Ninja     (Feb 1996)

I have always been interested in the martial arts, being drawn by the honour, power and gracefulness.  There is something special about the knowledge that you are part of an elite group that calls itself family and will uphold one another. 

My friend has recently decided to become proficient in the art of Taekwondo, that was all the incentive I needed!  If I’m not careful he will soon be able to easily defeat me; so I read through a history of the majority of  martial arts and was most impressed with the art of Ninjutsu.  I will outline the reasons behind my choice.

About 800 years ago in Japan, society was ruled by the samurai.  They had the power of life and death over the ordinary people.  Some people would not serve the samurai, and they fled to the mountainous region of Iga.  This is where they trained in the arts of war, they became the Ninja, which means stealers-in.  Their art is said to be based on the text from the Art of War written by General Sun Tzu (a very interesting read I must say).  They became, through physical, mental and spiritual training, the peasant warrior class.  Soon even the mighty samurai looked over his shoulder if there was a ninja known to be operating in his area.  The ninja learned to fight to survive; for if he failed, death would follow.  Until about 10 years ago the art was secret, now it is possible to study the art but instructors are few and far between. 

Upon finding a group, you have to satisfy the instructor that you wish to learn the art for the right reasons, then you become part of the family.  Ninja training is different from other martial arts in that it aims to free the student from a rigid training structure, the aim is, through technique, to achieve total freedom of self-expression.  For many people ninjutsu eventually becomes a way of life. 

Ninjutsu training covers eight methods of combat fighting:

(1.) Taijutsu - the unarmed fighting method.

(2.) Hichojutsu - leaping and climbing methods.

(3.) Bojutsu - stick and staff fighting.

(4.) Kenjutsu - blade fighting and throwing.

(5.) Kusarijutsu - chain and cord weapons.

(6.) Goton-po - the use of natural elements.

(7.) Omshinjusu - the art of disguise and invisibility.

(8.) Heiho - military tactics.   

Whatever branch of the art is being practiced, the principals remain the same - agile footwork, power and speed are essential.  The ninja fighting style is a series of flowing, simple moves, not a system of elaborate and complex techniques. 

I like this art because it holds the training of the mind as vital; once the student has learnt the basic fighting moves, he trains his mind to analyze how best to apply them.  You learn to use your creative powers in words and actions to create an environment in which there is no need to fight.  Often we place ourselves in positions of conflict by the way that we react to situations.  Therefore we learn to control events around us as much as possible and so avoid confrontations. 

Ninjutsu teaches that all training is to be enjoyed, it does not have to be grim and painful to be effective.  If a student’s mind and body are used to being relaxed and natural and accustomed to reacting spontaneously to various training situations, then he will be less likely to seize up, become angry or scared, or lose control should a threatening situation arise in real life.

 No matter what he runs into - a physical, emotional or spiritual attack or an intellectual confrontation - the ninja seeks to deal with it calmly.  The art of ninjutsu is to live life in the way that one wants to live it.

An example of the type of training for stealthy movement is: wet rice paper is laid on the ground and the ninja trainees have to walk on it without the soles of their feet sticking to it or their feet picking any of it up.  I am also a keen climber, and love the outdoors in general, it pleased me that much of today’s practice in the arts of the ninja is done outdoors.  Students are trained in survival skills, camouflage techniques, and night-time navigation.  Women are trained in exactly the same way as men, they were traditionally used to gather intelligence.

Everything depends on the students understanding and spirit, as well as his expertise in ninja techniques.  Only when mind and body work well together will the student be proficient and able to have any form of grading belt.