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蝦蛄拳 Shako Ken: Strike Like A Hawk

Bujinkan Santa MonicaApril 7, 2011April 7, 2011

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Bujinkan Santa Monica

Hatsumi Sensei was trying to help us understand an aspect of kosshijutsu while we were studying 隼雄 Shunū from Gyokko Ryu and he said to hold the opponent's kashira like a falcon.

He went on to explore henka using variations of 蝦蛄拳 Shako Ken and 指刀拳 Shitō Ken. Soke told us,

"Not using just your fingertips, but using your whole body here. Doing this with shuko- it becomes even more scary. It's like a hawk catching its prey.

This is not just your fingernails, it becomes like your canine teeth, incisors."

What are the talons of a hawk, or the canine teeth for? They are for piercing flesh and tearing it away from bones.

This is kosshijutsu. Scary indeed.

photo by MJ/TR (´･ω･)

How to Instantly Flip Out With 豹変 Hyōhen

Bujinkan Santa MonicaApril 1, 2011April 1, 2011

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Bujinkan Santa Monica

photo by genvessel

One of the gokui or essences of budo is change. But changing what? Where does the change come from? Here I try to catch the feeling or kankaku in the air of a class with Sensei. He often reminds us we should pick up the scent of the gokui on the breeze blowing through the room.

That day Hatsumi Sensei was teaching us about kyuho no kamae. Or so I thought. As the class progressed, the naturalness of Soke's taijutsu allowed for unending variation. He had his uke basically throwing himself. It was the kind of thing if you saw a photo or video you might think it was BS. But in that room... the effect was palpable. Everyone watching knew that if they were his uke he would capture their spirit and work their body over in the same way. In fact, it felt as if we were ALL exposed.

The "winds" in the room had changed. Part of the lesson that day was perceiving this change and where it had come from. The atmosphere of the class went from casual and jovial, to very scary. It was a vulnerable feeling to be sure. But then, just as quickly, and without any announcements, we were back to relaxed, light or fun training.

Hatsumi Sensei said that this was something that could only be understood between you and your opponent. By adapting freely to the attack, and flowing in the space , kukan no nagare, you embody what Sensei explained to us was kyuhen no kamae.

Kyūhen 急変 may remind us of 豹変 Hyōhen from the densho of Shinden Fudo Ryu in the secret writings of Tatara Kishin: "Sudden change will always prevail." 豹変して必ず勝つ

Sensei says that such teachings are passed from teacher to student through ishin denshin (divine transmission). Anyone who has been in a class like that with Sensei will definitely have stories about the feeling in the room.

一隅を照らす Ichigu wo Terasu: Light Up One Corner

Bujinkan Santa MonicaMarch 24, 2011March 24, 2011

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Bujinkan Santa Monica

Kamaishi Search and Rescue By DVIDSHUB

Like a lot of Bujinkan members worldwide, I have been watching the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in Japan from afar. It is a helpless feeling. Reading the news and unable to do anything but hope things improve. If you are like me, you feel like you want to do something. To help in some way. Of course, we can donate money, but Hatsumi Sensei has a suggestion for us that can help in any situation.

He reminds us of the Japanese saying 一隅を照らす Ichigu wo terasu, which means to light up a corner. Hatsumi Sensei says,

"to be a light that brightens the surroundings."

This phrase was brought to Japan from China by Saicho:
From Wikipedia:
Saichō (最澄, September 15, 767 – June 26, 822) was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai school in Japan, based around the Chinese Tiantai tradition he was exposed to during his trip to China beginning in 804. He founded the temple and headquarters of Tendai at Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei near Kyoto. He is also said to have been the first to bring tea to Japan. After his death, he was awarded the posthumous title of Dengyō Daishi (伝教大師).

Operation Tomodachi By DVIDSHUB

What Saicho meant by “A person who can light up one corner” is the person who can do his best in any situation, wherever he happens to be, to help brighten up someone else and our community.

In the Lotus Sutra, Buddha said to light up one-just one corner. One corner, not the whole world. Just to light up to make it clear just where you are. Ichigu wo terasu. Ichigu is "one corner." Terasu is "to light up" or "to shine" one corner.

Hatsumi Soke says,

"We should always immerse ourselves in sunlight, and in Budo training, never forget to smile, and never be surprised regardless of what happens."

So go light up your corner of the world.

Kinkyu Jishin 緊急地震: Earthquake Emergency in Japan

Bujinkan Santa MonicaMarch 17, 2011March 17, 2011

From Bujinkan Santa Monica by Bujinkan Santa Monica

Kinkyu jishin 緊急地震 (earthquake emergency). This is a new phrase I learned just one week ago. I had just finished our Thursday night training (Friday afternoon in Japan) where we practiced mawashi dori along with tachi kumiuchi. I had a quick dinner and was just settling into bed when I received the alarm.

Since I live in a high earthquake danger zone here in Los Angeles, I have alerts that are sent to my phone when any large quakes strike. My phone was telling me 8.9 in Japan (revised later to 9.0). I knew that was huge. I got out of bed to check the news.

I sent e-mails to my friends in Japan, hoping they were safe. The news reports were showing me pictures and video of places I had been to many times. I was just there in December. The images of destruction were heartbreaking. My worry for my friends increased. I just had dinner with my friend Craig Olson the week before when he was stopping in LA on his way back to Tokyo. I felt helpless. I wished I could be there to try to help people I've never met who were affected by the tsunami.

I was up all night following the reports.

Once in a class at the hombu, Hatsumi Soke told us,

"lightning, storms and earthquakes are naturally violent and sudden. All you can do is ride them out"

So here I am wide awake trying to understand nai no kami ないのかみ / なゐの神【地震神】or jishin no kami 地震の神 the deity of earthquakes

I found this information from the Dr. Gabi Greve at the afterthebigearthquake blog from Okayama, Japan:

"Takemikazuchi no mikoto (武甕槌大神)

CLICK for original link, djtak.exblog.jp

Tekemikazuchi standing on a catfish

the "rough spirit" (aramitama) of Amaterasu ōmikami

He holds down the God of the Earthquake, here in the form of a huge catfish, and sits on the famous "key stone" "kaname ishi 要石".

A giant catfish (namazu) lived in mud beneath the earth. The catfish liked to play pranks and could only be restrained by Kashima, a deity who protected the Japanese people from earthquakes. So long as Kashima kept a mighty rock with magical powers over the catfish, the earth was still. But when he relaxed his guard, the catfish thrashed about, causing earthquakes."

Hatsumi Sensei once explained to us how old Japanese architecture was designed without fasteners, rather it had joints that were lashed together with rope so they could flex and give.

"Jishin mushi 地震虫 (じしんむし) earthquake bug

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-prLBmb0F2Ks/TXvpfKvrTpI/AAAAAAAAYCU/PdbC2Yr1n68/s1600/earthquake+bug.jpg

This mythical animal is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki volume about Suiko Tenno 推古天皇紀.
In the year 599 there was a huge earthquake in the region of Nara, so the Tenno ordered the "God of Earthquakes" Nai no Kami「地震神」（なゐのかみ） to be venerated in the country.
The name refers to the attribute of the deity, like the "god of the fields 野の神", or the "god of the sea 海の神".

This deity was later venerated at the shrine Kashima Jingu."

I saw video of the giant stone Torii gate at Kashima toppled over by last week's quake.

In Bujinkan training it is often unwise to meet force with force, because there will always be someone bigger or stronger. I think the earth has made that lesson clear.

Some idiots here in the U.S. are making jokes about Godzilla. They obviously have never watched or understood the tone of the Godzilla stories. Here are a couple quotes from the Godzilla series:

"Just as you distrust us, so we distrust others as well. It's wrong. We're all human. As humans we are responsible for each other. We are related. Refuse us and you abandon your brothers. We must learn to help each other."
--Ichiro Sakai

“Nature has a way somehow of reminding Man of just how small he is. She occasionally throws up terrifying offspring of our pride or carelessness, to remind us how puny we really are, in the face of a tornado, an earthquake, or a Godzilla.”

Some old wisdom tells us that the best place to be during an earthquake is a bamboo grove. Because bamboo is flexible yet very strong. It will bend and sway without breaking.

Huge earthquake, a deadly and destructive tsunami, hundreds of aftershocks, and a looming nuclear meltdown. A hellish week has passed, yet my heart and spirit are across the Pacific with my friends in Japan.

SANSHIN NO KATA with MATS HJELM (Riga 2011)

budoshopMarch 12, 2011

From Budoshop by budoshop

Sanshin no kata and Kihon-happo is the most fundamental and important techniques in the Bujinkan Dojo. Five blocking techniques and five counter strikes was taught; the basic form and also jissen feeling.

This video is from a seminar in Riga, Latvia in February 26th 2011. This is day one of two. The first day the theme was Sanshin no kata and the second day Juttejutsu.

45 minutes, 572 Mb for $10.99

This video is not available as DVD!

On this video Mats was teaching the Sanshin no kata. He taught the basics, and more self defence and real responses. Without weapons and with weapons. There is five different ways of receiving an attack, and five different ways of counter attacking.