Well I guess it's up to me (On Essence) . . .

Discussion in 'Ninjutsu' started by sshh, May 20, 2005.

  1. sshh

    sshh Not Talking Anymore

    Seen a lot of people hinting that they want to discuss this -

    http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showpost.php?p=507800&postcount=3&highlight=essence

    http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showpost.php?p=507576&postcount=96&highlight=essence

    http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?p=507147&highlight=essence#post507147

    - but haven't seen a thread dedicated to it yet, so I guess I'll get the ball rolling, because I think we can get some good stuff out of this.


    From: The Way of the Ninja: Secret Techniques. Hatsumi & Jones. pg. 24,

    "Essence of a Ninja:

    Ninja aspired to merge their spirit and techniques into one, and become 'uncommon' common people. Some people did try to become 'superhuman' through their training in Ninpou, but they did not achieve great success as Ninja. It is quite easy to become a superman; Ninjutsu makes one more aware of how difficult it is to become a 'normal' human being."

    It goes on to talk about "natural providence," "the laws of Nature" (with a capital "N"), "natural conditions," and "...to apply Ninjutsu just when appropriate."

    From that passage, and my own nature-loving bias, it seems naturalness is part of the essence of ninjutsu.


    See also, Essence of Ninjutsu by Takamatsu: http://www.jigokudojo.com/hiketsu.htm


    and note the following:

    "...ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place."

    & "The skills of self-protection, which should provide a feeling of inner peace and security for the martial artist, ..."

    & "...be in harmony with the scheme of totality, and must be guided by an intuitive knowledge of the playing out of fate."

    & "... the ninja captures the insight that will guide him successfully into battle when he must conquer and conceal himself protectively from hostility when he must acquiesce."


    It seems to all be about living freely and naturally. So I posit that the essence of ninjutsu is freedom, which comes about through living naturally.

    All the skills and strategies are just a means to that end.
     
  2. sshh

    sshh Not Talking Anymore

  3. Lord Spooky

    Lord Spooky Banned Banned

    Nice point!

    Just to add my bit from the other thread, so as to bring it all under one thread :Angel:

    The ability to endure and survive be it through combat or just walking the other way but at the same time holding true to the principles and belifes in your heart.

    How's that?
     
  4. Keikai

    Keikai Banned Banned

    Sickening!!! :eek:

    sssh, i feel it also points as not living in the restraints of a normal run of the mill rat race life we all live in, you could say our own little musha shugyo's would make us all better people and a lot closer to the essence.
     
  5. Keikai

    Keikai Banned Banned

    I believe in the way of life it brings and the changes a person can feel by doing the art so in a fashion yes!!

    But i think what sssh is more referring to is the essence of life this art breathes into people, i dont think he was talking about the modern ninja!! I think first we should discuss what people think the essence of ninjutsu is, any takers?
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2005
  6. saru1968

    saru1968 New Member

    Such a open question could take years to answer fully but a simple answer to myself would be.

    The Essence is something thats contained within us, added to through training and time, a sense of right and wrong and to be able to endure situations tha would destroy a lesser person.

    Gary

    :)
     
  7. Brad Ellin

    Brad Ellin Baba

    My feeling is that the "essence" is about living freely by learning how to shed off or strip away the "unneccesary" or cumbersome portions of living. The reason for learning kata or technique for example, is to be able to throw them away. To remove unneccesary movement, and move freely. In "life" it's the throwing away or stripping ourselves of the emotions and hatred that interefere with our living a more natural (free) life.
     
  8. sshh

    sshh Not Talking Anymore

    Wouldn't the stripping away of the unnecessary be the essence of training?
    Like the polishing of a sword - fire hammer and stone beating away all the unessentials - leaving behind a beautiful, sharp instrument.

    In general, that is the essence of all martial arts training, and all paths to perfection through art.

    Specifically to ninpo, survival is the basis; endurance and forebearance is the way. The training is the key though to make all of the above possible.
     
  9. ShadowHunter

    ShadowHunter Living the Dream

    I can't really add much at all but I'd have to agree with all the above, even if I cannot add anything of my own.

    Perfection through the art to strip away any unwanted/unessential feelings and movement, self-defense is the basis for most arts and as already said endurance and forebearance are the basis.

    As far as I know the charecters of the written 'ninpo' means endurance and forebearance? If that is true then so to should I be with the life led by the people who practice it, through devotion to the art and over time feeling and knwoing what has changed.

    I hope that all makes sense to someone and that I haven't just repeated all the things said before me in a different way.

    ShadowHunter
     
  10. Kalifallen

    Kalifallen looking for partner

    Essense

    It is not really to take things away but to understand why you don't need them. It is all about understanding everything. Cause if you take them away it is hard to get them back if you want to reuse them so you can 'blend' back into the 'everyday life scence'. If you understand them then it is easier to move from one side to the other without confusing yourself or others. You don't make any unnessarcary distractions.

    Ninjutsu is ALL about understanding, like I said before. But, to me, it is also a lot like Zen. Zen requires you to understand yourself, emotions/desires, humanity, all the world's creatures, even birth/living, rebirth, and death. Ninjutsu, in some/many ways also represents these things too. Of course they are usually only taught/understood when you are further in your Dan training.
    And as it says in Hatsumi's Essense book ninja learn to control fate. If though understanding, our emotions, others emotions, we might be able to change accurances. Thus changing fate. Like if someone is starting a fight. Fate has somehow planned that someone will win and someone will lose. But you, as a ninja whom understands, has the ability to stand up and quell the dispute. You then are able to stop the fight and in a result change fate.

    Or at least that's how I envision it.
     
  11. xen

    xen insanity by design

    the essence of ninjutsu?

    how about 'empowering us with the freedom of choice'

    ninpo/ninjutsu for me boils down to a perspective one develops relating to how the world actually is, as opposed to the mistaken belief that world is how we think it is.

    the principles of the art are an explanation of the movement of energy through our perception and the application of these principles in relation to the external world takes us out of the illusions our society intoxiactes us with and gives us back our freedom to choose.

    once we are free from the illusion, our actions become authentic expressions of our true selves, as opposed to reflections we cast back to the world around us.

    we notice how the energy of the world is behaving, from the climate (social and meteorlogical) on a wide scale to the moment to changes of attitude in the person stood next to us. We understand our place and our influence and we act according to what we deem neccesary to accomplish our goals.

    understanding these factors we choose to act in a way which promotes harmony and balance as we grow to realise that before we can perceive balance and harmony in the world around us, we first find harmony and balance within ourselves.
     

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