Category: News

It has been brought to my attention that there are several senior instructors in other organisations that claim to have been my students at one time or another in the past, either in this country or elsewhere. While, in the vast majority of cases, this might be true, they also seem to be (shall we say?) “exagerating the truth” somewhat.

For example: People saying that they trained with me years before they actually did, that I awarded them certain qualifications that I did not, and even saying that I trained them intensively in a number of warrior arts, when they had only been on the mat with me on about a half dozen occasions!

Because they mention me, and make these claims, it is very possible that the person reading this post has visited this website in an attempt to learn more. If so, then please feel free to contact me and I will do my utmost to clarify the situation for you. Needless to say: Your enquiries will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

In the meantime, I would strongly advise the people making these claims to revise what they are saying in order to avoid any possible embarrassment.

Many thanks

jaimie

Tradition can be the most wonderful thing. One of the things I particularly love about different people and cultures is getting to know a little more about their various traditions. In many ways, tradition could be said to be the thing that actually encapsulates and defines the culture of a society or people. You can study their language until you can speak it like a native, but it’s only when you begin to appreciate their particular customs and beliefs that you will truly come to understand the people themselves rather than just the words they are speaking.

The martial arts, as the military secrets of their day, have undergone a great deal of change over the centuries. They have evolved hand in glove with the tactics, strategy and armour of the times. Therefore, these changes were completely valid as they were nothing short of a necessity!

Change, as we already know, is a natural and integral part of the growth process. However, in recent years a lot more changes have occurred in the world of martial arts and some of these have not been for very worthwhile or valid reasons at all.

For example: There seems to be a growing disregard for the philosophy and traditions underpinning the technical prowess. Such aspects are viewed with suspicion and derision by a number of modern practitioners. Yet, it is these very things that form the solid foundation of the arts we practice and, while some of them might not appear to have any practical value, they are still important as they help us to reach out and touch the past, and remember those who have gone before. After all, practicality is not exclusive to being able to beat another person in a fight: In fact it has far more to do with the inner journey towards greater understanding both of ourselves and others, helping people to improve their levels of confidence and self belief, improving their standards of health and fitness, and encouraging them to achieve. In this manner, they will be far better prepared for whatever life might throw at them, and be able to retain the ability to “pick themselves back up and get on with it”.

Today, people are much more concerned with being able to execute flash, loud and (for the most part) completely ineffective movements to massage their own fragile ego and impress the neighbours rather than actually buckling down to study a traditional warrior system that might take a lifetime to even begin to understand, let alone master. In other words: “I don’t have the time, patience and determination to become part of a valid and accepted tradition, so I will just have to invent my own”

 

Reinventing the wheel (again!)

We live in what has been called a “throw-away” society, an age where we demand instant gratification for our efforts, yet, we need to be sure that we don’t end up throwing away the baby along with the bathwater! Obviously, the modern martial arts have also fallen foul of this attitude with people who are little more than beginners claiming knowledge and skill they simply do not possess. Yet, because they claim to teach a form of “fighting” that offers exciting techniques and an almost meteoric progress through the “ranks” people flock to them. I have lost count of the amount of times I have had somebody lecture me regarding the “practicality” of a particular technique they have seen me demonstrate, most of whom would be completely unable to fight their way out of a paper bag, even if it were wet!

The simple truth of the matter is this: If a recognised senior instructor shows you something and you can’t get it to work as well as it should, then the problem is not to be found in the technique itself, but rather in your inability to understand and apply the principal in an efficient enough manner. Any technique requires the student to be dedicated and determined enough to practice it until they eventually become proficient (This is called the “learning process” and I would heartily recommend it to anyone hoping to master a martial art or anything else for that matter!) I know this will be a difficult concept for some people to accept (being the meek, humble souls they are!) but this doesn’t make it any the less of a fact.

“My “No nonsense” system”

“The deadliest martial art”

“Practical self defence”

“Fear no man”

You all know the type of thing I am talking about. The sad fact of the matter is:

• In my time, I have studied numerous martial arts, and have yet to find any “Nonsense” contained in any of them, only certain aspects I am yet to understand and appreciate properly
• Any martial art, practiced well and executed by a competent student in the right type of situation is, most certainly, “deadly”
• Looking both ways when crossing the road, having an efficient fire alarm, eating well, getting regular exercise and being able to smile at life has much more to do with “practical self defence” than any amount of grunting and kicking has
• I have never had any reason to “fear” my fellow human-beings, even though I have had to restrain and even fight a fair few of them on occasion. I am a student of the way of the warrior, and so have learned to love humanity and nature, even when they appear at their most brutal and base. However, if I did happen harbour such an irrational fear, then I would seek the aid of a properly qualified therapist rather than the egocentric opinion of any self-proclaimed “sensei”

 

I have managed to learn these things through long, hard years of study, and have enjoyed every moment of this rich and varied experience. Guarded and guided along the way by the kind, wise people who took the time and trouble to teach me. I have reached these conclusions through a thorough grounding in the history, philosophy and traditions of the ancient warrior caste, and not just their extensive repertoire of armed and unarmed techniques. In my own small way, I have tried my best to carry on this tradition, taking martial arts to many different groups from Monks to Commandos, and professional security personnel to students with learning disabilities.

To completely disregard the rich traditions laid down by our forebears is to throw away the most valuable weapon we have in our personal battle towards true enlightenment. Because: As long as tradition serves humanity, then it can only be a good thing. The reason why anything becomes a tradition is because A: It is useful, and B: People like it. The corruption creeps in when this becomes inverted, and humanity ends up serving a tradition, in which case, the sooner it is discarded the better. Just because something is new does not necessarily mean it is any better: Not all change is good. We need to modify and improve the way we think, act and behave in our daily lives in much the same way as we modify and improve our technical skills and abilities when practicing on the mat.

Sometimes, we do need to move forward in order to make progress. Sometimes though, we need to move backward, re-tracing our steps because we might have missed something important or not appreciated as much as we should. Sometimes, we just need to stay exactly where we are for a while, and simply admire the view and acknowledge how far we have travelled. After all: You have come such a long way on your journey and even the most dedicated traveller must sometimes pause and enjoy the rest.

 

Several new videos have recently been added to this page. They cover Jiu Jutsu, Bikenjutsu and Hanbo.

All instructors should refer to them, but especially those in other countries such as Peru, South Africa, Portugal and the USA. Please examine them at your leisure, and know that your brothers and sisters are thinking of you always.

Remember: When you think about Zen, then you probably aren’t

A young student glanced over at the large, rough looking old man as he toiled at his back breaking task of repairing one of the many dry stone Walls that crisscrossed the landscape through which he and his master walked.

“I am so very grateful to be learning the way of the warrior monk,” he said “rather than living a life of worthless toil, day in and day out”

The master, upon hearing this comment, decided to make a small detour and walk over to the person repairing the wall. “greetings brother!” he said warmly, “I hope you don’t mind this interruption, but I have always been fascinated by your particular trade, and would deem it a great honour if you would allow me to help you for a while”

The big old man grunted and nodded, “I suppose you can help for a while, as long as you don’t end up hindering me. This wall needs to be finished by nightfall”

The master agreed, and began rolling the sleeves of his robe up in preparation for the work ahead and, his student, upon seeing this, shook his head incredulously, and began to do the same.

“No!” the master commanded, “You may not help. I want you to just sit there, and watch and listen. nothing more.”

So, the student sat and observed the two men as they worked. To start with, the master got a lot of things wrong, he would put the wrong stones in the wrong place, and ended up using far more energy than the old man, who seemed to be talking to himself for most of the time. He also noticed that, whenever the old man picked up a stone, it seemed to almost jump into the place he had prepared for it, and fitted perfectly.

At last, the stonewaller began giving some advice to the master. “You have to prepare the place you want the stone to fit in” he said, “you need to listen to what the wall is trying to tell you” as he said this, he demonstrated by reaching down and taking a handful of earth which he then spread upon the surface of the wall in order to bed in the next stone. The master nodded and began doing the same, gradually becoming better at the process.

A while later, the master was having trouble with a particular stone: No matter which way he turned it, he couldn’t seem to make it fit, eventually, he thought he had it, only to watch as it slowly shifted and fell back to the ground.

The old man chuckled. “That one isn’t ready to become a part of the wall yet” he said. ” you can’t make a stone fit, or force a stone to fit. It has to be ready, and fit nicely all by itself. All we are doing is helping them become what they want to be, not forcing them to be something they are not” again, he demonstrated by almost throwing a stone in place and watching it as it nestled into place comfortably.

Again, the master nodded and, taking a stone, he looked at it, and then at the space in the wall he wanted it for, then dropped it in favour of another one, which fitted absolutely perfectly. “you learn well” said his mentor approvingly. “you will notice that I don’t reach for just any stone. It has to be the stone, the one that, out of all the stones in the whole world, is meant for this particular place at this particular time. Nothing else will do if you want a good, solid wall that is not going to fall down every five minutes.”

The master nodded and, smiling, bowed deeply. “Thank you, master, for sharing your wisdom with me” he said reverently. “Now, the wall is almost finished, my hands are bleeding and my back aches. Yet, does my heart feel more open from the light you have shone into it. With the sun sinking so low in the horizon, and with our journey still stretched out before us, I must now continue on my way with the wisdom you have given me. We must leave you to talk to your wall.”

The old man shrugged “I am a simple man” he said, “And I really don’t have any idea what you are going on about. I just helped you to help me help the wall, that’s all, nothing special. Pity you can’t stay longer though: the stones have such a lot more to say to those that take the time to listen.”

They continued on there way in silence for a while, and then the student said “okay, I understand. There is enlightenment to be found in all things, even the most menial of tasks. That preparation is important as it allows conscious thought and reason to dictate our actions. And, that we, each and every one of us, have a special place set aside just for us and no one else, even if we are not ready or able to fill it yet, and that the rash actions of a single individual can undermine all of the good work done by others. But still master, I have to ask: Why didn’t you let me help with the wall?”

“because you simply are not ready yet.” said the master.

The warrior monks were always vehemently independent, strongly disliking anyone who abused their power or position.

It was this independent spirit that caused the Emperor Go-Shirakawa
(October 18, 1127 – April 26, 1192) to bitterly lament that:

“There are three things that I have absolutely no power over: The roll of the dice, the flow of the river Gamo, and the warrior-monks of Mount Hiei.”

A master gave the student the most precious of gifts: Nothing wrapped in emptiness.
The student received the gift, immediately appreciating it for what it truly was, and said. “master, you are completely thoughtless to give me such a meaningless present”.
To which the master replied “thank you, I am glad you understand”.

So, what exactly is a modern yamabushi?

This is a very good question indeed! A yamabushi can be anyone and everyone. They tend to stand out from the crowd through their ability to go a little further and to walk where others fear to tread: The “path less travelled” , if you will.  Full of quests to be undertaken, challenges to be answered and obstacles to be overcome. An exciting journey, full of wonder and excitement in the company of others of like mind.

The duties of a yamabushi:

• To bring light where there is darkness, love where there is hate and peace where there is hostility

• To always help others and to share their burdens, however heavy they may be, and to lead the way by example, rather than simply relying upon past reputation

• To love each other, do good and fear nothing!

 

Personal qualities and attributes

A warrior of the sacred mountain must have a body of steel, a will of iron and a heart of gold. Always remembering that kindness becomes power and gentleness becomes strength, and that we become strong by helping others become stronger, happy by helping others become happier and wise by helping others become wiser. And that, whenever you share good things, they always come back to you, so whatever you share becomes more, not less.

Retreats? No, we never retreat!

Far from retreating from mainstream society, a yamabushi actually chooses to immerse themselves completely within it. This is because our way is an all embracing and inclusive one, rather than being exclusive and elitist. A warrior of the sacred mountain is nothing special: It is just an ordinary person doing some extraordinary things.

Indeed, some of the things a warrior monk is capable of might well cause certain people to stand back in wonder. But that is just another way of making those people more “wonder-full”. It is the enemies known as ignorance, sorrow and suffering that must be forced to retreat,  and never the yamabushi!

Knowing yourself

While a lot of philosophical paths begin with the student “discovering themselves: and finding out “who they really are” as far as the Yamabushi are concerned: If you haven’t found yourself and don’t already know who you are, then this particular path probably isn’t the one for you. A fledgling mountain warrior should already be very secure in themselves, as they will need to be concerned with far more important matters on their journey onward and upward the sacred mountain of enlightenment.

Recognising truth

Remember: Just because someone looks like a yamabushi and talks like a yamabushi does not necessarily mean they are one. Certificates, belts, grades and even our budogi emblazoned with our sacred mon aren’t really all that important. It is what is on the inside that counts, and this truth is made manifest by the way we think, act and behave. True warrior monks of the sacred mountain will always recognise one another, as our hearts, minds and souls are inseparably and intrinsically linked.

Love, not war

True love is unconditional and eternal. So, in order for us to claim our immortality all we have to do is love as much as we possibly can in the purest way we can because, In the end, Love really is all there is.

Negativity

Wherever a true warrior monk of the sacred mountain walks, demons will fear to tread! We need no words or rituals to banish the darkness of ignorance: Our very presence is enough to cause any evil to flee.A yamabushi accomplishes all of this not by engaging in battle, but by living in peace and harmony with other people and the environment. Caring for them and keeping them healthier, safer and more secure.A Yamabushi is not expected to be perfect, just to strive to become better than they are and become all they can be. And, by so doing, encourage others to do the same.

The shugenja academy provides a unique opportunity for both fledging and seasoned martial arts instructors to grow.

Candidates who want to learn and teach the martial skills and philosophies of the mountain warrior are enrolled upon a special, intensive programme of study lasting one full year. During that time they will become well versed in certain aspects of both the armed and unarmed fighting disciplines of the yamabushi, as well as undergoing certain academic studies in scientific teaching and learning principles.

This course is based upon continual assessment whereby candidates are required to build up a strong portfolio of evidence supporting their studies, and will culminate with the successful participants being awarded a special shodan-ho (black belt) instructors certificate entitling them to practice and teach the warrior ways of the yamabushi. In addition, candidates will also receive a level 3 qualification in instructional techniques, accredited by the Qualifications Network UK (a government approved awarding body). Both of these qualifications are validated by the Institute of Martial Arts and Sciences, an official professional body which is duly listed in British Qualifications.

This course includes an emergency first aid course, an enhanced CRB check, a years membership of the IMAS, entry into the IMAS register of instructors, and all official certifications.

MATURE INSTRUCTORS ROUTE.

More mature, established instructors from other schools and systems would be APEL’d according to their past experience and qualifications, with the training and education they receive reflecting this fact. They will receive a special certificate entitling them to teach the Yamabushi system at their own grade.

Interested parties should contact Honbu for more information.

Yamabushi Ryu is an IMAS approved centre for accredited martial arts instructor training

After long years of careful preparation, the spirit of the ancient mountain warrior is reborn!  And, now it has arrived, it is up to us to use it wisely and well.

This modern association might have its origins in the 1980’s, but it is firmly routed in the traditional concept of the warrior monks of feudal Japan. Literally all of the Dojo Cho (club instructors) have been personal students of  mine for over a decade, during which time they have proven themselves to be loyal and worthy disciples in every way, not just once, but many times over.

They might be my students, but they are very much their own people in every other way:  Strong, intelligent and independently minded, they are linked together through the common bond of their training in the warrior arts and philosophy of the Yamabushi Ryu.

Now that we have finally moved on to the next level, we have climbed just that little bit higher and so can see just that little bit more clearly, both appreciating how far we have come, and how far we still have to travel.

I hope that each of these views will inspire us and spur us on in our efforts, and I look forward to continuing the journey with all of you.

Jaimie