Under this category we share Ninja Wisdom articles with you.
It’s been quite a long time since I’ve posted a bit of ninja wisdom but something remarkable happened recently. It reminded me- and taught me- the true power of perseverance. The oldest student at my Taekwondo dojang is Master Jerry. Master Jerry just celebrated his 91st…
We should aspire to have a relaxed and robust heart. -The Shoninki The ancient ninja manual called the Shoninki offers us this wise advice. Our hearts should be both relaxed and robust. But how do we do that?! As with all things in martial arts, there…
Walk the path of Heiho. Ancient martial arts master Miyamoto Musashi describes Heiho throughout The Book of Five Rings. Heiho is a way of life, and a way of being. Musashi writes, Broaden your knowledge and know the justice and injustice of the world; know the…
Zanshin is total and complete awareness. You could say it is the martial arts equivalent of jnana, awakened awareness, because it is a way of being that permeates everything. When we translate it literally, it means something like “remaining mind.” Not ‘remaining’ like whatever is left…
The ninja do not use weapons. They use tools. The word “weapon” is destructive. It emphasizes violence. The word “tool” is constructive. It emphasizes harmony, because tools are only useful in the context of a bigger goal or project. Using the word tool instead of weapon…
There is a technique named tobutori no kurai. This means ‘the dignity of flying birds.’ With this method you can make the enemy follow you as you wish but only by fortifying your body and mind. It is like a hawk flying high up in the…
The ninja warrior is the epitome of spiritual freedom and power. -Stephen K. Hayes The strangest things I’ve learned about the ninja involve what we might call spiritual power. They belong in the same box as much of what I’ve read about the bala paramita. And…
Attachment is harassment. It feels easier to let go of things when you put it that way, doesn’t it? This phrase comes from a little book of martial arts tales in the tradition of the tengu, a mythical, winged bird-man. The tengu has a long and…
Sensitivity grows out of stillness. This sentence from The Spiritual Legacy of Shaolin Temple surprised me. Isn’t sensitivity…bad? Aren’t sensitive people overly reactionary and not centered? Who ever uses the word “sensitive” to describe Bruce Lee? But this little sentence speaks profound truth. Here it is in…
A true ninja must always distinguish the mask from reality. In other words, a ninja needs to see clearly enough to know when someone is being honest, and when someone is putting on airs. In this way, martial arts shares something in common with playing poker,…
