical to Budo and what we do, but to how we live our lives.  Many have heard the term “afraid of change” well that is essentially the point.  Those who are free to change or “Henka”, will survive in life, Budo and in combat.

 

We also had a discussion about the evolution or “Henka” of the Bujinkan.  Soke made it clear that those who have been training for many years have evolved with the Bujinkan and have endured the ““Henka””, therefore the current Shihan understand this term of “Henka” and have had real life experience with it.

Internalization of this is critical.

Those who have stopped training or stopped coming to Japan or training with a Shihan who regularly comes to Japan are lost.