I wrote this in 10/2000.
I am on my own musha shugyo, a ninja in the year 2004.
Please take the time to read it.
I feel it will explain what I am and understand to be a warrior or ninja.
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The warrior tradition dates back long ago before records were kept, from koku (empty space). Humans are animals of survival, war and conquest. As far back as you can research the pages of history, walls of caves, scrolls of martial traditions you will find the survival methods we call combat. Human’s against environment, animals, and each other, just survival. A fact we must remember in these days of ‘911’, evangelist, religion and 7-11 stores wish to protect us from harm.
Ok now onward with my silly note. At first you see me, Ralph as a simple, loud, silly, over weight, rude, and powerful looking human. Oh yes some of you see me as controlling. It’s just hard to image that in the shadow of this big body lies the information and wisdom of the musha shugyo. But after you get the picture you begin to realize I’m the inheritor of a living warrior tradition that can be dated back over 1,000 years of history. Wow, sounds neat! Well it is. And I’ve asked myself what it really is that I’m guiding others in and have the authority to pass on such life style as well from time to time. So this is what I’ve found out for myself and have been told by my seniors. Nothing new is written here but this can be taken as my point of view. Try to read between the lines and find the true meaning of what I’m trying to say here in this note. It takes much more than mere talent to become a warrior. It takes action and effort. These are the areas of training I’m experiencing on my musha shugyo.
Ningu kusarifundojutsu (chain and weight), kagi nawajutsu (hook and cord), hojojutsu (cord tying), kyoketsushogejutsu (sickle and cord with a weight), kusarigamajutsu (sickle with a chain and weight), nawanagejutsu (rope throwing) are the skills of the flexible tools. These tools can be used for self-protection, survival, escape, and tying up your foe (hobakujutsu). The training can enhance the natural flow of the body to improve over all taijutsu. The wonderful circular motion of these types of tools helps the human understand the natural pattern of birth and rebirth. The flow build using these can enhance the strength of your personal defense. The hira ichimonji, hoko no kamae come from this training.
Kyojitsu tenkan ho, divine sight is the approach of thinking. A strategy for winning that is based on the philosophy of deception strategy. The method of presenting falsehood as truth. Truth and false, false and truth. A concept of altering yourself and what is around you with psychological skills to bring about winning over your adversary. Many find this to be quite abstract in our life style of the 20-century. This does mean to have excuses of why you cannot and thinking it is ok because you know you are lying. This is a non-pure heart that is out of control. Lying is normal in our society and excepted as a way of life to hide the weakness and sickness of the heart. The true way is nintai jisei (perseverance and self-control). The righteous life of a human is not to others but to his own heart. “The way of the warrior is death” written in ‘Hagakure’ an old Japanese text. This idea of knowledge is the base of Togakure ryuha ninpo. In shin tonkei, do the most with little effort.
Suijutsu is the skill of swimming. To enter silently, survival of an over turned boat, for life saving another from drowning, use of boats, floats, water crossing with equipment, and combat with weapons and unarmed in the water. Good physical attributes help in the skills of suijutsu. This is also good therapy for injured bodies in recovery.
Hensojutsu (disguise) and gisojutsu (impersonation). These skills give you the ability to be someone you’re not. To survive or to help others survive. This is beyond mere costume or the ninja shinobi shozoku. It is a way of life, hengen kashi (immersion in the illusion). Personality traits, different craftsman skills, entertainment skills, body movement, reaction skills, and even change of sexual like’s and dislikes can change your identity. You train in the areas of being a merchant, tradesman, musician, priest, entertainer, showman, wandering person, and teacher. This gives you the skills to blend in, to become invisible. Onshinjutsu or onshin tongyo no jutsu (art of invisibility, or disappearing) is like the modern day camouflage to the warrior. This can be broken down into omote goton no ho (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) and ura goton no ho (person, bird, animal, insect, fish) which together called jutton. Goton santon no ho (30 methods of escape). More of a comprehensive name would be tenchijin santon no ho. Tenton (sun, stars, moon, cloud, fog, thunder, lightning, wind, rain, snow). Chiton (wood, grass, fire, smoke, earth, house, metal, stone, water, boiling water). Jinton (males, females, old people, infants, nobility, poor, birds, animals, insects, fish). Many humans today use this as a lying system to their own heart. To blind the truth of their own weakness and excuses. This is not the true art and should not be used as hensojutsu. Ihen, Kage no kamae can be better understood with this training.
Ningu bojutsu is the skill of using the stick as a tool for self-defense and survival. This can be a 6-inch, 12-inch, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, and 6 feet stick. This is the ningu no kihon (base of ninja tools) of the warrior’s training. It creates a strong kihon (base) for all other tools for self-protection. The training of these types of tools gives the human the skills of working a stiff tool as a flexible one. The skills learned from these sticks lead to a better understanding of taijutsu. Hira ichimonji, shizen, and ichimonji no kamae are the postures enhanced by the use of the bojutsu.
Ningu shurikenjutsu is the skill of throwing blades of all shapes and sizes. The main ones are the senban (disk), bo (rod), and the hira shuriken (flat). Also the ax, spear, shovel, sticks, and rocks can be thrown. This area is important to the warrior because it gives him special tools to use in escaping an attack without contact against his foe. The use of metsubushi and tetsubishi are also part of the art of throwing things to escape. Jumonji no kamae, ukemi and sabaki can be enhanced by this type of training.
Chimon is the skill of geography. Knowledge of the terrain can have a great importance to the warrior. Use of this skill can aid in escape, where to build your home, to get to an area quickly, grow food and concealment. Gotonpo, is the use of the natural elements to escape; wood, rocks, soil, land, and water. This training helps you understand nature better. Many humans live in the city with little or no knowledge or wisdom of nature. It takes years of study in the woods to have a good understanding of chimon. Seiza, hiza and fudoza no kamae are worked on a great deal with chimon. The attitude training is unmatched by any other training method during woodland experience.
Seishin teki kyoyo is the skill of the spiritual training or personal clarity. Your heart has to be pure and righteous. You can say this ninpo training is to polish one’s character. (The heart; benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and sincerity. The attitude; thoroughness in loyalty, self-love and filial piety). It is important to study continuously in meditation, in (going to, darkness, female, negative), yo (going from, lightness, male, positive), sanmitsu (3 secrets) and sanshin to develop the understanding of the dharma (law) of nature and hachimon tonkojutsu (prediction of the future). Warriors have to know the truth in their heart, weakness, and personal powers. This is where the kihon happo comes into the training. Kosshi sanpo refers to the tenchijin and sanshin and the torite goho is the path of enlightenment is the gogyo (five deeds). Bushin wa-o motte totoshi-to nasu “the martial heart holds harmony as sacred”. The ways of Tenchijin gives us 3 different ways of understanding our relationship with the universe. Ten, heaven, gives us the skill to work our environment influencing it to change. Chi, earth, gives us the skills to change ourselves to influence our environment. Jin, man, gives us the skills to leave the environment the same but to create the impression, illusion, to cause alternating realities to influence others view point. This is true kyojitsu ten kan ho. Something to ponder when dealing with me first hand. Don’t forget I live this and not just train it in a passive form. Life is way to short and it’s fun!
Ningu sojutsu is the skill of spear. The warrior studies the methods of different types and lengths of spears. The are of throwing was also important. This tool was more for battlefield combat because of the over all length. Bojutsu training should come before sojutsu and shinobi zue.
Ninpo taijutsu is the skill of using the body unarmed. Skills of dakentaijutsu (striking), jutaijutsu (grappling), taihenjutsu (rolls, footwork, jumping), nejutsu (ground skills), shinobi iri (stealth and entering) shikoro- handsaw, nata- machete, kagi- hook, kama- sickle, and kiri- small drill were the kaiki (breaking and entering tools), junan taiso (stretching, cardiovascular, conditioning), kiaijutsu sansei hiden no ho (3 main types of hidden voice skills)-(shosei “ya” breaking his spirit, kosei “aa” I’m going to attack, chisei “towa” stop hit), muto dorijutsu (weaponless defense), and hokojutsu (walking). These training methods help in keeping the warrior healthy and strong. The personal maintenance program I use is in your booklet, will help you in making a better life style. I also covered this in my end of year letter 11/8/00. This type of training is non-sport. It is the training of life and not of combat. Fighting is not the key in the life of a warrior. But survival is. So many benefits come from taijutsu it would be impossible to list them here. Training taijutsu does not mean training once or twice a week to better yourself. But everyday to 4, 6 times a week.
Boryaku or heiho is the combat strategy the warrior uses to have the skill of shin-shin shin-gan (the mind and eyes of god) the divinely transmitted martial knowledge. This is also covered in your booklet, how to solve a problem, the 4 experiences of life, and factors for a better life. Kyomon (practical education) must be broad enough to provide you with means of understanding how to deal with everyday and special situations. To train in the warrior arts you must use unconventional tactics. These skills are used with the chimon, choho, tenmon, intonjutsu and others to have the out come you are wishing for during life. The heiho is the intertwining connection of the middle way. The bugeisha must possess natural justice in employing his skills. Without this area and the area of seishin teki kyoyo in his training he becomes just another martial artist. Heiho does not mean I will do it tomorrow or next month when it should be done now in the present. If you use the triangle of knowledge, past, present and future, you can better understand this method. Yugei (cultural arts) are important to the warrior. Painting, sewing, playing musical instruments, telling stories and jokes, dancing, and listening are very good skills of dexterity to have in your arsenal.
Tenmon is the skill of meteorology. Understanding the weather and how to use it to his advantage. This skill goes together in the area of chimon. As we get older the weather becomes something else other than it really is. We get to a point where it controls our will. With the use of woodland survival training this changes back to when we were free of this weak condition.
Ningu kenjutsu is the skill of swordsmanship. The warrior trains in the use of the ninja-to (medium sword), katana (long sword), shoto (short sword), tanto (knife), and tachi (large long sword). The skills of battojutsu (fast drawing) and fencing are the primary training methods use today. Use of two swords (nito), sword and knife, sword and short spear are also important for the warrior to train in as a secondary method of swordsmanship. It has been said that the sword is the backbone of the warrior.
Kajutsu (fire) and kayakujutsu (explosives) is the skills of smoke, fire, and explosives. Use of teppo (firearm); pistol, rifle and shotgun, explosives, and uses of effective placement, timing, and rigging are a base skill for today’s warrior. Knowledge of these skills gives the warrior the power to understand the truth of political and society influence on the changing mental state of his community. The presentation of the truth relies on knowledge of false and truth so you can protect the eternal goodness of your life.
Choho is the skill of espionage, reconnaissance or watching. I like to call this the art of observation. The method of how you learn information has a lot to do with what information you learn. Your intentions might be good but your method might fall short of proper choho. To listen is better than to speak at times. And some of us have obtained the skill of talking a great deal and learning from our host. This skill goes together in the area of hensojutsu. The best place to watch is in the mirror. Our weakness must be in our hearts. Watch the eyebrows.
Ningu shuko (hand claws), kunai (shovel), hashigo (ladder), ninyaku (medicines), dokuyaku (poisons), ninyashiki (house defense), naginata (halberd), bisento (large halberd), yumi-ya (bow and arrow), ono (large ax), fukiya (blowgun), toami (net), tessen (iron fan), jutte (iron rod), shinobi zue (hidden cane weapon), handkerchief, sarong, whip, nekode (cat’s claws), sokutoki (blowing tools), and tekkan (iron fist), are all part of the warriors training but fall into a lesser importance than the above training. Still the skills should not be over looked. All training is good training.
The warrior works his world instinctively and consciously with 3 levels of helpers or agents. Most of them never have knowledge they are part of a bigger scheme of someone else’s life. All of these people are healthy, honest, and knowledgeable in a field of use to the warrior. The warrior creates followers from the community around him to support his efforts of enlightenment, friendship, trust, love and happiness. This way he hides his true personal powers from dangerous cult like people looking for a quick fix.
The warrior, a human who has become powerful in every facet of his life, can demonstrate their love to others by giving his ability to protect his family from emotional, financial, political, physical and spiritual harm. In turn the warrior can help others to become warriors so they can also protect themselves from the same kinds of harm. He then becomes the guide, having the ability to protect others and teaching others how to protect themselves. It is important to help humans in the process of learning. Everyone should grow through healthy experiences with each other’s help.
A lot can be said about becoming a warrior. The path takes you away from being comfortable at home watching TV. The wonderful potential of person freedom can be a lonely path. But the pursuit of your discoveries on this path can out weight the harmful actions taken towards you as you walk on. The commitment to personal freedom is life long. The relentless friends, family, and employers can become a living realm of “hell” of unhappiness. Their disease can consume you, not wanting you to become whom you set out to become is a perspective I can not understand or except in this lifetime. Home, loved ones and friends should be our support system on our journey through life. This all can change with your love for yourself becomes noticeable to them. The people around you can become afraid to lose you to yourself. I must do what I feel “right” for me. And it is a tragedy to leave behind the feelings, warmth, smiles, sex, friendship, money and etc. to walk away free within your own heart. Once you put behind you the fear and ego of the symbolic world we live in all the joys and love will come to you each and every day of your life. The enemy never thinks to appear before you as a warrior. It is simple, those who do not wish to be healed will not be healed. So just do it for your self now. Be healed.
ralph severe, kamiyama
