New Years Resolute-Theme 2008
More than a week has passed since the first day for training 2008 and more than that has passed since my last post. I want to thank all the supporters of the blog for their kind comments and support; I will continue to express my thoughts and experiences here in 2008.
This year is year of the Rat in Japan, and the Rat plays in to the concept of the Ninja or Ninjutsu. This year we will study the concepts of Togakure Ryu and the mindset associated with Ninjutsu. Soke also mentioned that Kukishin will also continue to some degree.
So what will we study in the year of the Ninja Rat? Well, maybe that there is a thing such as truth and false hood and how that plays into our daily lives and training. For us in the Bujinkan, training is our daily lives.
Soke mentioned on the first day of training 2008 that Budo is a lifelong purist and to think that one has achieved a level in Budo or has “got it” has not. Budo is not something that can be developed academically pursued or deemed as knowledge. Budo is something that must be lived, experienced and absorbed via the senses. If you think you have it, it will most likely work against you and what you see with your eyes will often deceive you.
Soke often teaches this, and it is a lesson that many overlook. What you often see and perceive to be the truth is often not the truth and in order to learn the truth, you must learn to look in a different way. Additionally, there is focus on not showing what is the secret to the technique. Just as a good magician does not show the trick, the Ninja does not reveal the technique. What you see is not the technique. What might appear as losing, would be winning and what might appear as right, may well be wrong.
Therefore, in this year’s scroll (in the picture) Soke has written the words Menkyo Kaiden. Normally the characters would be 免許皆伝, but Soke has used different characters for “Kyo”and “Kai” as 免虚怪伝. The “Kyo” is the kanji for Kyojitsu and “Kai” is for mysterious.
Let the Year begin…
January 15, 2008 at 11:02 am
The only thing I can say is “Ninpo Ikkan”. Happy newyear and let’s all have a good year of training.
January 15, 2008 at 11:36 am
Thanks for your efforts to keep us abreast of what is going on there. Happy New Year to you!! Looking forward to your journal this year. Stu, Sean, Carl, Trevor, Ian, Gabe, and David.
January 15, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Thanks for the heads-up, Doug. Looks like I’m taking my folks in the right direction — I noticed in Noguchi sensei’s classes during the Daikomyosai period that he was already “Togakurizing” a lot of the henka he was showing to Kukishin kata. He wasn’t explicit about it though, you had to recognize and “steal” it.
I should be back over in mid-April, and look forward to seeing you again then. Some of my students may be able to make it a bit sooner than that.
Best always,
Dale
January 16, 2008 at 3:14 am
Thank you for taking the time to do all of this. I find myself checking back just about every now. Hope all is well.
January 16, 2008 at 9:44 am
HI Doug,
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and experiences with our Sôke.
In certain manner, for us that can go to Japan only one or twice a year, is a sort of umbilical cord with Sôke, fresh air from the Hombu, and this is highly appreciated.
I noticed that some buyu is translating your blog into spanish. That’s good news !
I permitted myself to translate this last post and put it in my blog: http://bushidojo.blogia.com/
Hope you don’t mind, like other times.
Best wishes.
See you soon in Japan (April or May)
Dani Esteban -Kôryu-
Bujinkan Bushi Dojo (Barcelona - Spain)
January 17, 2008 at 1:09 am
Hi Doug,
I appreciate the post as many do. After training in japan for the first time last October I thirst for a continued connection to Soke and the other Shihan. Your blog is just such a connection.
Loving your Work,
David
Koguma Dojo (VT-USA)
January 17, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Happy Year of the Rat to all Bujinkan members!
When you watch Hatsumi Sensei, you are watching the result, the end of a long training process. When you copy this result, you are still missing the lessons, the training and polishing that lead to it. It is like going to the top of a mountain with a helicopter, instead of learning how to do mountain climbing! Think about it.
I think this quote from Antoine de Saint Exupery defines perfectly the attitude we must have: “The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitude towards them” (in “Citadel”).
Arnaud Cousergue
January 24, 2008 at 3:57 am
Doug,
Thank you so much for the inspriations, sharings and insights of Soke’s teachings. I encourage you to write as often as you can to help those that cannot be there all the time to experience Soke transmitting his life art.
To me his teachings are about living a better life as much as it is about learning how to win a battle. The toughest battles most ever face is between their own 2 ears. The art of distancing also teaches us to distance ourselves from our emotions. Does it not?
Even though I have been training since the early 1980’s and going to Japan several times every year since then these insights you share are always valuable to me so I know that they are to others. You have become a voice to us all. Gambate.
Thank you,
Richard Van Donk
February 6, 2008 at 5:58 am
I was Born in the year of the Rat 1960 so was my son Dominic 1996 and his Mother 1972, a bunch of rats! i’ts go to be a good year for us!