subject: Ninjutsu Self Defense Lesson - Kamae - "being Aware Of Your Condition" [print this page] One of the more unique aspects of the Ninja's self-protection and life mastery arts is the concept of kamae. Often referred to as stances, the shinobi warrior's body postures are much more dynamic and "alive" than the fixed fighting positions found in the more conventional martial arts systems.
This article explores the concept of kamae from an often overlooked perspective - a perspective which removes the Ninja's "postures" from being merely martial arts stances - and extends them to become tools for all aspects of your life! After reading this article, you will have a better idea of why the Ninja do not use the term "stances" when referring to their body postures.
While kamae can be translated as "posture," "attitude," etc., the idea of kamae is much deeper than the obvious, self defense applications that everyone seems to be focused on. In fact, kamae is a life-lesson, not merely something used for self defense.
Another way to look at the body postures of Ninjutsu, is from an attitude of "self-awareness." What I mean by this is that, based on the way you are "hard-wired," at a very deep level, your body is an outward reflection of what is going on "inside." Literally, your body "tells" on you.
Unfortunately, the average person is not only unaware of what is being communicated to them from others, but they are also nearly oblivious about their own internal state - until that state is extreme. Instead of being able to monitor their moment-to-moment state and "condition," the average person - martial artists included - is left feeling like they have absolutely no control over their emotional or psychological state due to this complete lack of self-awareness.
And, this is where the kamae of Ninjutsu come in. Studying these seemingly basic pieces of the self-defense puzzle, unlocks for the astute student, the understanding that you are much more than an unrelated construct of body "parts," mental "images," and emotional "feelings."
By coming to recognize the connection between these three aspects of our being, the Ninja is far more capable of adjusting to the ever changing conditions, impulses, and input that reaches us. By, "being aware of our condition," we can adjust much more quickly - and much more effectively - to what comes at us from both within ourselves, and from the world around us.
The serious student comes to find that the idea of kamae is much more than just a physical thing that we do with our body - much more than just a part of the Ninja's self defense method. You will find that the study of kamae will unlock a whole new world of possibility and potential into the Ninja's Mikkyo mind-science studies, and into the realm of our own spirit and ability to produce the kind of results we want in our lives.
by: Jeffrey Miller
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