Author: Bujinkan 40 Years in Europe

From 自然行雲流水 by 自然行雲流水

The ranks in the Bujinkan are for heart.
 
Those with the right heart will accept rank from their teacher without question.
The student, with their feeling of discomfort or inadequcey for their new rank, should then go away and train hard until they become worthy of the grade.
This is understanding Sakizuke.
 
This is the correct feeling to have when dealing with the Bujinkan grades.
 
Everyone in the Bujinkan receives rank based on Sakizuke ( attaining a rank before the actual skill/understanding is achieved ).
It is important to understand this and therefore not become concerned with ranking requirements to achieve a higher rank.
 
The Bujinkan is like an Organism, rather than an Organisation. It is alive and very natural.
Those that wish to control their dojo by creating set requirements, rules and obligations etc, often are going against natures way.
 
All we have to do is trust in Sokes manner of transmitting his budo and train hard to obtain Shin Gi Tai Ichi.
 
There are over 300 jugodan ranks in the Bujinkan world today. Soke has said that none of them are masters. His ranks are in "hope" that one day, some masters will sprout from this group.
 
Words based on recent thoughts sprouting from classes in Japan.
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From 自然行雲流水 by 自然行雲流水

At some point or the other, in our lives, we are too proud to accept others' points of view. We are too proud to admit that we had made a mistake, that we make mistakes. We are too proud to learn from someone whom we believe is less capable than us.
 
It is good, necessary in fact, to have self-belief. But believing in yourself means recognizing your own value, your own abilities. It does not mean believing that you are perfect. The fact of the matter is, even the richest and most talented people on earth have something to learn from a beggar.
 
Having too much pride inhibits our ability to learn, restricts our outlook towards life, and it actually also damages our relationships with others. Nobody likes a proud person. Being too arrogant builds a false image of who we are, giving the fake impression that we are infallible. One day, when this image crumbles, and it will, people lose faith in us, and we lose faith in ourselves.
 
Don`t Be Too Proud.
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From 自然行雲流水 by 自然行雲流水

Don’t rush to understand the teachings in the dojo. The most important thing is Bufu Ikkan!
 
To train in budo is to learn to understand how much you don’t understand! Many people would like to pass on their teachings as masters, however, for the majority of those within the Bujinkan, regardless of rank, they ( including me ) all need to keep training and worry about the roots and not the flowers.
 
Shoshin no Kamae - beginners attitude
 
In this era, we practise mainly from unarmed scenarios and from right handed attacks in fundamental practise. We commence from hidari shoshin no kamae to recieve the right handed attack with our right hand in boshi ken at our obi. In this era, we carry guns and other weapons or tools that are generally carried at the right hip for the right handed person.
In the era of the tachi, the samurai would have the tachi slung at the left hip and would control the saya by holding it in the hand with the thumb protruding in preperation to draw the sword. Hence, we have boshi ken at the left hip when performing the shoshin no kamae.
Budo is about weapons and therefore, weapon retention. The initial attacks we recieve when practising the Gogyo no kata can be seen as possible attempts to claim the opponents weapon. The parries are to disrupt this attempt and, give the tachi weilding person the time to draw. 
 
Soke has mentioned that the Bujinkan is the only art that changes with the times/era. The essence is maintained, while the techniques evolve with changes in weaponry and unarmed combat methods. Other arts don’t do this. These arts are stuck in a time slip ( if you will ) in history, and don’t change. Therefore, the art is dead and not functional in todays society a part from promoting tradition and physical and mental exercise.
 
Please closely think about this. ”Will the way you train in the dojo be effective in real life?” and ” Are your movements still based from basic structure, or evolving to protect against the modern day attacks of fast and skilled fighters?”
 
It is also important here not to tread too quickly in the art. The Bujinkan is a tradition and as practitioners we should maintain a strong value towards this while still being flexible to adapt the training to maintain our, and the arts survival for the next millenium. This in my eyes would be understanding Ninjutsu.
 
Therefore, please take into consideration the process of Shu Ha Ri. Maintain and acknowledge the importance of this "natural process of learning" . This process can be seen in a grander spectrum when we view the development of Soke from his days training with Takamatsu O sensei and the International Bujinkan Dojo now.
 
Many people move to avoid a strike with a large angled step. This is not only slow, but leaves your lead leg out as a target for a skilled kicker. This is where we have to look seriously at our dojo training. We face an era of sports fighting and highly trained athletes. We are not facing people in hakama or yoroi, of which slows ones movement. The type of weapons used are usually small and concealed weapons. Not that of large battlefield clubs and spears.
In regards to this, I`d like people to consider the many ways of training in a process of learning. For example: In the case of learning Kukishinden Ryu Dakentaijutsu, both Uke and Tori maintain low kamae ( moving from the lower body ). In the initial stages, you are in the SHU  level of training. There a set attacks and responces. Each member must follow their role. In this way, each person can get a better understanding and appreciation of tradition, culture, history and, a feeling for Japanese martial ARTS in general ( among much much more ).
Unfortunatly, we see the Tori attempting the form, but the Uke is running at them with a flurry of boxing style punches. How can Tori come to understand the basis of movement being taught, especialy if they are a beginniner? Both the Uke and Tori must be on the same page.They must know their part to engage in successfull learning and study. Soke has said that this relationship between uke and tori is like married life :)
Eventually, the training can change and move toward henka. This is a process of development and understanding. Nagato Sensei said the same thing recently. It is like school. If you miss some topics, you must go back and finish them before being able to graduate.
 
So, do not rush and be patient in the training. Try and find a good teacher and learn correctly. the teacher must also have a working knowledge of the Shu Ha Ri process as well. This process is not a strict one, just very natural and is developed through a good teacher/student relationship over time. In fact, the Bujinkan gradings can be viewed using this process of "natural knowing".
 
If you look at Nagato Sensei and Soke, they move very natural. They are often very up right and move with a "walking" - neutral feeling. Of course, there are many aspects and variables in training. I am but choosing an aspect that I feel is important to think about in regards to the evolution and continuation of the Bujinkan.
Soke and Nagato Sensei move their entire body from the attack and not just one part. Moving correctly is to control everything and have no openings. Distance, angles and timing are one and the same. They are in fact, when used correctly, our shield or guard. In conjunction with te sabaki, ashi sabaki and tai sabaki ( kamae ) we can control the upper and lower parts of the opponents body while maintaining correct distance ( kukan ) so we can use anything freely. 
 
People often say that the kihon happo katas are shinken gata. They try to show that they are. But, all they do is try and do it faster and stronger using the same form. This is not the point. The point is that each waza has specific lessons to be learned and that it should not be believed that the technique will be used as it is practised ( in a form ) in real life. In a real situation, you may at various moments, according to the dictative movements of the opponent, use many lessons from many waza. You may attempt an omote shuto, and then be forced back and held. From there you try to kick ( hicho ) but, you re blocked. You then move using jodan uke to avoid a counter strike. From there you hook the second punch and execute ganseki nage. As you can see, you are using many aspects of the katas, but not in any specific order or form. This is a very basic example of course.
From this, we can see that “henka” is what is crucial to understanding budo. It’s not about understanding the form and nothing but the form!
What I have described to you is in fact the training we do with the Shitenno and Soke. We are performing “randori” and are making use of the fundamentals of our art in more realistic situations.
Does this make sense?
 
Soke said recently ( again ) that there is no strong or weak. Entrust everything to Mu.
This is where All can be truly understood.
 
Be patient and keep going.
There is no rush! ( isoganai de )
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From 自然行雲流水 by 自然行雲流水

THINK BY YOURSELF
- By Soke Masaaki Hatsumi
 
In ancient times, a person who strve to learn budo would do individual keiko. After learning skills from his teacher, he trained himself to master those lessons. He had to have the determination to study through the techniques alone. Going into the mountains, he would repeat his solo training in nature, fighting with animals and trees.
These days, so many people forget to " go into the mountains." These people tend to desire the easy way out. If they are having problems that are complicated, they immediately ask someone older to solve it for them. Moreover, the elder gives them easy advice. Most people answer nicely because they think it would be good to help the situation along, but in fact, this often ends up hurting the individual`s growth.
 
It might be a little different from keiko in budo, but some problems can only be understood by the person who has the problem. An advisor gives suggestions trying to solve the problem through applying his own experiences, while the listner ( who does not have those same experiences ) listens to the guidance as if it were being recieved from some divine being. There is sometimes a serious danger in issing a lesson`s important point.  Therefore, you should sometimes offer the advice, " Ponder the dilemma yourself,"You may consider this " coldhearted." However, being cold illustrates the need to solve a problem ( finding warmth ).Perhaps some days later, the individual will return saying: " I can`t figure out a solution..." and he will recount his problem in a totally different manner than his first telling. You will now be able to discern how to offer advice that is more appropriate by judging from his revised account.
 
In budo, we inform students of the proper answer after the "torment", of making them think for themselves. Some things must be learned through suffering or they will be forgotten for the rest of your life. We must all learn to solve our own difficult problems.Furthermore, in budo, we suffer great pains to master the best techniques. It was throught the pains and labors of our ancestors, who became the founders of our traditions, that these techniques were invented.
 
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From 自然行雲流水 by 自然行雲流水

The more I train, I find I know very little.
 
When I do train though, I am searching out for the kotsu or "knack" of what is being transmitted. 
 
To do this requires a particular focus and understanding of the feeling behind the training in the Dojo.
 
In order to practise, the uke and tori must assist in each others learning.
 
The beginning stages of the physical training can be related to SHU level. This is the stage of taking the time to learn set movements with set attacks. In this stage, there is no Henka or "variations". The Tori is learning a new skill set and pursuing the training as an "in depth study of the self and uke".
Nagato Shihan has said once, " Move,Stop,Think." The training is about moving with logic to learn the mechanics of the body, basic physics and the workings of the principals of timing,distance and angles.
You learn about leverage and how to achieve it with correct body movement. 
We Move to an attack from uke and then Stop. At this point you can Think/observe your balance and that of your uke. You can see if you are in distance for another attack, does he/she have a hidden weapon, what is around you, does your angle of position put you in advantage or disadvantage, etc etc.
Training is about discovering your weak points and learning how to make them into strengths or how to make them work for you ( kyojutsu ). To do this, we must take the time and practise slowly so the mind,body and the technique can unify. This is Shin Gi Tai Ichi - the ultimate goal of the martial artist.
 
We are studying to live with balance. The process of learning Budou is helping us to ahcieve this. Just as there is a process to life, there is a process to learning. 
 
Basically, people are trying to run before they can walk. People want to make the training "more realistic" by increasing attacks with speed, power and resistance. They do ths too quickly. They have not taken heed of the first code of the Dojo - Know that patience comes first.
The fact is, most of the training we recieve ( in a Shihans class ) is at a level where we are to "mimic" and learn their taijutsu. We do this to rid ourselves of our bad habits and learn to move correctly like our masters. We are all beginners in their class. If you are not, then you cannot learn. It is very important to generate the right mind set. This level of training is the first level. If you cannot get what is shown to you in the basic form, then how can you move forward and train in henka? You first have to have something ( SHU ) before you can break ( HA ) it.
 
The teacher asks his Uke to peform a set attack. The attack for this example shall be a right punch.
The Uke lunges at him with deep but centered attack with body. The teacher moves, captures the energy and redirects the energy to control the uke. He then asks everyone to "do just that".
What is important during this stage, is that the students watching observe both the uke and tori during the demonstration. If the students want to try and gain a "feeling" of what was shown, they must "mimic" both roles the best they can.
Nagato Shihan has recently had to resort to lining people up in the dojo and counting out the sequence of movements while getting everyone to mimic him. It comes down to " having a childs mind". If the mind is cluttered and full of things " we want to see" rather than empty and absoring directly the things " that really are " then we will always have difficulty learning. 
 
In Dojo around the world, I see people who are Dan ranks that cannot even perform the basic te-sabaki ( hand movements ) for the Koshi Kihon Sanpo. As to help these people and also to help their students, I break the fundamental kata down into three physical skill sets.
Te-sabaki
Tai-sabaki
Ashi-sabaki
When I do this, people can see their shortcomings in each waza. Then, after they can "see" ,they have the opportunity to practise and learn correctly. After these skill sets are mastered, then they are unified to complete the kata as we normally see them. 
 
There are people that are offering " Soke revision classes ". This is laughable. They are saying they can do it, or "they get it". People that say that about themselves are strange. where can they go from there? Once you have got it, what do you do then? These people will fade away.
No Japanese Shihan says this at all, and they especially do not offer classes to teach you what Soke did the night before. These men have been training with him for over 40 years. Something to think about.
 
Training is about learning to open the "eyes of your soul" that little more. It is difficult for all of us to travel this road less travelled. However, as buyu, we can all support and nourish each others growth in many ways.
 
Bufu Ikkan.… Read More