A question with many answers

One of my students stated “where do you get all these sayings from, it will be pretty good when I can understand them. How has Ninjutsu changed you?”

Interestingly, this question perplexed me somewhat as I began to ponder what had changed so dramatically In my life, my training and why Ninjutsu was the catalyst. One statement from a great master himself other than Hatsumi seemed to fit the bill. Ed Martin (affectionately known as PAPASAN) and I were discussing on the phone with thousands of miles between us – Kihon Happo and the accident that caused my severe memory loss. A few years ago, I was involved in a horrific Car accident that nearly took my own life and that of my wife’s. Finally, during recovery, I went back to teaching a few students and found that I could not actually remember anything - even simple Kamae. I found myself in a hall without mirrors and with lost knowledge. The only thing I could do was study what little info I had and begin to teach from the heart. Perhaps; channeling the intelligence from a higher order if you will - even Ninpo. I discussed this phenomena with Papasan and he said “You know Jock, I bet that your movement now is more intuitive and natural due to the fact that you have come from no form and you have had to learn from the heart.” This was of course a revelation to me as I realized the lesson within the statement. I had just reached a form of enlightenment and found myself at the behest of the essence of Ninjutsu rather than what I had originally understood.

When many people come to the Bujinkan at first, they are faced with what seems like unnatural movement that must become natural and perhaps more importantly, they do not understand the senses. In order to understand the essence of Ninjutsu, you must open the heart. This in turn makes the requisite changes that you seek in your life. How do you open your heart? Again this question has many answers but a positive step is to see with your inner spirit than materially with your physical eyes. That may sound profound but as you get to understand what is in between the lines and understand how energy moves – you begin to feel and see from within.

When your life is out of balance, it will show in your Taijutsu. No matter what is out of balance, your energy system will not flow as nature intended and so you will not flow – finding the stumbling blocks of movement within your Taijutsu and your life. To identify a potential weakness in your movement will allow you to reflect those requisite changes in your life. In order to improve on all 3 levels of Mind, body and spirit, you must accept your flaws but as an opportunity for growth. Without understanding your weaknesses, you are in fact coming from a position of ego and not seeing the larger picture of being able to grow spiritually and make the changes as necessary. So what is important is not how Ninjutsu has changed you but how you have changed yourself by using Ninjutsu as the key to unlock the door.