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A log of mysteries!
Ninja; Ninjutsu
Ninjutsu
Martial art style developed by the Ninja during the 16th century. Ninjutsu teaches the art of beating your opponent without the use of any force, by showing the human body's weak points. Ninjutsu enables you to end a battle shortly after it began by breaking the enemy's bones or making him unable to move any more.

Ninjutsu is a collection of techniques and styles that are used by ninja's for concealment, escape, disguise, medicine, archery, collecting information and etc. some skills include:

taijutsi (unarmed combat)
ninja ken (sword fighting)
Seishin-teki kyôyô (spiritual refinement)
Shurikenjutsu (throwing blades)
Hensôjutsu (disguise and impersonation)
Shinobi-iri (stealth and infiltration methods)
Intonjutsu (escaping and concealment)
Sui-ren (training in water)

Ninjutsu
The Ninja fighting style. Ninja's use martial arts, and a good ninja know about chakra, and to hit the opponent on chakra holes.

Ninjutsu
Developed in the 16th century during the Feudal era of the Japanese, it was created to combat the ever-rising threat of the samurai. The art was specifically created to target weak joints within armor with a concentration of a high-powered blow.

Ninjutsu; usually translated as the "art of stealth." The Japanese character, "nin" (also translated as "shinobi" wink has many meanings, such as perseverance, endurance, and sufferance. The term Ninjutsu is most commonly used to refer to the specific methods and techniques used by the Ninja. Ninjutsu as a way of life didn't happen overnight. It developed over the course of many years.

The name Ninjutsu itself didn't come about until several generations after the Ninja lifestyle began. Created in central Honshu (the largest of the Japanese islands) about eleven hundred years ago. Mountain-dwelling families in an area not unlike the American Appalachians, where the terrain is rugged and remote, developed this skill. Ninja families were great observers of nature. They felt a close connection to the Earth, similar to the Native Americans, and their lifestyle was one that lived according to the laws of Nature, not against it. Ninja were also very spiritual people, and their beliefs became an integral part of Ninjutsu.

One of the spiritual influences was Shinto, "the way of the kami." Kami is the Japanese word for "god" or "deity." It implies, however, a feeling for a sacred or charismatic force, rather than a being. The early Japanese regarded their whole world: the rivers, mountains, lakes, and trees, to have their own energy and spirit. Another spiritual influence on the Ninja was Mikkyo. Mikkyo, for the Ninja, was not a religion as much as it was a method for enhancing personal power. These methods included the use of secret words and symbols to focus their energy and intentions toward specific goals.

It is generally accepted that the methods found in Ninjutsu originated outside of Japan. After the fall of the T'ang dynasty in China, many outcast warriors, philosophers, and military strategists escaped to Japan to avoid punishment by the new Chinese rulers. It’s believed that Ninja families were exposed to many of these exiled people's sophisticated warrior strategies and philosophies over the centuries, helping to influence and shape what became Ninjutsu. The Ninja were also very much influenced by a group of people called Shugenja, who roamed the same mountainous sections as the Ninja. The Shugendo method of spiritual self-discovery consisted of subjecting oneself to the harsh weather and terrain of the area in order to draw strength from the earth itself. They would walk through fire, stand beneath freezing waterfalls, and hang over the edges of cliffs in an effort to overcome fear and assume the powers of nature. It would be incorrect to say that these three spiritual methods were the actual roots of Ninjutsu, but there is little doubt that they were a large influence. Ninjutsu was and is a separate philosophy.

The Ninja were not particularly warlike, yet they were constantly harassed by the ruling society of Japan. They were routinely subjected to unfair taxation and religious persecution. The Ninja eventually learned to act more and more efficiently in their own self-defense. They used their superior knowledge of the workings of nature, as well as specific military techniques passed down through the years, as weapons against the numerically superior government armies. They used any ruse, harbored any superstition, and employed any strategy to protect them. If necessary, they would use devious political manipulations to ensure peace. Ninja may have been one of the first to use guerrilla warfare in order to go against superior numbers which seemed barbaric at the time. They used cunning and stealth to make opponents fear them. Some of the stories about Ninjas are false as to the skills one could develop that lead to them being regarded as mysterious which could account for most of their successes in battle. It’s said that if one is going up against an unknown opponent in battle one would only have a 50 % chance of winning, yet if you could study their skills then you will know what to expect. The fact that all Ninja’s were all dishonorable criminals is also an exaggeration even though similar tactics to Ninjutsu have been used to assassinate people. The essence of all martial arts and military strategies is self-protection and the prevention of danger. Ninjutsu epitomizes the fullest concept of self-protection of not only the physical body, but the mind and spirit as well. The way of the ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way of attaining that which we need while making the world a better place. The skill of the ninja is the art of winning

In ninjutsu there are no stances, there are only guidelines for effective body positioning and foot placement. In ninjutsu, postures or attitudes are called, "Kamae." These special attitudes reflect the epitome of self protection. They are actual physical representations of mental and emotional attitudes.
The first posture is called Shizen no kamae. It is the natural posture and it relates to the element of earth. It is simple to get into this posture, just stand there like you always do bend your knees a tad In real martial arts, one must learn to defend or attack from any position. It is of course, a real fighting posture, for if someone is really going to attack you, they probably won't tell you about right before they go to attack. This is why the Shizen no kamae is so important. When in this attitude, you feel aloof, stable, and confident. The directions relating to this posture are rising and sinking, to overcome an attack.
The next posture or attitude I will talk about is the Ichimonji no kamae. Litterally translated it means 'figure one attitude,' but it is known as the defensive posture. It is related to the water element, and it angles away diagonally from an attack by rolling the hips and feet back, and then shifts back into motion to deliver powerful strikes. It can be best described about 70% of weight being on the back leg and about 30% on the front. The feet are in an 'L' position when seen from above. The hands are up, one hand leading out extended, and the other held close back to the body, the elbow is protecting the solar plexus, and the top of that hand is nearly on top of the opposite shoulder.
The next posture of the ninja is that of the Jumonji no kamae, litterally translated as, 'figure ten posture,' but it is known as the offensive or aggressive posture. This is closely related to the power of ten, hence, figure ten posture. It relates to the element of fire, and it's motion is forward and backwards. The body weight is leaned forward, but balanced, and the arms are brought up in a cross in front of the face and chest.
The last of the basic postures is that of Hira no kamae. It is translated, as near as I can figure, as 'flat posture.' However, it is known as the evasive or receiving posture. It relates to the element of air, the posture is spread out. The arms are streched out to the side, resembling flight. The hips move the body away from the attack in circular movement. The arms come into play by trapping and grappling.
The Ku or void is brought into play when one learns to integrate all of the posture as one. Then one can learn to be spontaneous. The whole idea behind ninjutsu is to acheive spontaneity.



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demonickin0
Community Member
demonickin0
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