Bujinkan Taiken Dojo - Budo Taijutsu

 

My View

I have tried to write clearly but Budo (martial arts) does not lend itself easily to words, and as Budo takes a lifetime to learn, I'm still making many mistakes.

Always a student. Learning can be found everywhere if we are ready.

Techniques and Budo go hand in hand but of the two Budo is the greater by far.
And Life is greater still.

Techniques were born from the need to even the odds or gain the upper hand over others.
The presumption is that their originators were being attacked by those who knew that they had an advantage of some kind; either superior numbers, size, strength, weaponry, ability, surprise, or some other resource, or possibly where both sides were otherwise evenly matched and techniques might tip the balance in their favour.

If brute force and strength alone would have won the fight then techniques and strategy would never have been created. Techniques do not require excessive force to work correctly, they require knowledge and ability.

Of course a degree of speed, strength and energy will always be required to achieve any physical action (especially in fighting). But many people compensate for their lack of knowledge and poor ability by putting way too much force and strength into their techniques; they are in effect regressing and not progressing.

We have Budo training not to pour brute strength into new techniques, but to learn how to go beyond that kind of base level aggression and thinking. The training should make full use of the physical and mental resources that we were born with, and encourage us to go beyond them.

Budo is boundless.
A technique however is not, it is only a snapshot of a moment of budo (life), something designed to allow us a glimpse of what budo can be in the hands of a master. To only learn techniques on a superficial level will not lead to mastery, or to an ability to effectively use budo in the real world against real people.

There are around 500 to 1,000 techniques in Bujinkan Budo, each with unending variations.
This makes sense as there are an infinite number of ways a person or persons may choose to attack. Budo gives us a fighting chance, but it must be earned. We must delve deeply

It is a mistake to do training that leads only to the performance of techniques for a grade, for talking, or for show, this is worthless and not even close to real Budo.

It is also a mistake to be in too much of a hurry to move on to the next technique or a more complicated one just to achieve a higher grade.

Similarly to think that we know something just because we have performed it (usually poorly) for 20 or so years is stupid. People that think and act in such ways are of low ability no matter what their age or grade, and what they say or do is of no value. Avoid them.

Simple is best!
Basic techniques and movements are essential and they must become as much a part of us as breathing, walking and talking.

It is important that we learn well the fundamental* techniques of Bujinkan Budo, but the training of those techniques must be much more than just empty performance and repetition. These fundamental* techniques become works-in-progress; and as we change we will know them differently. Through them we gain an understanding of - positioning, alignment, timing, distancing, openings, variations, speed, strength, breathing, energy, awareness, and, we begin to learn the true nature of mankind.
Such things can be of great benefit in our ever changing lives.
*(Note - "fundamental" means in this case not basic but "essential").

In life techniques should never be used one at a time (this is only a teaching device because we are such poor students). A technique applied by itself is easy to figure out and counter. They are meant to be used in combination with each other, whereby each one merges and changes into the next without pause, creating an unending flow (of stuff).

Training must reflect life: Budo is about protecting life.

We must constantly search out the secrets of Budo in every technique that we train (it doesn't matter what the technique's name is, or where it comes from). Through correct training we can gain a working understanding of Budo, and of our own character.

A person of ability can perceive the truth and spirit of those of less ability, and not be so easily misled by lies and dishonesty. This awareness and perception must also be applied to ourselves.

If we keep going with a clean heart, learn all we can of Budo and Life, with the help of a good teacher, we can make wonderful progress.

It is that simple. Complicating it more than that shows poor ability.

Always remember, the teacher will teach - but we students must do the learning

Paul Harper 11th dan Shidoshi April 2003