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Kage No Keiko: Don’t Ask a Shadow for Answers

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Bujinkan Santa Monica

Photo by OiMax
There is an old tale about a teacher whose students asked him, "Where does your teaching come from?  What is its source?  Who is your teacher?"

The teacher replies,
You are not ready for my answer.  If I say that my teaching is from inspiration, you will consider me crazy.  If I say it is my own teaching and skill, some will worship me and never learn.  If I name my teacher, many will turn to him to ask the same dumb questions while ignoring real study.

In the Bujinkan, Hatsumi Sensei has told us that training is a process of developing the eyes to be able to see true budo. Hatsumi Sensei talks about different types of keiko or training, even in dreams.  He says that when he is training intensely, he will have weird dreams.  He tells this story about his teacher Toshitsugu Takamatsu,
He would draw from 5:00 a.m. to noon every day.  One day, he painted a picture of a dragon for his friend.  A few nights later, my teacher dreamed about a dragon that had no eyes.  The dragon said to him, "I want eyes."  The next morning he called his friend and his friend told him that the painting of the dragon had no eyes.
Sensei says that this dream training comes when you are having a hard time mastering something.  He says the "secrets of budo are introduced as "dreams from the gods."  Soke tells us that the best way to train is to learn physically first, then understand the theory.  Devote yourself to constant keiko.  Have the feeling of Ninpo Ikkan.

He says that if you get stuck you can focus even though you cannot move forward.  This is when you pass into kage no keiko (shadow training).  I wrote about the phases of training and other types of keiko here: Beyond Godan Into Wakaranai-Keiko

The teacher from the old story continues, "If, after being told a hundred times that the teachers are all one and the techniques are meaningless you still look for the source, you will never find it."

The students ask, "Then what shall we do?"

The teacher responds,
"Stop imagining that, just because you can ask a question, you can perceive the answer without any of the foundation necessary for such a perception to occur."


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Makeru – to lose

From BUJINKAN TASMANIA by Duncan Stewart

SHINKEN-GATA TAIHENJUTSU

By Soke

” With a clenched fist, a half open fist, an extended-finger fist, the length of the arm naturally changes. Things such as how victory was gained in the simple story of Hideyoshi of the long and short spear match are extremely important in shinken-gata.The same applies to the relative length of the fist.”

“Grasping that losing, being thrown, getting punched, having a reversal applied, being beaten hollow, that makeru ( to lose ) is the koppou of ma-keru ( kicking the demon ), self confidence will finally be born.”


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Ten Chi Jin Ryaku no Maki (2003) – Bujinkan basics by Mats Hjelm

From Uploads by shugyou by shugyou
Ten Chi Jin Ryaku no Maki is the foundation of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. Many instructors require that their student s know these techniques well before they get ranked Shodan, 1 st degree black belt. The techniques on this video are shown once or twice. Note: Ten Chi Jin Ryaku no Maki is the foundation of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. Many instructors require that their student s know these techniques well before they get ranked Shodan, 1 st degree black belt. The techniques on this video are shown once or twice. There is no verbal instructions, no speaking so it doesn t require that you know English or any other language. TEN - Taihenjutsu Ukemi (breakfalling), - Kamae (9 basic positions), - Hiken Juuroppou (16 basic strikes), - Sanshin no Kata (5 basic movements), - Kihon Happou (8 basic techniques), - Shinken Taihenjutsu (escaping sword cuts), CHI - Hajutsu Kyuhou (9 methodsd to free oneself), - Gyaku Gi (9 joint manipulations), - Nage Kata (9 basic throws), - Ryusui Iki (5 sacrificing throws), - Shime Waza (5 basic strangulation methods), JIN - Suwari Kata (3 defenses from a seated position), - Katate Dori (5 defenses from a single hand grab, - Ryoute Dori (7 defense techniques from a double lapel grabs), - Haibuyori (5 defense techniques from attacks from behind), - Tsuki Uchi (9 defence techniques from a punch), - Keri Ni Taisuru (5 defense techniques agains kicks), - Tsuki to Keri ni Taisuku (4 defense techniques from kicks and punches), - Nage Kaeshi (8 defense <b>...</b>
From: shugyou
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Ninpo and Mu: Waxing and Waning Like the Moon

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Bujinkan Santa Monica

Full Moon over Nagoya Castle; photo by ka_tate
In a Ninja's view of the universe, Soke Hatsumi comments on how beautiful it is to see a crescent moon peering between the clouds...  And he suggests that the "secret is to let your own existence resonate with the universal consciousness" ... whether in the form of moonlight or other natural phenomena.  He has also told us that taijutsu henka are like the phases of the moon.  These phases occur naturally, in a natural connection to the movements of Earth and Sun.  Your taijutsu should reflect the world as natural as the moonlight.

What is to be learned from cold moonlight?  In Japan, the moonlight has an empty longing to it that resonates deeply with the Japanese spirit.  Hatsumi Sensei has made reference to the author Yasunari Kawabata who, on winning the Nobel prize for literature in 1968, spoke movingly about the moon and it's deep companionship with the Japanese.  Here he quotes the priest Myoe,

"On the night of the twelfth day of the twelfth month of the year 1224, the moon was behind clouds. I sat in Zen meditation in the Kakyu Hall. When the hour of the midnight vigil came, I ceased meditation and descended from the hall on the peak to the lower quarters, and as I did so the moon came from the clouds and set the snow to glowing. The moon was my companion, and not even the wolf howling in the valley brought fear. When, presently, I came out of the lower quarters again, the moon was again behind clouds. As the bell was signalling the late-night vigil, I made my way once more to the peak, and the moon saw me on the way. I entered the meditation hall, and the moon, chasing the clouds, was about to sink behind the peak beyond, and it seemed to me that it was keeping me secret company."

Hatsumi Sensei writes about his intentions for sharing Ninpo:

There is a saying: "The village that shines in the moonlight leaves a different impression in the souls of different people."  The Chinese characters for strength and nothingness are both read "mu" in Japanese.  Therefore, nothingness is the same of strength.

My intention is to introduce you to the world of Ninpo through the method of expression based on nothingness.
Sensei also wrote, "There is no village on which the moon does not shine, the moon lives in the mind of the gazer."

What do you see in the moonlight?  Where does the light fall?  Does it illuminate something beautiful for you or melancholy?  One way to grasp our training is to approach it with the clarity of moonlight. Don't train with ego, just allow the nothingness of the teachings to fall over you.  You can find great joy if you sacrifice yourself to your training.  Have the feeling of surrender or sutemi.  And like the moonlight, understanding will flash in your eyes.

Soke talks about finding a purity of focus in life so that there is no worry for death,

In order to do so, we must have a clear purpose in our daily life.  If we live our daily lives with sutemi, the mind of budo, and the passion of the artist who pours his soul into his works, we can almost forget about death, and never regret our life at the moment of its end.
Moonlight is nothingness yet shines on all the world.  That is a clear purpose.  And the strength of Mu.


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