Reflections on 2011...

As 2011 winds down to the last few days and a new year is right around the corner, I am finding myself reflecting on the past year and how that has shaped going into 2012.  Our Soke (grandmaster) dedicated 2011 to "Kihon Happo", with his usual play on kanji to provide alternate meanings and deeper significance.  For 2012, he announced the theme would center on "ken" or sword, with possibly longer weapons like yari (spear) and naginata (polearm).  However, as history has shown, what he actually teaches throughout the year will likely take many twists and turns, like following a good mystery story.

And that's just the point.

The mystery of Soke's budo is as elusive and subtle as a butterfly, yet as hard hitting and sometimes overwhelming as a bull.  Those who try to keep up with him only find themselves lost and confused, but struggling to continue on.  I believe that is the ultimate lesson he gives - to keep going ("gambatte") even when nothing makes sense.  Even when the mind is confused, one cannot stop and struggle.  He or she must let go and keep going, to be free, to be zero.  It is not necessary to understand, only to keep going.

In looking back at 2011, I made the year about our Kihon or fundamentals.  I started the year teaching most of the Tenchijin Ryaku no Maki, the 3 part book of selected techniques and skills that our Soke put together as a comprehensive training guide to help establish a foundation.  We ended the year with a little review from the students, having them come out and demonstrate something, anything, from their training experiences over the last year - and then we broke it down to look at possibilities, the inner workings and tied it together with other concepts and techniques.  So, we started with form and ended with no form.

In between the start and end of 2011 held many excellent training opportunities, with some exciting and educational workshops and seminars from top instructors, many of whom went to Japan to train with Soke and the Japanese senior teachers on many occasions throughout the year.  Having them to work with really helped me to try and keep in touch with the feeling of Soke's budo, even if I may not always have understood exactly what was being conveyed.  As I said previously, it's not important to understand with the mind.  It's important to keep moving the body.

This year I also found myself focusing my own training and teaching on what to do when taken to the ground.  With the help of some cross training friends, I picked up several really good techniques for escaping and even reversing somebody who is on top of you and trying to pound you into the dirt.  Even though these techniques came from a sport background, I found many ways to incorporate my Bujinkan training into these techniques, to take advantage of weak points and openings and use my ukemi taihen skills to protect myself, weaken their position, find the safe spaces/angles and escape or counter.  I wasn't trying to be any kind of MMA guy.  Rather, I saw this as a great opportunity to 'fix' a hole or vulnerability in my own training.  I also took on this new avenue of training with the pragmatic perspective to consider the reality of weapons, multiple attackers, environmental dangers (curb, stairs, furniture, passing vehicles, etc).

And, I also shared this with my own students - who quickly found great value in the training and I believe have a good foundation to deal with the reality that we may very well end up on our backs with a hostile attacker on top, pounding away at us with a rain of fists, fingers and elbows.  Or, maybe a weapon like a knife or firearm...

At a few points during the year, I learned some really good foundational techniques for using the katana and tachi swords.  I had some really bad habits that developed over the many years without my awareness and, thankfully, some good friends whom I value as my sempai (seniors) took the time to point out and provide correct instruction.  Now I can go confidently into 2012 with a good idea of what "ken kihon" to diligently train on, to not only close the holes, reverse the bad movement habits, but to also have correct form, control of proper distance and efficient power delivery.  Through this new awakening, I found that these things actually brought my kenjutsu more in line with my taijutsu - so that my kenjutsu and taijutsu are becoming one -jutsu.  I've always known that, but somehow it didn't translate in my body to my kenjutsu.

And, that leads me into where I feel I need to go in 2012.  I want to bring all my -jutsu into one.  We have our bugei, or warrior arts, that include weapons, striking, kicking, throwing, grappling, etc.  It is easy to pursue the various skills as seperate areas of study.  But, as was the case with my sword skills, this can lead to problems.  For my own training, I want to work harder to blend these bugei into one, so that there is no separation, no differences, no holes.  My body should work the same, no matter what -jutsu I am incorporating.  That means I am undefined; I am zero.

That's a lot harder than it sounds, believe me!

So, the reflections continue, as I work to find gems of lessons I may have missed or see the past with new eyes so that I may get as much from it as possible.  Then, with 2012 and a whole new year of training and learning ahead, I am excited to see what seeds planted then will start to blossom out now.

Gambatte!

Buyu

Friends...

I have many kinds of friends, like work friends, friends of friends, friends I see maybe once in a while, friends I see all the time, and even Facebook "friends" whom I've never personally met but share a common interest or two.  All my friends share important roles in my life and our connection is always maintained in some way, even with distance and time between us.

I even have those friends from my military "past life" and those who I've never served with, but because of our common military background, we just click as friends.

There are some friends who I consider family, because the connection of history and life between us is so intertwined that our relationship is no different than a family member.  In fact, some friends I am closer to than my own family, in the sense that they've shared more of my life than many members of my own family.

But, out of all those kinds of friends, none of them come close to the kind of unique relationship that exists with my friends in martial arts.  The martial arts are not the same as the military, yet they encompass a sort of pseudo military context.  However, the pursuit of martial arts is as much a personal quest of self-discovery as it is about learning survival and fighting skills.  It is this point that puts friendships in martial arts on a unique platform from all other kinds of friendships.  True "buyu" (martial arts friends) have a kinship with each other because each knows the internal and external struggles the other continues to face as they progress in training.  Each one knows there are ups and downs, success and disappointment, and the all-too-familiar question of "why" they each keep training.  They each know the walls, the plateaus, the high from moments of "getting it" and the lows of not "getting it".
There is a level of honesty that goes beyond boasting, masks and ego.  They know in the end, it's what they do on the mat that ultimately reveals the truth.  True buyu is based on respect because they each know they are willing to allow the other to see their imperfections, share in their success and lean on each other in their challenges.

It's a friendship that is truly unique and one to be cherished, nurtured and valued.

At the same time, this trust should not ever be violated.  Real buyu don't turn on each other, don't lead the other to failure, don't seek harm to the other and don't abandon the other in a time of need.

Recently, I have seen martial arts friends talk critically of each other, make fun of certain behaviors and do things that would be perceived as violating that spirit of trusted buyu.  But, I've also seen those same people be the first to stand up and welcome each other with hugs and even come to the defense of a fellow buyu against someone saying derogatory things.

My point is that we, as buyu, may bicker with each other, we may talk trash with each other, we may poke fun at each other, but when it comes down to it, we will still back each other up and defend each other against those not part of the special relationship that exists between us.

Funny, but that's exactly how it is in even the closest of families!  Coincidence?  I think not.

Thoughts on movement and kukan...

My thoughts on moving:

In budo, movement is everything. Movement comes from the body, as we strive to move with freedom and a naturalness that permits efficiency and natural power. However, when we look at movement in context, we then are faced not with the how, but with the where.

We do not move into solid, we move into space. However, in striking, we are moving to make contact with the solid, but we don't stop there. In order to penetrate, we have to drive through the contact point. In driving through the contact point, we create space as the opponent's body is affected by our strike. This space or kukan gives us the extra space we need to continue forward, or we are stopped in our motion and face a level of recoil in proportion to the amount of resistance we encounter from the target (i.e. the "bounce back"). Unless you strike the air, you will face some degree of recoil or "bounce back". Your kamae in striking or moving plays a key role in being able to pierce through this recoil, or redirect it or absorb it without giving up structure and balance.

Because all structures have strong and weak points, techniques involve a combination of striking into the weak points of the structure, while striking at angles which are not supported fully by the structure.

Then, there is the moment when structure is in transition and that transition is the time when the structure is weak.

Lastly, there is the moment when the structure is no longer strong, due to over extending past the balance point or off the support line of the legs.

With kukan or space, you can create this space, or wait and move in space that opens. In one version of techniques, you 'break open' this space. On another version of techniques, you manipulate the uke's movement to create this space. But, there is another version of techniques where you take the space the uke needs in order to maintain their strong position and movement or that puts you where they are weakest.

This last strategy can be seen as 'stealing space'. I like to think this is a way of shinobi-iri, or "stealing in". More than just sneaking into a castle or house, this strategy exists in high level martial arts techniques. They are sneaky in the sense that it involves moving into spaces undetected. The uke doesn't realize the movement until they are affected, and often they don't understand or are confused by it. In this moment, they are weak structurally and their mind is distracted.

In Japanese budo, efficiency and balance is stressed as one moves from one point to another. This has the benefit of moving in everyday activities with power and naturalness. In combat, the one who has better efficiency and balance is able to have the advantages of correct timing, angling and positioning or distancing. This method of movement relies heavily on precise use of the legs, hips and spine. The knees are bent, the feet and knees align with the points of the hips and the spine supports the upper body without relying on tension of the muscles. As one moves in this manner, the body 'floats' across the floor in an even distribution of balance, instead of the usual up and down, side to side, bobbing manner indicative of Western movement. By moving in this manner, the body is able to move more freely in any direction, change at will, use energy more efficiently and not fatigue as quickly.

Having the physiological control of the body and balance during this kind of movement also can create false senses in the uke and lead to the 'stealing' of kukan. One is able to shift and move into these spaces with little or no detection, since the body movement is reduced to it's move simplistic action. The mind detects movement as it's primary visual cue, so the less movement there is, the more concealed it is. By eliminating extra movement and moving along lines that are outside the mind's ability to detect, the actions become undetected.

There are many ways to make a move undetectable, but to put it simply in the context of movement, it is important to understand the mind detects lateral movement far easier than linear movement. In addition, a flat or wide posture is easier to track than a narrow one. So, if you take these two points, it becomes easy to conclude that the most concealing movement is a linear, streamline movement with a narrow posture. Thus, you have the basis for kamae like Ichimonji no Kamae, Seigan no Kamae, and many others. This is why kamae are not stances, but go far deeper into the science of movement.

There are other examples of how to achieve hidden movement, but I will not go into them here, as this is an article more related to movement in general and the kukan that's involved.

Understanding how the body moves and where it can move with balance, efficiency and power, is a pursuit that will last a lifetime. Every level of understanding leads to the next, but only through proper, consistent, mindful training under a competent teacher can these points of discovery be found. Like knots in a rope, the rope is the connection to one's teacher, the consistent training like the unbroken rope, and the knots are the points of discovery when new levels of understanding are revealed.

Gambatte!

The Zero of Eight

First off, I deeply apologize for neglecting this blog for so long.  I noticed my last entry was January 2nd!  At any rate, here I am with a new topic to spill out my thoughts on - "The Zero Of Eight"

In our Bujinkan studies, we learn about something called Kihon Happo.  The Kihon Happo are essentially 8 fundamental technique principles, although this has been toyed with to mean infinite (depending on how you write the kanji for "happo").  Our Soke has said that the number 8, when turned on it's side, is the universal symbol for infinity.  So are the Kihon Happo.

However, as a student trying to learn this crazy art of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, we are brought back to the Kihon Happo as being 8 techniques.  Although there are actually 2 different lists of Kihon Happo (the original version had a technique called Ura Gyaku Ken Sabaki Gata instead of what is commonly listed as Onikudaki), really the list has remained fairly consistent.

What is important to understand is the wording of Happo.  The kanji "po" means "law" or "principle", not "technique" (-jutsu), "form" (waza/kata).  That means the exact technique is not the point.  The principle is.  The fundamental lessons contained in each Kihon can be applied to a variety of technique variations.  This is what I think is meant when the Kihon Happo are explained as being an infinite number of techniques.  In addition, Toshitsugu Takamatsu (Hatsumi Soke's teacher), taught the Kihon Happo were the base of all martial arts.  Certainly, he didn't actually mean the techniques themselves, as every martial art has their own unique version of each of them.  But, rather, every martial art has techniques that use the same principles, strategies and concepts expressed by each of the Kihon Happo.  This is also why Soke's teaching has been referred to as "Global Budo".  It truly is universal!

However, within the Kihon Happo, every student is guided to strip away, layer by layer, all the external parts and levels of understanding so that they are able to develop the "kihon of the kihon", or the intricate little parts that make it all work the way Soke makes it work.  This is an on-going process of deep study, patience and diligent practice with a good teacher.  As one digs deeper into the study of these technique principles (i.e. "-po"), they begin to see them in all techniques.  So, in essence, study of the Kihon Happo is really a study of all martial arts techniques.

This is what brings me to the point of this post.  The 8 techniques of the Kihon Happo can be seen like the 8 spokes of a wheel.  At the center is Soke.  As budoka, we are seeking to develop strong "spokes" in our budo "wheel".  However, ultimately, all the spokes are held together by the essence, the center, the Zero.  This Zero is Soke.  As we train, we are seeking to become like Soke in our understanding and expression of Soke.  Of course, nobody can be like Soke, as we are all individual human beings.  But, we can evolve to be as beautifully efficient in our taijutsu movement, which is why we study his movement.

So, practice well and continue to strip away the layers of each Kihon Happo.  But, ultimately, allow yourself to see beyond each technique as being a seperate thing and strive to see the beauty of the whole.  Strive to see the Zero of Eight.

Gambatte kudasai!

New Year's Message for 2011 (Or my humble attempt at it)

Last year was the Year of the Tiger, which for many carried some kind of significance or symbolism in training.  For me, it was a fun thing to ponder on, as the tiger is a symbol for earthly, physical attributes that include sensing danger, being practical, and so on.  As the year started, many people were forming entire themes around this symbol.  Soke's theme for 2010 was Rokonn Shoujou, which had many meanings including "Purify the Heart Through Laughter", but seemed to me to be more about the common phrase "Live, Laugh, Love".  Considering Soke dyed his hair a vibrant purple, it would seem that he was admonishing us to not take ourselves seriously, to step out and live vibrantly.  Of course, that's my interpretation.

But, even with all the themes and various blog posts by people who defined their 2010 training by these things, it seems we all ended up centering our training around our own needs and the needs of our individual training groups and dojos.

One thing I've especially noticed this year is just how different people are in the direction of their training.  This is purely my thoughts, of which I found I am not alone by any means, but it would seem that what once started out as differences in training among individuals has now become differences in the training evolution between groups of people.  This gap seems to have gotten wider and wider over the decades, but seems to me that there is an accelerated rate in just how different these things are.  Each generation grows farther apart from each other.  For example, you have two major evolutions going on that view kihon, or fundamentals, as either sticking to and perfecting the classic forms such as low, extended postures, extreme body mechanics and so on.  Then, the other side views kihon as a process of using smaller movements, changes in space and angles in subtle actions, and so on.  Some view these differences as simply as learning to move like Soke by training the way he used to in order to evolve to how he is now, or focusing on the biomechanics and specific principles to bypass the unnecessary to develop "Soke movement" in a streamlined manner.  Both sides have valid points and many things can be learned from each.  But, often this presents tension as each side believes they are on the right track and view the other with smirks and snickering.  It really goes against the primary thing Soke created the Bujinkan for, a fellowship of buyu (warrior friends) to share and grow together in budo.  It becomes disheartening when people are this way, as I feel it is the differences that present the bone yard of secrets and missing pieces to the puzzle.  We truly need each other and to stop believing we hold the answers ourselves.  Soke has shown us time and time again that just when we think we 'know', we really don't.

Soke announced at Daikomyosai that the theme for 2011 will be "Kihon Happo".  Now, we know Kihon Happo is the name given for the eight techniques that define the base or foundation of our training.  But, this is not necessarily true as you consider the importance of the Sanshin no Kata, Kamae, Ukemi Taihenjutsu, and other skills which also are foundational to our art.  But, the Kihon Happo does serve as a base of techniques you apply with a partner in order to learn about how to affect an attacker.  What is important to understand, however, is that it is not about the techniques, or it would be called Kihon Ha-jutsu ("jutsu" means technique).  The term "po", as used in Happo, means 'law' or 'principle'.  So, the Kihon Happo really are fundamental principles, not techniques.  The techniques are just the vehicles or tools to explore those principles.

Now that I've cleared this up, here's the part that makes Soke the kind of man he is.  When he announced the theme, he didn't write the kanji for Kihon Happo as we know it.  He wrote them differently.  To borrow from Jack Hoban's New Year message, 季 ("ki") can mean "season" or "end," 翻 ("hon") can mean "turn around" or "reverse," 初 ("ha") can mean "first time" or "basic" (it is also the first kanji of Hatsumi), and 崩 ("pou") can mean "collapse" or "break down."

So, to look at this from a narrow definition, it would seem Soke's "Kihon Happo" now has many meanings and one can spend the whole year trying to figure it out.  Those who have their 'way' will surely come out with their seminar circuits geared around this theme and others will probably assume one thing or another and train accordingly.  Only those who are training with Soke firsthand will have the opportunity to really know what he means by all of this.  But, regardless, we each know what we need in our training and, by the end of 2011, most of us naturally will be focusing more on that than anything else.

However, in thinking about the new kanji for "kihon happo", I am reminded and enlightened on some perspectives which I would like to share in this new training year.  Our seasons are a process of change, phases of evolution as each year goes by.  It is a balance of growth and destruction, as one phase changes into the other.  There is no defining line between each season and sometimes things like weather can show similarity to a former or future season.  If you didn't have a calendar to tell you, would you be able to tell exactly when summer becomes fall, fall becomes winter, winter becomes spring, or spring becomes summer?  With Kihon Happo, the same can be said.  Soke and his teacher, the late Takamatsu Soke, said that the Kihon Happo are the basis for all martial arts, for all techniques.  Can you tell when one begins or another begins?  Can you separate the Kihon Happo by their physical characteristics in a kata or is it like trying to separate the seasons by their weather patterns?  Remember, the Kihon Happo are not about techniques, or it would be a -jutsu, not -po.  The other meaning to "ki" is end.  But, end does not mean death. "End" can also mean to prepare the way for a beginning.  It's the cleaning of the canvass to set the right moment or environment to create a true expression.  It is crucial in becoming "zero", a concept that Soke has been teaching on for many years.

"Hon" as in reverse or turning around can be seen as the point in which you need to turn around and go back.  Some things may be missed and you need to go back and find them before continuing.  It also can be a reverse of perspective.  Sometimes, when trying to solve a puzzle, taking a few moments to do something else and come back later can give a whole new perspective.  Sometimes, taking a moment to put yourself in another person's shoes can allow you to see things from their perspective and give you a deeper understanding of yourself.  Sometimes, going backwards can be going forwards.  An old martial arts philosophy teaches that gaining a black belt is a process of dirtying your white belt through experience, but once it is black, the process then becomes the wearing away of the outer threads, the blackness or dirt, to strip away experience to return to the newness of being a white belt again.  It's a forward/backward process of gaining and losing, of building and destroying, of death and rebirth.  It is exactly how the seasons and all of life itself evolves through time.

"Ha", as in "first time" or "basic" really is important.  There's something to be said about the vibrancy of being new, of experiencing something for the first time.  Experience can rob us of that experience, as familiarity leads to numbness, boredom and blindness.  For me, I think this is a reminder that we need to approach every aspect of training as if it is our first time, because it is.  We are in winter. We experienced winter last year.  We are about to experience spring.  We experienced spring last year.  Has this winter been the same as last winter?  Will spring be exactly the same as last spring?  It may 'seem' to be the same for some people, but is it really?  Or is it just our perspective that can make it appear similar?

I enjoy the holidays every year.  I'm like a kid sometimes about it.  But, I also enjoy the new year, as we put away all our decorations, use the opportunity to clean our house, and look forward to what opportunities 2011 will have to offer. It's a feeling of renewal, of letting go of the past and looking forward to a fresh start.  But, really, it only is one day later than yesterday.  It's the new perspective that makes it what it is.  It's a matter of choice and action.  Imagine if we can be like this every day, every hour, every minute?  Why does it take a calendar to tell us when?  That attitude, to me, is a basic.  It also is key in adding vibrancy to one's training and opens the eyes, mind and heart to gain the most out of every experience.  It lies at the heart or root of our class motto "Shikin Haramitsu Daikomyo".

The last kanji, "Po", as in "break down" or "collapse" is interesting.  From a technical perspective, one could see it along with "Ha" (basic) to mean 'breaking down a basic'.  For many, this sorely needed.  Many people are so busy following advanced concepts that they either have not broken down their basics enough or haven't done so in such a long time that their physical skills have deteriorated.  It is a common critique in Japan that us Westerners have inadequate fundamentals.  I remember being in Japan in 2007 when a black belt could even do a basic roll very well, not because of any physical illness or handicap, but from obvious lack of training.  Yet, this person acted as the 'know it all' and even has a dojo with students!  If he isn't training in basics enough in his own life, one can only imagine how much he pushes his students to do the same.  Lead by example is still the most powerful influence.

So, how do we put all this in our own training direction for 2011?  I don't know because I'm not Soke and I can't commute to his classes.  But, for me, I think it is good to grab a few things and then continue with the needs of my own training and the training of those who look to me for guidance.  I would like to challenge each of us to strip away our old views, to stop and turn around and look at the "same old" for what we may have missed.  I also want to challenge us to approach our training as the new person seeing it all for the first time.  Resist the tendency to just do things the way we've always done or understood them.  Find the newness in the experience, as this isn't the same winter as last winter.  I also think we need to keep breaking down our fundamentals, and break down all our techniques into their fundamentals.

Most important for me, however, is that this year there seems to be an emphasis on the space between the forms.  There's the Kihon Happo, but there's the space that separates them from each other.  Yet, it's like finding the space between Winter and Spring.  There really is no space/kukan, as in emptiness.  It's really a blur from one to another.  So, it's really more about the transition, the change, since without transition you have no evolution, no life, and thus no budo.  Just as in the differences in views regarding training direction, we also need to look at the space between the differences, to discover that it really isn't a space but a blur.  We all gain from each other and enrich each other if we allow it to blur instead of creating a space, a dead spot, in our Bujinkan fellowship and connection to each other.

So, that's it.  It's the connection and transition between the parts as each is connected to each other in a process of evolution, of constant newness of forward moving experiences and the power of looking back in reflection with the fresh eyes to discover what our blindness missed along the way.

Happy New Year!