Bujinkan Santa Monica

Asura in Kōfuku-ji, Nara. photo by 小川晴暘 Sanshin is one of the most basic, fundamental, and important concepts in the Bujinkan. Yet even after years of training it remains mysterious and elusive, even one the most misunderstood aspects of our training. Ask your teacher what it is. Many will give you their pat, standard answer given to all beginners. Others will wander off in a glassy-eyed, meandering philosophical and esoteric treatise. And there are even some who will try to tell you how to stand or step while delivering a punch. They may not be wrong. But they probably will be missing key ideas. I will not try to correct anyone except to say, please discard what you think you know. Hatsumi Sensei recently gave us a clue to the secrets of sanshin when he was teaching us about kaname: 全体を捕るということは、要をとる。三身一如のことは言う。 Soke suggests here that you take everything together by only taking what is essential in the moment (kaname). This is sanshin unified as one reality. Three as one....

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...

自拍的藝術 photo by 【Ｊ】 The Bujinkan is not for everybody. It is only for people who get it. My way of teaching the Bujinkan is not for everybody. But it works for me. And it works for those of you who get it and who want it. If you study with me, I add a secret teaching technique that I will call "Michael Glenn's Patented 秘密 Himitsu Bujinkan Strategy™." I use this silly name because I want you to try to figure out what it is. If you can guess it, I will send you a free DVD. So if you want to be successful in your Bujinkan class, there are 3 simple steps: (add Michael Glenn's 秘密 Himitsu Bujinkan Strategy™ first) then, Attempt Observe Repeat So let's consider these steps in order. Attempt. It is better to start by trying. Until you try, you don't even know if you can do it. Until you try, you don't know where your mistakes will be. This is the only way to know what to look for in the next step. Next, Observe someone who is successful. In you...