"Vibration" or "higher vibration" is a new age term as to how different parallel universes exist.
But really Scientifically, we mean Higher energy states, heat, etc.
Hand Crank GIF Machine
----After all, "Solid" matter is an illusion created by opposing forces in the same type of matter, but is only WAVES at its ultimate form.
Scientifically, we may be looking at particle "Attributes" perhaps some waveform characteristic.
"Frequency" is one, but also we may have "phase"," Polarization" and other wave attributes (in the matter) that might make the difference between matter of one universe and matter of the other.
Since only matter with the same attributes is "real" (interactive and "solid) relative to other particles.
Those sets of matter with Matching attributes make up Universes, with stars, planets, galaxies, etc.
---Indeed several sets may exist, in essentially the same space, and not be real relative to each other.
----Just as several radio "stations" (waves of different frequencies) may share the same air.
----The only Universe that is "Real to us is the one the atoms of our bodies interact with.
carrier crab live up to its name by carrying a sea urchinon its back for protection
So several universes may exist around us, just as real and vast as our own, but since the attributes of their matter does not match our own, they are not "Real" to us or each other.
This also explains some aspects of what we would call "Paranormal".
----Temporary natural disturbances might cause the "frequencies" of parallel universes to "drift" and match our own (or vice versa).
---We would then see the "overlap" from another universe, Scenery, even people and animals, for a little while.
Usually with a "transparent effect (as they are not quite tuned to our matter) , but perhaps even absolutely SOLID if the tuning is dead on.
----This would explain "ghosts", etc.---or what we take to be "ghosts" anyway.
This also would make worlds of "metaphysics" a possibility too--like "heaven" or "The Astral Plane", etc.
“The merkaba is perhaps one of the most accurate representations humanity has of divine energy. It spins, it flows, it grows in all directions at all times. It balances and harmonizes, and takes you where you want to be, into the life you are wanting.
It does this both in the physical and the spiritual dimensions: yes, you can actually travel with the merkaba. Or you can use it to become who you want to be.
The merkaba is the infinite circulating flow of the divine trinity and the four directions, the four elements. It is all, all at once.” ~ Eden
A merkaba is a star tetrahedron, a three dimensional 8 pointed star made from two triangular pyramids, one pointing up and the other down. It harmonizes male and female energy, much like a Yin/Yang symbol.
The star of David is a two dimensional version of a merkaba, and was reputed to have been painted on the shields of the armies of King David as a symbol of divine protection.
The merkaba does, in fact, step down source energy into the physical and is a representational invocation of “as above, so below”.
The pyramid pointing upwards connects us to heavenly universal energy and represents yang, positive energy flows. The pyramid pointing downward connects to the earth and resonates with yin, negative energy flows.
The merkaba is emblematic of the greater energy field that surrounds our body beyond our field auric field. Most people who can view auras see them as a diffuse egg-shaped color field around our body that changes colors and ranges in size from 6-36 inches.
Beyond our Aura we have the etheric field, and further out we have an immense energy field, reputed to grow up to 55 feet across and saucer-shapped when it is fully energized: our Merkaba, our light body.
A properly functioning Merkaba field is not static, but comprised of the two tetrahedrons spinning incredibly fast in opposite directions, creating a light body that is capable of great feats, including interdimensional and interstellar travel.
Merkabas are believed to be the same divine light vehicle used by ascended masters to connect with and reach those in tune with the higher realms. It is thought by many that the “chariots of fire” mentioned in the bible are these same vehicles.
Mer-Ka-Ba literally means light-spirit-body in Hebrew, denoting the harmonious activation of the three fields.
When your Merkaba is active you are tapped in to all Source energy and locked into the Earth’s living matrix. Your DNA is fully turned on and the potentional for immortality and time travel are there. Your soul excels. Your body heals itself and you have the potential for limitless creation.
Your merkaba is in constant communication and connection with all of Source. It is your creative matrix that allows you to combine your soul intention with the spark of god-energy and literally create your reality however you want. Like a crystal, it can be programmed through meditation and by setting your intention.
All that is required is for your merkaba to be actively spinning, which is done through breathing exercises and habit, and by simply instructing your merkaba as to what you want it to do. You are the only one on earth who can work with or program your merkaba.
No other human or healer may influence the programming of your merkaba, although a healer may work on your breathwork and energy patterning to help facilitate merkaba activation.
Most people choose to pattern their merkabas in one of two ways: active or reactive. Active programming is very yang in energy, task specific, detailed and proactive: if there is negative energy in a room emanating from a person or geopathic stress, you can program your merkaba to deflect it.
If you are wanting a specific job, your merkaba can reach into the energy matrix of the Earth and help conspire to create this specific reality.
Reactive, female patterning is more reactive and open than the active patterning, it tends to use overarching instructions such as “I program my merkaba to flow with ease in this physical earth reality and to see that all my needs and desires are fulfilled for the highest good of all involved.”
There is less judgment of specific situations and more acceptance and anticipation of the synchronicity. Neutral programming is the way of the Tao, neither reactive nor proactive, it simply is. Situations come and go with equal lack of prejudice or preference. This sort of programming is common in those pursuing a monastic life.
A Meditation with Your Merkaba:
Sit or lie down, close your eyes and settle your mind.
First let us see the tetrahedrons surrounding your body: the male pyramid points upwards and begins at your knees, extending several feet above your head. The female pyramid extends downwards from your shoulders and reaches several feet below your own feet.
Are your pyramids spinning? Let us activate them now so that each pyramid spins in a different direction – the male pyramid spins from left to right around your body, and the female pyramid spins from right to left around your body. Together, they energize your meridians more fully.
As they spin, see them create a light field around your body, growing larger and larger in a saucer like shape expanded by the centrifugal force of the merkaba.
Breathe in, and out, in and out, a circular pattern that further fuels your merkaba.
Now think about abou how you, personally, would like to pattern your merkaba. How will you put your personal computer to work for you? Take some time to focus your attention on the matter, and set your intention with your merkaba now.
Know that whatever you have intended, your merkaba is now working on it completely, without deviation of failure.
As you have willed it, so shall it be.
Now slowly take your focus off your merkaba, and return to your aura, see the healthy glow all around you, your chakras in tune, your cells turned on to their full potential. You are energized and you are well.
Return now, into your body, into this room, and be ready for LIFE!
http://edenisnow.com/what-is-your-merkaba-and-how-do-you-activate-it/
Dear grounded expressions of your SELF, the physical structure of form in this quadrant of space is preparing to burst into the higher frequencies of spirit. By ‘spirit’ we mean that which is infused with the light of creation.
This light of creation serves as a higher dimensional palette upon which thought can be projected and enlivened by the ‘colors’ of emotion.
The Arcturian’s galactic service is to be of assistance whenever a transmutational moment comes into the NOW of any quadrant of space.
We have many ways in which we facilitate your process of “return to SELF.” The greatest challenge is that un-informed humans may perceive the transmutation into lightbody as a form of ‘death.’ They do not understand that death is merely a release from the 3D matrix of illusion.
In fact, this release from the matrix is actually a bi-location. We remind you that nothing can die within the multiverse, but it can transmute into a higher or lower frequency of expression.
As we have said, the consciousness of humanity is about to transmute into higher frequencies of expression that resonate beyond the illusion of time.
With the completion of this transmutation, you will experience myriad realities within the ONE of the NOW. You will then realize that you can maintain a conscious awareness of more than one of your higher dimensional realities while you still maintain and/or wear an earth vessel.
Unfortunately, many humans are still so attached to the physical reality they have known as real for myriad incarnations that they resist the process of transmutation.
The power of this resistance creates a waver in the energy field of transmutation. This waver stalls the transmutational event in a manner that frozen moments of lower frequency reality are created.
https://www.pintaram.net/u/misspamelaxoxo
Those who are afraid to allow a smooth transmutation of their higher expressions of reality will become trapped in those frozen moments of 3D time. Thus their perceptions will remain limited to the third dimension, and they we not be able to experience the impending transmutation into the higher frequency realities.
Because they have chosen the path of fear rather than the path of unconditional love, they will cling onto the “known” and fear that their reality is being deconstructed.
Conversely, those who have chosen the path of unconditional love have released the shackles of time and eagerly accept change.
Hence, the path that was perceived as destruction through the eyes of fear is perceived through the eyes of love as constructing a pathway into higher dimensions of reality.
Thus, while the inhabitants of these frozen moments cling to their physical version of life and believe that all around them is being lost, the transmuting ones are creating a perceptual pathway to fifth-dimensional New Earth.
The inhabitants of the frozen moments may even believe that they are the final ones to survive what they perceive as destruction. Those who are resistant to change will no longer be on the third dimensional matrix, as that matrix will no longer exist.
However, they will not be able to believe, conceive or perceive the fifth dimensional reality. Thus, they will bravely settle in to their lower fourth dimensional version of reality.
Due to the belief patterns of the inhabitants, this lower dimensional reality will be filled with fear.
However, it will allow those who have lived a life of selfishness, power over others, anger and/or cruelty the need to work with others in order to survive.
In this manner, the frightened victims and victimizers of the frozen moments both have a reason to care for others, find their power within, and allow the sadness and fear, which was the basis of their lives, to be released.
We perceive these ‘islands of resistance to transmutation’ as hospitals in which those who cannot accept change can experience more of the illusion of time to prepare for the transmutation of darkness and fear into light and love.
Most of these lost ones fear change because of their own unresolved trauma. As they resolve their inner trauma by assisting others, their fear can be healed and released.
https://www.instagram.com/annakristinasofia/
Fortunately, there are many who are more than ready to release their fear and return to their innate unconditional love. This release of fear, resolved or not, will lighten their consciousness more than they can imagine.
Those who are still bound to the third-dimensional paradigm believe that it takes a long "time" to heal trauma. However, since time no longer exists in the fifth-dimensional matrix, the release of trauma is instant.
On the other hand, while the lost ones’ consciousness is attached to the time-bound, 3D matrix, even transmutation takes time.
Time was put into lower matrix realities so that the inhabitants could slow down their process of creation to understand exactly how thoughts and emotions combine into ONE thought-form to create portals.
These portals are two-way in that they allow their creators to enter and/or leave any given reality. Many of our volunteers for ascension are taking time to heal their lower frequency experiences within ‘past, present or future’ lives.
In this manner they can learn to assist those who are so lost in darkness that they cannot perceive the light.
When they move through time to heal what they perceive as other lives, they will begin to understand that time is a third-dimensional illusion.
When this film travels very fast, the pictures blur into one motion picture. Of course, in your present reality, film is no longer needed and many motion pictures stream through a ‘cloud’ to invisibly move from one computerized device to another.
Those trapped in time are similar to the motion pictures in that something is in-between every picture. This something in-between causes time.
When a ‘movie’ is streaming through a ‘cloud,’ which is of a frequency that is not perceptible to third dimensional perception, the physical devices can easily capture that frequency of light and display the moving picture on the view screen of that device.
In the same manner, your consciousness can capture the ‘motion pictures’ of fifth dimensional reality, but it can only do so if your perception is calibrated to the frequency that can capture those light images.
Of course, if you believe that perceiving the fifth dimension is not possible, then it will become impossible.
Fortunately, once you believe that you can expand your consciousness into the higher frequency of perceptions, you can calibrate your mind to the fifth-dimensional ‘cloud.’
Once your consciousness is calibrated to the frequency of the cloud that is transferring the moving pictures of fifth dimensional earth, you will begin to project this ‘movie’ onto your inner mind screen.
If you believe that you can calibrate your consciousness to receive images from the fifth dimension, you will move towards that possible reality. In the same manner, if you believe that a fearful event will occur, your consciousness will seek out that possible reality.
What you must remember now in preparation for fifth-dimensional New Earth is that your every thought and emotion creates the picture/reality that you paint on your reality screen.
In this manner, you create that which you perceive and perceive what you have created. In fact, in the higher dimensional realities, creation and perception are the same concept.
https://www.facebook.com/vuonlan.mocchau
You create your reality by the perceptions to which you choose to attend, and you perceive the reality that you created with your thoughts and emotions.
Even while holding an earth vessel, unconditional love expands your consciousness enough to allow you to capture higher dimensional ‘motion pictures’.
Unconditional love also has the innate power to realign what is out of alignment with your highest intention. Once aligned with your highest intentions you are a clear corridor through which higher frequency information can flow.
Unconditional love, which is the healing force of the multiverse, reveals that most dis-ease is due to misalignment with the higher dimensions of reality. Fortunately, even that which is calibrated to a lower dimension can be pulled into alignment with the ONE via the power of unconditional love.
When you are in alignment with the ONE, there is no “time,” as you live in the NOW. Within the NOW, you are infinitely connected with all the expressions of your Multidimensional SELF.
Hence, your Multidimensional SELF can chose to visit the lower frequencies, much as one would visit a university of learning. What YOU wanted to learn in this “University of Earth” was how to ascend a planet without destruction.
https://www.facebook.com/jelailastarr
Unfortunately, many of you fell out of alignment with the NOW of your SELF and became lost within the third dimensional paradigm of time and separation. That is when you began to forget that you are a being of light that cannot be harmed in any manner by the illusions of a lower frequency reality.
The third dimension is similar to an old-fashioned movie theater where light from the back of the theater carried the moving pictures to be displayed on the screen. If you were to stand between that screen and the projected light, the moving picture would project onto you.
These projections of light could not hurt you unless you had the fearful thought that the moving pictures could harm you. Since what you think and feel is projected onto the matrix of the 3D hologram, your concerned thoughts and fearful emotions could actually create a version of reality in which you do suffer harm.
In fact, it was in this manner that the lightbodies of our away team became so absorbed with the lower dimensional pictures that they believed they were the frequency of the screen rather than the frequency of the projected light that was projected onto the screen.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008470757951
Then, they began to believe that they WERE the character in the movie rather than the light that created the character. Since your belief greatly influences your perceptions, it is vital that you consciously chose and adhere to positive, loving beliefs.
Your belief greatly influences your thoughts and emotions.
Your thoughts and emotions create the thought-forms that are the “envelopes” for your daily experiences.
Your daily experiences set you state of consciousness.
Your state of consciousness affects your thoughts and emotions, Which become the thought-forms that continue to create your reality.
Higher states of consciousness create higher dimensional thought-forms.
And lower states of consciousness create lower dimensional thought-forms.
In other words, what you think about, you bring about. And, the emotions that you allow to live within you greatly influence your state of consciousness. Then, your state of consciousness sets your perceptions, AND the reality you perceive is the reality you live.
Which reality do YOU choose to perceive?
Dear Readers, I mean that question literally. I would love if YOU would write in the comments the reality that you wish to perceive.
The more people that collectively choose to perceive a given reality--the greater chance there is that WE can create that reality. In other words, we create the reality we wish to perceive by stating that it IS the reality that we wish to perceive.
In one of my dreams/visions last night the rocks/mountains were alive, conscious, vibrating energy and I was interacting with it/them! The reality that I have been in-vision-ing is One where All realize/experience that All are connected, where we realize we are One, One with each other, One with Gaia, One with source/God.
As the vibration/frequency of the All rises All are healthy, All are abundant, All Love and are Loved. We (humans and animals)only desire to eat/consume at first plants then light. We re-unite with our galactic families.
We experience ourselves and each other as the beings of LOVE and LIGHT that WE truly ARE. Spirit In Matter! God Made Manifest! Heaven On Earth!
I choose to believe and understand that I am a being of light and love forever connected and a part of Source in unconditional love. We are all divine beings who are awakening, at whatever pace, and breaking through to our higher selves and perception. We are anchoring in an era of abundance, love, and peace. On earth as it is in heaven! <3
I Am choosing to percieve life without dis-ease. A life of health, strength and vitality. I believe I can heal. I am healing. By aligning and tuning in to higher conciousness. Love.
I choose a reality of freedom and unconditional love where I/We can do what I/We enjoy and not-do what we don't - where neither lack nor loss nor punishment nor missing out nor misunderstanding nor being misunderstood nor ... can happen to Me/Us, and without having to explain or justify anything.
A reality where I/We can stop doing something "because I need to in order to" or "in order to avoid".
A reality where I/We can "let my dogs roam freely", without anything bad happening to them or through them.
Thank you, Sue, for all your posts! They helped me a lot during the past years.
Ik wish to receive a reality that is totaly FREE en Abundant in everthing. Where People have come back to themselves en have opened their hearts, respect themselves and eachother.
Where LOVE reigns ... All are sheltered, All are Loved, All are healthy, all have all the food they need... Where Free energy is fact and also that we have started to work with our brothers and sisters from the stars. In the outer and in the inner...
I choose to perceive a world of Unconditinal Love and Joy between all the creatures that are inhabiting Mother Earth. That Gaia may be the shiniest planet and sending forth a bright energy of Love and Peace throughout the universe. That Gaia may be most exciting and beautiful fairyland.
I do love Fairyland. Yes, that is my world too
We choose a 5th dimensional reality of unconditional love...Thank you Sue...
I choose a 5th dimensional reality of unconditional love, were people respect...themselves, others (old and young, and of all color and religious beliefs) , where all respect animals, plants and our beautiful planet. Where people live with compassion for one another and a relality where we are all one.
I choose to perceive a world, or should I say, an entire universe that there darkness no longer exists. An universe in which whenever a being projects him/her into lower dimensional worlds, he/she will never get lost and trapped in the roles he/she plays, in the duality like what we've been through on Lady Gaia.
The entire universe can transmute all darkness into light, so beings and their all expressions can always connect with Source, and ultimately return to Source.
There are no more "Dark Lords", and all beings have come to the realization that it's just a role that they choose to play, and decide to forgive one another with unconditional love.
Incarnations after incarnations, many of us have chosen to experience what darkness is like, what it feels like to be completely separated from Source. In some incarnations, we gradually wake up and return to the light; in others, we failed.
And during this current incarnation, we've understood enough via our myriad incarnations that these brothers/sisters who are so trapped in the roles they play miss home as well no matter what may look like in the appearance.
A home we call Source, a place where we used to enjoy each others' laughter and company, singing with each other till our heart's content. I really grow tired of not being able to bring them home, having to wait incarnation after incarnation. I really hope this incarnation will be it.
And I know well enough that this impatience which might accumulate during each incarnation has made me feel the escalating rage toward the majority of the people who are still so "resistant to change" and unwilling to cooperate.
If there were more people waking up, the critical mass would've been achieved by now. Gaia would be free by now, those brothers/sisters would be home by now, and the life on this planet would be improved to a significant degree by now.
But ironically, my parents are among these people, and they are the very reason why I'm still hanging on. They are really lovely parents, but I so pine for that they can find out the being I actually am. Walking this path is too harsh, especially when you are alone.
Literally no one can relate to or even talk to in daily life. I can only find consolation in my imagination. Maybe in other reality, the path is much easier and less lonely.
And that's actually very comforting to know that myself in other reality has a wonderful life. So far I can only imagine a better life for me to carry on this path in other reality.
I know I may feel lonely, angry and disappointed toward people who are not willing to cooperate, but will I feel the same way when I finally regain full consciousness?
To finally KNOW for sure that there are other of my expressions who live in happiness, or even to find out that people who are currently unwilling to help in the liberation process turn out to have other incarnations that have sent so much love and light to Gaia.
It will no doubt be a drastic and ultimate change of how I perceive the world. The anger, the loneliness, and all the negative feelings might be healed once for all. I'm not sure, but I hope during that NOW, I can be wiser enough to make every decision, without zero or less negative feelings.
Right now I think it's natural to feel upset because the life we want is not there yet, but will we still feel the same way? Hard to say, but if we never jump down the cliff of full consciousness, we will never have the chance to find out.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:JAGRVBHScl8J:suzanneliephd.blogspot.com/2014/12/your-perceptions-of-reality-arcturian.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-b-1-ab
Reminds me of Musashi saying in Gorin No Sho that when fighting a mortal enemy you don't need to cut him hard or fast. You need to cut him simply in a way that he dies...
Its funny. When homeless or crazy people ever try to attack me, I break out the EDC and say "one step closer and Im going to start poking you full of holes. Try and find someone to stop the bleeding"... That usually stops their advance...
Most of you guys are so silly...with minimal experience, or little training, you're criticizing a Ryu Ha established by a man that fought over 60 personal duels, and never lost. Who also, fought (with wooden swords mind you), an entire fencing school to a standstill. Very few seem to understand the purpose/intent of Kata training either..Not to be harsh as I realize most of the comments come from lack of experience in a rarely seen style, but WhoAmI4631 seems to be an especially fucking dimwitted moron of the highest calibre.
That's because most of the people you see commenting are armchair warriors; people who think after a few books and videos, and/or maybe a few martial classes, they have the right to ordain themselves as experts. Most of them stay within the confines of their chair because in the real world, they can't take their opinion being called uninformed, and expect everyone to give their self thought facts respect and worthwhile.
@Charlie O'Charlie You forgot to add he fought with two swords later on in life which was very very uncommon. He was self taught with no master and he defeated his first opponent at the age of 13. The guy who defeated was an arrogant very good swordsman. He beat him with a quarter staff not even a sword. He was a child prodigy swordsman.
@General Zod Sorry General Zod, I'm not clear if you mean when Mushashi defeated Sasaki Kojiro, with a long "sword" fashioned from a wooden oar, or if you mean Mushashi being defeated by Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi, with Gonnosuke using a Jo (short staff), in their second duel with each other.
A close friend of mine is the second highest ranked teacher of Shindo Muso Ryu, (Gonnosuke's Jo system), and says (and many scholars agree), that the second duel may not have happened, but it is clear that the Jo/short staff system developed by Gonnosuke is definitely effective, and contains other weapons training as well, with some of it's roots going back to the Katori Shinto Ryu..
But, back to General Zod's comment, ...yep, he Mushashi was prodigy, with immense strength and a ferocious nature in his early life...and defeated Kojiro Sasaki when he was 29 years old. Musashi said of his early fights, "I didn't defeat my opponents with much skill in the early days,...it was mostly strength and speed. I didn't develop real skill until later in life..
As General Zod says, he developed the two sword system later in life...which he described in his well known book "Go Rin No Sho"(Book of Five Rings) written, and published the year he died, at age about 60-61, thirty years after his fight with Sasaki...
+General Zod The father of Musashi owned and operated a dojo in those days and he was already trained at an early age. He was one of the best swordman in the samurai era but never was a clan samurai that he wanted to be.
+Charlie O'Charlie Those silly guys you are taking about are most likely CrossFit supporters.
CrossFit is almost like the opposite of kata...kata stresses proper form (among other things) while CrossFit's mindset readily abandons it.
I don't see much disparaging remarks or WhoAmI4631 but to the critics, there is much more to this demonstration than meets the eye. A master can make the difficult look very easy, by way of years of practice. The muscle memory from a kata makes movement more efficient the more it is practiced. Kata also gives more control, which is more subtle and hard to notice when watching a video off YouTube.
I can guarantee that if this master was faced with a life-or-death duel using swords with the critics, he would kill them with just these simple movements, his swords, and nothing else.
+General Zod Very good swordman ? Where did you read that. japoneses say he must have been a mediocre samurai at max exactly because of doing performance to the rable in small villages tipical of unskilled samurais, should he be good he would have choosen a bigger DOJO. Which doesn t diminish the fact that he killed some adult with formal training at the age of 13.
+Charlie O'Charlie especially fucking dimwitted moron of the highest calibre. Hahahahaha that is a funny slight hahahah highest calibre love it
+TomAndValkyrie Sometimes, your opponent is your best master
"...but whoami4631 seems to be an especially fucking dimwitted moron of the highest calibre." Absolutely beautiful insult. I have added it to my personal notes and I can promise you I will be using that. Thank you.
No it didn't died out. People just took his advice and started carrying guns.
So the lesson is, don't use jodan techniques vs Enmei-Ryu?
translation: "Go for the nutsack." Jokes aside, huge fan of Musashi-sensei (nanmaida), "Book of Five Rings," (read twice), and Niten-ichiryu. very cool demonstration(s)
show me more just one trick wont do!
Miyamoto Musashi made fighting with a sword in each hand famous and effective. I like the mortal slice to the inner thigh of the right leg which could sever the vena cava leading to instant, unstoppable bleed out. Mahalo for posting.
This is a nice move to the femoral artery as long as the opponent receiving the blow doesnt have leg armour on of course.
Very nice, I train with sword and dagger and sword and buckler in the western style.
must be getting ready for the new zombie apocalypse
Also two swords r for multiables this nullifys all
"slashing the back of your opponent's leg" === slashing the femoral artery of the opponent's leading leg
+george385 As opposed to stabbing. Slashing and stabbing are both cutting.
kamarupa just in different forms, stabbing has no starting point and slashing does
Jac Sanchez Pretty sure a stab wound has a starting point though.
All things have a starting point. In stabbing, it starts outside of you...
I think they mean a stab is like a light switch it's on/in or not
While a slash is more like a light dimmer. With an on & off too but it can be made brighter/larger cut.
Simultaneous block and strike.
@SeanShannohan There are plenty of Kenjutsu schools in America, though I imagine, fairly spread out and maybe a little hard to track down. Most major schools usually offer the main three branches of Kendo, Iaido and Kenjutsu
I like to see how this style defends against a stabbing forward thrust of a sword
Parry it to the side with one sword and slash with the other
Enmei Ryu was the original name of Niten Ichi Ryu, if that's what was confusing you.
Too predictable. Too easy. Escrimadors can easily beat a samurai
western sword fighting is vastly superior because there was so much warfare, there was just more time to practice and hone the skills. Not to mention there was no order to get 'lazy' and fall back on.
keep dreaming;)
thousand folded delusion;)
Escrima art is hell a fast
The swords arts advantage would be range.
But one art verses another argument is useless
now if we talk one armed practioner agianst another then it's open to a interesting debate & it would be about who gets the first or 2nd strike.
As an Arnisador/Kali Arnis practicioner, I would disagree on comparing one style to another in terms of superiority.
Would an Arnisador be able to defeat a Kenjutsu practicioner in combat?
Maybe. But that speaks more of one's skill rather than of one's art in general.
On that note: I like the idea of this style's simultaneous dynamic of attacking and defending. It echoes Bruce Lee's idea of Jeet Kune Do.
THE GREATEST HAND-HELD WEAPON FIGHTING TECHNIQUE EVER!!!.....and believe me, I've looked.........
Another interesting character was Yagyu Jubei.
what about piercing attacks?
Katanas were usually not meant to pierce much.
fashion emporium
musashi vs lone wolf vs zatoichi, who will emerge the winner?
you mean musashi at the invincible under the heavens state? well invicible under the heavens is the strongest a samurai can get, i would say musashi
yup, a shoto is not that very hard to come by ^^ I have two myself, and I'm currently making a kodachi (wooden one). I actually show it in my latest video that I'm exporting right now, and I talk briefly about Musashi there too. The video will soon be done and uploaded, if you wanna see it
I thought the wood swords were called "bokken"?
There are many words for "wood" and "sword."
Historical european fencing is as advanced as japanese fencing, medieval italian and german manuals usually have considered most situations
Yeah nobody disputes that europian marial arts are cool but the problem is that almost no schools survived colonial period.
+MCShvabo The same way samurai did not survive gun period....Guns were introduced much earlyer in war in europe. and before the guns there was the archers with the longbows. Gun overcame bows because you only needed a few weeks to train unskilled idiots to be able to use guns, and you needed years to train someone to be reasonable with bows.
@F Del That is completely false though, SAmurai did not die out because of guns but because feudal system was abolished and with it it's main carrier, The Samurai, guns in Japan apeared in early 13th century from China arguably before they apeared in Europe, of course, they were not used that much until Portugese brought better ones in 15th, but my point is that guns didn't have literally anything to do with end of Samurai era, in fact, many samurai adopted and used guns as soon as they were popularised, contrary to popular belive Samurai did not hate guns, they used them during the wars at last.
@MCShvabo Samurai died as a cast by the abolishment of the feudal system. But they were already obsolete on the bettlefield when gunpowder firmly instaured itself. Exactly the same process that took place in europe, but nobody want to tell this less romantic reality. The swords were merely an artifact of the cast as are saber/sword in military gala uniform.
@F Del I agree with you right there on the end butthe thind is that battlefield in Japan was non existen for last 300 years of Samurai , Now yes swords were abolished but Samurai were very much willing to grab a gun to defend their position, and they did, but after grooling battles they all unfortunately got killed...
Ok. But since the sword was the symbol and the life of the samurai...we can agree that powder killed them since any peasant with a gun could kill anyone. The gun is the triumph of the skilless over the skillfull. Being a samurai was dependent of skill, if they don t need skill anymore they became just makeup. Its very sad and unfortunate, but its true.
@F Del It's not even romeotely correct, what you are talking about is romanized/fictionalized form of Samurai.
Being Samurai was dependant of what your linage is, skill while good, was not something all of them had.
Now sword WAS their sybol but it was amkeup for 300 last years of their rule, reason they fell out of power is simply fall of feudal system, essentialy samurai were military nobilty, not simply warriors, and once Japan did not have need of fudals anymore such a huge nobilty system became redundant.
You did not understood it well. Its not that samurai wouldn t use firearms, its the fact that firearms turned them obsolete period. Any class system is defined by class specific habilities,,,if your habilities become obsolete your cast/class dies.
@F Del Wouldn't really agree with you, their habits did make them absolete yes, but it had nothing to do with guns, but with the fact they were feudal landlords.
DOnot confound Daimyo with samurais. Some had some lands but most not..
@F Del If I understood your comment correctly what you are trying to say is that Samurai did not governt land, well first of all Daimyo is Samurai aswell, samurai are knights/military nobility and virtualy every Samurai had a land otherwise he won't be a Samurai, now of course, depending on their social ranking, thier teritory can be anywhere between quarter of a country to house with a yard but as knights land ownage (and governing) was apart of the gig, besides, if a teritory of a Daimyo colapse all samurai he has emplyed to gover certain counties lose job aswell as he is thier lord but employer aswell of sorts
+MCShvabo in early history yes but during the warring states period any commoner could become a samurai if he proved himself in combat and meny samurai at that time were poor and owned little to no land and few foot soldiers that he personaly hand to train arm and armor
+MCShvabo u said all samurai are nobility and own land or they wouldnt be samurai while that was correct by warring states period it was no longer the case
@Rave Fox 776 It was always the case, Samurai = Military nobility, but the thing is that moving up the classes also did happen, just as Europian peasant could had been knighted and given feud, so could japanese peasant be made to samurai (if situation and reason for it arisen, of course) made to be samurai and given certain land.
+MCShvabo not nessisarily as again the warring states period meny samurai held no land or money and plenty were former farmers the ones with wealth were those that impressed their masters usually by collecting the heads of famous warriors of the other army
@Rave Fox 776 This is pointless, SAmurai for village always existed and the fact that they used to be farmers does not change anything, as now they are nobilty (at last low level)
Samurai= Military nobility, that is the fact and there is no way around it.
+MCShvabo nobility implies an important bloodline that you have to be part of or married into which is how it used to be it later became a rising class system not a fixed caste system which is what im trying to point out
@Rave Fox 776 Aldo traditionaly nobility shoud be of "blue blood" that was not alwas the case, even at EUrope, NObility is definedas social class taht enjoys privileges that normal folk does not, like owning a land , riding horse in the city, right to bear two swords and so on in case of the Samurai.
But Samurais were nt all nobles...far from it. It was a fact for some of them but not all. Check Etimology of Samurai. And as i said above if i am not mistaken, A samurai could be a landlord as could be a clerk with no land and no title as it could be a messenger, or merely a vagabond going from Dojo to Dojo to try to proove himself. In fack the last option was pretty comon. They roamed the land trying to defy and defeat school masters, which when confident fought them or when unconfident were given money and sent in their way. That a also explain so many stylis and rise and falls of Ryu's in the period. You re notion of samurai is too chivalresque and faery tales. Same for most people about european knights. Many Samurai became Ronin and Ninjas... You can t forget that. Its not because of a stutas change they weren t Samurais the same way.
As i read your discussion, beside the stupid ranting, the truth seems to be a grey tone between your arguments.
Musashi stated himself that the gun has no equal among weapons on the field, only to become useless in ranks clash. However, he did not know what guns can be like 400 years later. So stating the samurais fencing technique would have survived if japan would not have abolished the feudal system is a vague assumption.
Additionally i want to stand out that comparing european fencing techniques with japanese without considering the "different tools they use for their capentry" is undifferentiated. The evolution of the "typical sword" from the typical short sword in archaic and preromane times, to the gladius and different longsword variations in medivial times were adaptions to the enviroment. Why would you ever think that it is possible to consider something better than something else without taking the surroundings?
Samurais did not start out as the nobility of the warrior tribes among those feudal lords. They started out as primitive mongrels securing the feudal lords areal with force, becoming a symbol of power over centuries until reaching a point of social respect. Their function changed to a more abstracted perspective.
The feudal system broke finally broke when economic trade with western powers could not be further blocked by Tokugawa. However, from a technical point of view samurais have been obsolete for more than 150 years at that point, maybe even 250 years. As McShvabo pointed out Samurais did not abolish guns, at sekigahara and any battles of a large scope they were used.
The question is not if the development of the gun is responsible for the disappearance of medival warfare in japan, since guns simply changed all medival warfare. The question is: Do you consider a japanese soldier on the battlefield at the verge of edoperiod, serving his lord, armed with
with guns, spears, bows and their traditional katana and wakizashi, but without his Tōseigusoku a samurai? Actually by definition he is, although his role as well as his presens in pubilc differs considerably from the picture of a the samurai a century before.
Samurai is no term of strict construct, i mean the term ronin refers to samurai with no lord, when in definition this is the opposite of what a samurai has been to that point. The muromachi period with its constant war of small japanese landlords weared down entire country making not only suffer the "normal pupulation", but the landlords themselves so that often the could not even afford their own samurais anymore. So is a Samurai "looking like they typical" picture of what we think of a samurai is still a samurai without his lord? Those questions have no definite answer, since the answer depends on the assumptions you make as nearly everything in the human brain.
I hope i did not offend or confuse anyone of you - it is not that easy to explain this stuff in a foreign language in the commentsection of an internetplatform.
I didn't read this whole thing but I just want to say that the Samurai didn't die out due to guns and gunpowder because the Samurai used guns. People seem to have this idea that the Samurai saw guns as dishonorable or some shit and didn't use them when in reality many battles during the Sengoku period were fought with guns. The Japanese even reverse engineered the Arquebus that they received from the European traders and started to produce them themselves sometimes calling them Tanegashima, because they were locally produced in Tanegashima Japan, though they were also known as Teppo, or Hinawajū. However, the Arquebus, or Teppo, like any musket had long reload times, which is why melee weapons didn't die out, just like with Europe and the US. I mean, soldiers fought with sabers and bayonets just as much as they did with bullets in the US civil war, and such trends continued up until WWI, which was the last war to make common use of bayonet charges and in which officers readily carried sabers. Guns didn't destroy the Samurai, Emperor Meiji destroyed the Samurai when he decided to reassert Imperial power to destroy feudalism, and thereby lead Japan into the modern era.
They're acting a specific scenario which is central in combat according to Miyamoto so that you can use it upon opportunity because they like to take the time to study what they do before attacking something. You didn't know? It's true some people think before attacking.
Edward, this is kata not sparring.
Hao Chao Tsi Minh, all kata and no sparring leads to bad habits. Also it's clear that you have never read the Go Rin No Sho, Musashi's book. There's a whole chapter about how it's essential to not think in a battle but to simply act. Musashi knew, and states in his book, that overthinking will get you killed, so one must know how to act without thinking. To get to that point though, you need to know the techniques through studying kata and you need to learn how to apply those techniques through sparring. What Edward said is absolutely correct in the context of sparring. What you said, just makes no sense and outs you as ignorant on this subject, as what you describe is contrary to what Musashi wrote in his own book.
any two weapons are gonna be better then using a single weapon except maybe polearms,
i.e shield and sword or two swords vs just one
amenhorus Set, Using two swords may not necessarily be an advantage as it depends on the swords. The reason Niten Ichi ryu(enmei ryu) works is because it uses a daito(longsword) and a shoto(short sword) or Katana and Wakizashi respectively. Every style of duel wielding around the world uses this convention of having one longer weapon and one shorter weapon, or two shorter weapons. Using two long weapons have the bad habit of crossing and getting in each others way. In this way, it would be horrible if you tried to duel wield two Katanas, but would work perfectly fine if you duel wielded either one Katana and one Wakizashi or two Wakizashi's, as either of these configurations are unlikely to get in each others way.
It should also be stated that wearing plate armor makes carrying shields unnecessary, as you are wearing your shield. The European longsword was not even created and widely used until after the invention of plate armor which freed up your off hand from carrying a shield and allowed you to use a longsword.
The Japanese also had a version of plate armor, so it's no surprise that the Katana, a longsword, would be carried(as a back up weapon, with a spear or bow being the primary) by an armored Samurai.
Finally Niten Ichi Ryu, Musashi's style shown here aka Enmei Ryu, was developed after the Tokugawa shogunate was established, meaning Samurai no longer battled on the battlefield in armor, and instead fought in duels while wearing kimonos. In this era, the edo period, it would make a whole lot of sense to use two weapons, one generating defense and the other offense, because samurai no longer wore their shields via armor.
Nobody says Musashi was bad, but it is sayd his style was never proven in war...that s all the nay sayers have to say.
+F Del And that's wrong because he was in the battle of Sekigahara and was noticed by all the soldiers. Oh and he was only 16. The naysayers should try learning about Musashi before speaking.
To be fair, He developed his style only after he fought in the war and undergoing multiple duels. I am not saying his style can't be use for war, but one can make a stronger case that his style is more duel and street brawling oriented than it is for battlefield tactics.
yeah, his first documented use of 2 swords was at like 20 or 21 against the force gathered by Yoshioka Matashichiro to take him.
@Cabur Cyare We can also infer that his family style of Enmei Ryu had stronger roots in actual warfare since it was older and wars were abundant then. So was his style battlefield ready? We will never know. But then again... People tend to confuse the purpose of kata which was designed to pass on principles. Visually observing wouldn't do anyone any good, let alone making an assessment. If the school's essence of fighting and warfare.tactics were sound, it should be safe to infer that it was probably useful in wars.
very true, though I'm interested in how much he actually trained in the family style as he claims to not be of any style.
It is sad that many misunderstand kata, I was once one of those people.
I will say that from the first mentioned use at around 21 to 30 when he stopped to meditate on his Way that he must have at least tested it more often, though testing anything in warfare is at best a tenuous idea, sadly you are correct though, we will not know.
@Cabur Cyare He was trained in the family style from a young age just like most Samurai family. Unfortunately, I'm not very interested in Musashi, but I do read up on history.
And I remember once reading that he made a comment to a challenger who wanted to spar.
Since the guy had already met his dad, Musashi told him it was pointless to spar with him since his dad's style and his were the same and his dad was a distinguished warrior himself. (This was before he went off on a journey and later develop his "own style")
The way I see it, its just like Shinkage Ryu, Itto Ryu and many other schools. The head of each school kept the essences, but made their own adjustments as needed. Some kept the name of their school while others rename it and became founders. Musashi did the same.
I haven't read that as of yet. I recently really got hooked on his teachings, as I have not had much training in any martial art myself I'm looking to focus on this and make it a foundation.
then again spears, bows n gun were probably would be the main weapons.
I have a concern about the short blade blocking the long blade. The opponent's cut is horizontal, upper -would it not make more sense to meet with an upward vertical cut to deflect rather than challenge the strike? I never saw Musashi as one to intentionally block or let the opponent attack at distance, since blocking with the edge could break the blade. This also assumes the attack is coming from the opponent's right side - say I was using a jitte in my shorthand, which is what the short sword is acting as - wouldn't the opponent attack from his right side instead?
Perhaps, but don't forget that while the opponent attacks you on one side you still have a sword on another hand. But I do agree that Musashi's fighting style is not really about blocking at all. This is why for the actual fight all the skills shown are done really fast; faster than the enemy's.
both blades would be used for blocking and attacking his fighting style as i understand it was being able to fluidly do both fast enough that no opponent could hit him as such he no longer needed to be the attacker he would wait then dispach them the second,they attempted to strike
He used the shorter sword since he will need to match the range for a counter attack I believe since if the slash is close to you you dont need range to block but to hit back distance will be needed. Think about the short sort as an opening maker
The 3 most prolific warriors in the bible were: Samson, Moses, David the king. It could be argued so too Gideon. But Gideon basically fought with supreme strategy more so than straight up hand to hand. Samson, Moses, David would have been trained early on in life to fight with a sword and a buckler. They never lost a fight on the field of battle. What Musashi did was revolutionary. Both swords become very narrow very thin shields. With ultra-quick but precise motions one sword buys time for the other to do its work in much the same way a buckler defends while the sword hand attacks or vice verse. However, Musashi style require absolute skill and mastery. The smallest of mistake would be the last. Woo! Talk about real confidence!
+MrPanetela LOL 2 frauds (samsonand moses) and someone with people profissionally singing praises to rich people so they could get food......
Talk about training.
Not sure what you meant by fraud. Or singing. As the subject matter was on Martial arts. What is remarkable is that all 3 men that I mentioned were experts in martial arts. And excelled in tactics and strategy. Very few people in history, have that special something to see the big picture, a vision of the future. It requires a special awareness to achieve such mastery, especially when they achieved it with personal training after being taught the mere basics. Their individual actions thru history help formulate their nation and propel it forward. In this same way, the samurai's of Japan, especially Musashi and a female samurai named Nakano Takeko, who perished at the Battle of Aizu; set the ball rolling for many Japanese to follow as an example. It would be like being influence by great boxers, then you become one, and not only that but a champion as well, even when you only received just basic training. Some people seem to be destine for ending up larger than life.
Moses is a fraud... he didn t exist as painted in the bible, by the way, the exodus is a fraud. Facts well proved by paleontology history and the like....Samson was a big guy but then its obviously a myth...Not a real account, both are much less than whatever is written...People need myth, people need heros and tales that inspires. Those grow quickly in an age were less than 10% of the population are literates, and knowledge was vastly oral.
The third case had many deeds written about him by paying people not doing them. Remenber skalds troubadours and the like went payd by licking boots or doing derogatory songs...Another example is Che Guevara painted as a hero when what he really was, is a fucking psycho that killed around 2k by signing papers...all for the revolution...
I don't understand why you feel so turbulent inside. The one true aim for all martial artist is to transcend all forms of violence, whether it is from within or without. Any thing less leads to egotism which inevitably leads to frustration and a desire to achieve something as proof of self worth.
And even if achieved, wouldn't be enough. Here we have a video, of students trying to achieve Musashi Enmei Ryu. They over look, how he spent his remaining last years in peace with himself and with his fellow man without a sword in either hand. Something within you drags you away from your own inner peace. Recall Bruce Lee, he said be like water, flow over, around, underneath, thru the obstacles in your life.
If you become like hail, you will shatter your peace of mind at every first contact. Be calm like a pond on a quiet sunny day. It has been scientifically and medically verified; repeatedly, any form of inner agitation poisons the blood which in turn effecting the mind and the body. The greatest lesson Musashi learn in the later years was this, to practice all forms of peace outside so that he could feel peaceful inside. And if Musashi achieved that hundreds of years ago, then why can't we do so as well today?.
No offense but... your talk is nice for what is wanted to be shown, and is apart from the trueof the world. In the ancient way you had to be calm and ready to die for your lord or at least calm enought to be able to kill you oponent, and the best way for this was to anihilate your ego - ZEN.
In true history Samurais were far from calm and nice, they wen t from dojo to dojo trying to defeat masters in time of peace to gain fame. During much time this was synonim for killing or maiming.
Take the japonese saying: "The best ways are passed by the survivors"
(don t take it by words, just by meaning, i don t memorize writing cause i have a bad memory)...(Also take in count that Bruce Lee mauled more than one into the street or in his teaching place that had the petullance to challenge him). Death is a part of the evolution of the art, and to this day its still true in the world.
A fact the real martial art dealer don t wan t to surface - there is to this day many championship were death may be the result for failure. In japan and other countries. Martial arts in the military continue to be refined to excellence in disabling and killing. (Remeber the passing from Jutsu to Do was a freaking anacronism, it was Jutsu who wouldn t obey agaisnt Jutsu that was payd to obey. soon after japonese police re intriduced kicks, punches and etc...why ? I ll let you guess.).
Another example: Here in my country a Japonese master from a samurai lineage formed more than 50 masters. In his testament he stated that the last of his student alive shall have his heritage. (kill yourselves or die of old age, i don t care, the last remaining shall get the prize...
Mad Max thunderdome anyone?.). Your ZEN approach is nice but it was twisted in time of peace, and when bu.Jutsu switched to Budo/bushido. Not that its bad or good, but i would take the rewriting of zen with a grain of salt. Also consider this: Would Musashi live as long as he did if he had kept fighting... as for me I am not pissed ragefull or even whatever near this. i just try to go under the surfacet of things, and this promote discussions. Unfortunatly text writting is a slipering way of comunication and intention can be interpreted the wrong way. I apologize if i seemed harsh now and before.
As beautiful as Nature is, she is one of the harshest teachers we have. But we humans have a secret weapon; we humans have the ability to know the truth. What is truth? It is a genuine understanding of a reality of what a thing is. What is learning? Learning is seeking out the trail that leads to knowledge, to know how, to understand. When we learn something, we follow its tracks in order to see what made them. Once its glimpsed, we know. Warriors, in all places and time, have if they are lucky, reach a state of know how, that allows them to transcend it; and will afterwards seek out peaceful ways.
Many fail in that aspect in their training for one reason or another. The amatuers seek only for victory or to inflict injuries and death as proof of their worth. The master seek only to overcome all of that. Bruce Lee once asked his wife, How long did that fight last? She told him. He replied back to her, something like, that was too long. Later in life, he would finish a fight within the first 30 seconds. Yet he continue to look for even faster means to end a fight right up to his untimely death.
People like Musashi, Lee, King David, reach a state of mind in their martial arts, that they could spot victory in any situation and act accordingly. Finally, let us look at the cave man. A little man with primitive weapons, yet able to bring down primitive elephants and bulls. Then something amazing. He would draw them on the walls of his cave. Some of those cave drawings can rival the artworks of Di Vinci or Michelangelo, yet all made by rudimentary means. Drawings by men whose only education came from the hands of a harsh Nature.
The Bible saying that goes like this is true, Man does not live by bread alone. Yes, We do need food, water, shelter, self defense...etc. But we all also hunger for something more. Our hunger lead us to this video, and to these philosophical discussions. There seems to be a very small sub group of youtubers, who come here to learn instead of just being entertained. My goal is simple. I wish to create artwork and music that embodies both entertainment yet instructive.
But at the same time, I can not let the basic of life go undeveloped. Like a kitten or puppy engaged with play, I train my self in martial arts. Today, for example. A man standing out side a building begging for money.
After each rejection, rage burned in his eyes. Finally, he very harshly asked for money from me. In spite that he was a foot taller and more than 50 pound heavier than me, I was unfazed. I encouraged him to talk. I learned his life story. I walked away unharmed. He walked away, understood. Today I learned that the edge of the tongue is as powerful a weapon as the edge of sharpest sword. I wish You the very best today. Warmest regards, MrP.
Nice story...there are many similar linked to this kind of filosofy. Its not the tongue that is sharpest weapon its kindness and proportionaly oposite but equaly eficient display of power. Sometime being heard is more important than any fisical reward...in that we agree. But sometimes kindness is a weakness, the way display of power also is. How to dose? how to balance?...that is an eternal holy grail with no truth answer. The hunt for perfection comes at many people for many reasons.
Even ISIS hunt for a goal and their fighters for perfection. Being it good or bad is mainly a matter of perception of the world.(For some cultures white is peace, for other sadness) For some, martial art is like filosofy, a search for internal knowledge. For others a way to keep tradition, a way to keep body and mind sharp, for others a way to live, unstress, or survive in times of dire need and so on. IMHO, the last is the true goal: survival...The need being survival of an aggression, or survival as an agressor, the rest is mere distortion, or consequence of the tool...
I am very wary of extremely "filosofical"/"ZEN" for anything. Usually its a mask to beautify a not so nice reality...history and facts usually unmask reality. There are so many lies you believe, we believe, just taken for granted because we were merely taught as true. So few people have the courage to research, and even fewer to go agaisnt the grain just for truth sake...its a hard path...and usually solitary, And it led to small conflict as many people don t want the truth, or reality. They just want to feel secure... By a lie or a thruth, it doesn t matter.
So, we are far from knowing the truth...its against our nature....Don t we lie to confort? Don t we lie to maintain status quo? To wage war? To worship and be worshipped? If we were really seeking truth no religion would survive for long, and religion does only one thing, at least the monoteist...confort. You don t believe in Santa Claus anymore but you believe in Jesus, Yehova, Allah ? Come on...how rational is it ? Meditate about what is written above..or not. Its your choice. Open your eyes to reality or keep them close for confort...Isn t that the deepest level of Plato cavern alegory?
F Del, I believe in Jesus teachings for the following reason. He did not preach the use of force, fear, lies or political dirty tricks to change the prevailing situation. Instead he offered a superior model that made it obsolete.
That is why there isn't anything like Christianity in the world. How is that related to Musashi Miyamoto system? Musashi developed a model that was forged by real life experiences. The same can be said of the systems called Muay Thai and Wing Chung. Everything useless is peeled away. The essence left over is what is useful. Simplify, test, simplify, test...repeat.
Wow, that was a very deep observation! Those elite guards achievement would have brought a smile to Musashi face; strategy wise. Thanks for bringing it up.
+F Del i dont know you nor may i ever but you possess keen insight, and i recognize and respect your warrior mentality
People forget history because they are taught poorly. They hunger and due to their hunger they consume bitter wormwood as though it were sweet honey. People forget Moses, Samson, David, Gideon, and many others in history due to their pride, and desire to see themselves above God. A desire to deem their lives to have no ill consequences after death.
Though I have to say that I don't remember when Moses fought, outside of when he killed the slave keeper in Egypt.
I know this is old but I read this whole post and there are so much stupid shit said on both sides and shit most people already know its like this whole post was for idiots. First off Samson, Moses, weren't highly trained warriors of there time. This goes for Gideon as well.
Those three were at the time weren't professional soldiers at anytime in biblical history those three were guerilla fighters at best they would use small time tactics and surprisingly quick raids along with gods help to fight there enemies in the book of exodus, judges, and numbers.
It was some were after those books that in book of Samuel (David's era till where they're guerilla warfare changed to conventional tactics and martial arts cause they had the numbers to start doing so.
Samson killed lots of people simply cause God made him insanely strong. He killed people with a donkeys jawbone. During that time. The philestines were a dominating the hebrews at this time and the Hebrews barely had weapons to defend themselves.
I'm done scolding Mr.Petenala
Now on to F Del which I'm going to wrap up quickly. Most of what you said was bullshit and ignorant firstly I highly doubt you know about the biblical history at all, Cause shit you barely even knew about Japanese and the way dueling came about. Also Bruce lee never killed anyone he just Been in a lot of fights (fist fights not battlefields). You sound like you watch way too many movies to take anything you say seriously.
Paleontology doesn't prove things in the bible never took place. There is loads of things proving the opposite that it did take place and happened. I literally looked up everything you said in each comment you made. Most of the things you said are really really ignorant. Probably 3 years later your a different person but the person you were in this comment section was fucking worthless.
The only thing I saw that was correct was that technique is passed down by survivors but everybody fucking knows that! You dont sound like a person that knows anything about philosophy or martial arts in General. When i read your comments they were worst then Mr.pentenelas Geez. Like all your knowlegde came from a fucking movie or some bullshit.
It's called hyoho niten ichi-ryu
Too scared to practise with real katana?
its not particularly safe to spar with a real katana you pleb
Il n'a vraiment rien inventé . N'importe quel pratiquant de Kenjutsu ferait la même chose
Niten Ichi Ryu two handed sword fighting was used before Musashi's time. By the ninja. So, makes ya wonder where Musashi may have gotten it from if ninja used these fighting tactics before him. And their arts date back 3000 years to China or to the 1100s within Japan with Cain Doshi and Shima Kosanta Minamoto.
They were in fact the true innovators of weaponry for combat and for winning against more than one opponent. Often when seen and fleeing the castle of an enemy, they would leave a wake of dead samurai behind them with their caltrops, shuriken, blinding powders, two sword fighting style as well as poison sprays and kyujutsu combative archery methods that were far more than today's kyudo methods. Take note, they existed primarily between the 1100s and late 1500s.
While many laugh at the art today, the history of Japan tells another story. About special ops style soldiers and espionage agents ( shinobi ) that were much like today's navy seals but at a feudal age level. In fact, his life in the 1600s was not long after the battle of Iga No Ran where 4000 ninja defeated 30,000+ samurai of Oda Nobunaga. something left out of the link I share below about the battles that took place.
But eventually fell due to overwhelming numbers of Nobunaga's attack since his son's army was totally humiliated by the Iga Ninja. Not to say Musashi got his teachings from ninjutsu kenjutsu methods but...just a thought. Musashi was a great swordsman in his own league. My point is that Musashi was not the first to use the two sword fighting methods. Ninja may have in fact received their two sword fighting methods from Chinese. Only history can tell. And I have not researched that about the art I've studied and taught of Ninjutsu. The ninja themselves were also formidable fighters in their own league. History tells us so. Regardless of the haters of our arts today.
So, when people laugh at the ninjutsu arts passed on to today, they apparently forget the true history of the ninja and their weapon's skills.
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/japan/p/Ninjas-Greatest-Battle.htm
you realize the ninja were samurai and that they practiced kenjutsu right?
Yep. But not all Samurai were ninja. Ninja were mostly of a lower class in society such as farmers and merchants, imposed on by the samurai of warlords. They were a more rogue type of Samurai class. Not your typical Samurai class. Kinda like we have today the lower, middle and upper class.
Few ninja were of the upper class and mostly of the lower and middle class. Samurai code of fighting found it cowardly to fight as the Kussa. Ninja being a later term used.
nope sorry but the merchants and farmers thing is actually a misconception. also most samurai were technically farmers as they were landowners they just didnt often do the work.
i will admit the whole ninjutsu thing at least as far as whos considered the first documented ninja does originate from china but pretty much everything else is wrong.
also two swords fight techniques did exist before musashi but his ryu was the most developed system based around the style. the only arts ninja practiced besides standard bushi arts were espionage and infiltration skills and shit like arson.
So you're saying Stephen K Hayes and others like him who are considered as authorities of the art got it wrong when they wrote their books?
You've studied with Soke Hatsumi or Shoto Tanemura?
I'd agree some Samurai were farmers and owned land, but majority were not as they were soldiers and sentries for their Diamyo.
Then again, what do I know, I've only studied it since 78 and have read practically every book I could get my hands on about it.
I base this off multiple books written about who ninja were vs who Samurai class were.
Pretty much everything else is wrong yet, there's written history about who was who, when they lived and who they worked for.
You're making a very broad statement to claim everything about Ninja is wrong except that it came from China!?
@Shinja Arts hatsumi has been caught lying the bujinkan is be sorry to say. Do some research into hatsumi and his teachings and his sensei. There is even a man who was respected who literally said what hatsumi was teaching was simply interesting parts of regular budo with a ninja slant.
Sorry but I know the history. Also isn't Stephen Hayes the one hatsumi shit talks? The one he says didn't study under him that long.
The farmer and merchant thing is wrong. Samurai also had no issues doing stuff ninja did as samurai were also ninja many times. Its like the whole samurai thought guns were dishonorable when the truth is that whole notion comes from on lords samurai who refused to use guns then lost and died. Ninja were of the ashi garu and samurai classes. I will agree ninja were less often of the higher ranking samurai but by definition they are of the highest class, samurai were first farmers second and so on.
Also hatsumi requested to join one of the budo associations and was denied which is only done if a ryu can't prove it dates before the Meiji restoration his sensei Takamatsu despite apparently learning from a man who worked for the military yet in an age where everything was recorded there's no record of him.
What hatsumi is teaching is an adaptation or a real ryu Takamatsu mastered with Chinese karate mixed in. He requested permission of the head of said ryu to start his own school and add karate. Experts in Chinese martial arts have found the styles most likely used for said adaptation as the moves are exactly identical.
Also my former sensei who is from Japan has met hatsumi and also knows others who agree that the lineage of his ryu is not what he or his master claim's. His thoughts and many others are that Takamatsu used the story as a way to validate his Chinese martial arts within Japan due to the delicate social situations. It was a way to avoid questioning. Also hatsumi isn't naming a new soke. He also won't allow the ryu scrolls to be examined. Hell show them to people in the dojo but refuses to allow any sort of testing.
@Shinja Arts not saying its not real martial arts but its not what the ninja used.
I wouldn't take the teachings of the mist doubted ryu involving ninjutsu around. Also hatsumi was caught selling ranks. And there are fully ranked by him in Japan 10th Dan practioners I've met that my crippled hasn't practiced in a decade 5th Dan in karate uncle could be in his current condition. It has no standard curriculum he's added onto it but claims is secret teachings that he never taught before even though he gave people certification of full transmission.
Not a bad martial art but not something to rely on for historical fact.
I hear your argument. I've heard of and read of this happening. Yet, I've met or seen some very skilled martial artists out of both Bujinkan and Genbukan. As we know every style has those who make false claims of ranks.
I don't agree with some of how he's done things.
He may not be ready yet to name the new Soke. He may do so on his death bed. We don't know yet. I've seen Him open up and allow the ryu scrolls to be seen by those within but not on the outside, from other non Ninjutsu schools which, if you think about it, is the ninja way of doing things.
I know however there's been much question to the authenticity of the ryuha he teaches. I get that.
I think he may not wish for testing of them because it's a form of disrespect to His teacher to allow this. I'd feel the same way. But not allowing such will fuel more accusation.
A few top Shihan within have written extensively on the history. He's probably nicely stating, mind your own ryuha, I know what is passed onto me?
I can't speak for Soke Hatsumi, but just assuming this may be his reasoning. He has nothing to prove to someone he doesn't know questioning him. He has over 10,000 members.
What school has this many world wide that trust in what they have received? It's an insult to him for as much as he has shown of weaponry, skills in ryuha and the history he has helped spread of the art along with Tanemura that these are the arts, weapons and ryu they passed on. Another thing is that because of the mysteriousness of the art itself, it seems only normal that it be left to other Soke to cause confusion from those not within the lineage of Soke. So, for a ninja to write things down crystal clear to pass on to the next Soke isn't ninja like. It's meant to be misunderstood by others on the outside. That alone can make it questionable.
From your stance about Takamatsu or Soke, it truly comes down to his words vs Soke's words without proof of this happening. Then the question is, who is duping who. Was it Takamatsu that duped Hatsumi or was it Takamatsu who got duped and we can keep going on n on about who is passing on true ninja ryuha. Our stance is, even if it was contorted, who in all honesty can prove it? Nobody. Because now, it's simply one Soke's word vs another. Or accusations or assumptions. It turns into a vicious circle of drama to prove what? That Hatsumi doesn't know true Ninjutsu? If not, he sure has done a pretty good job playing ninja to convince 10,000 plus people globally. That alone is worth a ninja award.
Being a bit sarcastic.
It seems like even what is tangible evidence isn't enough to help prove his case, so why give them more when he really doesn't need to prove its teachings produce some skilled martial artists.
It seems that more and more today, people are sooo caught up in what is authentic when Ninpo is an art meant to change with the times and as Tanemura stated as well, added to to pass it on. So by even Takamatsu taking from other arts and making it ninja useful is ninjaesk in itself!
People think that ninja ryuha should be in black and white, absolute, no mystery, no alterations, no adding of other arts or altering when doing just that is how Ninpo evolved. So, the non ninja are missing the whole point of what true Ninjutsu is. It's leaving people scratching their heads or received of something they thought they saw but not sure of.
Show me, where'd you see the shadow in the bushes!? Where is he!?? The other says, there! Well, he WAS there! I sware I saw him! Wait, prove to me you saw him otherwise you didn't really see anything! Can you prove it? No, I can't prove I saw him. But I think I saw him. No, you saw a dog or cat, not a ninja. There's mystery and uncertainty in Ninpo as it blends with what people WANT perceive as a real ninja in the bushes, when the reality is....they are leading others to question what they think they saw. This is true ninpo.
If it was cut n dried, yep! That WAS a ninja for sure! And he can prove it, then the ninja is no longer a real ninja. He gave away his deception. Hatsumi knows many don't think this way. They want him cut and dried. He doesn't.
As the ninja did of their time, they took from arts and added to or removed what worked for them.
Hayes is the first to do such with his own modernization added into his teachings. Talking shit of Hayes? I've not heard of this. Maybe rumors. Idk. Hatsumi doesn't seem the type to talk crap about anyone. He is a well grounded martial artist and yet, still disrespected and questioned. This is the saddest part about the entire martial arts community that can't simply mind their own training but have to get caught up in the drama of trying to disprove others whom obviously have a great martial arts, ninja like background. And honestly, truthfully, who can know unless they have lived in the feudal times? Even written history is based strictly on the interpretation of the historian writing about that history. Who is the person writing it down? Can even they be trusted?
His changing things to suit what works for him of other arts IS Ninjutsu, I'm doing so myself any my instructor did do too. Why? Because this is how the ninja operated and if we study their arts and train in them and teach them, then we too should take from arts as Takamatsu did. But people who don't understand true ninpo question this way. When the ninja did it this way. Kinda ironic eh? We are slammed for doing what Ninjutsu practitioners are suppose to be doing! lo
Other arts are not meant to be added to or altered by "their own practitioners" and is why Bruce Lee caught hell for doing so.
Cause he did exactly what the ninja did. Took what was useful and what worked.
I had a Ninpo instructor that I can assure you, not many other instructors could have stood up against in a ring. But he didn't go competitive because that's not what Ninpo is about. I won't bring his name into this.
So, people will bash others without even really knowing the types of skilled martial artist that Soke's teachings can produce, calling it fake bs ninja myths. They are the myths. Because they don't understand this art. They view it from their own martial art perspective that is not at all the same way.
Truth is, if anyone can take these skills and have modern day special operations military challenge them like the green beret did with Manaka and get awarded military hand to hand combat excellence, that alone should wipe away any doubts that Ninjutsu taught today can produce some very skilled people.
You make some valid points but you're also doing what others are doing. Viewing the art from another arts perspective and mentality. Peace out.
+Shinja ninpo,also here's the thing hatsumi can train good students and sensei but most of those he has have left or a few stayed but besides those few students he doesn't care he doesn't care about quality of his students.
Bruce Lee didn't claim what he was doing was an ancient tradition. If he came out and said look its modern invention by Takamatsu people wouldn't care but the fact is he's playing the ninja hype for money cause its easy to get gullible suckers to bite.
The thing is it has no recorded history other then scrolls he won't let be examined even though no other ryu except the two ninjutsu ryu claiming to be secret ryu and have unbroken traditions. Also the KKK has a bunch of members hundred thousand or more, so does that mean because its members trust and respect it that society must be wrong about them? No they're evil racist bastards.
Hatsumi is lying or hiding the truth to protect his cash cow. I don't have issue with Takamatsu's most likely reasons for lying. Hatsumi however clearly found out something about the ryu and his master and the lineage that discouraged him and made him have doubt's until Steven showed him the money and then he was all back up for it, turned Hayes students against him lied about Hayes training and promoted unskilled novices to rank to undermine Hayes as well as sold ranks and told a person who spent 6 months under him to open a dojo. He's irresponsible and a bad soke. He should be ashamed of how he's behaving.
Every sensei I've ever had worth his salt has ONE RULE you make sure those that pay for you to live, if they show up and are willing to dedicate the time and energy then you teach them and you teach them right, don't give them what they want at the first time they whine, you are there as a sensei to develop character discipline martial skill and a sense of honor in what you do.
Also I understand not going competitive I have no issue with that. But hatsumi is a bad soke and what he teaches isn't ninpo and he uses a lineage he doubt's himself according to a former prized student he also turned on, I think it was tanemura who said the guy I'm reffering to was his best western student and hatsumi basically just says whatever suits his needs.
Not saying shoe the secret techniques scrolls but the basic entry stuff just for date confirmation like the shit that covers the basics. Ninjutsu should be clarified that to protect its history and not let those trying to make easy money exploit a proud tradition of martial skill recognized as being some of the best.
youtube is being dumb, i typed out a big long thing, but yes hayes is the student that hatsumi lied about not teaching. this all happened after he found out how much money hayes was making and figured out how to cut him out.
hatsumi is dishonoring his role as soke and as sensei.
and his ryu is made up, we cant just keep letting fake shit be claimed as real we must protect the history, what little of it we know and have from false practitioner's.
also hatsumi had the police investigate his sensei and the claims of the ryu and was disappointed by the results then stopped talking about the ninjutsu side and trained hard until hayes popped up making 6 figures a seminar for a few hours work.
but heres the thing, ninjutsu is historical arts, if he wants "modern ninjutsu" stop with the lineage he knows is false and call it something else, make it an art with the do suffix to show its a new art based off old teachings and principles.
if you like it then cool, but its not ninjutsu, and what you know about the ninja is wrong. not surprising when most of the "experts" in the field are liars out for their own gains or spread misinformation and myths. ninja wouldnt have cared about hiding their history beyond making sure no one culd trace them to any job, as for training others well they did as other ryuha exist that have confirmed age.
also he can keep his secretes, take the scrolls that cover the basic stuff you learn fast not anything secret. he is using the ninja name as a cash grab and he should be ashamed and he dishonors his position, he takes these peoples money for his association, they show up to train but have no idea if their sensei is legit as hes given away ranks for money and to undermine legit students that were calling him out on his negligent actions. he is a bad head of the ryu, he is a bad sensei, and he should apologize for his mistakes. he should also personally take back ranks that were deserved and personally take responsibility for the poor sensei's students.
you realize people have probably gotten hurt due to his bad judgement and concern for money.
Ok, you have my attention. Then what do you know of Tanemura because I left Bujinkan connections because of the politics back in 95. I hated the bashing and hate I saw going on. So, I became independent. But what if anything of Manaka or Tanemura do you know. And no, I wasn't following up with the Hayes, Hatsumi soap opera. But sounds about right. If I promote anything, I'll say it like it is. I know that he has given away ranks for money and was another reason. I also had followed some of the Anthony Cummings soap box. Maybe that was a good thing to happen.
Here's one thing though, we have seen Dr.Kacem Zoughari's books and his writings. If people feel this is made up Ninpo, where's Zoughari getting his history? He's through Bujinkan based on what I've seen of him. Andrew Adams book of invisible assassins and all the info he's gathered. For guys others are claiming are fakes, just because they won't provide their scrolls to a few who question their lineage, they then sure have pulled a good con, fooling some pretty smart people.
We're talking with Dr degrees. I backed off following the debates, I'm too busy to get caught up in it. The teachings they base it off of from Bansenshukai and other such documents. There's too much information here released by Tanemura and Hayes and Manaka. Are others claiming all these guys are frauds? This seems hard to digest. All because Soke won't release his scrolls to be tested by Japanese historians? And if so, we're talking 30+ years of putting out books of weaponry, skills, techniques that appear very much to be the way such characters in history would have operated. They have shown trained military people tactics that had impressed them enough to hire them to train police and gov body guards.
I get the selling off of ranks. To give people for money to go teach to profit from.
To be able to fool everyone to lead them to think these are historic scrolls of various ninja ryuha is a huge accusation.
I understand those who are making claims they have secret scrolls given to them by some secret master of Japan then claiming they are Soke to those scrolls as others have been ridiculed for. So, Anthony starts a division but then calls for a unification. It is all a lot of drama. Ashida Kim and Greg's techniques, I can see why some got upset. His knife fighting defense is dangerous for teaching. Christa I don't know enough about except that he/she is a trans and into witchcraft. But otherwise is a pretty skilled martial artist otherwise. Although her and Greg's teachings of Kyujutsu isn't correct Kyujutsu. It's western archery called Kyujutsu. As are many others who are teaching the ninja style archery, using kyudo to claim it's ninja style. And that's not accurate either. Kyudo came later off Kyujutsu.
I do realize some people may have gotten hurt because of them giving out ranks for money, that is not good. I taught over 75 people the Bujinkan ryuha for over 15 years with never an injury. One guy broke his toe cause another student accidentally stepped on his toe. I studied the art for 12 years before formal training.
It seems too much information for any one or two people to make up. And for none until now to question it after 30+ years.
If they duped 10,000+ members of which many have Japanese history under their belt and are DRs, and even they haven't questioned Soke or Tanemura, then Soke and all his Japanese Shihan and Tanemura as well as Takamatsu are some of the best deceivers of martial arts known. I'm not claiming they are but if all that you are saying is actually true, this is the case. They then sure did a good job of making up Ninjutsu arts for many decades as well as creating a ninja arsenal, history and schools that sure seems legit to a vast majority of people that have other high ranking belts in other arts.
The selling of ranks I can totally agree with. The rest, I'm pretty skeptical about. Any sensei could say they are frauds but without undeniable proof that what they claim out weighs what Soke and Tanemura and Hayes claims then is word vs word.
The books written are too deep with dates, names of figured, historical battles, historical clans, etc. Too much there to call it as made up for money.
But if so, they are the greatest cons of the world of martial arts. Their information had to come from historical documents. Not made up. I'm more likely to disbelieve the outside sensei who are claiming they are frauds with made up arts, claiming its Ninjutsu.
Until they can prove this as undeniably the truth.
@Shinja Arts the thing is it's not all made up and its most likely real martial arts that are old just not Japanese or from the medieval period. Remember Takamatsu spent years in China. And he's added the made up stuff to like 7 legitimate ryuha.
Its not just the scrolls either its how hatsumi acts and the fact that there was a website with a forum, someone posted photographic evidence of hatsumi lying like with quotes and everything, multiple times, and because the website had members connected to the bujinkan they had it forcibly removed by threatening and intimidating the site owner.
From what I remember tanemura taught a Greek fellow who also knows Hayes, before any of that happened though hatsumi used said guy to steal Hayes students and discredit him for years. Hatsumi gave this Greek guy the first English copy of his teachings on the ryu, then once the guy realized what was going on and asked hatsumi questions he does to him the same thing he did to Hayes as well as attacking this gentles own modern side martial art claiming he stole bujinkan teachings but before he started it going on about how he didn't know the real teachings even though tanemura claimed him as his best western student.
Antony Cummins does some good research but also has his own motives and agenda, also you realize how much false history is taken as fact? And no there are fakes under hatsumi he let teaches for the money, they've been proven as making shit up, some even claim to be soke of unrelated ryu that are ninjutsu, my sensei had a family ryu, he's not part of any koryu association however he has had scrolls tested for age to prove his claims, his family's ryu never had a school like big ryu from my understanding but it has an unbroken line within his family. His first job is to protect the ryu, but not by scamming others, the knowledge must be passed down, and any who are willing to learn and put in the effort will learn cause that is his role.
Also just cause someone has a Dr degree doesn't meant they can't be tricked, and doesn't necessarily mean they are good at their job.
Many at the bujinkan except those that train under Hayes or trained him all think he is a fraud. Many go around bad mouthing him having never met him.
Also if I remember hatsumi own cousin left the ryu do to disbelief in the lineage and disgust with hatsumi, he continued to study Takamatsu ryu though none of the ninjutsu.
Plus Takamatsu had how long to take a ryu he already mastered and combine it with Chinese martial arts he already mastered. Hatsumi has had decades since to add on to it, something that wouldn't be hard for an accomplished martial artist. My first sensei was an 8th Dan in one karate ryu 4th Dan in two others was called a master by my uncle when discussing hapkido he know aikido he did some form of judo or just jitsu and had an interest in koryu. My sensei did make up some technique's he didn't hide it and these are techniques he's used in real life or death situations when he's had knives or guns pulled against him. He's also highly respected in Japan.
My next sensei was considered one of the best in my city, then my next sensei has learnt karate in Japan since he was a child, has also learned family kenjutsu and weapon based ryu since a child, he was also left in charge of the family ryu, so he is soke of his tradition. He also like me has a passion for history, he personally along with other famous Japanese martial artists believe Takamatsu added karate and other Chinese arts to the budo ryu her already mastered, he then used the ninja lineage as a way to prevent anyone from bad mouthing it just for being Chinese.
It is real martial arts but its not budo or ninpo its at best a little of those mixed with Chinese martial arts from Takamatsu's stay in China. It also means hatsumi can't claim soke besides being the second in Takamatsu's line. The weapons styles come from a real ryu however they are exactly identical exactly copied and transferred. Some is real and looks Japanese but Chinese martial arts experts have found the styles that were mixed in, one is an old tai chi form from when it was a real martial art and done fast.
Also military and police can be impressed easily, I know police and military personnel that find judo to be perfect along with boxing, judo while based off ju jitsu is a modern adaption design for self defense not war. I also know police and military impressed by aikido but training under sensei that don't teach you how to actually use it in a fight. I also went to school with a punk that trained who in highschool beat three cops up with his bare hands. Generally they are trained well but not always and not all make it to a master skill level. I'm not saying bujinkan and hatsumis teachings can't work just that he doesn't care if they do or not. He used to train harder then Anyone else same with his students but since finding out he can make money off the ninja name he doesn't give a fuck.
Hm pretty wild. I appreciate the update. This is crazy. I'll look into it more. I am seeing your point. I've watched a few videos about it all and the huge debate going on. I blew it off feeling it was just bashers hating on Bujinkan. Since then, I haven't bothered with it. Dropped it for five years due to knee problems. But this sounds like a massive soap opera.
A lot to digest and meditate on here and look into. I guess I have been out of the soap box loop. Appreciate your time and all this info. I'll look into it more. Least you've been direct and cool about it. Not bashing. More than I can say about others. Thx BMX
@Shinja Arts parts of what the bujinkan teaches is real, some of the specific ryu within the whole 9 ryu system are true budo arts but 2 from my understanding are the ninja aspects and those are whats in question, the other ryu dont belong to the koryu associations and other ryu have rejected as well, however their lineage isnt in question and has easily verifiable proof, they also didnt ask to join then deny it after being turned down. bujinkan members also have a way on forums of going after anyone who questions the lineage even when doing so respectfully.
i wanted to study specific ryu within the system, however they are verifiablly real, but i havent been able to find a sensei that teaches those parts as theres no set curriculum, im also highly selective of my sensei and when dealing with that association i feel like i may come off as rude which isnt what i want i just want to make sure the sensei knows what hes teaching and knows how to actually use it. like my old sensei used to spar with live blades with his father and uncle and others in japan, he also didnt care about money as he taught me kenjutsu for free, i paid for karate lessons and to use equipment at the place he rented to use as a studio.
the funny thing is other ryu also have added sections and no one cares, even some ryu that require additions from every soke from my understanding. but they dont deny newer teachings and their lineage can be verified. hatsumi causes most of his own doubters and haters, he could easily solve the issue, have scrolls that arent secret or higher level teachings examined, he could also say he simply isnt sure and teaching what his sensei taught him, and he needs to stop selling ranks, stopping giving them away, and let someone else run the bujinkan and then let each ryu head within run their respective ryu, but the bujinkan is there to assure quality of control and protect the ryu from having fake teachers pop up and give them a bad name.
why allow bad teachers or fakes dishonor your sensei's name? he taught me when i was young but if anyone bad mouthed my first karate sensei or my kenjutsu sensei, or used their name to decieve people, id be very upset. especially considering one taught me and also taught my uncle whom i respect and who is a very talented martial artist, if he travels to japan they will give him his 5th dan just for going even though hes crippled and cant practice anymore, hes well respected, and my sensei was extremely well respected, one of my most prized pocessions is a bokken handed down to me from my uncle given to him by my former sensei, made in japan, a little small for me as i prefer a slightly larger katana and bokken but still a great bokken.
personally though ive desided to stay away from the ryu within the bujinkan i do wish to study simply for the fact of i dont wish to offend anyone but i also dont want to study under a bad sensei. so ive decided ill go for different ryu.
Have you trained at all in any of the ryuha of either Bujinkan or Genbukan? And do you know what happened to Doran Narvon who use to translate for Hatsumi?
@Shinja Arts I have a friend who trained in 4 of the budo ryu within the system and he showed me some stuff but besides his sensei who I haven't met every sensei I've found teaching the bujinkan stuff has been sub par.
Yeah, he was earlier Hatsumi seminar translator. He use to do every one of them. Then he stopped and now some British accent guy with a beard does it.
@Shinja Arts well hatsumi has basically pushed away tons of people from the bujinkan, his own cousin wont talk to him anymore and his cousin used to help with his teachings and shit.
@Shinja Arts my personal issue with hatsumi is that even if the ryu is made up or more modern adaptations of earlier budo and chinese martial arts, he doesnt treat the ryu or the organization like he respects it, he honestly gives the impression like he only cares about the money now adays because hes already trained the students he cares about in all the skills he can. i honestly wouldnt care about the lineage as much if he was honest and either admitted it is made up if he knows it is or admit he doesnt know. like i said i personally believe takamatsu invented it and used the story as a way to prevent suspicious and its chinese origins being revealed. think about what imperial japan was like and if you know what it did to china and korea in the past it shouldnt be a surprise that they probably didnt have the most respect for chinese martial arts.
however takamatsu was a martial arts master and an extremely talented one at that from my understanding. if he did invent it from blending budo and karate i have no doubts that it when trained properly under good sensei that it is an effective system, however if hatsumi doesnt maintain the quality of sensei not counting the fakes but those he allows to teach, then the ryu loses its worth.
Shinja Arts I think the truth of the matter is musashi may have taken his two sword style from western martial arts. Doesn't the story go that musashi was on a beach when he saw two Portuguese men duelling using sword and dagger styles. Also where is the evidence that this is a continuation or direct teaching of what musashi taught
@The Original English Martial Arts Channel not even close, musashi invented the dual swords style off of jutte and juttejutsu which his family had a family tradition and style in. the jutte or jitte was often used off hand with a katana in the right hand,musashi simply adapted the style. musashi didnt develop it from western fencing. and i dont believe the spanish and portuguese were the ones using sword and dagger at that time period.
bmxriderforlife1234 I'm happy to accept your explanation but where is the proof other than hearsay
@The Original English Martial Arts Channel the fact that musashi was known to practice with the jutte historically, i can provide some links after when im less busy. his father or grandfather invented a family jutsu for the weapon, plus from studying old heme manuals and having done some research into portuguese fencing i could only find examples of single rapier being used in musashi's time.
theres also the fact that the only duels ive heard of taking place involving westerners in japan basically all involved a western swordsman dueling a japanese swordsman or samurai.
its possible that he took the idea from westerners, but its highly unlikely, its also more likely he simply adapted the jutte style to his own two swords style, it is more adaptible, you lose the ability to do certain things but the tool becomes much more weaponized and as well as the fact that you now have less to carry and the short sword is useful on its own in numerous situations.
I didn't read all of these comments because tl;dr but I will say that the idea that Musashi could have learned about using two weapons from the Ninja is absolutely ridiculous. Why? Because Ninjutsu isn't a martial art. It's the art of espionage, the art of spying, moving silently, and camouflage. Those "Ninja" or "Shinobi" who were also Samurai, would not know any special secret fighting techniques, they would simply know the normal Bujutsu that they studied with all the other Samurai of their clan. The only special training that they would receive would be in regards to spying, moving silently, and camouflage etc. . .
As for those "Ninja" or "Shinobi" who were peasants, they would know nothing about martial arts except that which they took it upon themselves to learn and mostly consisted of repurposing the tools that they would use in every day life and thereby have experience using, if at all. To settle the argument, a "Ninja" could be a Samurai, they could also be a peasant who could easily pass by unnoticed, a merchant who keeps a keen eye on business and trades in information just as much as wears, or a prized geisha or courtesan privy to pillow talk or court rumors/gossip.
The important thing to remember is that anyone can be a ninja, because ninja's are nothing more than spies and anyone can be a spy. When looking at literally everywhere else in the world, we see examples of spies from all walks of life, why would anyone think that it would be any different in Japan? The only reason people believe these things is because there is a lot of misinformation, mysticism and hollywoodization around the mythical ninja.
However, the important thing to remember is that all a ninja is is a spy, and anyone can be a spy. That's what makes them so dangerous. It's not the mythical magic powers or secret killing techniques, but the fact that one can never truly know who they can and cannot trust. Sowing paranoid among your enemy such that they no longer trust anyone is worth more strategically than a thousand knifes in the back.
You can only kill a Daimyo once, and then there will be another in the line of succession to take his place, but if you strike fear and paranoia into the heart of your enemy Daimyo such that he turns on his own, he could cause more damage to his own clan then simply taking his life would, leaving him and his clan open to total annihilation or domination.
That is the true danger of ninja or spies, and my explanation is a much more realistic and historically accurate view on who these feudal Japanese spies were, and what they would do.
In this way, it should be noted that any and all martial arts that claim to teach "Ninjutsu martial arts" are 100% complete bullshit. All they are teaching is Japanese bujutsu in Hollywood ninja costumes. Organizations like the Bujinkan may teach actual ninjutsu in regards on how to step silently, but that's it. There is no such thing as a "Ninja style of Kenjutsu," etc. . . and any style of Kenjutsu that they are teaching is likely an amalgamation of other traditional koryu's, instead of some special secret ninja style.
Shinja Arts Guys that did Shinobi work were typically lower to middle ranked samurai that did spying and guerilla warfare. Not some super warrior. Who did you train under?
This is so fake. You're not going to stop a samurai sword swing down words with one hand on your sword. Is this really how a samurai fought? In slow motion and predictable swings?
he killed more than 60 mans i duels and probably 100 (my assumption) in wars-and other skirmishes, so yea i guess it does work, this was a trining tho
Nope, katas are for trainings of basic principles, not simulation of combat. Slow it is, because it teachs you.
@YTReturnz he obviously doesnt get that they were sparring and judging by his grotesque grammer id say hes a kid that knows nothing about how legendary warriors like musashi fought and developed styles and is quick to disrespect the noble musashi's legacy.
The only time this technique would works is as if your opponent is dumb as an animal. Yes please strike at my short dagger and block your own attack and stood still for me to hit you in the leg.
ever heard of the term "demonstrating a technique " ?
I'm pretty sure they are a troll. In real combat you would still be able to do this just would only have a 1 sec max to pull it off, but like you said slowing it down is necessary to know exactly what is even happening and to study it.
In a temple in Nagoya, Japan, with two original pieces made by the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi. During Musashi's time, the temple has a hotel where he stayed. He donated these two artworks as a mean of payment for his one month stay.
I discovered Miyamoto Musashi more than thirty years ago and, as a Karate practitioner, I was not only impressed by his life and exploits, but I also learn alot in terms of combat because of his incredible book, the Gorin No Sho - my Karate definitely benefited from it.
Please enjoy my article about Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest swordsman.
PS: The illustrations in this article were taken from a AMAZING manga series called Vagabond by Japanese artist Takehiko Inoue.
Young Musashi had his first duel at 13 years old.
Details about the early life of the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi are difficult to verify as all that Musashi left behind were writings related to the Kenjutsu sword-fighting technique and strategy.
Most Japanese historians agree that Miyamoto Musashi was born in 1584 (the Year of the Monkey). That period was a time of turmoil as the country as different Warlords were fighting for supremacy over the Japanese territory.
Miyamoto Musashi was born into a samurai family in Miyamoto village, Harima province. His full name was Shinmen Musashi no Kami Fujiwara No Genshin, and his childhood name was either Bennosuke or Takezo. Musashi took his name from his birthplace, Miyamoto village.
Musashi's father was a samurai named Shinmen Munisai, who was an accomplished swordsman and an expert in Kenjutsu (swordsmanship) and jutte-jutsu. Munisai taught Kenjutsu and juttejutsu to Musashi at a young age, as was the tradition in samurai families, and the young Musashi showed an early talent for Kenjutsu. Shinmen Munisai's' father, Hirata Shogen, was a vassal of Lord Shinmen Iga no Kami of Mimasaka Province.
Miyamoto Musashi's mother died soon after he was born, so he was raised by his step-mother, a woman named Toshiko. When his father, Munisai, divorced Toshiko, Musashi was sent to live with his uncle Dorin, a monk from the Shoreian temple. While staying with the monk, he was taught Zen Buddhism and basic skills, such as reading and writing.
"Musashi had his first duel at the age of thirteen. His opponent was a samurai from the Tajima Province, a man named Arima Kibei."
Munisai was a very harsh, strict, and demanding man, especially towards his son. Their relationship was tumultuous and Munisai showed no love for the young Musashi. It is unknown what exactly happened, but when Musashi was around 9 or 10, his father either died or abandoned the boy. Some historians say that Shinmen Munisai was killed during a duel with a swordsman named Ganryu Yoshitaka.
According to the personal details given by Miyamoto Musashi in his "Book of Five Rings", the Gorin No Sho, Musashi had his first duel at the age of thirteen. His opponent was a samurai from the Tajima Province, a man named Arima Kibei, who was a swordsman from the Shinto-Ryu Kenjutsu school. Seconds after the beginning of the fight, Musashi thew Arima on the ground and hit him with his bokuto (a wooden sword, also known as a bokken). Arima Kibei died vomiting blood.
Musashi left the temple between 16 and 20 years old (this is unclear), to perfect his Kenjutsu technique, and followed his ambition to become Japan's greatest swordsman.
Musashi fought and defeated many skilled swordsmen.
Miyamoto Musashi spent many years duelling with Japan's best swordsmen and warriors in an endless pursuit towards perfection.
On October 21, 1600, Miyamoto Musashi took part in the Sekigahara Battle, which was a war between the Toyotomi and Tokugawa clans for the unification of Japan.
Because his family was allied to the Toyotomi Clan, Musashi fought for Toyotomi Hideyoshi's army. During the Battle of Sekigahara in July 1600, Musashi took part in the attack on Fushimi Castle (Fushimi-jo or Fishimijo). He also participated in the defense of the besieged Gifu Castle (Gifu-jo) in the Gifu Prefecture. Even at a relatively young age, Miyamoto Musashi fought vigorously, and he escaped the defeat of Hideyori's forces unharmed.
Three years later, Musashi fought against the army of Ieyasu Tokugawa who, the Shogun Tokugawa Era (also known as the Edo period), which would last for 266 years.
After the battle, Miyamoto Musashi wandered across Japan perfecting his Kenjutsu skills, having many duels, and meeting many masters of the sword.
After disappearing from the records for a while, Musashi arrived in Kyoto around the age of 21 or 22. Upon arriving in Kyoto, he began a famous series of duels with the famous Yoshioka Clan. The clan was famous all across Japan for its Yoshioka-Ryu, a style of Kenjutsu founded around 1532 by Yoshioka Kempo.
The Yoshioka School
The Kenjutsu style of the Yoshioka Clan was part of the Kyohachiryu, which meant that it was one of the eight major Kenjutsu styles in Kyoto. The swordsmen of the Yoshioka Clan had been instructors for the powerful Ashikaga Family for four generations.
Yoshioka Seijuro, master of the Yoshioka School and head of the Yoshioka family, was challenged to a duel by Musashi. Seijuro eagerly accepted the duel, and both men decided to fight outside of Rendaiji Temple in Northern Kyoto on March 8, 1604.
As a part of his strategy, Miyamoto Musashi arrived late on the day of the fight. Seijuro was greatly irritated and lost his temper with Musashi, judging his behavior to be unacceptable. As they had previously agreed, the duel was to be fought with a bokuto (wooden sword), and a single blow would declare the winner.
They faced off and took the on-guard position. In an instant, Musashi hit Seijuro's shoulder with his wooden sword, knocking him off his feet and breaking his left arm. Musashi won the duel. With his soul tormented by dishonor, Yoshioka Seijuro retired from the warrior's life and became a monk in a Zen order.
Seijuro's brother, a brilliant swordsman named Yoshioka Denshichiro, became the head of the Yoshioka Family and later challenged Musashi to regain his family's honor and avenge his brother's defeat.
Duel 2 - Yoshioka Denshichiro
The duel was to be held at Sanjusangendo, a Buddhist temple in the Higashiyama District of Kyoto, which was famous for its thousand statues of Kannon, the Shinto goddess of mercy and compassion.
As with his last duel, Miyamoto Musashi once again arrived late to fight Denshichiro. This time, it was a duel to the death. Musashi was armed with a bokuto and Denshichiro had a staff reinforced with steel rings.
Musashi was mentally, technically, and physically stronger than his skilled opponent. Seconds after the beginning of the duel, Musashi hit Denshichiro with his wooden sword, killing him instantly with a single blow to the head.
The Yoshioka Clan had become desperate with the death of Denshichiro Yoshioka, who was now the second head of the family to be defeated by Miyamoto Musashi. The head of the clan was now the 12-year old Yoshioka Matashichiro, who, like his predecessors, also challenged Musashi to a duel. At this point, the Yoshioka clan was ready to do anything to gain back their honor and reputation. They had to take Musashi down.
This time, the Yoshioka Clan decided that the duel between Yoshioka Matashichiro and Miyamoto Musashi was to be fought at night. It was unusual for nighttime duels to be requested, so Musashi got suspicious. He arrived at the rendezvous point well before the time of the fight and waited in hiding for his enemy to come.
The boy arrived dressed in full armor with a party of well-armed retainers, archers, riflemen and swordsmen who were all determined to kill Musashi. They all hid nearby, and set a trap for Musashi, with Matashichiro acting as bait.
Musashi watched the action as he waited patiently, concealed in the bushes. When the moment was right, he left his hiding place, drew his sword, and ran towards the boy, cutting off his head. Seconds later, Matashichiro's men gathered around Musashi, trying to stop him from escaping.
"Many historians agree that Musashi discovered the superiority of wielding two swords during this battle."
Greatly outnumbered and with both swords in hand, Musashi cut a path through the rice fields, making his way to escape while being attacked by dozens of men. With the death of Yoshioka Matashichiro, the Yoshioka Clan Kenjutsu School was demolished.
Many historians agree that Musashi discovered the superiority of wielding two swords during this battle. The use of two swords simultaneously was totally foreign to the conventions of Kenjutsu, as samurai traditionally only fought with the long sword (Katana) held in two hands. Musashi's experience forged the path to what would become known as the Nito-Ryu style of Kenjutsu.
Warrior's Pilgrimage
Musashi wander the land as a ronin, practicing and honing his skills.
Shortly after his series of duels with the Yoshioka Clan in 1605, Miyamoto Musashi went to Hozoin Temple in the south of Kyoto. There, he had a series of non-lethal contests with the monks, who were renowned for being masters of the spear.
He stayed at the temple for a few months, studying and exchanging fighting techniques with the monks. Musashi also enjoyed talking about Zen for hours on end with the head monk. Even today, the monks of Hozoin still train in their renowned traditional spear technique.
Historians say that from 1605 to 1612, Musashi wandered all over Japan while on a Musha Shugyo, a warrior's journey, during which he traveled extensively to test and improve his Kenjutsu skills.
While on his way to Edo in the autumn of 1607, Miyamoto Musashi had a duel with Shishido Baiken, a master of the kusarigama - a sickle with a chain and a weight attached to one end.
Baiken wanted to end Musashi's reputation as an invincible duelist but was unsuccessful. Musashi struck a deadly blow first, and as Baiken fell on the floor. His pupils began to attack Musashi but quickly ran away, frightened by Musashi's skills with two blades.
Later that year, Muso Gonnosuke, a famous and arrogant swordsman, challenged Musashi to a duel. Gonnosuke was a master of the Tenshin Katori Shinto Ryu, and the founder of a Jojutsu (short staff) school known as Shinto Muso-Ryu. It was claimed that Gonnosuke had never lost a duel, and had defeated Japan's finest swordsman. Historians say that Musashi's father, Shinmen Munisai, had previously fought against Gonnosuke in a non-lethal duel.
"Even though Gonnosuke used his newly developed techniques, the outcome of the duel was the same: Musashi won again."
Both Miyamoto Musashi and his opponent agreed to fight with wooden swords. Gonnosuke was quickly disabled with a single blow from Musashi's bokuto.
Strongly affected by his defeat, Gonnosuke withdrew to a Shinto shrine where he contemplated his defeat. He trained hard and developed new techniques that he hoped would eventually allow him to defeat Musashi.
Musashi and Gonnosuke dueled again sometime later. Even though Gonnosuke used his newly developed techniques, the outcome of the duel was the same: Musashi won again.
Shortly after, Musashi was about to encounter his greatest and most skilled opponent, Sasaki Kojiro.
Sasaki Kojiro was Musashi's most famous and greatest opponent.
Miyamoto Musashi's most famous duel was against Sasaki Kojiro, his greatest and most skilled opponent. It was said that Sasaki fought many duels against Japan's best and never lost.
Sasaki developed a very effective Kenjutsu style based on the movement of a swallow's tail in flight. Unlike other samurai who used the traditional 'Katana', Sasaki used a 'no-dachi', which was a very long two-handed sword. Despite the sword's length and weight, Kojiro's strikes with the weapon were unusually quick and precise. Kojiro was Lord Hosokawa Tadaoki's private Kenjutsu instructor.
The two greatest swordsmen agreed to fight, and the duel took place on April 13, 1612, on Ganryu Island, located off the coast of the Bizen Province. The duel was set for early the next morning. On the day of the fight, Sasaki Kojiro and the officials serving as witnesses waited for Musashi for hours.
His absence leads to the rumor that Musashi had run away in fear of his life because he was so terrified of Sasaki Kojiro's technique. Nothing was further from the truth.
"[...] he decided to arrive late at the duel to disturb his opponent's mind"
Miyamoto Musashi was transported to Ganryu Island on a boat by a local fisherman. As part of his strategy, he decided to arrive late at the duel to disturb his opponent's mind. During the short trip, he sculpted a wooden sword which he used for the duel against Sasaki Kojiro.
When the boat finally arrived, Sasaki and the officials were standing on the beach waiting for Musashi. Extremely irritated and blinded by rage, Sasaki Kojiro drew his Katana and threw away his scabbard. Musashi saw this gesture and said to his enemy, “If you have no more use for your sheath, you are already dead."
The dual began, and both men were on guard with respect for the other's ability. One mistake, and it would all be over. Musashi provoked Kojiro into making the first attack and then countered quickly, breaking Kojiro's left ribs and punctured his lungs, thus killing him.
Before running back to his boat, Musashi bowed to his downed opponent and the officials, realizing with sadness that one of the greatest swordsman ever had just died. It was at this point that Musashi attained satori or spiritual awakening. From this moment on he renounced ever doing lethal duels.
After years of duel, Musashi settled down as a Retainer in Harima Province.
During the following months, Musashi Miyamoto briefly established a Kenjutsu school, but no historical records indicate where in Japan it was located.
In 1614 and 1615, a war erupted between the Toyotomi and Tokugawa families, this time with Tokugawa Ieyasu as the Shogun. Tokugawa Ieyasu saw the Toyotomi family as a threat to his rule. Miyamoto Musashi took part in warfare and siege one last time when he participated in both the winter and summer battles in Osaka.
Most scholars believe that, as in the previous war, Musashi fought on Toyotomi Hideyoshi's side, but the exact details of his role in the war are unclear. Some believe that he joined Tokugawa Ieyasu's army when the Shogun besieged the castle of Osaka.
Later the same year, Musashi entered the service of Ogasawara Tadanao of Harima Province as a construction supervisor. Musashi helped in the construction of Akashi Castle and helped organize the layout of the town of Himeji. During his stay, he taught martial arts, particularly Kenjutsu and shuriken throwing, and he perfected his Enmei-ryu Kenjutsu style. During this period of service, he also adopted a son named Mikinosuke.
After running his dojo successfully for a few years, Musashi's reputation started to grow and began to be considered one of Japan's best swordsmen. When Honda Tadamasa, the lord of Himeji castle heard about him, he ordered
Miyake Gunbei, his most skilled samurai, to go to Musashi's dojo and show him that he was not Japan's greatest swordsman. Musashi accepted the fight and left the choice of the weapon (either a real sword or a wooden sword) to his opponent.
Miyake's orders were to test Musashi's ability, not to kill him, so he decided to cut a piece of bamboo from the garden to use as a weapon. Meanwhile, Musashi wielded his bokuto. Seconds after they had faced off, Miyake Gunbei was defeated.
"After running his dojo successfully for a few years, Musashi's reputation started to grow and began to be considered one of Japan's best swordsmen."
In 1622, when Miyamoto Mikinosuke, one of his adopted sons, became a vassal to the Himeji fief, Musashi started to wander across Japan again, this time ending up in Edo in 1623. While in Edo, he became friends with Hayashi Razan, a Confucian scholar who happened to be one of the Shogun's advisors.
With the help of Hayashi, Musashi applied to become a Kenjutsu teacher for the Shogun, but his application was refused as the Shogun already had two teachers. Musashi started to travel again, leaving the capital in the direction of Yamagata City, where he adopted his second son, Miyamoto Iori.
In 1626 Miyamoto Musashi received a visit from Miyamoto Mikinosuke, his firs of three adopted sons. Mikinosuke informed him that his lord has died and that, following the tradition called junshi, he would commit seppuku (ritual suicide), following his master in death. After saying goodbye to his adoptive father with tears, he returned to Edo to follow his duty.
For a short while in 1627, Miyamoto Musashi and his second and closest addopted son Miyamoto Iori went to live in Ogura, and later entered the service of Lord Ogasawara Tadazane.
"Musashi wielded his bokuto. Seconds after they had faced off, Miyake Gunbei was defeated."
PS: As you might know, my wife is Japanese, and we named our son Iori in honor of Miyamoto Musashi's son.
At the end of the year, he and Iori began to travel again. It is unknown where exactly they went and for how long they travelled. They settled down in Kokura in 1634 to train and paint, staying in one of the houses of Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the Lord of Kumamoto Castle. Musashi's main rival, Sasaki Kojiro, was a retainer under Hosokawa.
In 1634 Lord Ogasawara organized a non-lethal duel between Miyamoto Musashi and a yari (spear) specialist named Takada Matabei. As expected, Musashi won.
In 1637 Musashi fought during the Christian Rebellion of Shimabara, one of the very few turbulent events that occurred during the peaceful Edo period under the Tokugawa Shogunate. However, Musashi was injured early in the battle by a rock that fell on his leg.
His son, Miyamoto Iori, served with distinction in putting down the Christian Rebellion and was named "Advisor to the Lord", a highly praised position.
Musashi dies in Reigando cave after writing his famous Gorin No Sho.
In 1640, Musashi officially became the retainer of Hosokawa Tadatoshi, Lord of Kumamoto, and received seventeen loyal retainers at his service and Chiba Castle as his residence.
During the following year, 1641, Musashi wrote the Hyoho Sanju Go, or "The Thirty-five Instructions on Strategy" for Hosokawa Tadatoshi.
This book was dedicated to Musashi's fighting philosophy and technique, and it would form the basis of his masterpiece, the Gorin No Sho, which would come into being two years later.
In 1642, Musashi suffered attacks of neuralgia, a painful disorder of the nerves. Feeling that his end was near, in 1643, Musashi retired to a cave named Reigando near Kumamoto to write his Gorin No Sho, or "The Book of Five Rings". He finished it in the second month of 1645 and gave it to his closest student.
On the twelfth day of the fifth month, he finished writing Dokkodo, or "The Way of Walking Alone", a book on self-discipline, which was intended as a guide to future generations.
He died in Reigando cave on around the nineteenth day of the fifth month, possibly on June 13, 1645.
Musashi's famous book of strategy and combat.
While in reclusion, Miyamoto Musashi wrote the "Gorin No Sho", known in English as "The Book Of Five Rings", which was a text on Kenjutsu, martial arts, and philosophy.
Many translations of the "Gorin No Sho" have been made over the years, and it enjoys an audience considerably broader than just those interested in martial arts. For instance, some business leaders find its discussion of conflict and how to take advantage of it to be relevant to their work.
The five "books" refer to the idea that there are different elements of battle, just as there are different physical and spiritual elements in life, as is believed in Buddhism.
The term "Ichi School", which is referenced in the Gorin No Sho, refers to the "Niten No Ichi Ryu", or "Ni Ten Ichi Ryu", which when literally translated means "Two Swords, One Heaven", although the translation could be interpreted as "Two Swords, One Spirit", or "Two Swords, One Entity".
I would greatly recommend Kenji Tokitsu's book entitled The Complete Book of Five Rings , as it's hands down the best book I read on the subject. Also, check out Tokitsu's equally great book on Musashi's life entitled Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings .
The Ground Book serves as an introduction, and it uses the metaphor of building a house to discuss martial arts, leadership, and training.
"Strategy is the craft of the warrior. Commanders must enact the craft, and troopers should know this Way. There is no warrior in the world today who really understands the Way of strategy.
There are various Ways. There is the Way of salvation by the law of Buddha, the Way of Confucius governing the Way of learning, the Way of healing as a doctor, as a poet teaching the Way of Waka, tea, archery, and many arts and skills. Each man practices as he feels inclined.
It is said the warrior's is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both Ways. Even if a man has no natural ability, he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way. Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death. Although not only warriors but priests, women, peasants, and lowlier folk have been known to die readily in the cause of duty or out of shame, this is a different thing.
The warrior is different in that studying the Way of strategy is based on overcoming men. By victory gained in crossing swords with individuals, or enjoining battle with large numbers, we can attain power and fame for ourselves or for our lord. This is the virtue of strategy."
-Miyamoto Musashi, The Ground Book.
The Water Book describes Musashi's style; that is, "Ni-Ten Ichi-Ryu", or "Two Heavens, One Style". It describes some basic technique and fundamental principles.
"The spirit of the Ni Ten Ichi school of strategy is based on water, and this Water Book explains methods of victory as the long sword form of the Ichi school. Language does not extend to explaining the Way in detail, but it can be grasped intuitively. Study this book; read a word then ponder on it. If you interpret the meaning loosely you will mistake the Way.
The principles of strategy are written down here in terms of single combat, but you must think broadly so that you attain an understanding of ten-thousand-a-side battles. Strategy is different from other things in that if you mistake the Way even a little, you will become bewildered and fall into wrong ways.
If you merely read this book, you will not reach the Way of strategy. Absorb the things written in this book. Do not just read, memorize or imitate, but so that you realize the principle from within your own heart study hard to absorb these things into your body. "
-Miyamoto Musashi, The Water Book.
The Fire Book refers to the heat of battle, and it discusses matters such as different types of timing.
"In this the Fire Book of the NiTo Ichi school of strategy I describe fighting as fire.
In the first place, people think narrowly about the benefit of strategy. By using only their fingertips, they only know the benefit of three of the five inches of the wrist. They let a contest be decided, as with the folding fan, merely be the span of their forearms. They specialize in the small matter of dexterity, learning such trifles as hand and leg movements with the bamboo practice sword.
In my strategy, the training for killing enemies is by way of many contests, fighting for survival, discovering the meaning of life and death, learning the Way of the sword, judging the strength of attacks and understanding the Way of the "edge and ridge" of the sword.
You cannot profit from small techniques, particularly when full armor is worn. My Way of strategy is the sure method to win when fighting for your life, one man against five or ten. There is nothing wrong with the principle "one man can beat ten, so a thousand men can beat ten thousand". You must research this.
Of course, you cannot assemble a thousand or ten thousand men for everyday training. But you can become a master of strategy by training alone with a sword so that you can understand the enemy's strategies, his strength, and resources, and come to appreciate how to apply strategy to beat ten thousand enemies.
Any man who wants to master the essence of my strategy must research diligently, training morning and evening. Thus can he polish his skill, become free from self, and realize extraordinary ability. He will come to possess miraculous power. This is the practical result of strategy."
-Miyamoto Musashi, The Fire Book.
The Wind Book is something of a pun because the Japanese character can mean both "wind" and "style" (i.e., "style" meaning of martial arts). It discusses what Musashi considers to be the failings of various contemporary schools of sword fighting.
"In strategy, you must know the Ways of other schools, so I have written about various other traditions of strategy in this the Wind Book.
Without knowledge of the Ways of other schools, it is difficult to understand the essence of my Ichi school. Looking at other schools, we find some that specialize in techniques of strength using extra-long swords. Some schools study the Way of the short sword, known as kodachi. Some schools teach dexterity in large numbers of sword techniques, teaching attitudes of the sword as the "surface" and the Way as the "interior".
That none of these are the true Way I show clearly in the interior of this book - all the vices and virtues and rights and wrongs. My Ichi school is different. Other schools make accomplishments their means of livelihood, growing flowers and decoratively coloring articles to sell them. This is not the Way of strategy.
Some of the world's strategists are concerned only with sword fencing and limit their training to flourishing the long sword and carriage of the body. But is dexterity alone sufficient to win? This is not the essence of the Way.
I have recorded the unsatisfactory points of other schools one by one in this book. You must study these matters deeply to appreciate the benefit of my Ni To Ichi school."
-Miyamoto Musashi, The Wind Book.
The Void Book is a short epilogue, describing, in more esoteric terms than the other books, Musashi's probably Zen-influenced thoughts on consciousness and the correct mindset.
"The Ni To Ichi Way of strategy is recorded in this the Book of the Void.
What is called the spirit of the void is where there is nothing. It is not included in man's knowledge. Of course the void is nothingness. By knowing things that exist, you can know that which does not exist. That is the void.
People in this world look at things mistakenly and think that what they do not understand must be the void. This is not the true void. It is bewilderment.
In the Way of strategy, also, those who study as warriors think that whatever they cannot understand in their craft is the void. This is not the true void.
To attain the Way of strategy as a warrior, you must study fully other martial arts and not deviate even a little from the Way of the warrior. With your spirit settled, accumulate practice day by day, and hour by hour. Polish the twofold spirit heart and mind, and sharpen the twofold gaze perception and sight. When your spirit is not in the least clouded, when the clouds of bewilderment clear away, there is the true void.
Until you realize the true Way, whether in Buddhism or common sense, you may think that things are correct and in order. However, if we look at things objectively, from the viewpoint of laws of the world, we see various doctrines departing from the true Way. Know well this spirit, and with forthrightness as the foundation and the true spirit as the Way. Enact strategy broadly, correctly, and openly.
Then you will come to think of things in a wide sense and, taking the void as the Way, you will see the Way as void.
In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence, the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness."
-Miyamoto Musashi, The Void Book.
Strongly influenced by Zen BUddhism, the Dokkodo contains great wisdom.
The Dokkodo or "The Way of Walking Alone" was written by Miyamoto Musashi one week before dying, for the occasion where Musashi was giving away his possessions in preparation for death.
It was given to Terao Magonojo, his most skilled disciple in Niten-Ichi-Ryu. After the Gorin-No-Sho, Dokkodo is the summary of Musashi's life, his will, and his philosophy.
Author Lawrence A Kane and Kris Wilder wrote an excellent book on the subject.
The 21 precepts of Dokkodo
"Accept everything just the way it is."
"Do not seek pleasure for its own sake."
"Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling."
"Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world."
"Be detached from desire your whole life long."
"Do not regret what you have done."
"Never be jealous."
"Never let yourself be saddened by a separation."
"Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself or others."
"Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love."
"In all things have no preferences."
"Be indifferent to where you live."
"Do not pursue the taste of good food."
"Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need."
"Do not act following customary beliefs."
"Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful."
"Do not fear death."
"Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age."
"Respect Buddha and the Gods without counting on their help."
"You may abandon your own body, but you must preserve your honor."
"Never stray from the Way."
Niten-Ichi-Ryu
Musashi's revolutionary two-swords fighting style.
Miyamoto Musashi was a lonely man who dedicated much of his life to mastering swordsmanship and Zen Buddhism. At the beginning of the 17th century, he created a unique Kenjutsu school that used both the long sword (Katana) and the short sword (Wakizashi) simultaneously.
Musashi named his two-sword Kenjutsu technique "Niten Ichi Ryu" ("two heavens as one") or "Nito Ryu" ("the school of the two swords"). Some historians believe that Musashi was inspired to create his unique Kenjutsu style after watching the performance of the Japanese taiko drum.
Some other scholars believe that Musashi was inspired by his father's sword-fighting style that was utilized both the Katana and the jutte simultaneously.
Since there is no fluidity of movement when both hands are used, Musashi did not support the use of both hands on the sword. He explained that if a sword was held in both hands, it would not be easy to wield it freely to either side. Musashi also objected to the use of both hands when one is on horseback or riding in marshes, fields, or among people.
Having mastered the simultaneous use of two swords, Musashi declared that his technique would considerably improve one’s mastery of the Katana and Wakizashi.
He argued that if you master the art of wielding two swords, you will naturally have acquired the power to wield the long sword as well.
Musashi's technique was totally against tradition as most swordsmen of the time were in the habit of holding the Katana with both hands. One tremendous advantage of Musashi’s technique was that it was sophisticated, efficient and powerful. It involved no flashy, impulsive, or unwanted movements. Another great advantage was that it offered perfect distancing and timing. Consequently, the attack would be very tight and there would be no wasteful movements.
The unique two-sword style developed by Musashi has been praised by many. The method also has several single sword techniques as well as throwing methods. For example, Musashi used to throw his Wakizashi during the fight.
It should be noted that the Niten Ichi Ryu style was designed from Musashi's direct experience. Within this style, one can discern the passion for innovation and perfection shown by a master swordsman.
Although his method has become famous mainly because of the practice of simultaneously using two swords, it also involves techniques with the Katana (a single long sword), Wakizashi (a short sword), and the bo (a long wooden stick).
Musashi became renowned as a master of throwing weapons. He quite often threw his short sword perfectly. Kenji Tokitsu strongly believes that the real secret technique of Niten Ichi Ryu was the shuriken technique for the Wakizashi.
Today, Yoshimoti Kiyoshi continues the long lineage of the great Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu style as a member of its 12th generation of practitioners.
Not only Musashi was an amazing swordsman, but anso an enlightented artist.
After attaining perfection in swordsmanship, Musashi turned to calligraphy, poetry, sculpture, and painting, applying his insight to these arts.
According to Musashi, if you know the Way of the Warrior broadly, you will see it in everything. His multifaceted talent is evidenced by his extant artistic works.
https://www.instagram.com/thekaratelifestyle/
Thus with the virtue of strategy I practice many arts and abilities — all things with no teacher.
Later in life, Musashi said in his "Gorin No Sho" that he didn't feel the need for a teacher in any field when he applied his principle of strategy to the Ways of various arts and crafts. It was by creating calligraphy and classic ink masterpieces that Musashi proved that idea.
What characterizes his paintings is the efficient use of ink washes and his unique and economical way of using brush strokes. He became a master of the "broken ink" school of landscapes, and he later applied this technique to other subjects in paintings, as can be seen in "Koboku Meikakuzu" ("Kingfisher on Withered Branch", which was part of a triptych of which the other items were "Hotei Walking" and "Sparrow on Bamboo"), "Hotei Watching a Cockfight" and "Rozanzu" ("Wild Geese Among Reeds").
https://www.thekaratelifestyle.com/miyamoto-musashi/
Miyamoto Musashi quotes
“1. Accept everything just the way it is.
2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
3. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.
4. Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
5. Be detached from desire your whole life long.
6. Do not regret what you have done.
7. Never be jealous.
8. Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.
9. Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
10. Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
11. In all things have no preferences.
12. Be indifferent to where you live.
13. Do not pursue the taste of good food.
14. Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
15. Do not act following customary beliefs.
16. Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
17. Do not fear death.
18. Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
19. Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.
20. You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.
21. Never stray from the Way.”
“there is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.”
“Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world”
“You must understand that there is more than one path to the top of the mountain”
“Do nothing that is of no use”
“The ultimate aim of martial arts is not having to use them”
“from one thing, know ten thousand things”
“If you wish to control others you must first control yourself”
“You can only fight the way you practice”
“Perceive that which cannot be seen with the eye.”
“It is difficult to understand the universe if you only study one planet”
“Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.”
“Get beyond love and grief: exist for the good of Man.”
“Do not regret what you have done”
“The primary thing when you take a sword in your hands is your intention to cut the enemy, whatever the means. Whenever you parry, hit, spring, strike or touch the enemy's cutting sword, you must cut the enemy in the same movement. It is essential to attain this. If you think only of hitting, springing, striking or touching the enemy, you will not be able actually to cut him.”
“In battle, if you you make your opponent flinch, you have already won.”
“All man are the same except for their belief in their own selves, regardless of what others may think of them”
“Do not sleep under a roof. Carry no money or food. Go alone to places frightening to the common brand of men. Become a criminal of purpose. Be put in jail, and extricate yourself by your own wisdom.”
“If you do not control the enemy, the enemy will control you”
“You should not have any special fondness for a particular weapon, or anything else, for that matter. Too much is the same as not enough. Without imitating anyone else, you should have as much weaponry as suits you.”
“To know ten thousand things, know one well”
“Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help”
“The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and the only reason a warrior fights is to win”
“Whatever the Way, the master of strategy does not appear fast….Of course, slowness is bad. Really skillful people never get out of time, and are always deliberate, and never appear busy.”
“The important thing in strategy is to suppress the enemy's useful actions but allow his useless actions”
“Perception is strong and sight weak. In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things.”
“To become the enemy, see yourself as the enemy of the enemy”
“The true science of martial arts means practicing them in such a way that they will be useful at any time, and to teach them in such a way that they will be useful in all things.”
“You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.”
“Know your enemy, know his sword.”
? Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy
“If you know the way broadly you will see it in everything.”
“When you decide to attack, keep calm and dash in quickly, forestalling the enemy...attack with a feeling of constantly crushing the enemy, from first to last.”
“No man is invincible, and therefore no man can fully understand that which would make him invincible”
“It is difficult to realize the true Way just through sword-fencing. Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things.”
? Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings: Miyamoto Musashi
“There is no one way to salvation, whatever the manner in which a man may proceed. All forms and variations are governed by the eternal intelligence of the Universe that enables a man to approach perfection. It may be in the arts of music and painting or it may be in commerce, law, or medicine. It may be in the study of war or the study of peace. Each is as important as any other. Spiritual enlightenment through religious meditation such as Zen or in any other way is as viable and functional as any "Way."... A person should study as they see fit.”
“Under the sword lifted high, There is hell making you tremble. But go ahead, And you have the land of bliss.”
“Polish your wisdom: learn public justice, distinguish between good and evil, study the ways of different arts one by one.”
“I dreamt of worldly success once.”
“When in a fight to the death, one wants to employ all one's weapons to the utmost. I must say that to die with one's sword still sheathed is most regrettable.”
“It is said the warrior's is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both Ways. Even if a man has no natural ability he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way.”
“Both in fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm. Meet the situation without tenseness yet not recklessly, your spirit settled yet unbiased. Even when your spirit is calm do not let your body relax, and when your body is relaxed do not let your spirit slacken. Do not let your spirit be influenced by your body, or your body be influenced by your spirit.”
“Never stray from the Way.”
“Step by step walk the thousand-mile road.”
“Develop intuitive judgement and understanding for everything.”
“Whatever the Way, the master of strategy does not appear fast.”
“Do nothing which is of no use”
“When your opponent is hurrying recklessly, you must act contrarily and keep calm. You must not be influenced by the opponent.”
“Become acquainted with every art.”
“A bullet from a gun does not make a distinction between practice and combat. You are training to be one and the same way in your life”
“In the construction of houses, choice of woods is made. Straight un-knotted timber of good appearance is used for the revealed pillars, straight timber with small defects is used for the inner pillars. Timbers of the finest appearance, even if a little weak, is used for the thresholds, lintels, doors, and sliding doors, and so on. Good strong timber, though it be gnarled and knotted, can always be used discreetly in construction.”
“A man cannot understand the art he is studying if he only looks for the end result without taking the time to delve deeply into the reasoning of the study.”
“A thousand days of training to develop, ten thousand days of training to polish. You must examine all this well.”
“Perception is strong and sight weak. In strategy it is ...”
“Immature strategy is the cause of grief".”
“This is the way for men who want to learn my strategy:
1. Do not think dishonestly.
2. The Way is in training.
3. Become acquainted with every art.
4. Know the Ways of all professions.
5. Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters.
6. Develop intuitive judgement and understanding for everything.
7. Perceive those things which cannot be seen.
8. Pay attention even to trifles.
9. Do nothing which is of no use.”
“You should not have a favourite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well.”
“Why would you want to appear as one thing and be another? If you are a warrior then you are a warrior and if you are not a warrior then you are not a warrior. The Way of the warrior is the Way of the warrior. To be a warrior, look like a warrior and stand like a warrior. Do not be false to yourself.”
“tubuhku boleh menjadi debu, tapi aku akan tetap hidup”
“When you attack the enemy, your spirit must go to the extent of pulling the stakes out of a wall and using them as spears and halberds.”
“The important thing is to polish wisdom and the mind in great detail. If you sharpen wisdom, you will understand what is just and unjust in society and also the good and the evil of this world; then you will come to know all kinds of arts and you will tread different ways. In this manner, no one in this world will succeed in deceiving you. It is after this stage that you will arrive at the wisdom of strategy. The wisdom of strategy is entirely distinct. Even right in the middle of a battle where everything is in rapid movement, it is necessary to attain the most profound principle of strategy, which assures you an immovable mind. You must examine this well.”
Miyamoto Musashi quotes Showing 61-90 of 166
“If you are not progressing along the true way, a slight twist in the mind can become a major twist. This must be pondered well.”
“Nobody is strong and nobody is weak if he conceives of the body, from the head to the sole of the foot, as a unity in which a living mind circulates everywhere equally.”
“What I call the void is where nothing exists. It is about things outside man's knowledge. Of course the void does not exist. By knowing what exist, you can know that which does not exist. That is the void.”
“In the strategy of my school, keep your body and mind straight and make your opponent go through contortions and twist about. The essence is to defeat him in the moment when, in his mind, he is pivoting and twisting. You should examine this well.”
“Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.”
“Though you give up your life, do not give up your honor.”
“It is said the warrior's is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both Ways.”
“In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things.”
“In strategy it is necessary to treat training as part of normal life with your spirit unchanging.”
“You win battles with the timing in the Void born of the timing of cunning by knowing the enemies’ timing, and thus using a timing which the enemy does not expect.”
“Then you will come to see things in an all-encompassing sense and, taking the void as the Way, you will see the Way as void.
In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom exists, principle exists, the way exists. Spirit is Void.”
“Teaching people a large number of sword techniques254 is turning the way into a business of selling goods, making beginners believe that there is something profound in their training by impressing them with a variety of techniques. This attitude toward strategy must be avoided, because thinking that there is a variety of ways of cutting a man down is evidence of a disturbed mind. In the world, different ways of cutting a man down do not exist.”
“There is even rhythm in being empty.”
“If a man chooses a certain Way and seems to have no particular talent for this Way, he can still become a master if he so chooses. By keeping at a particular form of study a man can attain perfection either in this life or the next (if a next life is believed in).”
“guard. It is in this sense that I recommend the guard without a guard. Whatever the situation is, you hold the sword so that you can slash your opponent.”
“Like a soldier, the carpenter sharpens his own tools. He carries his equipment in his tool box, and works under the direction of his foreman. He makes columns and girders with an axe, shapes floorboards and shelves with a plane, cuts fine openwork and bas reliefs accurately, giving as excellent a finish as his skill will allow. This is the craft of the carpenters. When the carpenter becomes skilled, he works efficiently and according to correct measures. When he has developed practical knowledge of all the skills of the craft, he can become a foreman himself.”
“Among the people also, a sailor with a rudder or oars or a farmer with a spade and a hoe each in his way succeeds in accustoming himself to his action. You too can acquire strength through regular exercise. Nonetheless, it is appropriate for each person to choose a sword that corresponds to his strength.”
“Efficiency and smooth progress, prudence in all matters, recognizing true courage, recognizing different levels of morale, instilling confidence, and realizing what can and cannot be reasonably expected—such are the matters on the mind of the master carpenter. The principle of martial arts is like this.”
“This is a truth: when you sacrifice your life, you must make fullest use of your weaponry. It is false not to do so, and to die with a weapon yet undrawn.”
“By knowing what exist, you can know that which does not exist. That is the void. People in this world look at things mistakenly, and think that what they do not understand must be the void. This is not the true void. It is confusion.”
“What is called the spirit of the void is where there is nothing. It is not included in man's knowledge. With your spirit settled, accumulate practice day by day, and hour by hour. Polish the twofold spirit heart and mind, and sharpen the twofold gaze perception and sight. When your spirit is not in the least clouded, when the clouds of bewilderment clear away, there is the true void.Until you realise the true Way, whether in life or in common sense, you may think that things are correct and in order. However, if we look at things objectively, from the viewpoint of laws of the world, we see various doctrines departing from the true Way. Know well this spirit, and with forthrightness as the foundation and the true spirit as the Way. Enact strategy broadly, correctly and openly. Then you will come to think of things in a wide sense and, taking the void as the Way, you will see the Way as void. In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existance, principle has existance, the Way has existance, spirit is nothingness.”
“It is necessary to know ten thousand things by knowing one well. If you are to practice the way of strategy, nothing must escape your eyes.54 Reflect well on this.”
“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.”
“Respect the gods and Buddhas, but do not depend on them.”
“The essential is to think that anything you are doing has to become the occasion for slashing. You must examine this well.”
“Aspire to be like Mt. Fuji, with such a broad and solid foundation that the strongest earthquake cannot move you, and so tall that the greatest enterprises of common men seem insignificant from your lofty perspective. With your mind as high as Mt Fuji you can see all things clearly. And you can see all the forces that shape events; not just the things happening near to you.”
“If you master the principles of sword-fencing, when you freely beat one man, you beat any man in the world. The spirit of defeating a man is the same for ten million men.”
“If you think only of hitting, springing, striking or touching the enemy, you will not be able actually to cut him. More than anything, you must be thinking of carrying your movement through to cutting him.”
“Observe their attacking order, and go to meet first those who attack first.”
“The sword has to be more than a simple weapon; it has to be an answer to life's questions.”
“Do not sleep under a roof. Carry no money or food. Go alone to places frightening to the common brand of men. Become a criminal of purpose. Be put in jail, and extricate yourself by your own wisdom”
“Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death.”
“Both in fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm. Meet the situation without tenseness yet not recklessly, your spirit settled yet unbiased. Even when your spirit is calm do not let your body relax, and when your body is relaxed do not let your spirit slacken. Do not let your spirit be influenced by your body, or your body be influenced by your spirit. Be neither insufficiently spirited nor over spirited. An elevated spirit is weak and a low spirit is weak. Do not let the enemy see your spirit.”
“The fact of the matter is that the world does not care about you or me, our hopes, our desires, or our dreams. And, the world of dreams, hopes, and desires that is constructed between our ears it is not necessarily a reflection of what is actually going on around us.”
“Becoming the opponent means you should put yourself in an opponent's place and think from the opponent's point of view.”
“This Fudo Myo-o, whose name means “Immovable Wisdom King,” is represented with a sword to cut through our ignorance and a rope to bind up our emotions”
“Accept everything just the way it is.
Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.
Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
Be detached from desire your whole life long.
Do not regret what you have done.
Never be jealous.
Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.
Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
In all things have no preferences.
Be indifferent to where you live.
Do not pursue the taste of good food.
Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
Do not act following customary beliefs.
Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
Do not fear death.
Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
Respect God without counting on help.
You may abandon your own body, but you must preserve your honor.
Last- Never stray from the Way.”
“Never fail to have this attitude of mind, go forward without hurry, learn the essence of things through frequent experiences, taking advantage of every occasion. Fight against all kinds of people and be aware of their mind. Follow a road that is a thousand leagues long one step at a time. Be without haste and be convinced that all these practices are the duty of a bushi. Be victorious today over what you were yesterday; tomorrow be victorious over your clumsiness and then also over your skill. Practice in accordance with what I have written without letting your mind deviate from the way.”
“What is called the spirit of the void is where there is nothing. It is not included in man's knowledge. With your spirit settled, accumulate practice day by day, and hour by hour. Polish the twofold spirit heart and mind, and sharpen the twofold gaze perception and sight. When your spirit is not in the least clouded, when the clouds of bewilderment clear away, there is the true void.Until you realize the true Way, whether in life or in common sense, you may think that things are correct and in order. However, if we look at things objectively, from the viewpoint of laws of the world, we see various doctrines departing from the true Way. Know well this spirit, and with forthrightness as the foundation and the true spirit as the Way. Enact strategy broadly, correctly and openly. Then you will come to think of things in a wide sense and, taking the void as the Way, you will see the Way as void. In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence, the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness.”
“From one thing, know ten thousand things.”
“You must cultivate your wisdom and spirit. Polish your wisdom: learn public justice, distinguish between good and evil, study the Ways of different arts one by one. When you cannot be deceived by men you will have realized the wisdom of strategy.”
“You win battles by knowing the enemy's timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect.”
“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better , stronger ,richer, quicker , or smarter. Quicker , or smarter . Everything is within . Everything exists . Seek nothing outside of yourself .”
“Know that there are no other forms apart from these five in the School of the Two Swords.”
“As you get the rhythm you discern how to win.”
“In sum, it is not good to let the hand or the sword become fixed or frozen.87 A fixed hand is a dead hand; a hand that does not become fixed is alive. It is necessary to master this well.”
“Do nothing which is of no use.”
“To cut and to slash are two different things. Cutting, whatever form of cutting it is, is decisive, with a resolute spirit. Slashing is nothing more than touching the enemy. Even if you slash strongly, and even if the enemy dies instantly, it is slashing. When you cut, your spirit is resolved.”
“When you and your opponent are fighting and nothing is going right, nor is there progress, be of a mind to throw off your former intention and start entirely anew. Take on another rhythm and see your way to victory. With Renewal, whenever you think that you and your opponent are just grating along, you should change your mind on the spot and take the victory by using another tactic.”
“The principle of my school is quite different. In the other schools, techniques are displayed like merchandise adorned with colors and flowers, so they can be turned into a way of making a living, which is not the true way.”
“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better , stronger , richer , quicker , or smarter . Everything is within . Everything exists . Seek nothing outside of yourself .”
“What is essential is to suddenly make a move totally unexpected by the opponent, pick up on the advantage of fright, and seize the victory right then and there.”
“I feel confident in this assumption because between myself and my longtime students, often things happen that seem like telepathy, but it is more truthfully a relationship that has reached a maturity where words are not necessary for full communication. A quick nod in the direction of some equipment in the room and the student who has been there for years will understand it to mean, “Go get that.” The unspoken statement in that question is surmised from the context of the lesson. I don’t need to tell them precisely which piece of equipment to bring, because they already know what I am asking for. They have been around long enough to be able to add two and two together. To a beginner, it may seem like a superpower, but it is just relationship. We could and should assume the same holds true here. Not every detail needed to be spelled out.”
“Immature strategy is the cause of grief.” That was a true saying.”
“Truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is.
And you must bend to its power or live a lie.”
“If you do not chase in directly toward the place where your opponents have gathered, you will not make progress. And, if you start thinking about the direction from which your opponents will come, your mind will be waiting and you will have the same result. Parry your opponents' rhythm, know where they will crumble, and you will have the victory.”
“You should not have a favorite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well.”
“In strategy there are various timing considerations. From the outset you must know the applicable timing and the inapplicable timing, and from among the large and small things and the fast and slow timings find the relevant timing, first seeing the distance timing and the background timing.”
“Being like a rock wall" is when a master of martial arts suddenly becomes like a rock wall, inaccessible to anything at all, immovable.”
“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better , stronger ,richer, quicker , or smarter . Everything is within . Everything exists . Seek nothing outside of yourself .”
“This is what you’re looking for. In fact, The Book of Five Rings is often placed alongside The Art of War by Sun Tzu, On War by General Carl von Clausewitz, Infantry Attacks by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and Patterns of Conflict by Colonel John Boyd. Each of these works has materially influenced military thinking, directly or indirectly influencing modern combat despite the fact that they were written decades or even centuries ago.”
“Speed in the martial arts is not the True Way. Concerning speed, we say that something is fast or slow depending on whether it misses the rhythm of things.”
“You should not have a favourite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well. You”
“In the Way of the Martial Arts, do not let your frame of mind be any different from your everyday mind. In both everyday and military events, your mind should not change in the least, but should be broad and straightforward, neither drawn too tight nor allowed to slacken even a little....Do not let your mind stand still even when you are in repose, but do not let it speed up even when you are involved in quick actions. The mind should not be distracted by the body, nor the body distracted by the mind.”
“In my school, no consideration is given to anything unreasonable; the heart of the matter is to use the power of the knowledge of martial arts to gain victory any way you can.”
“There is a rhythm to everything, but particularly in the martial arts, if you do not train in its rhythm it is difficult to succeed.”
“In single combat you must not fix the eyes on the details. As I said before, if you fix your eyes on details and neglect important things, your spirit will become bewildered, and victory will escape you.”
“In my strategy, the footwork does not change. I always walk as I usually do in the street. You must never lose control of your feet. According to the enemy's rhythm, move fast or slowly, adjusting you body not too much and not too little.”
“In a battle of martial arts, victory is in knowing the rhythms of your various opponents, in using a rhythm your opponent will be unable to grasp, and in developing a rhythm of emptiness rather than one of wisdom.”
“Step by step walk the thousand-mile road. Study strategy over the years and achieve the spirit of the warrior. Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.”
“It is bad for commanders and troopers to have likes and dislikes.”
“Stance in Strategy Adopt a stance with the head erect, neither hanging down, nor looking up, nor twisted. Your forehead and the space between your eyes should not be wrinkled. Do not roll your eyes nor allow them to blink, but slightly narrow them. With your features composed, keep the line of your nose straight with a feeling of slightly flaring your nostrils. Hold the line of the rear of the neck straight: instill vigor into your hairline, and in the same way from the shoulders down through your entire body. Lower both shoulders and, without the buttocks jutting out, put strength into your legs from the knees to the tips of your toes. Brace your abdomen so that you do not bend at the hips. Wedge your companion sword in your belt against your abdomen, so that your belt is not slack - this is called "wedging in".”
“In all forms of strategy, it is necessary to maintain the combat stance in everyday life and to make your everyday stance your combat stance. You must research this well.”
“Holding the Long Sword Grip the long sword with a rather floating feeling in your thumb and forefinger, with the middle finger neither tight nor slack, and with the last two fingers tight. It is bad to have play in your hands. When you take up a sword, you must feel intent on cutting the enemy. As you cut an enemy you must not change your grip, and your hands must not "cower". When you dash the enemy's sword aside, or ward it off, or force it down, you must slightly change the feeling in your thumb and forefinger. Above all, you must be intent on cutting the enemy in the way you grip the sword. The grip for combat and for sword-testing is the same. There is no such thing as a "man-cutting grip". Generally, I dislike fixedness in both long swords and hands. Fixedness means a dead hand. Pliability is a living hand. You must bear this in mind.”
“The teacher is as a needle, the disciple is as thread. You must practice constantly.”
“In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things. It”
“The heart of Stepping on the Sword, something used principally in the martial arts, is that even with bows and firearms, you must act quickly while they are being discharged: if you charge quickly, it will be difficult to notch another arrow to a bow or discharge a firearm. In all things, when your opponent sets up a tactic, respond to it immediately according to its own principles and, stepping on his actions, defeat him...This is, therefore, the mind of taking the initiative in everything. It does not mean attacking at the same time as your opponent. Stepping on the Sword is taking your action immediately upon your opponent's action.”
“1. Do not think dishonestly. 2. The Way is in training. 3. Become acquainted with every art. 4. Know the Ways of all professions. 5. Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters. 6. Develop intuitive judgement and understanding for everything. 7. Perceive those things which cannot be seen. 8. Pay attention even to trifles. 9. Do nothing which is of no use.”
“It may seem difficult at first, but all things are difficult at first.”
“When your spirit is no longer foggy, when the clouds of bewilderment clear away, there is the true void.”
“You should not have a favourite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well. You should not copy others, but use weapons which you can handle properly. It is bad for commanders and troopers to have likes and dislikes. These are things you must learn thoroughly.”
? Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings: The Book of Five Rings
“In strategy there are various timing considerations. From the outset you must know the applicable timing and the inapplicable timing, and from among the large and small things and the fast and slow timings find the relevant timing, first seeing the distance timing and the background timing. This is the main thing in strategy.”
“This is the way for men who want to learn my strategy: 1. Do not think dishonestly. 2. The Way is in training. 3. Become acquainted with every art. 4. Know the Ways of all professions. 5. Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters. 6. Develop intuitive judgement and understanding for everything. 7. Perceive those things which cannot be seen. 8. Pay attention even to trifles. 9. Do nothing which is of no use.”
“If we look at the world we see arts for sale. Men use equipment to sell their own selves. As if with the nut and the flower, the nut has become less than the flower. In this kind of Way of strategy, both those teaching and those learning the way are concerned with coloring and showing off their technique, trying to hasten the bloom of the flower. They speak of "This Dojo" and "That Dojo". They are looking for profit.”
“Any man who wants to master the essence of my strategy must research diligently, training morning and evening. Thus can he polish his skill, become free from self, and realise extraordinary ability. He will come to possess miraculous power.”
“Do not think dishonestly. The Way is in training. Become acquainted with every art. Know the Ways of all professions. Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters. Develop intuitive judgement and understanding for everything. Perceive those things which cannot be seen. Pay attention even to trifles. Do nothing which is of no use. It is important to start by setting these broad principles in your heart, and train in the Way of strategy.”
“The Gaze in Strategy The gaze should be large and broad. This is the twofold gaze "Perception and Sight". Perception is strong and sight week. In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things. It is important in strategy to know the enemy's sword and not to be distracted by insignificant movements of his sword. You must study this. The gaze is the same for single combat and for large-scale strategy. It is necessary in strategy to be able to look to both sides without moving the eyeballs. You cannot master this ability quickly. Learn what is written here; use this gaze in everyday life and do not vary it whatever happens.”
“Everything can collapse. Houses, bodies, and enemies collapse when their rhythm becomes deranged.”
“Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death. Although”
“If the enemy thinks of the mountains, attack like the sea; and if he thinks of the sea, attack like the mountains. You must research this deeply.”
“Whenever we have become preoccupied with small details, we must suddenly change into a large spirit, interchanging large with small.”
“There is the spirit of winning without a sword. There is also the spirit of holding the long sword but not winning. The various methods cannot be expressed in writing. You must train well.”
“In strategy, your spiritual bearing must not be any different from normal. Both in fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm. Meet the situation without tenseness yet not recklessly, your spirit settled yet unbiased. Even when your spirit is calm do not let your body relax, and when your body is relaxed do not let your spirit slacken. Do not let your spirit be influenced by your body, or your body influenced by your spirit. Be neither insufficiently spirited nor over-spirited. An elevated spirit is weak and a low spirit is weak. Do not let the enemy see your spirit.”
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/8330589.Miyamoto_Musashi?page=4
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.