Why should you learn ninjutsu?

Introduction:

Ninjutsu is an ancient Japanese martial art that offers much more than just combat. Nowadays, there are many people who claim to teach the method. I do not know what their credentials are or what the origin of the path they teach is. I belong to the World Bujinkan organization, founded by Dr. Hatsumi Masaki, which teaches 9 Japanese martial arts with proven traditions dating back centuries, some of which are methods associated with ninjas, and my answer is based on the materials and teaching method of the Bujinkan.

My teacher - Dai-Shihan Danny Waxman - and I

I recently came across a question raised by a person in one of the Internet forums, the title of which was: "What are the pros and cons of studying the martial art of ninjutsu?". I usually do not enter into discussions of this type, which essentially draw people into comparisons between different martial arts and methods, but this time, mainly in light of personal inquiries that were directed to me, I decided to answer the questioner and his readers. Here is what I wrote:

A little background: I have been studying martial arts since 1989. I studied "hard methods" (I would call them "External", because in my opinion this is the more correct title) and I studied more "internal". Since 1999 I have been a student of Bodo-Taijutsu, Judo and Zen, of Danny Waxman (and on the other hand, I consider myself a student - and lover - of Sensei Yona Melnik's Judo).

And I have been a trainer (Budo Taijutsu) since 2004.

In my opinion, a martial art is like a glove: there needs to be complete compatibility between the person (and their personality) and the art. This is my conclusion from my years of study (which is why I also do a kind of "compatibility questionnaire" for people who contact me for training. Because I think it would be a shame for a person to waste time learning a method - difficult and especially complex - that they are not built for).

Therefore, there is no such thing as "pluses and minuses" in a martial art. Because there are good things in everything (and this, by the way, is part of the Ninpo (which is the philosophy on which the ninja martial art is based), And in my opinion, anyone who is interested - in order to know which martial art to choose - should ask: "What is there in ninjutsu (and the method he is asking about)?"

So what is there in ninpo and ninjutsu? Why study ninjutsu? Here is a superficial list:

1. First and foremost, there is immense philosophical depth(!!!), which I doubt a lifetime is enough to delve into. And to swim in it, you need both a certain personality structure and a suitable teacher (which is a very rare commodity!).

2. There is immense technical richness, and the more you delve into philosophy, the more you discover how infinite this technical depth is.

3. There is real applicability(!!) to all areas of life (and when I write "all areas of life", I really mean it: from the "lowest" aspect - of physical confrontation - to very high aspects, such as dealing with business and politics and interpersonal relationships, and more than that - dealing with yourself!).

4. There are enormous challenges (especially in front of yourself), which never end.

5. Unfortunately, I have to say: "For the lucky few, who will get there" - awaits immense freedom and liberation (!) that will bring endless happiness.

So, for those who are not deterred by all this, and are intrigued by the path, the Bujinkan may be the glove that suits your personality. You are welcome to come and try!

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