Bujinkan Santa Monica

Santa Claus in 浦和 Urawa, photo Michael Glenn Dear Santa, I've been a good Ninja. I don’t bite my nails. I won't ask you for much, but I just want to see if these letters work. Some other Ninjas are getting smarter people to write their letters, but I write my own. This year I trained really hard, so I want a grappling hook and a ninja-to and an axe but my mother said that I have to stop throwing rocks and fighting. Please bring us a new Hombu Dojo, or keep the old one standing. I would like a throwing star and some nice things to eat. I am very fond of pie. Please bring a smoke bomb. Uncle Wade said that he would make one but he has not done it yet and I don't believe he will I want a bank that you can't open so mama won't spend my money. AND I was very good and went to train in Japan three times this year, so Please don't put my axe in my stocking for you might stretch it. Bring my little brother Andrew something or else he'll pun...

Hatsumi Sensei gets into Michael Glenn's head. photo by @ seanbonner Last week in class with Hatsumi Sensei, he remarked that this year's theme is really hard. What he meant was not that it was particularly hard for him, but that it seemed hard for all of us to understand it. During all my classes with him this year, he has provided glimpses, feelings, and filled me with images of what he is leading us to in training. I think this type of imagery is the point in itself and a strategy for fighting. For many years, Soke has been advising us to move beyond common sense and technique. To do things that can't be understood. Because this type of fighting cannot be countered. It is a very Ninja strategy. So I was watching him get his ukes to jump this way and that around the hombu tatami. They were filled with pain, but also great mental confusion. In most cases they appeared to be fighting themselves. How do you get opponents to fight themselves? To do the work for you so...