2015 - NinZine 3.0

A New Beginning and a New Bujinkan Shodan in My Dojo

Michael GlennJune 10, 2015June 10, 2015

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael Glenn

The Belt Exchange, Michael Glenn promotes Jesse to Shodan

Yesterday a new 初段 shodan was born in my dojo. My student Jesse proved that he has what it takes both with technique and heart. But he also showed something more which proves his understanding of what it means to be a Bujinkan Shodan.

I don’t give out rank easily. As the day grew closer for Jesse’s initiation, I checked my records to see when he started training. I was very surprised to see that he began exactly 5 years ago! I hadn’t planned for his black belt to fall on that anniversary, but sometimes everything lines up just right.

Jesse doesn’t know yet what it means to be a black belt in the Bujinkan. And of course everyone’s experience is different. I wrote an entire series about the black belt ranks that begins here: Bujinkan Shodan 初段: Searching for the Bull

For me personally, It was a new beginning. It took me a lot longer than five years to get my black belt. Getting there symbolized a re-dedication to the passion I had for Bujinkan training that began in my youth. But also a more mature relationship with training and how it fit into my life.

I have watched some of the same things happen for Jesse. But in ways unique to him. The kind of training we do means that Jesse has had to grow as a person to improve with the martial art.

This is because there is an invisible barrier in the Bujinkan. It is found in your own heart. If you don’t find it and discard it, learning (and often training itself) comes to a stop.

I watched Jesse struggle over the past five years to find that and discard it. It was clear when he did. And his training improved. Now he is a strong example for the younger students. He is also a great reflection to remind the senior students where they’ve been and what training is all about.

Shodan means beginner level. As Jesse’s teacher I personally guarantee that Jesse has well begun! Thank you Jesse and Ganbatte!… Read More

Motståndare

IwatoJune 5, 2015

From Sida 14 – Iwato 1810 by Iwato

Det finns två slags motståndare; yttre och inre.
De kan vara både kända och okända för dig.
Även om det försiggår tyst, så kämpar du varje dag med både yttre och inre motståndare.
Motståndare kan vara farliga, de kallar vi för fiender – teki. En del förnekar att det finns motståndare. Reaktionen att dra täcket över huvudet kallas hakarai på japanska, eller undertryckande, reaktionen att inte bry sig heter akirame, resignation.

En krigare reagerar helt annorlunda. Han undertycker inte det faktum att han har en motståndare och inte heller förlikar han sig med detta faktum. En krigare intar den framåtvända stridspositionen. Han vänder sig mot motståndaren och intar sin position med balans och tålmodighet till det är dags att ta initiativet.
Att inta den framåtvända positionen inom livets alla områden tillhör krigarens anda och livsstil. Om det finns motståndare, inre eller yttre, tag dig an dem, konfrontera dem, hur hemska, skräckinjagande eller mäktiga de än är.
Möt modigt det som finns där ute, möt dig själv med alla dina rädslor, bekymmer och besvikelser. Den tid kommer då du måste eliminera det du har framför dig, men först måste du erkänna att det finns där.
Stå lätt och se det i vitögat, håll huvudet högt, blicka framåt.

Inom stridskonsten räknas fysisk förmåga som fjärde viktigaste komponenten, mod som tredje viktigaste, fotarbete som det andra och ögonen som det viktigaste.
Krigaren har två sätt att se, kan och ken. Ken är att se; kan är att förnimma.

En skicklig krigare ser verkligheten som den är. Motsatsen är gen, illusion. Illusionen består oftast av att man tror att motståndaren är en yttre när den i verkligheten är ett inre. Alla motståndare som är okända betraktas också som illusioner. Att forcera är oftast tecken på gen. Självbedrägeri är ett annat ord för genjutsu.

Beklaga dig inte när du finner en motståndare. Du är en krigare, du kan finna nöje i striden, till och med glädje.

”Du kan hindra din motståndare från att besegra dig genom försvar, men du kan inte besegra honom utan att gå till anfall.” Ur Sun Tzu.…

What if I Give Everyone in the World Bujinkan Rank?

Michael GlennJune 4, 2015June 4, 2015

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Michael Glenn

The Crowded Path to 弁天堂 Benten-dō, photo by Michael Glenn

This could be one of my silly or offensive posts. But, you may already know my personal feelings about Bujinkan Rank. Or, about how long it takes to get a Bujinkan Black Belt.

I remember when Hatsumi Sensei marked the occasion when he awarded the 3000th godan. We all stood and applauded. That was some years ago. He recently said there were 400,000 Bujinkan members worldwide. That seems like a lot.

So what if I just promote everyone in the world? I'll make up my own rank and promote everyone because I think my (fake) numbers may surprise you. I'll call my fake rank the "Rojodojo Bujinkan Level."

Out of an estimated 7 billion people on earth, what is Your Rojodojo Bujinkan level?

(my made up levels are not proven by science, so don’t check my math too close)

Rojodojo Bujinkan level 0

about 5 billion people (about 70% of the population)
These are people who have never heard of martial arts or don’t care

Rojodojo Bujinkan level 1

about a billion people (about 15% of the population)
People who like martial arts movies.
Maybe learned a technique from their friend.
Called a dojo once to check prices.

Rojodojo Bujinkan level 2

about 100 million people (about 1.5% of the population)
People who took a martial arts class when they were a kid.
Or studied a couple weeks at the gym.
Maybe they bought a book.

Rojodojo Bujinkan level 3

about 10 million people (about 0.15% of the population)
Someone who achieved rank in a martial art or studied more seriously as an adult.
Still probably never heard of the Bujinkan.

Rojodojo Bujinkan level 4

about a million people
These people are actively studying a martial art.
Some have even heard of the Bujinkan.

Rojodojo Bujinkan level 5

about 100,000 people
People who actively study the Bujinkan.

Hatsumi Sensei says it’s more than this, but most Bujinkan members haven’t even trained once this month. And to me, once a month is not very active.

Rojodojo Bujinkan level 6

about 10,000 people
Have reached Shidoshi level or close to it.
Some even run their own dojos.
Maybe they visit Japan occasionally.

Rojodojo Bujinkan level 7

about a thousand people
Jugodan ranks.
There may be more or less, but it’s growing close to this number.
Some are actively training/teaching. Some are not.
Some have died and we miss them.

Rojodojo Bujinkan level 8

about 100 people
Shihan.
People who are top rank and actually know what they are doing.

That’s 100 people in the whole world!

Rojodojo Bujinkan level 9

about 10 people
the teachers I train with in Japan.

Rojodojo Bujinkan level 10

Hatsumi Sensei

(since this is my list, I can put whoever I want on top)

You might notice that if someone is one or two levels above you, they seem cool. Three levels above and they start to seem a bit strange. If you examine someone four or five levels above, they are just crazy. Anybody above that, you should just run away from them.

Going the other direction, people one level below you seem ignorant. Two levels below are assholes. Beyond that, are they even alive? I mean can they fog a mirror?

Do you think my numbers are even close? Where do you fit in there?… Read More

Sayonara Nihon

kumafrJune 1, 2015

From Shiro Kuma's Blog by kumafr

This was an excellent trip full of new insights, discoveries, and friendship.

I trained for the first time in the new honbu dōjō. I like it.
I met old friends and exchanged a lot.
Sensei’s classes are brilliant as usual and full of subtle points and concepts: Karada gaeshi, ishitobashi, sanbon, Nuki gaeshi.
I enjoyed training with the Dai Shihan: Senō, Nagato, and Noguchi and revisit the denshō with their eyes.

But above all I enjoyed the privilege of spending some time with our Sōke in Saitama, and in Noda.

Thank you for the bears.
I’ll be back at the end of July after the Paris Taikai. (1)

Sayonara
_________________
1. Paris Taikai 2015: 3 days of training with Pedro, Peter, Sven, and Arnaud. Saturday 11th, Sunday 12th , and Monday 13th of July.
Registration: http://www.budomart.eu

Bujinkan Is History

kumafrMay 29, 2015

From Shiro Kuma's Blog by kumafr

Yesterday I had dinner with Yuji Kogure, Quest Videos CEO, and we spoke about the importance of History to understand what is the Bujinkan.

The Tsurugi was a major step in our training as it linked the ancient past to the modern world. Since Sensei explained that the Tsurugi was the origin of the Sanshin no kata, we were able to link the evolution of sword warfare: Tsurugi, Tachi, Katana.

The Tachi created during the Heian period (end of 10th century) was “en vogue” during the warring states period. The use of the Tachi lasted, more or less until unification was completed by Tokugawa Ieyasu after his victory at the Battle of Sekigahara (1600).

Then the katana took over when wearing a Yoroi was not so common (peace time = no need for Yoroi). Before that, during the warring states periods: Kamakura jidai, Muromachi jidai, and Azuchi Momoyama jidai, (roughly 1185-1600), the Yoroi was needed. The Bujinkan techniques were developed during these four centuries of nearly permanent warfare. (2)

In those times, a young Samurai was considered an adult at fifteen (元服), so his training had to begin at an early age. (3)
Symbolically we have 15 Dan ranks in the Bujinkan for the same reason. (4)
So the Japanese Samurai of that time had to solve the following problem:
“how to teach battlefield techniques to young kids?”
And they came up with a simple answer: they invented taijutsu!

On the battlefield, a soldier always has weapons, unarmed combat (even in today’s armies) is therefore very rare. What they did was stripping the battlefield techniques of the Yoroi and weapons, and teach them as Taijutsu to the future samurai.

This is understandable for many reasons:
1. Yoroi is expensive and heavy
2. Weapons are expensive and heavy
3. And if kids had a Yoroi fitting their body, they would not be able to learn the forms because of the weight.

So what we call taijutsu today was in fact battlefield techniques mimicking the movements you have when wearing the Yoroi and the weapons. I’m sure that many of you wondered once why some of the waza do not seem “logical”? They don’t seem logical because they are missing the Yoroi and the weapons.

Since last year, I have revisited many waza with Yoroi and weapons (sword in the right hand and Yari in the left), and I understood a lot. The apparent lack of logic in them vanishes when you are wearing the full equipment. In my dōjō, we always have one or two students training with Yoroi, and the benefits are amazing, even to the observers. If you have a Yoroi, please use it, don’t let it rust in a corner. Use it and you will be surprised to see how the Yoroi can teach you correct taijutsu and proper footwork.

This bears three conclusions:
1. Densho are made of sets of simple techniques because they are designed for kids.
2. Waza are fighting techniques simplified to prepare the young samurai to enter the battlefield.
3. Taijutsu was invented for that purpose.

During the Edo Jidai (1603-1868), there were no more battles (nearly), peace was established and the waza evolved into techniques to be used in duels and unarmed Taijutsu. This is also when they began to cut with the sword. Before peacetime, it was impossible because of the yoroi. (5)

What we do in the dōjō reflects this evolution. But if you want to improve your skills, you have to study what I consider to be the foundation of our art: those four centuries of warfare that created our techniques. This reason is why I consider History to be so important. Teachers, please teach Japanese history during your classes. It will help your student improve their skills and also understand why the Bujinkan is not a sport.

__________________
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heian_period
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamakura_period
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muromachi_period
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azuchi%E2%80%93Momoyama_period
3. 元服げんぷく ceremony of attaining manhood
4. “In the Shinto faith, boys were taken to the shrine of their patron deity at approximately 14 years old. They were then given adult clothes and a new haircut. This was called Genpuku.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming_of_age#Shinto
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edo_period