A wise man once said that anger and hatred are like a gift. You don't have to accept it. But, in our deluded state of mind, we feel that we need to accept everything given to us by everybody, right? This causes us to become magnets to pain. So, in a sense, we are responsible for our own pain. Our pain is a direct result of our listening style, our perception or misperception, and our coping style. When we think that somebody is causing us pain, we need to understand that this is a deluded response. I cannot make you happy if you refuse to let me make you happy. If this is true, and it is, then the same is also true for anger and hatred.

Hatsumi sensei, the wise man that he is, has stated that even though he is master of many martial arts, he still is kicked out of the house by his wife. I am not so sure if she kicked him out or he left on his own, but in any event he left. If you think about it, this is a wise thing to do. Sometimes it is much better to leave things a little while until they cool down. This way, you will not do or say anything that you might regret later. Remember! You cannot take back what has been said or done.

The same can be said for many situations. If you receive a painful letter, or heard some gossip about yourself, you may want to take some time to think things through. Firstly, you must calm the mind. You can do this through breathing exercises. Then, try to visualize this person. Is this person someone that really cares about who you are or is this person just blowing smoke for no reason? If this person is someone that cares about you, then you need to listen to what they have to say. Then take some time and think about whether they are speaking the truth. You will know the truth if you go inside to the place that cannot lie. There is no need to tell anybody else and there is no reason to feel shame. Shameful feelings are useless and unproductive. Learn from the situation and prevent it from happening again. This is "growth for change and change for growth." Sensei taught me this a long time ago, but I have only come to understand it recently.

In the Bujinkan, there are many people that need to free themselves from this needless suffering toward self and others. Many teachers drag there students into the politics. I have been guilty of this, too. It is the most difficult part of spiritual training and yet it is fundamentally necessary to learn, and it takes time. The important thing is to be aware of where your mind is at any given time. Sound easy? Try it! There are people on every corner testing this skill. The Taoist' Monks state that these people are our teachers.

As warriors, engaging in this act of gossip is a waste of time. Instead of engaging in this act, listen to it and then ask yourself, "Has there ever been a point in time where I was the individual they are speaking of?" The answer will be yes. Then ask yourself how is it that I can see this in others but I cannot see it within myself? The answer is simple. People have a hard time finding fault in themselves so they look to others faults to try to hide there own. Once we understand this, it becomes easier to read the minds of others. And, from the warrior's perspective, this is essential in grasping Ninpo.

Many teachers are ninjutsu teachers, but very few grasp the meaning of Ninpo. Ninpo is spiritual, not physical. The godan test is part of this spiritual path. Many teachers rush for the next rank, but fail to improve this spiritual training. They are concerned with appeasing the ego rather than on improving the self. Why, because they are motivated by human qualities that cause suffering. (Anger, greed, hatred, selfishness, jealousy etc.) I remember getting jealous of another student that started a year after me. He went to Israel for a year and achieved a high rank. I was still a ninth kyu when he returned. At that point, I had been training 3 years. We both went to Japan and he decided to live there, but I got my Godan before him. HA...HA! So then he-- BLAA.BLAA.BLAA!!! I ask you who the better martial artist is. WHO CARES? Can you see how easy it is to be caught in the trap? To this day, we are friends. Why? I have learned to train for myself through an understanding of myself, and not for others. If I closed the door on friendship because of jealousy, I would never had learned what he had to share. Some of my own students may pass me in rank. Will that mean that they are better than I am?

"Just keep going"