Bujinkan Santa Monica

Yabusame 流鏑馬, Kumamoto-shi, JP. photo by malfet_ We are more than halfway through 2012 and training has been great! Back in December, I wrote about a class where Hatsumi Sensei suggested some possibilities of a theme for 2012 . As often happens the theme has evolved to express other ideas than those Hatsumi Sensei shared in December. One idea that has emerged has been an exploration of the idea of kaname 要. Kaname 要 can be described as the essential or vital point of a technique, of a moment, or of strategy. It is essential because victory or defeat can pivot at this point. Everything hinges on grasping this moment. But this is not a new idea from Hatsumi Sensei. At last year's Daikomyosai, Soke gave us a lot of focus on the concept of Kukan no kyusho. At the time, besides having my eyes opened, this concept felt pivotal to everything we are currently studying in the Bujinkan. And, it turns out that kaname and kukan no kyusho are getting at the same feeling. In years past, So

In The World, digital c-print photograph by Andrew Binkley Hatsumi Sensei describes the journey of a Bujinkan student through the Dan ranks as being akin to the Ten Oxherding pictures in Zen Buddhism. These pictures describe the seeker's journey to enlightenment. If you haven't read my other posts in this series, please check them out. You may find them useful no matter what your rank is: Bujinkan Shodan 初段: Searching for the Bull Bujinkan Nidan 弐段: Discovering the Footprints Bujinkan Sandan 参段: Perceiving the Bull Bujinkan Yondan 四段: Catching the Bull Bujinkan Godan 五段: Taming the Bull Bujinkan Rokudan 六段: Riding the Bull Home Bujinkan Nanadan 七段: The Bull Transcended Bujinkan Hachidan 八段: Both Bull and Self Transcended Bujinkan Kyūdan 九段: Reaching the Source Now as a Jūdan, you may stroll casually through the dojo, yet your steps are not misplaced. Woodblock print by 德力富吉郎 Tokuriki Tomikichirō  入鄽垂手 In the World Barefooted and naked of breast,
 I

Reaching the Source, digital c-print photograph by Andrew Binkley Hatsumi Sensei describes the journey of a Bujinkan student through the Dan ranks as being akin to the Ten Oxherding pictures in Zen Buddhism. These pictures describe the seeker's journey to enlightenment. If you haven't read my other posts in this series, please check them out. You may find them useful no matter what your rank is: Bujinkan Shodan 初段: Searching for the Bull Bujinkan Nidan 弐段: Discovering the Footprints Bujinkan Sandan 参段: Perceiving the Bull Bujinkan Yondan 四段: Catching the Bull Bujinkan Godan 五段: Taming the Bull Bujinkan Rokudan 六段: Riding the Bull Home Bujinkan Nanadan 七段: The Bull Transcended Bujinkan Hachidan 八段: Both Bull and Self Transcended Now that we are at kyūdan, we have not only reached the source, we have returned to it: Woodblock print by 德力富吉郎 Tokuriki Tomikichirō 返本还源 Reaching the Source Too many steps have been taken returning to the root and the sourc

Both Ox and Self Transcended, digital c-print photograph by Andrew Binkley Hatsumi Sensei describes the journey of a Bujinkan student through the Dan ranks as being akin to the Ten Oxherding pictures in Zen Buddhism. These pictures describe the seeker's journey to enlightenment. If you haven't read my other posts in this series, please check them out. You may find them useful no matter what your rank is: Bujinkan Shodan 初段: Searching for the Bull Bujinkan Nidan 弐段: Discovering the Footprints Bujinkan Sandan 参段: Perceiving the Bull Bujinkan Yondan 四段: Catching the Bull Bujinkan Godan 五段: Taming the Bull Bujinkan Rokudan 六段: Riding the Bull Home Bujinkan Nanadan 七段: The Bull Transcended So what kind of training do we do for Hachidan? Woodblock print by 德力富吉郎 Tokuriki Tomikichirō 人牛俱忘 Both Bull and Self Transcended Whip, rope, person, and bull - all merge in No Thing.
 This heaven is so vast,
 no message can stain it.
 How may a snowflake exist in a