by Michael Roberts | Aug 4, 2017 | Bujinkan, Hatsumi, Ninjutsu, Uncategorized
The Heart of Endurance by 34th Togakure Ryu Ninpo Soke Masaaki Hatsumi “I believe that ninpo, the higher order of ninjutsu, should be offered to the world as a guiding influence for all martial artists. The physical and spiritual survival methods eventually immortalized by Japan’s ninja were in fact one of the sources of Japanese martial arts. Without complete and total training in all aspects of the combative arts, today’s martial artist cannot hope to progress any further than mere proficiency in the limited set of muscular skills that make up his or her training system. Personal enlightenment can only come about through total immersion in the martial tradition as a way of living. By experiencing the confrontation of danger, the transcendence of fear or injury or death, and a working knowledge of individual personal powers and limitations, the practitioner of ninjutsu can gain the strength and invincibility that permit enjoyment of the flowers moving in the wind, appreciation of the love of others, and contentment with the presence of peace in society. The attainment of this enlightenment is characterized by the development of the jihi no kokoro, or “benevolent heart.” Stronger than love itself, the benevolent heart is capable of encompassing all that constitutes universal justice and all that finds expression in the unfolding of the universal scheme. Born of the insight attained from repeated exposure to the very brink between life and death, ninpo’s benevolent heart is the key to finding harmony and understanding in the realms of the spiritual and natural material worlds. After so many generations of obscurity in the shadowy recesses of history, the...
by admin | Jun 29, 2017 | Hatsumi
“From now on you must strive to cut out unnecessary movement. Waste in movement is wrong and will get you killed.” – Masaaki...
by admin | Jun 7, 2017 | Hatsumi
“Remember that for every technique you think you can fall back on, there is a counter for it, or there are times when it cannot be used. When real battle comes, you must remember that some things will not be applicable. Don’t think that any one technique is quintessential.” – Masaaki...
by admin | May 17, 2017 | Hatsumi
It’s clear to most that violent feelings lead to bad outcomes, but the mistake of being too soft derails us in just the same way. By tolerating slackness and indecision we leave a space for ruin. On the other hand, taking a decisive position then defending that position against all opposition will be criticised as being mean or rigid. Which would you rather, the solitude of success or the company of failure? There will come a time when you have to make choices between beliefs, and people, that no longer work for you and those that will bring you great success and immovable peace. True balance lies in between the two, where the mind and heart are neither too hard or too...
