Authentic Ninjutsu and Samurai Bujutsu from Soke Anshu Christa Jacobson (宗家 暗主)

Archive for January 12, 2011

Anshu Christa Jacobson – Shoninki Study Part 11

SHONINKI – Part 11

Photo – Japanese Castle Moat

*********************************
Mizudori no Kangae
Understadings of the Water Bird

***********************************
Imagine you are looking at a place with where enemy spies are present, as well your own spies.

Your heart is racing very fast, you are a shinobi that is spying on the enemy,…at this point you need to approach this mission, like a water bird.

Many times people can be very easily distracted by the little things and will allow you to move freely towards your destination. This path is the same that is experienced by a bodhisattva or a person striving to attain illumination.

——-OLD POEM——-
The Shishui River of Hunan
Blue as the sky.
In the middle a water bird white as snow,
I aspire to become like.
—————————-

Water birds and other animals are often found around the castle moats, stone walls, and other hard to reach places where spies will surely take up position.

The shinobi has to become one with the elements, if a sound is heard, the birds and other animals will surely fly or run off, this will alert the guard that you are there as a spy or something “not natural” there. So your presence has to be so natural that not even the water birds fly away.
—————————————-

There are many ways to cross the moat silently one of the many tools is the “Mizu Gumo” (water spider) In one description a device was worn like a harness around the hips and had small air pockets to keep the ninja afloat. Another way is to use the “Shindake” which is a bamboo tube around 4 feet long, used as an underwater breathing tube and a blowgun.

When it is time to climb the castle wall the shinobi should use a “kaginawa” (hooked rope) or use “kogai” these are long metal pins that the samurai (bushi) would use for many reasons, originally they were used to scratch the head while wearing a helmet, the kogai are easy to carry and the shinobi can use them to wedge in between the castle rocks to help climb up and in.

(there are many interpretations of this book, this is my personal interpretations; I hope that this can help you in your training.)

*********************************

I hope that these words from Natori can help you on your journey of the arts. be Safe my friends.

Anshu Christa Jacobson
Headmistress of the Budo Ryu Ninjutsu Dojo
http://www.budoryuninjutsu.com/

January 12, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment