Bujinkan Kouun, Hatsumi Sensei's ideas on luck.

One day at Hombu, after doing a miraculous technique that seemed require impossible coincidence, Hatsumi Sensei said,

You have to be the type of person that lucky things happen to.

Really. On reflection, I felt lucky to have heard him say that. But that was several years ago, and the idea has stayed with me. There seem to be many layers to that idea, And I have heard Soke mention variations on it since.

Usually the way people speak that idea in English is, "you've got to get lucky." Or, "hope I get lucky!" As if luck is something that just happens to you. Hatsumi Sensei's version seems to suggest that luck is a product of the type of person you are, or maybe an aspect of your heart or spirit.

One of the reasons that phrase resonated with me is that I have had many "unlucky" moments in my life. Moments where I just cannot fathom the depths of my misfortune. I won't bore you with the details, but Soke's statement seemed to suggest a solution.

A year or two after I heard Sensei say that, I was very lucky to receive a calligraphy from Sensei of the word "Kouun." It means "luck, fortune, or prosperity." While I was waiting for the ink to dry, I showed it to my friend Paul Masse and Yabunaka. Paul with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, pointed out to me that people often use the word "uunko" to reflect the opposite. It is a word that is uttered when one has just stepped in dog shit.

This reminded Yabunaka of a story. He said that when he was traveling with Hatsumi Sensei to the Atlanta Tai Kai, the weather was quite warm. They were walking along behind Soke along the hot asphalt. The heat from the road caused the glue from the sole of Sensei's shoe to soften and the sole fell off. Hatsumi Sensei didn't miss a step. He continued walking straight on his path. Those behind him retrieved the sole and said, "Sensei, your shoe came off!" Sensei just brushed them aside and stated that he didn't need it anyway.

This reminded me of something else I heard Soke say that may help to understand how to be lucky:

"The longer you train you need to be able to ignore things that you don't need. Things that are unnecessary. And set them aside.

As you do this, you start to see the bad parts of your own self. And you have to be able to toss those things aside as well.

Because if you have one bad part of yourself still within you, everything will collapse later.

So part of what Shugyo is, what training is... is discovering the bad parts of yourself and tossing them aside.

That's what life is. Not just in the dojo."

Comments

Behind the Black Gate: Japan Report Eight 令和6年

黒門 Kuromon: the Black Gate This morning I made my way into Tokyo to visit the 黒門 kuromon, or black gate. This was one of the few structures from 寛永寺 Kan’ei-ji that survived the battle of Ueno (上野戦争, Ueno Sensō). During the Boshin War (戊辰戦争, Boshin Sensō), and the gate marked the spot where the 彰義隊 Shōgitai lost a decisive battle against the Imperial troops. Today it is riddled with bullet holes and cannon scars. The Shōgitai were the last of the Tokugawa Samurai. They had swords, arrows, and spears. But they were no match for the 官軍 kangun, the Imperial army led by 西郷隆盛 Saigō Takamori, who used Snider rifles and Armstrong Cannons. 黒門の半分見へて春の雨 the Black Gate is only half visible – rain in spring 〜Kobayashi Issa, 1805 My visit to the black gate was marked by the gentle fall of Ginkgo leaves. A quiet peaceful morning helped me reflect on such a fierce battle. Maybe one of the reasons I am allowed to be here was because of this war which led to the end of the Tokugawa ...

Secrets of 三つ鱗 Mitsu Uroko

三つ鱗 Mitsu Uroko photo by Michael Glenn Since I am a ninja, I am part of a secret society. Secret societies are fun to learn about. One of the most obvious ways into a secret society is through its symbols. I recently stumbled across one mysterious symbol called 三つ鱗 Mitsu Uroko in a place I didn't expect to find it. You have probably seen this symbol. For Legend of Zelda fans it is known as the Triforce. But you may not know that the creator of this game, Miyamoto Shigeru, took much of his inspiration from the mountains and temples of Kyoto. And if you travel around Japan, you will encounter this symbol yourself. What does it mean? And why should anyone in the Bujinkan care? Let me explain. The origin story of this symbol is tied with one of the most powerful Shogun and clans in Japanese history. As told in the Taiheiki 太平記, Hojo Tokimasa went on a pilgrimage of fasting and prayer to the island of Enoshima. While he was in one of the Iwaya Caves, the Goddess Benzaiten ap...

Kage No Keiko: Don't Ask a Shadow for Answers

Photo by OiMax There is an old tale about a teacher whose students asked him, "Where does your teaching come from? What is its source? Who is your teacher?" The teacher replies, You are not ready for my answer. If I say that my teaching is from inspiration, you will consider me crazy. If I say it is my own teaching and skill, some will worship me and never learn. If I name my teacher, many will turn to him to ask the same dumb questions while ignoring real study. In the Bujinkan, Hatsumi Sensei has told us that training is a process of developing the eyes to be able to see true budo. Hatsumi Sensei talks about different types of keiko or training, even in dreams. He says that when he is training intensely, he will have weird dreams. He tells this story about his teacher Toshitsugu Takamatsu, He would draw from 5:00 a.m. to noon every day. One day, he painted a picture of a dragon for his friend. A few nights later, my teacher...

Bujinkan Santa Monica

Search This Blog