Be Creative
Recently, I was fortunate enough to be invited by Soke to attend his writer’s guild monthly party. At this event, I was surrounded by several artists, writers and various other creative types. It was an admirable experience to socialize with Soke outside of the typical Bujinkan event and learn more about this environment and how Soke interacts. Soke is truly revered by the creative crowd as an accomplished artist.
Soke mentioned several times that is it is important to surround yourself with creativity and to learn from this, allowing it to influence your study of Budo and ultimately your life. Without creativity, there is no life.
If you look at the history of the Bugeisha you will see a constant connection to the arts. In fact, the warrior class in Japan were as equally adept at Budo as they were with the other non military arts, such as tea, Ikebana, calligraphy, sumie, etc. There are tremendous parallels in Budo and the creative arts, both paths equally seek and accomplish to polish the heart and allow for egoless inward reflection of self. Creative expression of the Bugeisha is critical, and fortunately the majority of that expression is peaceful.
For the Budoka, the creative means are the ability to innately control the space in a time of conflict. This is no different from a painter who fills the blank canvas with the colors of the pallet, or a writer who fills the pages with a story, or a musician who fills the hall with a beautiful melody. The aspect of space is equally important in all cases.
We cannot forget that in all things the process of internalization takes a lifetime, and the most accomplished artist will be the first to admit that what is truly achieved is nothing and just a start of a new path that leads to another level of discovery. The only way to stay true to the path is to constantly and diligently maintain a focus on training and practice.
Truly, human kind is at its best in a time of creation, and expression is critical to experiencing the fullness of life.
Be creative in your Budo, but be true to yourself as well. Nothing cannot come from nothing, it must come from something.
Bufu Ikkan
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About
My name is Doug Wilson, originally from the US (CA). I have been studying martial arts for almost 30 years, 20+ of those years in the Bujinkan. I have spent 14 of those years in Japan training at the Hombu Dojo. I act as a main interpreter for the Hombu Dojo and have co-translated the above books by Hatsumi Soke, released by Kodansha International. I feel that the time is right to provide my acquired information to the Bujinkan public about training in Japan. I guess I can say from my unique position and close proximity to Soke, I can provide a perspective that most can not. Here, I will post what I have recently learned, translated, experienced, and interpreted as well as been told to say. Some may find the content to be too direct or controversial. It is not meant to be, it is the truth provided in a “zero” way to those people who are interested in hearing it. It is not a place designed to draw fire from those who live online, expending energy arguing about things that mean nothing. I am a student of Hatsumi Soke and this is MY perspective. I hope to provide an insight to the dedicated practitioners of Hatsumi Soke’s Budo and the Bujinkan.
Doug Wilson-15th Dan, Bujinkan Hombu Dojo
*Profile photo by Sheila*
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Nicely put Doug – Your thoughts expressed through this medium itself is creativity. Accompanying Soke outside the Bujinden (atmosphere) is a wonderful opportunity. Thanks for the post.
Agreed! Very nice!
Thanks Doug, that article made me think how much budo and art are related to each other and how the two can co-exist with each other. Very good observation on your end and expressing it here in this forum.
It’s always great knowing things about soke’s life outside of Bujinkan, specially for us that are on the outside of Japan. Very nice article Doug and thank you so much for sharing it.
… as one of my professors and a dear friend said “creativity is the ultimate manifestation of freedom”
Being a musician and graphic artist I’ve always seen and experienced a clear connection between budo and the creative arts.
As so eloquently suggested by you Doug, the fundamentals of our budo are our pallet and the space is our canvas. Just as the notes, scales, and chord progressions a musician spends countless hours internalizing are akin to our forms, sanshin, and kihon. When taken alone and performed repeatedly as practice or as a training exercises, they are not music in and of themselves, but a well practiced musician who’s internalized these skills, basic principals, and theories can fill the biggest of spaces with beautiful and “original” music.
Often I hear comments that Taijutsu by nature looks and is performed differently from person to person due to many varying body types. i.e. “One persons Taijutsu won’t exactly mirror another’s“. And while I agree with this, I think that some people take this too literally at a basic level. My feeling is that my scales, chords, or progressions SHOULD look and sound like anyone else’s. BUT when I use them to make music, my song will be “my” song and it will be an original song. My blue paint is the same as anyone else’s but the painting I create will certainly not be.
Just a thank you and some thoughts.
Regards
Anthony Rocha