Ninjutsu What's New Blog

The newest edition of Shinken Magazine is ready for you to get for FREE.

This is a special edition dedicated to the IBDA Central American Tai Kai in Colombia. Many students tell their experiences of the training, views on budo, fun times and some secrets of mine that I was trying to hide. I also wrote an article for you. For the first time the Spanish version and English versions are side by side. Great job was done by a very happy Ricardo…. When you read the Budo Taijutsu Shinken Magazine you will know why.

So go get it now while you are thinking about it by either going to the http://www.ninjutsu.com  home page middle and use the Shinken Magazine download box, or if you are an IBDA member enter the Ninja Vault where you will see the direct link to get this without using the download box. Again, it is our FREE gift to you.

Happy Training,

Richard Van Donk, Shidoshi

Hi There,

Watch a new Ninja Movie by an IBDA Bujinkan student. The reviews have been great.

 One of my students, Rob Baard from Australia, made this action packed 20 minute Ninja movie to share with investors what he can do with full funding.

 There is lots of action and really comes alive deeply at about ½ way. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

Go here to view it:

 Trailer: 2 min http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLHwKkdieig

 20 minute movie download Link: http://hewillrise.com/prelude/

 Rob shot this as a prelude to his upcoming The Ninja movie to show investors and agents what he could do. I say he did an unbelievable job. You will not believe that he did this on a $300 budget!!! Looks like a $70,000 budget at least.

 Rob was here at my dojo for private sessions to work on his fight scenes and wisdom commentaries which you will see a great example of in this Prelude.

The movie itself will have much more wisdom in it to help inspire the young and old.

 I am on board for working on the film with him once it has been fully funded. If you know of anyone please let us know.

 Please find attached the link to the “Prelude To The Ninja” – the 20 minute short film which takes place prior the actual Ninja movie. The story leads right up to the start of the feature film which will done on the level of Dark Night: Batman / Bourne Identity.

 He is fully ready to film after funding occurs-scripts-legal-cast-sales team-distribution-tax incentives- etc.

I look forward to hearing what you think of it.

Lots of never before seen training videos will be posted in the next couple weeks on the blog and at ninjutsucom youtube channel.

 Happy training,

 Richard and Linda Van Donk, Shidoshi

P.S. In a few more days the Sandan course will go up $50 back to the normal price.

 Tel: 707-987-9322

www.Ninjutsu.com

www.BudoTaijutsu.com

RICARDO ZAPATA PASSES HIS GODAN TEST AT THE COLOMBIA TAI KAI 2010

I recently just got back from Cartagena, Colombia doing a small Tai Kai for the IBDA group down there. What a wonderful place – the several hundred year old walled city across from the beach was like stepping back in time with the cobblestone streets, horse drawn carriages, window box flowered balconies, center- fountained plazas, old buildings with extra huge doors, outdoor festive restaurants, and music is everywhere. I really loved it.

The Tai Kai training was exciting also as I always love to share with people so hungry to learn. But what was even more exciting for me personally and the host of the event was the honor of being granted special permission from Soke Masaaki Hatsumi to administer the Godan test (also known as the Sakki test or Shidoshi test) on his behalf outside of Japan.

Giving this Godan test in front of Soke in Japan for me has been such a high spiritual experience every time I have been honored to do so. With it comes a high responsibility as well since often the test determines whether a student is eligible to become a fully licensed teacher of the Bujinkan arts, called a Shidoshi.

Shidoshi,a word coined by Soke Hatsumi, has been translated as a teacher of the warrior ways of enlightenment. To me, Ninjutsu (and Budo Taijutsu) is a path of awareness that leads to the perfection of one’s nature and life.

Becoming a teacher of this warrior path is an important step in the evolution of a Budo practitioner’s life. With it comes much responsibility and the unexpected lessons from students become the norm in time. You must be ready for anything, both in yourself and others. This is one of the reasons that I took many months of my life writing the comprehensive Shidoshi Teachers Training Course. One of our main goals at IBDA, besides helping students better their lives through Budo training, is to get them to a teacher level. In the Bujinkan, as of this writing, Godan tests are normally only done in Japan by a Bujinkan Jugodan in front of Soke Hatsumi.

So to be trusted with the opportunity to administer this test outside of Japan was a special experience for me. I thank my teacher, Soke Masaaki Hatsumi for making this opportunity possible so that my student would have the chance to fulfill his dream of being a Shidoshi.

The student taking this test, Ricardo Zapata Luna, was most deserving of this opportunity of becoming a Godan and a  Shidoshi. Ricardo is very dedicated to the budo and his suport of Ninjutsu/ Budo Taijustu and was a Yondan for many years, having students nearing his own grade. He comes from a poor country with limited funds and has a large family to support. In his country - family is everything and is much different than I witness in the United States. We can learn from them.

It would not be possible for Ricardo to go to Japan and progressing in the art was very important to him.  When speaking with Soke Hatsumi about this matter Soke understood his situation and granted me special permission to give this test on my own to Ricardo.

After taking this test myself some 25 years ago I have witnessed this test at least 1,000 times or more and have given it many times myself. I must say that it is still unique each time, and that each person has a special experience or lesson that is just for them.

Because this was an auspicious moment for me, Ricardo, and the honor of  the Bujinkan tradition, we set up a very special experience for this test. We created a special Kamiza table with Soke’s and Takamatsu’s picture on it and lit a big candle and burnt some incense. The test was given with a brand new pure white shinai (that was never used) that I wrapped a special multi-colored purple cloth around it and tied it with a gold cord. Then before the test I did a ceremony before the Kamiza with the Shinai.

We had a great training that day and I really felt that he would pass on the first attempt, but he was thinking way too much. A friend was very nervous for him and he hugged them just before the test. Their concern was still on his mind when he sat down. I felt this change in him right away. Once you have given the test a few times you can usually tell right away if the student will pass or not. As I suspected his nervous energy made him try to roll out when I had a brief thought about cutting down. I let him settle himself and then gave a strong cut that cleared his mind very fast with a loud smack on the top of the head. I must say that while his body did not get out of the way he had started to move naturally out of the way. But the timing was off for him.

Because of the circumstances and the distance I traveled I gave him a 2nd chance. Soke often does this in Japan as well. On this cut he was well out of the way, feeling that he was just moved and he didn’t really know why. Many times this is a sign of a great test. In taking this test you must trust that your teacher and the art will take care of you even if it seems that danger is at your door. While this is not the place to deeply write about the Godan test I would like to say that it is meant to reset ones humanity…. to give a transmission from the teacher to the student in such a way that lightens the student’s life path.

Lesson: Holding onto the thoughts, fears and actions of others can not only destroy you mentally but in a real battle it can kill you. To be a teacher you must learn to clear your mind and trust your inner nature to take care of you in all life situations.

Congratulations go out to Shidoshi Ricardo Zapata, his family and students. Roberto earned his Nidan and Sebastian and Jose earned their Shodans. Way to go guys!!

At the Colombia Tai Kai we studied the Master Principles of Budo Taijutsu, Meditation Skills and Ninpo Life philosophy. Of course we all went out to celebrate and have a party at a Rock-N-Roll bar. They make the world’s largest margaritas…. or did they just look so big after 3 of them? Got to love it!

Learn more in the next issue of Shinken Magazine due out early next month.

Many, Many heartfelt thanks goes to Zaira Zapata for her very hard work in making such a wonderful event happen. THANK YOU ZAIRA!

A great time was had by everyone. I loved my Cartagena visit and look forward to returning one day.

Live on Purpose,

Richard Van Donk, Shidoshi KenTora
www.Ninjutsu.com
www.BudoTaijutsu.com

We are very happy to have the new SANDAN LEVEL NINJUTSU TRAINING COURSE completed. We never thought that it would be such a long project, but we only wanted to do it right or not at all.

We followed the format of the very popular Nidan Level Course by filming all the wazas of the school in the IBDA Middletown dojo. Charles Benham from Colorado and Jamie Daiken from Canada came down to help me. For Sandan this was the 3 levels of Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijustu, Ten No Kata (Heaven Forms), Chi No Kata (Earth Forms) and the Shizen Shigoku No Kata (Ultimate Natural Forms) – 62 wazas in all.

Then Linda and I wrote a Comprehensive 356 Page Study Manual of all the aspects of the school and included the IBDA study method of the wazas as the actual Densho from Soke Hatsumi is often vague (on purpose as the way to learn the actual waza is direct from your Sensei). We included the Official Bujinkan waza as well plus the original Japanese translation (done by James Clum).

Then we had Ricardo Zapata extract step-by-step pictures from the actual dvd training of the wazas so you will have a written version, picture version and the video version of studying each waza.

And all of this is put into one very great looking Binder so that you  can take it anywhere to study. How cool is that?

This type of opportunity has never been offered before in the history of the art so I encourage you to take advantage of it.  Learn More here: http://sandancourse.ninjutsu.com/

We have sent the Course off to the production company and the expect it to be to us early in September.

For those that get it before it arrives (it will be shipped the day it comes in) will Save $50 of the original price.

Oh, I forgot this Ninjutsu Sandan level Training Course also has the Kukishinden Bojutsu wazas (sorry no pictures) and Soke Hatsumi’s RokushakuBojutsu dvd. His DVD is awesome so we will honor him here. Look very close in slow motion as he reveals enough secrets it will take you years to come close to what he is doing.

Again, All this is packaged into a beautiful Binder Course. It is never too early to work on your Budo Taijutsu or to have this Complete Course in your study library for instant reference. Never in the history of this ancient school has this much of the school been revealed in one place. Take advantage of this transmission of knowledge available to you while you can. Plus at this time you can also save while doing it.

Save $50!  Pre-Release Special – Only $197- http://sandancourse.ninjutsu.com/

The day it arrives the price goes up to AT LEAST $247- We are thinking that it really should be at least $297. 

Happy training,

Richard and Linda Van Donk, Shidoshi

Hi Friends,

As you can see I have just provided the first of many new downloads in the box to the left.

This is my free gift to you. This is a concise download of insights that I have gleamed from over 40 years of training with many great Grandmasters that I have had the good fortune to train with and to have received high master level certification from several of them. From this knowledge I have even brought many students to master level myself. Enjoy this brief report on some master keys to becoming a better martial artist.

I highly suggest that you go get it right away. Most of the free downloads will be in the Ninja Vault that is being transformed in the background to include Online Ninjutsu complete BlackBelt audio, video and manual Teachings. Plus much, much more with several membership levels. More on that in another post.

Here are a few excerpts from the “How to become a Better Martial Artist” – Part 1

Know why you are training-

Know what the training is giving you and never lose sight of it. It is a most valuable asset and other people, not understanding its value, will try to take it from you. And above all else “Know Yourself”.

Martial Arts are a way to perfect yourself -

A master looks for those students who want to study the way (Do in Japanese, Dao/Tao in China) of his art and not just the techniques of the art. He knows that the journey is the destination. The inner lessons perfect the outer lessons and the outer lessons perfect the inner lessons. Strengthen the body and you strengthen the mind. Strengthen the mind and you strengthen the body. It must get right on the inside before it gets right on the outside and true Budo is a way of living.

There are at least one dozen more of these waiting for you…. in Part 1.

Happy training,

Richard Van Donk, Shidoshi

Hi Friends,
I want to tell you about Soke Hatsumi’s new book – Unarmed Fighting Techniques of the Samurai.

It is a revolutionary book that is a must for every Bujinkan practitioner. Do not let the title fool you. It is all about the Bujinkan schools.

In this great book he reveals all the wazas of Gyokkyo Ryu, Shinden Fudo Ryu, Koto Ryu, Takagi Yoshin Ryu, and Kukishinden Ryu. He personally demonstrates the kamae and fist positions. He speaks of how to train and the true meaning of Budo Taijutsu. He has even drawn special body paintings with all the Kyusho (pressure points) targets on them and much, much more.

You are lucky to have such a book. When I started in the early 1980′s I had to learn this information the best I could technique by technique. And travel to Japan to get it. Right after class if I was not with Soke for awhile I would go the to coffee shop or bar and spend a few hours writing down all that I could remember from each dojo class. The next day or so I would go to the park and video myself doing the techniques. When I got back from Japan I would study all my notes and video writing down the questions to ask on my next trip which was usually at least every 6 months.

These notes became my manuals that students train with today. There where no video tapes of the wazas then. And most instructors spoke only Japanese.

Today you have a multitude of English speaking teachers, lots of videos and training manuals to help your training. I am sure there is value in learning it the way that I did. And it would have been nice to have what Soke has gifted the Bujinkan with this new book (They have them in stock at the Ninjutsu.com store – if they are out more are being shipped). He even put the original Japanese text in the back of the book for those who know Japanese.

You want this book and it is only $35 for a hard back book with some color photos and all the main wazas.

My thoughts on waza….
1. The waza is a window to look through – it is not the view itself. (My quote)
2. Learn the form and then all the shadows of the form.
3. Do not be fooled into thinking that the only way the waza is done is how it is written in this new (great) book or any other book.
4. Train for the feeling not the technique.
5. Look for what you are NOT seeing in the waza.
6. How can it be countered and destroyed?

Just some training thoughts… If you love this kind of stuff then check out our Ninja Vault where day by day it is growing into something really great. Soon lots of videos will be added.

All the best,

Richard Van Donk, Shidoshi