Kata is a study of proper basics and timing, but one must be aware that distance is affected by the generation and the relevant weapons used.  For the most part, the initial distance of typical Bujinkan taijutsu training is off, as it is attached to a traditional attack.  The real question is can you alter this?  Can you still control in a nontraditional setting?  I think in order to assure that your training will protect you in a present day situation you cannot afford to not play with different and relevant distances.  I’m my humble opinion, the most critical aspect of martial arts is distance anyway, so it must be played with in a realistic applicable situation.

Our martial tradition has come far not based on technique, but evolution of a timeless mindset.  Technique must evolve with the times and the elements in place.  Why does most of what we see in the Bujikan today look like the pages of a history book?  It seems that more and more this is relied upon, there is a lack of real world ability.  I’m not suggesting that we cast out the basics, but I’m suggesting that the 15th Dan generation consider the words of Soke and seek to establish personal capability and not associate oneself to something packaged or given.

Who cares if the attacker does not adhere to the specifics of the traditional attack or the steps of the kata. Soke challenges us every day to question this, so why are we not?

The Bujinkan is not a traditional martial art, but a timeless one.

Bufu Ikkan-The martial wind flows with the times, not through them.

Soke has recently spoke of this concept in detail and I personally believe that this is one of the most important lessons in the study of Hatsumi sensei’s mindset.  It could be said that being capable of knowing all possibilities, a juppo sessho mindset, is singularly one of the most important aspects of the mastery of martial arts and life in general.  Furthermore, this is banpenfugyo and the aspect of fudoshin 不動心or heijyoshin平常心.

Soke also went as far as to say that the Bujinkan should not be considered the ultimate martial art, as it is the mindset wherein the value exists.  Over the course of history, all cultures and countries posses their own fighting styles.  The fighting style is not the point of strength, but the mindset in how one fights or controls is where the true strength lies.  Having Soke say this outright was inspiring and makes perfect and natural sense.  In my training, I  too have come to believe that the Bujinkan style should not be considered superior, but the mindset combined with the freedom of correct movement is superior.  I also feel that this aspect is becoming more and more out of balance as further Bujinkan “product” is released into the market.  The responsibility of the 15th Dan is that of the next one and goes beyond the Bujinkan.

In Soke’s message it is my understanding this we must proceed with our training in such a way that we are constantly keeping the next one in mind, or in similar sense, all possibilities. This mindset must permeate all aspects of training and life- Shingitai.

If we begin with the simple context of physical training, then we need to start with basic and natural movement for the purpose of self defense.  It surprises me to see practitioners, even senior practitioners, moving in such a way that disrupts their own balance, resulting in a position which clearly limits freedom and a can be considered a position of danger.  This is basic and natural.  We must always strive to observe our own movement and be the most critical when it comes to our own training.  Simply moving in such a way determined to be correct, or of the Bujinkan style, is not protecting the mindset of the next one.

This mindset should accompany the study of taijutsu and must permeate your life.  Bujinkan practitioners are not war makers, but peace makers.  This is the ultimate goal according to Soke and one of the key reasons for anyone to choose to pursue this particular martial art.  Therefore, it is critical to train towards finding this aspect of peace, first within oneself, before it can be passed on or taught.  Striving to change the world at the sacrifice of self is not practicing self defense.  We must strike a balance in self and others in order to best prepare self and others for the next one.

This may be a large responsibility that goes beyond ego, as it naturally should.  Can the ego truly be controlled or eliminated?  I think not, as it is human nature to be egotistical, but it is the eternal fight to keep it in control and balance that allows perseverance and awareness of the next one.

Bufu Ikkan-聖龍

So what is the kaname?  It is the ever moving critical point of the matter like an atom in space, once there then gone, as fast as it has appeared.  This is not something that can be controlled, but simply known.

Better yet is to exercise the art of banpenfugyou as the kaname is banpen and therefore requires the heart of fugyo.

Soke always says that what is important is the next one.  Once the next one comes then there is already the next one.  Like facing the waves of the never ending ocean.  We need to cultivate legs of Takagiyoshin-ever capable of bending and flow.

The gokui is not an aspect of technique as technique will almost always fail.  The gokui is that there is no gokui.  There is only the keep going.

Seiryu 聖龍

For details please see the below link

http://arashi-dojo.de/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/doug_wilson_goettingen.pdf

Looking at lessons received by inspirational leaders in the martial arts, I have come to realize that the key to -winning- is to not be a catalyst for conflict nor to allow the self to act on what might deem as an attack, ego or physical.

To feel and to think is human nature, and not something that can be easily avoided, but action is something that can be controlled.  So, if one is to adeptly control ones space, I believe that the key is to practice more self-control. 

In my many years in pursuit of the secrets of the martial arts, interestingly there remain only a very few things that continue to ring aloud in my consciousness: There is NO Secret and don’t allow the self to become a target.  This does not mean go on strike with the human need to self promote, but a guideline in how to do so wisely. 

Self promotion is the way of our world in the present day, but how we do so and how we conduct ourselves should not result in surprise or disgust when we observe how others perceive or respond.  Often the basis for the reaction is most likely ego driven, or even more so a direct result of the lack of patience generated from the previous over-input of ourselves.  People tend to be patient and even tolerant, but when the basin overflows, it is not always due to the lack of patience, but due to our own inability to control the flow.

If your goal is to be an ethical warrior then one must actually integrate and practice ethics, otherwise the shell that we form will crumble away quickly leaving one scrambling again to quickly justify or hide the actual inner-self.  If it is not from within, it is without.

Bampenfugyo should be a mantle to remind us not to be surprised, but it is funny how human nature is still so surprising. Would you rather be remembered for how you stand or what you stand for?  Interesting question as many attempt stand for something, but cannot stand anything.

I still believe that it may be possible to be a warrior without the need for the limelight or recognition. However, this requires the confidence and inner peace to know that greatness is not a matter of technique, but simply a matter of the heart. 

 Bufu Ikkan

 Doug Wilson will be in the USA leading a martial arts seminar focusing on effective kihon of budo taijutsu and the aspects of distance angles and timing.  Doug will be joined by other instructors throughout the day.  Living and working inJapan gives Doug a unique training perspective, both as a student and translator for Hatsumi Sensei.  The seminar is open to all participants, beginner to advanced.

 Date:  Saturday, February 11, 2012

Time: 12:30-5:30pm (registration, 11:45am)

Cost: $75 (cash at the door)

Location:  Kaizen Martial Arts,

1101 Plumber Way, Suite 106

Roseville,CA 95678

(Near I-80 andTaylor Rd.)

Bring:  Water, snacks, gi or easy to move-in workout clothes, bokken and other training tools – NO REAL WEAPONS.

 About the instructor:

Doug Wilson has been involved in martial arts for more than 30 years, with over 25 years in the Bujinkan.  Originally fromCalifornia’s Bay Area, he is one of the few residents ofJapanthat has been training consistently at the Hombu Dojo for more than 15 years.  

 Doug began his Bujinkan training under the direction of the Stockton Bujinkan Dojo in the early 1980′s.  He moved toJapanafter graduating fromSan DiegoStateUniversitywith a degree in International Business focusing onJapan.  Doug’s first experience living in the country was tenure as an exchange student, during which he spent the majority of his training time with Oguri Shihan and also attending Hombu Dojo training. 

 Doug often acts as the translator for Hatsumi Soke at training events and has co-translated several of the books published by Soke in the last decade; he can be seen translating in various Bujinkan training and Daikomyosai videos over the years.  His proximity to Soke provides him with a unique perspective on training, and Doug prefers to act as a conduit to Soke’s teaching rather than teach himself.  While he is rarely available for seminars, those Doug have taught have been very well attended and received.

Doug’s unique take on Bujinkan Budo taijutsu stems from his “keep it real” mentality — focusing on keeping the training and aspects thereof as realistic as possible.  This training session will focus on effective kihon of budo taijutsu and the aspects of distance angles and timing.

 Please email any event questions:   ken”at”warriorfriend.com

 Please pass it on and see you there!

Note from Doug:  We will be going over the Shoden Gata of Takagi Yoshin Ryu in Honor of Oguri Sensei.

Bufu Ikkan

We will study taijutsu and the ken in the new year of the divine dragon.

Kihon happo is finding the balance point of the kaname. 

Bufu Ikkan

It is true that hidden and abstract messages are where the true beauty exists in art. This is often the case with Hatsumi Sensei’s martial arts and teachings. I have somewhat come to understand this, only after almost two decades of translating and training by the side of Soke. In reality, how these messages are interpreted can play an integral and important part of the understanding of the Martial Arts in general.

In my last post on the Recent DKMS, I used several of these messages, some of my own and some of our Soke. For some reason, I feel compelled to explain these messages in further detail in hopes that it could spark a brighter light and further reveal the vast infiniteness of these Budo concepts. These messages are achieved due to the natural and convenience of the expression ability within the Japanese language. Japanese can truly be an abstract an ideal language for communicating feeling and potential, rather than directness.

空間の九勝/急所＝万変不驚

Let me start by speaking about the term “Kukan no Kyusho”. Soke, spoke of this concept several times at the DKMS. The correct characters for this would be空間の急所. However in the below title, I have suggested that the idea of Kyusho can also be expressed as “Nine Victories”, hinting to the concept of Win and Lose that Soke also spoke of on that first day under the autumn leaves. This also demonstrates the feeling of the concept of the Kukan being spherical or circler in nature, with the idea of infinite control. Nine being the number of ryuha in our lineage, as well as the magical number of the Ninja or that of Happo Biken. Either way, this must result in that of Fudoshin for the 15 Dan=The Rank of Banpenfugyo-No suprises!

Maki Mono=負物-負者

Before the DKMS, I had several conversations with Soke regarding the concept of scrolls and how there is no seeable possibility that they could house any real secrets, and that the relentless pursuit of such fictional secrets could eventually drive a man insane-my precious-Resulting in being lead down a losing path. I thought it was timely that Soke presented a few examples of the Maki Mono at the DKMS, revealing that there actually does exists some hidden bits of knowledge, but nothing that will immediately transform one into the ultimate warrior or rule out common uncommon sense. Therefore, playing with the sounds of Maki Mono, I have suggested the characters Make Mono負物-losing thing or Make Mono負者-losing person. The sounds are not exact, but close enough to not lose the image.

The balance of Kachi 勝and Make負

The two characters of of Kachi 勝and Make負combine to form the term “Shobu” or fight to the death. Soke also made reference to this concept on the first day, describing that in the early days of training, one will strive for the Kachi or the win and not even consider the idea of losing. The explanation was that once one reaches the age of 40 , they will need to seek balance and accept the idea of defeat. This is a basics example of all things in life where we strive to achieve something, then eventually allow ourselves to find a more simple or tranquil solution. This is an example of maturity, internalization of ability and ego control, in the sense that losing can actually be victory. One must seek balance in the concept of Shobu and those that only see it as a battle to the death still side on the need of sure victory to feel victorious. The wise warrior knows that a Win/Win is far better as losing can be winning.

This is also brings me to an opportunity to further explain this concept of the “melancholic warrior”. Yes, this concept was mentioned and the warrior path can be lonely in the sense that it is more often than not, misunderstood. However, it should not be forgotten that it is not a jidai drama and it carries great responsibility to walk this lonely path. Lonely, because not many will have the courage to walk it. It is a choice to accept the responsibility of protecting self and others. It is a choice to take action to improve humanity and strive to make the world a better place. Soke often states that you should not study martial arts if you are afraid of injury or dying. We must learn to make the world a better place through the study of Budo, without injuring, but empowering others. Therefore, as lonely this path may be, it is a dignified and worthy path if you chose to walk it justly and empower others to follow.

Lastly, as we view the world in the prismatic way of the Dragonfly, the kachimushi or victorious bug, we kachimushi- 勝ち無視=Ignore the need for personal victory.

Bufu Ikkan

I must say that the overall feeling this year was light and warm despite the cold, as Soke shared many things with the participants that are not often made public.  Soke shared is collection of Budo History and artifacts that has the potential to even make the most renowned martial scholar jealous.  According to Soke, the point of  this sharing event was to show what a maki mono 負物・負者  is and to demonstrate that even if you can read them, the secrets are unclear or nonexistent without a lifetime of practice.  The wisdom does exist from another time, but the Budo path is not a sure road to victory.  One lesson is that one must learn the balance of Kachi 勝and Make負.  These are the elements that make up the term Shobu, but as in the cliché-to win can be to lose and vice versa.  The martial path is not a true path of victory, and remains the lonely path of that of the melancholic warrior.

It is clear to me that there is no ultimate martial art and there is no special technique or secret.  It is the mindset that is the treasure of the Bujinkan, and this combined with proper and free taijutsu that is the winning combination.  Our tradition is our value, and not the tradition that is written on scroll, but the rich experiences of our Soke and the fact that he does not teach, but simply inspires in us to seek our own truth.  This is true humanity, I feel.   As humans, we are weaker than our animal brother and sisters and we must strive to maintain our connection with nature to keep our training without flaw.

Those that focus or compare based on strength or power are incarcerated by their limited mindset.  The teachings of Hatsumi Soke free the mind to view the kukan in a prismatic way, through the eyes of the dragonfly, the kachimushi 勝ち無視.

Bufu Ikkan