I am wondering how many other people's bujinkan dojos still practice this ritual greeting at the start of class. Ours used to, but seems to have dispensed of it of late. Is there a reason instructors decide to include this sometimes but not others?
@thomas81 Is something else said when bowing in? Do you bow in? Do you get your yellow cards from Japan?
http://www.ninjutsu.co.uk/downloads/shikinharamitsudaikomyo.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiken_haramitsu_daikoumyo As society evolves to a faster pace, somethings are tossed in lu of trying to compress time. Yet, there are many people who enjoy the things of the past Depends. There maybe a instructor who had, only to leave and have his protege' no longer do it
Sorry, that went over my head - did you mean to imply saying people should follow the traditions of the arts they practise is comparable to Nicolae Ceausescu's dictatorial Yugoslavia?
Stating that "everyone" should follow the traditions of the arts they practice is like saying "everyone" should drive a Yugo. "everyone" do not have to do "everything or anything" like someone else Traditions are a part of a culture that can be disregarded, if chosen. I have a lot of culture/family traditions, but I do not follow many of them because they seem illogical, archaic, or require too much time of my everyday lifestyle YUGO is a reference to a car...hence the word "driving"
Sorry, you're quite right, can''t find an :embarrassed: icon - would use it if I could! Mention of the Yugo and the idea that respecting tradition might = totalitarianism got to me I think 47MM, yes I know what a Yugo is/was thank you. More importantly no one is suggesting everyone has to be like everyone else - simply that they practice the art they practice as faithfully as possible to the way they were taught/shown... Which incidentally includes being critical and thinking for ones self. People can still be free thinking individuals - that is greatly encouraged and I'm sure we'll agree that everyone follows his own path and is responsible for and unto themselves. Respecting the art and thinking for yourself are not mutually exclusive. In fact the art should make you more critical of unnecessary things. And don't forget if you have experience training in the Bujinkan you will know that it, perhaps more than any other koryu based art, has stripped away much of what may be superfluous formality. And if anyone seriously gives lack of time as a reason then they need to take a look at themselves I think! It takes literally seconds and can perform some important functions. Perhaps someone has a good reason for not, but time isn't one of them. I'm not looking to persuade you - you are also a free thinking individual and according to your profile an 'eclectic martial artist' so of course have your own conclusions and experiences. But it remains the case that this is something Bujinkan Dojo ought to generally do.
That is hard to do when the headmaster is a ninja and tells you what you want to hear, not necessarily what is good for you to do
Yup, it is not really ok to do as you wish in the Buj. It does help to highlight the silly people though If you cant read between the lines, there are other orgs available. :evil:
You have a point, Which should make it totally obvious to anyone inside the Bujinkan that you learn by following the example set by the shihan and soke, instead of asking them. Which in turn means you should do as they do, which means that choosing not to do what they do (as 47martialmen seems to propose) is patently silly.
