Between Truth and Falsehood

In the mortal flow of real combat, victory resides in the interstices between truth and falsehood. It is a formless reality in which the ninja finds a natural solitude in the midst of battle's chaos. Through the constant of martial training, the ninja discovers for himself the essence of kyojutsu and is transformed into the unknowable. The seed of this state is found in Mushin-no mind. The opponent cannot predict what the ninja has not purposed. A natural technique flows from the unconscious and the ninja becomes formless in battle, disappearing into the mist of the inscrutable. Here is where Ninjutsu shows it's battlefield pedigree. Unlike other martial forms, degraded by sport, Ninjutsu cultivates the gokui (essence) of battlefield victory: an impenetrable equanimity. Taijutsu, practiced from the void between truth and falsehood is unreadable simply because it does not flow from the ninja's intention. Taijutsu does not spring from technique, rather, technique springs from the Divine void. If one intends to kick, the opponent is capable of responding with a counter technique. If, however, one abides in the void and responds naturally to the energy of the opponent, then no counter can emerge and the enemy is left to float in an eerie reality where nothing is certain. The truth of technique is lost when the expected proves to be falsehood. This is the manipulation of truth (reality) and falsehood (perception).   

A Biblical illustration will illumine this concept. The manipulation of perception and the character of reality has always been an essential element in the successful prosecution of war. In Joshua 8:1-29 ambush is employed to ensure victory. Perception becomes falsehood as the King of Ai falls into the hands of Joshua. 

"And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness." Joshua 8:15

"In the martial arts, it is important to discard obsessive ideas, leave behind any adherence to forms, and abandon conventional common sense. By doing this your spirit will become more flexible, your 'capacity' as a martial artist will grow, those around you will acknowledge your preeminence, and you will be able to produce free, ever-changing techniques wherever and whenever you choose." Masaaki Hatsumi

"Above all, it is important to maintain equanimity." Masaaki Hatsumi

Bufu Ikkan

Christ: Expression Of The Real

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:1-5, 14

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth...And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."  Genesis 1:1, 3

It is always good to remind ourselves of those truths which are foundational. Truth which is immutable and which forms the basis for all rational presupposition. Christmas is just such a time. Many Americans are familiar with the Christmas account presented in the Bible (however, in this age of multicultural malaise, this can no longer be assumed for the masses of Americans, stamped out piecemeal from the statist mechanism of public education). Christmas is the celebration of Christ's first advent. We give gifts in recognition of the unfathomable gift that God gave to mankind in the person of His Son. Christ is the personification of grace and truth. He is grace in that his sacrifice was made in our stead. The penalty for our sin (sin that is inherent in us, stemming from Adam's original sin) was placed on Him. The Christ in the manger became the Christ of Golgotha; who became sin for us that God's righteous judgment might be satiated, so that God's grace might be extended to us. Christ is the personification of truth. In His person is the answer to Pilate's question, "what is truth." Christ, the very Word of God, is truth. Immutable, ultimate, and Divine. It is in Him that we come to the understanding that God's grace must be appropriated by faith alone, sola fide. That in Christ we find the way, the truth, and the life. It is the Word that teaches us the true nature of reality and is the only real enlightenment. This enlightenment is all of grace and cannot be attained by any effort of the will. The light shines in the darkness but, of ourselves, we cannot comprehend it. God's invitation is to come, let us  reason together. He extends His hand and says, whosoever will may come. The true nature of man and the nature of Christ are revealed--man as stained with original sin and Christ as spotless redeemer. We see in His perfection our vast need and in Him our only hope of redemption. So, this Christmas season, let us contemplate, meditate on the nature of Christ as it is revealed to us in the written word, the Bible. 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

It is from the pages of Holy Scripture that we will come to understand the true nature of reality, the nature and purpose of the baby born in Bethlehem; Immanuel--God with us.

Kongokai: How to get what you want, whether you like it or not

In our modern society, we are inundated with books which present plans for developing personal power and maybe even attaining enlightenment. Motivational speakers abound, touting the newest processes for attaining wealth, health, or an Olympian physique. However, as it is written, "the thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9) 

Millenia ago, the ancient ninja were steeped in principals imported from India, Tibet, and China. These principals were formulated into concepts which were extrapolated into the form of the Kongokai mandala. The Kongokai mandala represents the "diamond" realm. The diamond being symbolic of ultimate truth. It is a schematic representation of the phenomenal world. Its compliment is the Taizokai mandala; the nin-po mikkyo representation of the spiritual realm. Within the schemata of the Kongokai mandala, lies a pattern for the harnessing and development of personal power. The ancient ninja were well versed in this formula; a map charting a course, terminating in the attainment of an objective which the ninja willed into being. This power was and is formidable. 

However, many have made shipwreck of themselves in the quest for power. The attainment of our desire does not necessarily result in our happiness. The principals contained in the Kongokai are empowering but, as is everything else, are circumscribed by universal principals, natural law, ultimate truth. The diamond, with its infinite facets, can only be understood as it is revealed to us by the mind of the infinite. We may engage the tools of the intellect to mine the treasures of wisdom but, our finite powers are inadequate to interpret the gleaming treasures. Without the knowledge of God, revealed in scripture, we only possess a map without a proper destination. Biblical truth guides our path and harnesses the will to accomplish the Divine purpose in our lives. "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps." (Proverbs 16:9) "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." (Jeremiah 10:23) You must first understand and recognize God's direction in your life before implementing the Kongokai, or you may wreak upon yourself great mischief. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105) We must study this well and meditate on these words deeply before we proceed.     

The Way of The Sword Saint

Since ancient times the sword has been intimately associated with the warrior.  In Japan, the sword was so identified with the Samurai that it was thought to embody his soul.  It has long been regarded as a weapon of honor and holds a mystical place in the combat arts of the world. This emphasis on the sword exists in Ninjutsu as well.  In fact, Soke has stated that to properly understand budo one must master both the sword and the bo.  Historically, the sword was a development and refinement of the bo and can be seen to share many of its characteristics. In ancient times, the sword was made of wood, metallic swords only being available to the most privileged.  It is not merely a tool for cutting; it has a far more subtle character.  It has been identified with the warrior for millennia and has been imbued with the notions of warriorship.  The key to wielding the sword is to enter into combat with the feeling of Muto Dori.  As it should be, the focus is on the taijutsu.  The body and sword move as one.

Combat is always kyojutsu, truth and falsehood; therefore, the true sword is that of the mind and spirit.  Ultimately, the Word of God is the secret sword, cutting not merely bone and marrow but soul and spirit.

"Succeeding in this [muto dori], the mysteries of the secret sword (hiken) will be revealed, and no matter what weapon you hold, your heart and your taijutsu will dance skillfully in the void (koku)." Masaaki Hatsumi, Japanese Sword Fighting  

Hiding In The Mist

The ninja of legend were said to appear and disappear at will, performing supernatural acts by occult power.  The ninja were masters of kyojutsu, masters of truth and falsehood: the interplay of the apparent and the actual.  There is a fog of war, it exists on the macro battlefield as well as in the micro battlefield that exists between two combatants.  The subtlety of ninpo arises when this mist of battle is exploited, when combat is reduced to the manipulation of the gaps in the mind.  The ninja must move in the cloudy mists of the mind where illusion becomes the true sword. The genesis of intention is felt stirring in the opponent, then the focused intention of the ninja pierces through to strike the heart of the opponent.  In this mist, victory may be obtained apart from battle and here the ultimate expression of ninpo is found.  In these moments, the form of the ninja disappears within grey, cold clouds of confusion.  Perception becomes reality as the heart is led astray.   

Imperfection

When I train, I often find myself performing at a level far below what I feel to be acceptable.  I experience a great deal of frustration and self loathing when I fail to perform technique perfectly. However, this response does not accord with the principals we see operating in nature.  From the entropy present in all natural systems, to the disastrous forces of unleashed nature, to the beauty of the asymmetrical, there is a Divine harmony in the imperfect.  The harmony present in natural imperfection speaks to the existence of Divine grace operating in a corrupted universe.

Budo has long recognized the virtue of imperfection in the development and operation of technique.  Imperfection is, in fact, desirable not to mention an ever present reality--we are not gods.  Indeed, the imperfect execution of technique allows for the creativity of "henka" and infuses budo with life.  In particular, taijutsu finds its strength and power in the freedom to apply the imperfect to the interplay of space and timing, producing martial art.  In the dojo, I observe as the young budoka struggle with the illusion of their own imperfection, while those mature in budo taijutsu move in natural unity with imperfection and, thereby, become living examples of martial art: the budo of elegance.

Ninjutsu: Warrior Art, Not Sport

Currently, UFC and MMA sport fighting represent the pinnacle of the fighting arts to popular culture. The introduction of various sport martial arts into a refereed fighting match gives the impression of actual combat.  The danger here is in the misapplication of techniques and strategies developed for a sport match.  Such misapplications can easily result in defeat or death in real world combat.  Ground fighting techniques have become extremely popular, not only among the misinformed public but also within law enforcement circles.  Ground fighting, though properly a part of a complete fighting art, is not viable as a primary mode of combat.  The modern ground fighting techniques, designed for the sterile environment of sport, do not account for real world variables such as flogging about on asphalt or on rocky surfaces.  Additionally, and most critically, ground fighting techniques completely ignore the possibility of facing more than one opponent while engaging in the techniques of man-hugging.  Also, ground fighting systems do not address situations involving weapons.  More often than not, UFC and MMA matches deteriorate rapidly into common bar room brawls in which victory is decided by "luck" or stamina.  As sport, the UFC and MMA are great entertainment but as examples of the fighting arts they have little validity.

Ninjutsu embodies  the ancient and traditional budo arts of japan.  Incorporating systems from China, Ninjutsu developed into and remains a complete martial art, utilizing every component of human combat potential.  Recently in my training, I was confronted with the question, "what is the most important aspect of Ninpo?"  During that training session, I observed what, to me, is the most important aspect of Ninpo.  I watched as two Ninjutsu students attacked a senior student.  The senior student seemed to be taking the worst of the attack, having been forced to the matt with one attacker on his back.  At this moment of seeming defeat, where the attackers relaxed in an apparent victory, the senior student manipulated the space resulting in a throw and making his escape.  Though defeat seemed assured, he persevered with the heart of the Ninja and found his victory at the very instant of seeming loss.  Here is the heart of Ninpo.  There are no limits, no rules, no carefully meted out rounds of engagement.  Ninjutsu, quite simply, is the real deal.  Would I relish the opportunity to meet a Chuck Liddell in the ring? No, at least not without a weapon.  But that is the way of the ninja, it is real combat.  Takamatsu sensei once said that if he wished to split a helmet, he'd use an ax.    

A Winning Insect

From ancient times the Ninja have had a close association with nature.  The Ninja opened their eyes and understanding to what nature had to teach.  With single minded purpose they studied the seasons, stars, plants, animals, and insects.  Takamatsu sensei once observed that the dragonfly is a winning insect and should be the subject of close study.

The dragonfly has long been admired in japanese culture.  The samurai took the motif of the dragonfly as a reminder to be busy about their lord's service just as the dragonfly ceaselessly flutters it's wings, busy about nature's business.  For me, this elegant creature, reminds me to ceaselessly pursue ninpo training.  However, more can be learned from the habits of this jeweled insect.  Interestingly, other insects instinctively dive downward when threatened by predators.  The dragonfly attacks it's prey from underneath.  It's strategy turns the prey's technique against itself and maximizes the dragonfly's efficiency of motion.  

The lesson here is clear.  We must patiently wait with an unmovable spirit (fudo) until the enemy, moved by his instinct and our intention, sacrifices himself.  The enemy must take the path of his own destruction, we must merely be there at the right time to receive it, to shape the space to our advantage.  The essence of this is to take what the opponent gives and make it your own through freedom of martial expression.

Chance, Chaos, and Luck

Modern scientific theory teaches that the universe functions in a mode of randomness and chaos. Specifically, quantum theory posits that order and logic are only imposed on an object at the time it is observed as it flows through the flux of chaos.  The empirical sciences promulgate theories as fact, rejecting anything not reducible to physical examination and testing. 

In ninpo, the spiritual is recognized as an aspect of reality.  Indeed, ninpo relies on the understanding of spiritual principals to interpret natural phenomena.  Apart from a relationship with the Divine there can be no true ninpo and apart from a biblical world view there can be no true understanding of the nature of reality.  

"Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The flacon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world..."

William Butler Yeats, The Second Coming

The actions of the Omnicient and Eternal must of necessity appear, at certain points, to the finite and mortal as random.  The events of eternity may seem to arise out of chaos but this is only because our point of reference is infinitely small; this is the great failing of empiricism.  The Ninja knew that reality is not reducible to the observable and that chance and chaos are only illusions.  "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." Proverbs 16:33  There is no particle of reality that is outside God' s sphere of Sovereignty.  To argue otherwise is to postulate the absurd.  To understand the principal of Divine Sovereignty is to gain the key to correctly interpreting the nature of the universe.      

Why

I have recently been challenged with the question, "why train in ninpo taijutsu?"  If the question is posed to ten different people, you will be presented with ten different answers.  For me, training in the ancient and authentic budo is motivated by several purposes.  I wish to be capable of defending those close and precious to me.  I wish to serve my country by defending her against enemies both foreign and domestic.  Historically, it was expected that a man be adept in the fighting arts, to our shame, this is no longer the case.  

"Combat is an unusual experience for most of us, but then emergencies of any kind always are.  However, combat does occur, and any fully educated person knows this and prepares for it."   Jeff Cooper, To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth  

I will not be guilty of empowering the wicked in the violent pursuit of their misdeeds by failing to act.  If God so designs, my sword will cut clean and true, giving living expression to the "life-giving sword."  

Musha-Shugyo

In long ago ages, a samurai would depart from family and from the protection and tutelage of his ryu to wander the world.  He would test his mettle and his skill in duels and acts of noble chivalry.  On the solitary path of "musha-shugyo" the samurai would travel, through sweltering heat or bitter cold, through driving rain and biting snow.  He would endure the onslaught of nature, brute creature, the corruption of man, and perhaps the supernatural.  In the end, the warrior would know the breadth and depth of his spiritual and physical capability. 

In this age, the warrior class is an endangered species.  The rough and ready men of the past are not likely to be seen in modern urban centers, where soft half-men are in abundance, richly festooned in effeminate costume.  But, the modern samurai must, nonetheless, undertake his "musha-shugyo" as his forbearers did and test his spirit in a lonesome waste inhabited by the elitist fop and effete.  The warrior presses onward though solitary paths, in a self imposed pilgrimage of discipline and honor.  As in ancient times, the way is uncertain and fraught with difficulty and conflict.  But, in the end, when the spirit is tested and shown to be pure, and when battle is enjoined and quitted with honor, the modern warrior will know, as his ancient brethren knew, that to endure is the essence of victory.   

Inspired Budo

Training in budo begins with the slow development of spatial and body movement skills designed to maximize economy of movement and to position the body in space and time to achieve mastery over the opponent.  Decades pass and the budoka masters the physical and mental skills needed to control the flow of combat.  However, mastery of physical skill, though a necessary component, does not enable the budoka to develop his true potential.  As in art, in budo taijutsu there exists an ineffable quality that can only be properly described as inspiration.  Soke exemplifies this in every aspect of his elegant mastery of ninpo taijutsu. It would be absurd to think that great art comes from a paint-by-the-number process.  But, many in the martial arts community train in the fashion of a child’s paint-by-the-numbers set.  Technique is merely the beginning, for so many it is misunderstood as the end.  Inspiration gives life to technique and, therefore, is the essential quality of budo.  Inspiration by definition finds it source in divinity.  As an artist mimics God’s creative acts by artistic inspiration, so the ancient warrior relied upon the divine to breathe life into technique and, thereby, transcend it.  This process occurs from without and can only be developed by communion with the divine.  It is said that a divinely inspired warrior once slew six hundred opponents with an ox goad (bo) (Judges 3:31).  Such a feat is only possible by a warrior imbued with the spirit of the divine.  It can only be imagined to what transcendent heights the warrior mounted as he flowed in the void, hiding in the interstices of space and time to strike with mortal blows into the fury of 600 doomed combatants—this is the true expression of kami waza.

Equanimity

Since the creation of man, the moon has been an object of contemplation; its silver disc endlessly tracing an arc in the frozen blackness of infinity.  The moon seems aloof, staring down in sublime elegance shrouded in the unnerving gloom of night.  It appears undisturbed by human tumult as it floats amid the celestial void.  The moon's eternal tranquility speaks to man's search for equanimity.  "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." Romans 1:20

The warrior strives for an imperturbable equanimity, especially in the face of death.  The Ninja strives to endure, to survive, though he faces the immediate specter of death, realized by a finely honed blade poised to strike his heart.  In battle, survival is achieved through the settled spirit which has come to terms with a divine destiny and which knows peace with God.  This state results in the free flow of technique and feeling which is the surest path to victory.  Fear is subsumed and equanimity achieved when the budoka meditates on the nature and virtues of God.  "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Isaiah 26: 3  Then, the heart may float as the silvered moon in the black void. 

Biblical Budo

"Be not afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses." Nehemiah 4:14

In the fifth century B.C., the Israelites were laboring to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, a work that they were commanded to do as they returned from Persian exile.  However, they faced opposition from local Persian officials.  Therefore, the Israelites set a guard on the incomplete wall, each man taking his spear or bow.  Nehemiah, a jew who had been appointed by Artaxerxes I as a governor, instructed those who had been called to arms to focus on God's power to deliver the warrior and to fight to defend family and land.

The ancient Ninja felt the same obligation and filial duty.  The Ninja fought to defend his family and clan.  In our training, we must develop the same warrior spirit.  True budo can only be derived from heavenly principals, as they are revealed to us by God.  First, the warrior is called to remember that the disposition of any battle is determined by the sovereignty of God and that it is God who grants victory through his terrible power.  The warrior trains and prepares for the day of battle, but victory is of the Lord.  Therefore, the warrior need have no fear of the enemy, whatever the outcome.  Second, the purity of budo can only be realized in the defense of family, friend, or land against the evildoer; indeed, this is a moral imperative.  True budo requires the warrior to seek the will of God, in faith, and to employ his power in the service of others.  

Meditation

Generally, meditation means to concentrate the mind on a single point of focus or to contemplate.  "Meditation involves putting something into the mind, either an image or a sacred word that is visualized or a concept that is thought about or reflected on, or both." Philip Kapleau The Three Pillars of Zen  The practice is endorsed by all major religions but to vastly different purposes.  And, it is the purpose to which meditation is applied which determines its character and validity.  As a spiritual exercise it is generally intended, in eastern religions,  to result in "satori" or a state of enlightenment with the hoped for result of deliverance from "samsara", or the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.  As a mental exercise, it's purpose is to achieve control of the intellect and, for some, the attainment of human potential.

Biblically, meditation is expressed as a mental and spiritual practice where the mind is focused on the attributes of God and on his written word.  The result of this meditation on the written word (the Bible) is peace and mental stability.  "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Isaiah 26:3  However, there is no saving merit in meditation, since no man merits God's salvation.  Meditation is reserved for Christian practice as a form of communion with God subsequent to the application of saving grace.  For the Christian, this is meditation in its highest form, it is the clear perception of reality as it is revealed in scripture--this is true enlightenment.  "In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."  John 1:4,5 Meditation with other, non-spiritual ends, may serve useful purposes in honing the ability of the mind to concentrate and to manipulate physical capability.  But, meditation in any of its various forms, cannot save the human soul from ultimate judgement.  

Zazen, the practice of zen Buddhist sitting, involves the attainment of "bare attention" which is a state of mind where the mind merely perceives.  "In what is seen there must be just the seen; in what is heard there must be just the heard; in what is sensed (as smell, taste or touch) there must be just what is sensed; in what is thought there must be just the thought." Philip Kapleau The Three Pillars of Zen  This "bare attention" is also to be applied throughout one's daily activities.  In martial practice, I can appreciate the value of this naked perception as one experiences "kuden" from the teacher.  In this way, the student is free to receive without preconception and free to perform technique and experience feeling without the interference of ego.  In the dojo, one of the greatest impediments to training is performing technique the way you think you see it, clouded by your own preconceptions and hampered by your own fears, instead of merely doing.  To simply "do" one must see clearly, in a sense "with the eyes of God."  That is, to perceive reality unclouded.

No-mindedness

The concept of "mushin" or no-mindedness (mushin no shin, mind of no mind) is familiar to any westerner who has some acquaintance with the martial arts.  It is seen in beautiful kanji on many dojo walls. Intellectually, it is an easy concept.  The martial arts practitioner is admonished to be completely in the moment, to set aside other mundane concerns and to concentrate completely on the martial transmission from master to student.  It is a deceptively simple concept, seemingly finite but, in fact, marvelously expansive in application. 

In my own training, I have come to understand the critical impact that the application of "mushin" has.  In any combative sequence there must be fluidity of movement with moments of prescience.  The mind must flow from instant to instant, not stopping to formulate, or the ephemeral connection between combatants will be broken.  The mind must be free to move in the void; if it stops for a moment on the weapon I wield, then I am at that instant mastered by my own sword and the result of the conflict will surely result in my destruction.  If the mind is stopped in technique instead of allowed to flow in the moment of battle, then I am mastered by technique and my intentions are revealed to the opponent. 

Spiritually, I see the concept of "mushin" echoed in the divine Word, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matthew 6:34 

The principal of the mist

"There are stories of mountain ascetics (sennin), represented by En-no-gyoja, who were said to be able to use mysterious powers and survive by eating only mist, having grasped the principle of eternal life." Masaaki Hatsumi, Advanced Stick Fighting

In this present time, where the sciences dominate the western mind, where materialism has displaced the spiritual, it may seem strange to consider that life is sustained by the spiritual and not primarily by physical processes.  This is mostly clearly understood within the sphere of combat.  The ancient warrior understood that what dertermines the outcome of battle is not the mastery of technique, not sophistication of weaponry, but the keen heart which has been forged, tempered, and honed to a razor's edge.  It is the mettled heart and the backbone of steel which crushes the onslaught of the enemy.  Instances abound in the lore of combat where the beaten hero rises once more to snatch victory from defeat.  It is said that one may fall seven times but rise up eight.  So, the spirit must be fed and thereby strengthened to endure through to victory at the moment of dire necessity.

The ancient ascetics were said to sustain themselves on mist.  Indeed they did.  The sennin understood the principal of spiritual food and realized the importance of proper maintenence of the soul.  The principal of the mist teaches us that in order to sustain life, indeed to attain the secret of eternal life, we must first and foremost look to the needs of the soul.  Without a correct understanding of the spiritual any physical accomplishment is without meaning and at the critical moment, we shall fail.  The mist is a metaphor for the immaterial, the ephemeral and spiritual.  What the sennin saw through a glass darkly, we may see clearly: "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4  

Where does this spiritual strength originate?  You must first know the secret of eternal life.  "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God: to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Romans 3:22-26  Therefore, having obtained eternal life through faith in Christ's redemptive work on the cross, one may begin to understand "eating the mist" by feeding the soul on its only source of sustenance, "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

For true victory, the warrior must look first to his spiritual life and seek out the principals of eternal life.  Having gained this inestimable treasure, the warrior may feed on the spiritual, the Word of God; everything else proceeds from this and nothing apart from it matters.

The Life-Giving Sword

In this age of the common man, where hero and warrior are maligned, where the effeminate urbanite is exalted, the act of killing has been demonized by the aristocrat, and forbidden under any circumstance.  Polite society shuns even the notion of physical conflict as academe heaps scorn on those stout souls who posses the temerity to defend themselves against the ogres and goblins of our age.

 It was not always so.

 In ages past, thinking men who gave contemplation to the laws of nature and to nature’s God were drawn inexorably to the logical conclusion that man was endowed with certain personal rights derived from his peculiar position as having been created in God’s image.  It was observed that the beasts of nature were provided by providence with tooth and claw, with fang, poison, or brute power.  Nature’s harsh law provided for defense and the implementation of killing, Res ipsa Loquitur.  So much the more, should man wield the power of death justly.  It is a lamentable fact that, in this world of corruption, man must avail himself of tools of power to thwart the wicked intentions of his fellow man.  Sadly, as once great societies tend toward decay and dissolution, the noble principals once commonly known among citizens become perverted.  For instance, “Thou shalt not kill,” does not forbid killing under any circumstance but forbids the act of murder.  Indeed, the charter for human government is expressed to Noah in Genesis 9:6, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”  Here is the limited purpose of human government expressed and here government is charged with the power of capital punishment.  Furthermore, government is charged to execute justice not promote reform: “And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” Exodus 21:23-25  Government, not the individual, is to exact a just recompense once immanent peril is extinguished.

 In a more noble age, where the souls of heroes and warriors were forged in the foreboding darkness of vast wilderness, men were expected to deal with violent action and to confront it, to master it with success.  It was, in fact, a moral imperative to confront violent aggression and to triumph over the wicked aggressor.  The ancient samurai knew this code and gave it a name: The Life-Giving Sword.  When confronted with the wicked aggressor, who by his actions condemned himself to his ignoble end, the ancient warrior responded with a righteous indignation and cut down the evildoer.   The ancient sword saint would accomplish his purpose upon the evil aggressor and thereby spare any future victim; his sword gave life to those who would otherwise be defenseless.

In our day, we see the spirit of the ancient warrior and sword saint when a man takes up the defense of himself or another to thwart the actions of the thug, robber, rapist, murderer, or terrorist.  Though the warrior must now often sulk in the shadows, while the dandy struts about in polite society to the praise of the sycophant urbanite, he must still honor his ancient heritage, living by the principal of The Life-Giving Sword. 

The Real Bushido

"As a military man, to serve one's country, to serve one's lord, or to die for an ideal is important.  But something that transcends this is to protect one' s country, protect one's lord, and to attain an ideal.  This is the true essence of the warrior, and what flows there is the real bushido."  Masaaki Hatsumi, Advanced Stick Fighting

The West has a distorted view of bushido, due in part to a perversion of the original understanding of the ideal in the East.  The concept  of bushido or "the way of the warrior" was conceived out of the flowering of noble ideals and to properly understand its meaning, the modern day warrior must see the term in relation to the ancient purpose and meaning of "samurai." Most westerners who have any understanding of Eastern martial arts have heard the definition of samurai as "one who serves."  

To be samurai, in ancient times or in modern, one must serve.  The ancient samurai served Lord and clan; the modern serves country, community, and family.  And, it is out of this philosophy of service that the concept of bushido should be understood.  Bushido is not merely a credo of reckless abandon culminating in death for any cause but a deeper, spiritual, and subtle philosophy of death to self, of death to ego.  Therefore, bushido finds its expression in the mundane of daily life.  Understood in this way, bushido lives in this modern age just as vibrantly as it did centuries ago and gives the modern warrior a very real connection to all of the true warriors of the ancient past.  "What I urge people to understand here is that the so-called essence (gokui) should not be regarded as the peak of the mountains, rather it is more like the flat of the plains.  Gokui means to lead an ordinary life, it is to possess an "everyday Mind" (heijoshin)."  Masaaki Hatsumi, Advanced Stick Fighting 

 

Though the concept of bushido is generally thought of as an Eastern ideal, it does find a parallel in Western thought.  It is my personal belief that all truth is God's truth and I think that the ancients uncovered a bit of God's truth in the original conceptualization of bushido.  Biblically, the concept is revealed by divine inspiration when the apostle Paul writes, "I die daily." 1 Corinthians 15:31  Here, in three words, the ideal of bushido is given its most succinct and profound expression.  In its highest form, bushido is a call to selflessness and a mandate to service.  The real bushido is a living philosophy encapsulating the highest ideals of self sacrifice which finds living expression in the mundane aspects of daily life.  The real bushido then is a daily death to selfish desire, to physical comfort, and a call to the service of country, community, and family.  For the warrior, bushido may result in his physical death, but more importantly it requires the sacrifice of the self in his everyday existence.  

Why Ninpo Taijutsu?

"By opening his eyes and his mind, the ninja can responsively follow the subtle seasons and reasons of heaven, changing just as change is necessary, adapting always, so that in the end there is no such thing as surprise for the ninja." Toshitsugu Takamatsu

Of all the arts of martial discipline, it is within Ninpo that the art of war finds its fulfillment.  Ninpo is the embodiment of thousands of years of unbroken tradition whose techniques find thier genesis on the field of battle.  It is a system complete and refined which makes no distinction between the "empty hand" and the use of weapons.  It encompasses the manipulation of the physical as well as mastery of the mental and the development of the spiritual.  Indeed, man fights primarily with his brain and by the strength of his heart.  Ultimately, as Ninpo teaches, the outcome of conflict is determined by the destiny prescribed by providence.  

Ninpo is not an art for every man or woman (kunoichi).  Ninpo embodies the heart of the warrior, exists for and because of the warrior.  And, in this age of the common man, warriors are in short supply.  Ninpo's techniques are not for the faint of heart, for the effete.  Specifically, Ninpo Taijutsu embodies a system, not based in technique, but on the feeling of combat and the manipulation of the combat dynamic.  This process is not easily apprehended and is beyond the capacity of most dabblers to endure.  It is as it should be.  For the very essence of Ninpo is to endure; to endure pain, fear, monotony, discouragement, or whatever challenge that may raise its serpentine head to devour the heart of the warrior.  The Ninja endures because he must; he trains simply because that's what warriors do.  The warrior is compelled by his nature to endure.

Why Ninpo Taijutsu? Though some of what exists today echoes aspects of Ninpo, none posesses the purity of its battlefield spirit as demonstrated in its theory, technique, and feeling.  Within Ninpo Taijutsu an unbroken line of tradition extends backward for millennia and embodies a treasure gained from the blood and toil of ten thousand battlefields.