The Art of Winning Blog: Eastern Strategies for Western Success

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2010-04-05T08:36:00.001-06:00

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Ethics as freedom

2010-04-01T10:05:00.003-06:00

Where do ethics come from?

As small children, our initial ethics are developed by instinct. Instincts guide us second-by-second, sometimes directing us toward a sense of connection by playing with and helping others, and sometimes toward a sense of control and autonomy by taking what we want or influencing others. As we navigate our world according to our inner needs of the moment, we come into conflict with other humans who have different inner needs.

Those conflicts help us develop rules for behavior based on how other humans are likely to react. Our experience leads us to a set of guidelines that include other people and their opinions. It’s not so much compassionate as it is predictive, but it’s an early stage of ethics in that it involves the first tempering of momentary inner instinct for the good of a longer-term purpose.

Once we include predictions of other people in our ethics, we have a lifetime of learning about other people. People are complex, and have a lot of influences we can’t see, so they can appear quite crazy to us. The first step in coping with this is usually to develop experimentally some basic rules that seem to work in current circumstances. We might call these “coping mechanisms” or “survival strategies”.

If we will live a life without a lot of change or travel, this might be enough to stay out of trouble. The downside to stopping there is that we must stay in our current situation. We’re not very free.

The historical ancestors of the ninja were forced out of familiar circumstances. Originally aristocracy, they had ways of being that had persisted for generations. When their world underwent radical change as a result of war, it became clear that their existing rules for life would now lead only to death.

This kind of crisis stimulates the desire to develop a larger understanding.

When the time comes to develop ethics that might transcend limited local circumstances, we have to use our intelligence and our experience to try to understand what went wrong, and how we might avoid it in the future.

We realize that certain truths persist across individuals. For example, no one likes to have real violence directed at them, and they are likely to respond unfavorably now or in the future. No one likes to be manipulated with lies, and anyone who discovers that they have been is likely to respond unfavorably.

These things are intellectually easy to understand, but they are hard to remember and implement under pressure. Because they are easy to understand, they might seem somewhat obvious during moment of calm reflection, and we might not give them much thought.

The whole purpose of ethics is to use our moments of calm reflection to develop guidelines for when things are crazy, threatening, and out of control.

If we do not do this, then we will act incorrectly in the moment of threat and stress. Once we calm down, we will easily understand the mistake we made, but it will be too late. The damage is done.

Thus, well-developed ethics protect us from ourselves. As little children, the rules of behavior seemed like limitations because they were imposed from the outside, or seemed related to the bizarre whims and attitudes of others. It’s quite possible to get to adulthood and still feel that way.

It is critical that we redefine ethics as personal protection guidelines based on intelligence and experience. It is imperative that we develop ethics by ourselves and for ourselves.

Of course, we can and should take the advice of our elders into consideration. We should not throw away every guideline we received from parents or institutions. Neither should we keep following them blindly, constrained by the inner voices and judgments of childhood. Instead, we should consider each one. From what threat was that guideline protecting us? Is that threat still valid in my life now? If so, does that guideline still apply in that same form, or should it be re-interpreted for more relevance in my life now?

In this process, some advice from childhood endures and remains true today. You will have an even deeper appreciation for and understanding of that advice. Other advice will need modification in form if not in spirit, and you will feel great relief in releasing the tension of trying to fulfill an inner obligation that doesn’t fit your life. You may also discover delightful new truths that the people of your childhood could not predict.

You will find yourself both ethical and free.

My spiritual journey in To-Shin Do

2010-03-27T21:16:00.000-06:00

In 1998 I stumbled in to To-Shin Do without any real consciousness of how profoundly it would become my life. The system had only just taken the name To-Shin Do in 1996, but it is the distillation of ancient ninjutsu, the art of the ninja, as experienced by the great martial arts legend Stephen K. Hayes. As a yellow belt, as I read his biography and the story of his journey to Japan to lift this astonishing martial art out of the shadows, I recognized a spiritual journey as well. I resonated with his description of his adventure and the insights he gained.

His journey included ordination in the Tendai sect of Buddhism in Japan, which led me to investigate the same in 2000. His journey included training in classical weapons such as sword and shuriken, which led me to do the same, earning my first Kihon licenses in classical weapons in 2004. His journey included bodyguarding for His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, which led me to study and develop the skills that ultimately led me to bodyguard for His Holiness the 17th Karmapa of Tibet in 2008.

To-Shin Do unfolded in my life as a proving ground for my spiritual insights. If I thought I recognized something about the nature of time and space, I could quickly test myself with people who tried to punch me, kick me, or choke me unconscious. If I thought I had reached an inner state beyond any disturbance, I could swiftly experience as much pain, struggle, or awkward failure as needed to clarify my actual attitude. Transcendent fantasies were quickly dispelled. Not only could I not phase through solid objects, but I also couldn’t entirely contain or ignore my displeasure at being dominated, overwhelmed, or panicked in martial practice.

During the early years of my training, it became clear to me that I demanded a spiritual truth which could persevere beyond a few seconds of anger or struggle. I was humbled but motivated to realize that real spiritual presence in the world was going to take a lot more inner strength than I guessed - an inner strength cultivated to be ready in a heartbeat, in the face of all kinds of actual and perceived threats. Without that, any person, or even the accidents and whims of nature, could take away my equanimity, skill, and happiness almost instantly.

As the years passed, I put my theories to the test and discovered more about the right way to move, speak, and think. I found truth grounded in experience and experiment. As a member now of the To-Shi order of protectors, I have access to even more of the inner secrets of how life works and how we work in it. I train with more enthusiasm than ever, and I bring a warrior’s commitment to determining what is real, worthwhile, and reliable.

The results of my studies are many, but one very visible result is our dojo community. Come see what we've built, and then let me show you how to make your own dreams real...

What is Ninja Mind?

2010-03-24T14:44:00.002-06:00

The Ninja Mind is the mindset that perceives things from the perspective of a ninja.
The historical ninja of Japan were known for their unconventional perspectives, perspectives that freed them to perceive possibilities that their enemies could scarcely imagine.

It’s not easy to develop an unconventional perspective – that’s why it’s unconventional. The ninja trained their minds and hearts in order to perceive the world differently. They studied Japanese shamanism, Buddhism, Taoist theory, and of course the warrior ways of Japan. They also studied politics, economics, history, and art. Then they took all this knowledge and went out into the world, observing the way of things and how history unfolds. Over time, this allowed them to develop a view bigger than an ordinary person.

Unconventional perspectives are not the same as countercultural or unpopular perspectives. While the ninja could certainly entertain countercultural or unpopular thoughts if it helped them to do so, the kneejerk tendency toward contrarianism is just as limited as blind conformity. Contrarianism and conformity both suffer by being trapped in a view, unable to seriously consider alternatives.

The Ninja Mind constantly asks, “What if things are not as they appear to be?” The Ninja Mind actively looks for clues pointing to a greater reality, asking why things appear as they do. Some of the hardest things to question are the things which are most obvious and seemingly unchanging in our lives – it is obvious, for example, that the sky is blue. However, if we ask “Why is the sky blue? Does it always have to be so?” we are led to a deeper understanding of both color and the nature of the sky.

This is a simple example that helps to explain the ninja mindset. The real questions are such things as “Why do the obstacles in my life exist? What created them? What sustains them?” In questioning, the ninja comes to understand obstacles in an unconventional way, and from there, creative and skillful solutions can be formed.

On compassion

2010-02-24T21:44:00.002-07:00

I've recently been reading the book How to See Yourself As You Really Are, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In it, His Holiness comments on the value and meaning of compassion. As I read his thoughts, it strikes me that the definition of "compassion" I received growing up is not the same as the way His Holiness explains it.

His Holiness says, "Compassion opens our own inner life, reducing stress, distrust, and loneliness." Yet, the version of "activist compassion" I learned as a youth left me very stressed out for the poor and oppressed, and distrustful of power in most forms. I was left lonely too - like a lone visionary struggling against a larger society that valued only greed and destruction.

But that's not what His Holiness is recommending that we cultivate.

Many years of practice opened up a deeper compassion - com as in "shared with" and passion as in "desire or aspiration". I came to realize the shared aspirations of all people, and through that lens, I came to see that the awkwardness and even destruction sometimes created is truly a misdirected attempt at security and prosperity for those we love.

This view reduced stress ("the problems of this world are natural"), increased trust ("of course all people are trying to do the right thing, to their view"), and gave me a warm feeling of connection to all people - even the destructively confused.

From that humble but meaningful success I concluded that this must be what is meant by compassion in the Buddhist tradition. I also concluded that language, combined with our deep personality inclinations, can lead us astray.

What view are you cultivating? Does it open up your inner life, reducing stress, distrust, and loneliness?

Three Levels of Commitment

2010-02-04T09:20:00.003-07:00

Every path of personal growth will eventually take us through three forms of doubt. These types of doubt work like the barricades of a castle; each time we encounter one wall of doubt, we have the opportunity to pass through a gateway of deeper commitment to and connection with the path.

The first barrier is alienation. Any path of growth will surely challenge us. We will become aware of personal lacks in the process. When these lacks are revealed to us, we can respond in one of two ways. If we are afflicted by extreme self-grasping (the desire to remain just as we are and justify our current self), we will turn away from the path and declare it false or simply "not for us". If we can instead see the chance for self-improvement (the potential of a better self), then we can make the first inner commitment, which is identification with the path. That means we recognize that the path is for us, the other people on the path are like us, and we can come to relate to the practices.

The second barrier is inconvenience. Any path of growth will make logistical demands on us. It may take time, money, personal energy, or discomfort to pursue the path. The demands may grow over time, or our circumstances may change and make us feel like we have less resources available than when we first started. When this challenge moves into the foreground, we can respond in one of two ways. If we are under the influence of moderate self-grasping (the desire to control and protect myself and my resources, to remain free of obligation or struggle), we will declare that we intend to pursue the path later, just as soon as things get easier. We claim to still be on the path, but in reality, we cease to invest in it and cease to progress in it. If we can instead see the chance to become a more skilled and effective person via the growth the path offers, then we can see that we must pursue the path for ourselves, our friends and family, and the greater world. Any resources used for the path are a sound investment. This is the second inner commitment, when the path becomes a lifestyle.

The third barrier is frustration and confusion. As we go deeply into the path, and our unique understanding develops because of our history and the details of how we practice the path, we will realize that not everyone agrees with our interpretation of the goals and methods of the path. We will find that even among skilled and widely acknowledged practitioners, there are disagreements over the best way. Our own search for the best way drives us to want to find an answer. Again, we can respond in one of two ways. This barrier mixed with subtle self-grasping (the subconscious belief that my experiences and views are objectively and universally true) leads us to conclude that we have special or deeper insight, and the other experienced practitioners are incorrect, limited in understanding, or possibly even corrupt. We claim to be on the path even more than they are. In that case, our path actually diminishes because we are now closed to input from other views. If instead we can see that our deep understanding is necessarily unique because of the unique experiences that shaped our practice, and that others' deep understanding is also unique and valid, then we can make the third inner commitment, where our engagement with the path is a personal offering to others and not in competition with them.

If this is achieved, our connection to the path is total. We are the path, and the path is defined by our life.

Women's Self Defense Advice from Aitoshi

2010-01-18T19:35:00.002-07:00

Rules for Women’s Self Defense as Experienced by Mary Aitoshi, President, Boulder Quest Center

1. Train in an intelligent martial art. This might seem self-serving but there’s a reason I’ve invested all my personal wealth, time, and passion into creating a venue for exploring the magic that arises when we harness our personal power to make a better world.

2. Have friends. Predators like to isolate people emotionally and physically and your best line of defense is having friends in multiple social circles. This is true whether you are walking home or in a violent relationship. You’ll hear people say “always walk with a buddy” but it’s not always practical and it’s not always safer. However, you carry those important to you with you in spirit and they bring me to point #3.

3. Live a life you enjoy. If you know why your life is worth living, you’ll be better prepared to make decisions when that enjoyment is threatened. Does this predator want $5, your self-esteem, or your ability to have dinner with your loved ones? How important are those things to you? If you don’t know your value, how can you make decisions under pressure? (Intelligent martial art training can help you answer that question.)

4. Learn the difference between fear and intuition. This takes time and training but it’s a learnable skill. Out Ninja Magic class on Saturday’s is specifically geared to help make intuition a natural outcome.

5. Manage your risk. All of life has risks and any choice we make has a many possible outcomes. Intelligent martial arts training lets you play with choices in a low risk environment so you can better decide how to deal with the risks in your life.

6. Be Magical. Life is wondrous and you are a part of it. The Ninja of ancient Japan were martial arts wizards who unlocked the secrets of nature in order to protect their family and friends. Nine families through time have passed down these secrets to the current generation.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have visionary secrets that would allow you to deal with dangerous personal security issues decisively, powerfully, and successfully, and at the same time feel safe to be as heroically kind, benevolent, and helpful in society as you could be?

If you are interested in feeling more capable, martial arts may just be the path for you. If you are interested in learning to live with more freedom and less fear, the Boulder Quest Center may be for you. If you want to connect with the life you’ve dreamed of living, the path of the ninja awaits you.

Be Magical

2010-01-06T10:41:00.002-07:00

In the 2010 Year of the Ninja, we at the BQC have decided on a theme for the year: Be Magical. I've spent these first few days of the new year contemplating the magical skills you learn from newbie to black belt.

1. Moving with Grace and Power. From the Fundamentals through the Path of the Protector, you'll learn the skills that change your relationship with the ground. You'll learn to float, maneuver in midair, avoid obstacles, and achieve harmony with your surroundings.
2. Defeating Bigger, Stronger, Faster Opponents. Learn to use your body to its potential with the ninja secrets of alignment, momentum, torque, and intention.
3. Power Over Perceptions. The ninja are famous for disappearing and had many methods for achieving this reputation. In our path to black belt, you will learn how to be in unexpected positions, seeming to move with unthinkable speed and silence.
4. Mind Control. Learn what influences your mind into mindless actions and take back the control over your decisions. Learn to differentiate between fear, instinct, and premonition.

We are currently enrolling new students for classes. Schedule your introductory appointment today. (303) 440-3647

Choosing to Face Danger

2009-12-30T10:26:00.001-07:00

In 2008, I wrote an article on the holidays and family violence. I put in that article things you could do other than avoid risk. Later, a letter the editor indicated one woman’s distress that I stated it's ok to choose to be in a dangerous situation. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this woman’s discomfort as I’ve been building my Warrior Divas concept. I’ve been thinking about what makes my approach different than other approaches I’ve encountered and I think this argument is at the crux of the matter. I believe that women have the right to choose to put themselves in dangerous situation.

I believe women have the right to be soldiers, doctors, cab drivers, welders, ninja, astronauts, housewives, editors, students, lesbians, designers, adventurers, or homebodies. I believe they should embrace life with all its risks and rewards. I believe I train in martial arts to be a better protector of myself, my family, my community, and my planet. I trust that having a strong personal foundation will help me be a better person. I understand that the more I know about myself, the more risks I take, the more I stretch myself, the more I can help others. I push myself all the time to do more, be more, grow more. I give myself rest time every day so that I can integrate all I’ve learned. I rejoice in spending time by myself, with my husband, and surrounded by friends. I love to teach; I love to learn.

These dualistic pairings of opposites are the epitome of womanhood. They are our strength, our power, our core. To deny our ability to stand tall and face danger is to deny ourselves all the joy life. I think we as women should strive to be more than we were yesterday. I train in To-Shin Do® to discern the difference between fear, intuition, and premonition. I train so that when I need to decide whether or not it’s safe to walk down that alley, I make that choice based on my judgment of the present. I believe that this moment, right now, is my opportunity to create a more capable world. Why would I deny that call?

Goals and non-attachment

2009-12-27T15:07:00.003-07:00

A friend of mine wrote me to ask, "I am currently studying the Four Noble Truths... I am struggling with the second of the truths which says 'Difficulty comes from desiring life to be different.' I still have goals in life... Aren't goals a form of desiring life to be different? Is this truth saying that goals are the source of suffering?"

I was happy to see this question - it shows that my friend is thinking and really trying to digest this ancient wisdom in a meaningful modern way.

A goal is something which could come to pass. It is something that could happen. The possibility represented by a goal does not, itself, cause suffering. However, one could get attached to a goal. That sets the stage for suffering. If that goal does not come to pass, or changing circumstances make the goal impossible, then the attachment to the goal causes suffering.

Another way to say it is that suffering is caused by desire for something which is impossible. A goal is something which is possible - but if the goal becomes unattainable, we have to change our goal. Otherwise, it is no longer a goal but rather a fantasy of an impossible situation.

My friend's question is a good one because, without careful meditation and consideration, it is easy to confuse desire for possible things (goals) and desire for impossible things (fantasies). There are several ways we could get confused.

One way is that something could change from possible to impossible based on time. In other words, we waited too long, and now the opportunity is gone. We might be tempted to try to hurry up, or turn back the clock, to reclaim the missed opportunity, and this is inevitably awkward.

A second way is that we could get new information that reveals to us that the goal is impossible. In this case, we might be tempted to downplay or even try to forget the new information, thus returning the goal to "possible" status. This is a cultivated ignorance.

A third way is that we could discover that the price for our goal is too high - in other words, it's possible in general, but impossible based on our willingness to invest in it. We might be tempted to try to cut a deal, or even steal what we want, so as to pay less. We might be tempted to just pay what we can and see if that's good enough, if we can make the goal work anyway. This always leads to dissatisfaction.

There are lots of other possible errors too - these are just a few examples. We have to watch our minds and our motivations to get sophisticated in telling the difference between a goal based on beneficial possibilities and a fantasy based on impossible hopes. It's quite common to get it wrong in both directions - believing in the impossible or unlikely, and losing hope on goals which are quite possible and achievable with some effort.

Experience and attention are the key to developing this faculty.

Walking backwards

2009-11-16T14:56:00.005-07:00

The other night a friend and I took a night walk in the freshly fallen snow. We walked about a half-mile, our footsteps leaving perfect tracks on the untouched blanket of powder. We decided to turn around when the cold got to us, and found that we were now facing into the wind.

Instinctively we turned around backwards because the wind was so cold. We took a few steps backwards and realized there was really no need to face forward. Our tracks in the snow were perfectly clear, and we could easily walk backwards and see whether we were tracking in our previous footsteps or not.

Intrigued, we kept walking backwards. The path wound along, over hills and around corners, and we never had any trouble navigating backwards without looking because we could tell right away if we had veered a little left or right, diverging from our previous tracks.

The only problem is that it created a strange feeling of disorientation. Some part of us insisted that we couldn't possibly navigate the half-mile home on a winding path without looking. That part was our experience of course - under most circumstances, one needs to look to navigate.

But the circumstances were different than usual. There was a substantial penalty for looking (the wind) and a substantial assistance for not looking (our old tracks). The best thing in these circumstances was very different than the best thing in most circumstances. And yet, our experience of previous successes wanted to resist that, wanted to insist that the usual way of doing it was inherently superior because it brought us success in the past.

It made us think about our changing times. The economy is changing, society is changing... In what other areas of life might we be clinging to an old way of creating success, when a new way would serve us better right now? It doesn't make the old way wrong - we sure could have just gritted our teeth and faced the wind with determination and toughness - but maybe there is a more elegant solution if we're open to some unconventional thinking. Because we are ninja, we walked backwards, and we got used to it, and then we got good at it. We arrived home safe and warm, and with a little broader perspective.

Welcome to the Identity Age

2009-10-30T09:26:00.003-06:00

For untold millenia of human history, power was defined by the ability to move goods, services, and people. Great monuments of power, such as the pyramids of Egypt, were structural in nature and accomplished by many thousands of able hands. The power of the body, in individual and collective form, was supreme.

Recent centuries saw the transition away from structural and material power toward knowledge as the key to greatness. Such inventions as organized agriculture, gunpowder, and literacy opened up totally new ways of solving problems. Greatness was enabled by a new group of people, scholars and scientists, who could spend their lives learning more about how the world works. Greatness was acknowledged by inventions that would have been impossible without understanding - electricity, the airplane, and even spaceflight. The power of the mind, in individual and collective form, was supreme.

Now we have come to a time of unparalleled knowledge, and also unparalleled access to knowledge. Just as the ability to move a heavy rock or tree is now unremarkable - anyone can acquire the equipment to do it - the ability to know the most detailed information is becoming unremarkable. One can Google for the structure of the human genome, the design of a nuclear weapon, or the location of any business or person.

On top of the flood of knowledge is a collection of "information behaviors" that seem, at times, confusing, trivial, and even dangerous to our social fabric. We know these information behaviors as texting, social networking, instant messaging, on-line gaming, Twitter, etc. At first we thought these things were tools to be used for an existing purpose, like marketing a business. We also thought maybe they were fads or hobbies, like the yo-yo.

Many of us can sense that something else is happening, however. Information behaviors define relationships, and although the tools and behaviors involved change frequently, there is something consistent across it all.

Welcome to the Identity Age. Information behaviors are now the substrate for identity-defining activities. The new form of power is the ability to form identity relationships with others, leverage the identity bond for a purpose, and then dissipate with little to no residue. People are developing the skill to create, enjoy, and destroy identities quickly enough that identity itself becomes a tool instead of an attribute.

Watch for it to verify it. Why would people bother to be a "Fan" of something on Facebook? Why would people loudly declare their sexual preferences, giving up their own privacy? Why would people choose to radically polarize politics, paralyzing the process? It is to assert identity, to bond with others and participate in a common momentum of change at a scope beyond structural power ("doing it") and knowledge ("knowing it"). Identity is the power of being it.

Our ninja lineage has much to say about identity fluidity. In fact, much of the reason the ninja were reviled in their time is because identity fluidity was so alien and disorienting in their time. That time is coming into the mainstream now, and the ninja has centuries of practice in how to do it.

It is also true that just as the weak were dominated in the age of material power, and the uneducated were dominated in the age of knowledge, those with rigid identities, or those unaware of their own identity-forming process, will be dominated by those who can change their connections and harmony at will.

Is it losing the self and dissolving society to develop such powers? It could be, without a solid core of ethics. Witness the ever-eroding sanctity of commitment-based relationships in business, personal, and even family lives. We need the ninja lineage now more than ever to help us understand and embrace the identity power of our time, while keeping ourselves grounded in ethics and deeper truth.

There will be chaos beyond the power of strength and intelligence; in the Identity Age, align yourself with those who know how to be.

Four supportive students

2009-10-22T16:24:00.002-06:00

My teacher, An-Shu Stephen K. Hayes, wrote today on his blog about the ancient metaphor of the mandala, which helps us view four kinds of power in life and four roles you can play as you build your personal legend. Go read his blog,, then come back here.

In the sacred mandala, each of the four gates of the fortress are guarded by a single powerful protector character. That character is a symbol of our own potential to manifest in that form. An-Shu Hayes gives examples in the running of a professional martial arts school.

The protectors in the mandala are assisted by many attendants who take on tasks in the service of the greater vision. The attendants and helpers surround the main character and provide support because they so believe in the big vision. The main protector in turn serves the attendants by providing inspiration and a source of power.

In a professional martial arts school, these helpers are the students. Just as we have roles we play as owners of the dojo, our students naturally support us according to their interests and talents. Extending An-Shu's four roles...

1.) Cultural helpers assist the Whip-cracker by guarding the standards of behavior in the dojo. They politely insist that all students do their best to show up on time, in clean uniforms, and with good attitudes. By role-modeling correct martial arts student behavior, and occasionally making an appropriate private comment to other students, they maintain the professional atmosphere of the school from the student perspective. These senior students are invaluable in letting the Whip-cracker focus on bigger policy and business issues than policing students.

2.) Coaching helpers assist the Warrior by getting out on the mat as perfect uke, momentum building cheerleaders, and energy-raising advocates for a powerful, meaningful, and safe To-Shin Do experience. They politely insist that everyone has a good time and learns to the best of their ability. These enthusiastic students are invaluable in allowing the Warrior to display their deepest and most brilliant martial instruction.

3.) Creative helpers assist the Wonderer by contributing new ideas for classes, events, and training opportunities. They politely insist that student voices become a part of the Wonderer's musings, and contribute a fountain of new ideas for the Wonderer to consider. These insightful students are invaluable in keeping the Wonderer in touch with what students want.

4.) Community helpers assist the Welcomer to get the word out, through their contacts in the community and their ability to communicate the benefits of the training from their very personal perspective. They politely insist that all people hear about the incredible community that they enjoy. These connected students are invaluable in helping the Welcomer access new audiences and maintain the energy and momentum needed to bring new students in.

Sure, the four main characters can operate a dojo without the four attendants, but their time is split in that case between day-to-day concerns and the larger strategic battles. Assistants free up the heroic central figure to focus on the tasks that they are uniquely talented to perform. The attendants or helpers enjoy their contribution, and all benefit from the right person in the right role.

Best Ninja Gear for the Holidays!

2009-10-21T19:14:00.002-06:00

If you are looking for martial arts gear this holiday season, it is important to know you are buying from a reputable retailer. Those of us in martial arts know how difficult this is, especially on the internet. I'm not sure why it's such a pervasive problem but it's too big for me to fix.
What I can do however is share with you the best site for ninja gear! This is my teacher's website and everything listed is top quality. Whether you are shopping for DVDs, books, t-shirts, or training weapons, this is the best place to shop. No other company has gear so tailored to the ninja and so relevant to what we do. If you can't find it in our pro-shop or online, talk to me about whether it's a worthwhile purchase. I am happy to save you the heartache of disappointing goods.
Shop Now!
Mary Aitoshi

The power of being there

2009-10-15T11:49:00.002-06:00

We're getting ready to head out to the Evocation weekend in Dayton, where we will study some more of the depth mind science teachings of our ninja lineage. Whenever I prepare for a trip like this, I recall that the person who comes home in a few days is a different one than the person who departs tomorrow. These teachings really change you. I've actually put a couple of major decisions in my life on hold just for a few days, knowing that the man who returns Monday is a better man, a more intelligent, fulfilled, and connected man who knows his purpose with that much more clarity. I vote for that guy to make those important decisions.

A few of my students are traveling with Mary and I. They'll change too, and our relationships will change. It can't be helped - once we are all there together at such a powerful event, reflecting on our place in the universe together, we are changed individually and collectively. A couple of my students asked me what the seminar content will involve. Although I have been studying with An-Shu Hayes for over a decade, I have little idea what the content will be, and it really doesn't matter. The content is just the form through which the lineage transmits millenia-old wisdom. My direct teacher draws his wisdom from such legends as the 32nd grandmaster of Japanese ninjutsu and the god-king of Tibet. Those living legends draw from legends of history, back into a past so deep that the details are forgotten.

All of that wisdom comes to those of us who are able to be there. There's no way around it. There is no substitute for being there. It's not particularly fair that it works that way - certainly some who should be there, who deserve to be there, have some logistical issue that prevents it. Some may be there who haven't done much to qualify themselves, or who don't know the significance. It doesn't matter - all who are there will be blessed by the insights and connections, and all who are not there won't be.

That stark reality has led me to try to have enough control over my lifestyle - time, money, friends, obligations - to be able to be there consistently. It's hard. I keep working at it.

Meanwhile, we built the Boulder Quest Center to make the world a little more fair, to give the people of Colorado easier access to this incredible lineage where millenia of history pour into the soul to make an individual and the world a better place. We also built it so that we would have a community of friends who could process and study these amazing powers together.

If you can get to Dayton (or Japan, or Tibet), more power to you. In any event, come to the dojo in your town. It's not fair, but the truth is, the magic only happens for those who can be there. Be there.

Black belt is the beginning

2009-10-01T09:09:00.003-06:00

I'm starting my morning by thinking about cool things that are happening today, and one of them is the black belt class I get to teach and train in. I am so happy that our dojo is at the stage where we have black belt students. I love teaching all students, but there is a special place in my heart for the secrets I can share with black belts, and of course, they make great uke for my own training.

They say black belt is the beginning, but the beginning of what? Obviously, it really is not the beginning of what most would call martial arts training. My teacher Stephen K. Hayes talks about black belt as the beginning of personalized training.

To me that means that where I teach my colored belt students moves, I teach my black belts ideals. Although there is certainly character development and personal growth on the way to black belt, training after that becomes intensely personal. The way forward becomes increasingly related to that person's body, personality, and desires in life. The path is how to become a heroic person, an even better version of oneself.

Isn't that cool, that our lineage delivers us to heroic accomplishment and character? And yet demands that we stay true to our deepest self? That deepest hero is revealed through advanced To-Shin training. I'm amazed, privileged, and thrilled to participate in and lead training at this level. Looking forward to 5:15 pm today!

Evocation in Dayton

2009-09-29T10:14:00.003-06:00

I just received a private email from my teacher, Stephen K. Hayes, emphasizing the importance of the Evocation event going on in Dayton October 17th and 18th. The email was to school owners and senior black belts, reiterating how critical it is to develop oneself on the inside as well as the outside.

I agree with this view so deeply that I run a meditation program out of our own dojo. The whole reason that program exists is because I feel it is so critical to address fear and suffering at the very root, in the mind, even as we learn to battle it and reclaim the power of the body in our martial arts program. It is all To-Shin Do to me.

Mary and I are going to Evocation, along with three Boulder Quest students who have the dual blessing of the capability to go and the discernment to see the enormous value. Please consider what it would take for you to go, this time or in the future. I know it isn't easy... but it is deeply worth it!

Keeping it real

2009-09-27T16:26:00.003-06:00

I was talking recently with some friends about what it means to "keep it real" in martial arts. We had all encountered martial artists (not in our To-Shin Do world) that constantly talked about how their martial art keeps it real, with extreme examples like practicing blindfolded against six guys with knives.

Our first thought was, "Really? That's what you regularly encounter?"

I understand that these self-styled hardcore fighters are trying to make a statement in contrast to martial systems that are focused on acrobatics or synchronized dance routines to the point that their self-defense value is questionable.

On the other hand, my students share with me their real-life To-Shin Do victories. It usually does involve a strong and angry man looking to dominate someone quickly. That part we share with our military and cage-fighting friends. However, the part we don't share is that the aggressor is usually only semi-committed, driven by emotion rather than paycheck, and the fight happens in a public social setting with lots of words before and after the physical contact.

By no coincidence, To-Shin Do is really good at handling those factors. For us, addressing social nuance, uncertainty, and verbal precursors is the ultimate in keeping it real. To my view, a gang of killers in a basement is much easier - absolutely no social or moral ambiguity. If only all the bad guys wore ID badges... but, in our training, we've got to keep it real.

Cardinal Rules

2009-09-09T19:44:00.004-06:00

Recently, Erich Smith (Chapel Hill Quest) and I were having an exchange on Facebook. I thought his realizations and connections were so cool that they needed to be shared with more people. Erich gave me permission to repost his ideas here. Thanks Erich!

I was inspired today by your fantastic new window posters! I was thinking also about the recent post about the dojo phrases we internalize.

We've accreted several phrases at the CHQC over the years, but the core have always been:

Keep your...
knees bent,
back straight,
eyes open and on the bad guy,
and...
move your feet!

[We repeat these] over and over and over again. Today, I tried to listen to them with fresh ears, and heard something completely new (to me):

knees bent - CHI
back straight (movement with head over hips over feet) - SUI
eyes open and on the bad guy - KA
move your feet - FU

From a certain point of view, each of the elements could be viewed as isolated (for learning's sake) explorations of the dynamics presented in the cardinal rules.

If I had to pick a dojo phrase for void/KU, I'd go with "It's always my turn!"

I Can't

2009-09-02T18:38:00.003-06:00

We have a lot of folk wisdom in the dojo. "Keep blood in your skin sack". "It's always your turn". "Hard weapons=soft targets". But I think my favorite is the one we aren't allowed to say "I can't". If you say those words on the mat, you'll quickly find yourself doing push-ups but you'll also have an instructor right there to talk to you to phrase what you really mean. It could be that you think "This is really hard" or it could be "I have no idea what you mean". These two statements are very different and making the distinction between them will allow your training to progress. The words "I can't" stop all future growth; you just stop dead and now you start trying to prove how you really can't. You can. Maybe not today or even tomorrow but if you keep trying eventually you'll say "I did it"!

(Mis-)Applying Strategies and Tactics

2009-08-21T18:41:00.003-06:00

I asked Boulder Quest shodan and senior student Thomas Luce to contribute his wisdom to our blog, based on what he is studying right now toward his second-degree black belt. He responded with this insightful essay into the nature of victory, a worthy topic for a student striving toward mastery!

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When I was invited to guest-blog, I decided to focus on the book Life-Lessons from Combat Generals. It may seem like combat maneuvers are pretty specific in applicability, but we can learn a lot about ourselves and our lives by looking at the wisdom gained by generals in battle.

As a society we have mixed feelings about war, and some may find it hard to look at men of war as role-models. On the other hand, there are some good metaphors in large scale conflicts. If we assert that ultimate truth is in fact universal, then why would truth not reveal itself even in war?

To explore what these generals found, I first need to define the terms "strategy" and "tactic". A strategy is a system of operating that is separate from the specifics of any individual encounter. A tactic is a plan involving details relating to current conditions in a specific encounter. To give a warfare-based example, it could be said that a strategy is to take and control high-ground, while the methods used to accomplish that in a specific battle would be the tactics (all the specific considerations relating to troop availability, terrain, weather, etc).

"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat." -- Sun Tzu

Throughout all our lives we are constantly making plans and goals. From the moment we wake up, we plan our day. From the moment we move away from parents, we plan careers. From the moment we start families, we plan futures. Setting goals, planning, and working through those plans is the foundational method from which all action is born. Sometimes the process lasts only seconds, sometimes years or decades, but it is always happening. It behooves us therefore to know the times when large plans (strategies) and small ones (tactics) are more appropriate.

I have a friend who is the ultimate idealist, all strategy and no tactics. We all have friends like this, the person who has the highest aspirations, and conducts their lives as if their vision is ultimate and has already been realized...
If only the rest of the world would get on board... They have a great strategy, but don't know when to put that aside and actually get something done. In the western "enlightened" world, we call this a good thing. Someone working for high ideals is the best of the best, even if no results are actually generated.

I have another friend who is just the opposite, all tactics and no strategy. He is always working harder and harder just to get by. Every problem is a personal assault, and he's always scrambling. He has no larger plan, so he's always "on the defensive". Although he may never "lose", he'll also never win.

It breaks my heart. Both of these people know each other, and hate each other. But they have the answer that the other one needs.

The people who actually get things done in the world are the ones who balance strategies with tactics. Although they may have high goals, they don't tie themselves down to those goals in the face of adversity. They look at whatever it is that is holding them back, study it, learn it, and then come up with a new plan for overcoming it. After that, they throw that plan away, and resume their strategy or highest ideal.

Balancing these two things can be tricky because it's easy to trick ourselves into believing that the thing that we are working on at any given instant is the most important thing that we could possibly be working on. It's rarely true. Wouldn't it be great if you could set some high ideal, come up with a plan to achieve that ideal, and then actually do it? If every decision in your life was one that brought you closer to success?

One problem that people like to talk about lately is the economic crisis. There are a lot of people all over the world who have "the"
answer to it. But anything consisting of trillions of variables and millions of actors can't possibly be solved with a single tactic. To imagine that doing just one or two things will fix a problem of that size is ludicrous! On the other hand, even with a detailed strategy, do you really think that each step will just fly through with no resistance? If you do, you're setting yourself up for certain failure.
However, if you try to plan out every detail ahead of time, you will only be wasting your time and energy.

The only solution is to have a goal, develop a strategy that moves you toward that goal against all opposition, and when opposition arises, overcome it one step at a time with appropriate tactics. Let your enemies determine how they will be defeated.

A friend of mine and I started a business with this very goal. The strategy is simple: provide a mechanism that gives people the space to feel good about money, letting them develop their own strategies for success. The tactics we use to get from here to there are being determined by our users, our competition, our supporters and detractors. Our movements towards our goal will, and must, always be determined moment to moment. How sad it would be if we set out with some grand vision and no substance, or a scheme with no direction.

Think of something in your life that you want. Something big. Think about how you would get from here to there a year or two at a time. That’s your strategy. Then take some action. Inevitably everything will change. When it does, just take a breath, look around you, and come up with a plan for just this change. That’s a tactic. Once you've gotten past that, look at your grand plan (strategy), forget the tactic you just used, and repeat. You might be surprised. This is the process of war-winning generals, and more deeply, it is the method of creating success. Let your obstacles defeat themselves by suggesting tactics to you, and then check in after each battle to ensure you are still following your strategy. In this way a person can accomplish world-changing feats. In all other ways we are subject to the tactics of those making changes.

Thomas Luce
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Well-stated, Thomas!

Book sample 1

2009-08-14T09:54:00.003-06:00

Hello friends,

Many of you kindly replied that you would comment on some samples from my workbook concept. I was surprised at some of the voices that pitched in - wonderful to have feedback from a diverse group.

For this sample, I'm experimenting with some new ideas in writing style, so what I'd really like to know is how this passage makes you feel. What thoughts and emotions does it create, if any? Please be honest. If you think I might be embarrassed or upset by what you have to say, let me assure you that I'd rather you say it when it's a blog post than years from now when it's a book. Besides, I can always delete your comment. :)
---------------------------

If you are reading this book, you are a very lucky person.

It might not feel like a big deal if the act of picking up the book wasn’t a big exertion. You might not usually think about all the power you have that allows you to acquire and read a book.

First of all, you had to be a human being. Whatever your ideas are about how a human being comes to exist, there is a certain awe in the recognition that the energies which became you could have been other things. Out of all the possibilities, you are a human being. Not only that, but if you are somehow understanding these words, then you are a relatively healthy human being blessed with a strong mind. There are many humans on Earth right now who do not have the health, focus, or intelligence to understand these words, due to age, illness, malnutrition, or extreme survival conditions distracting them.

Secondly, to read this book, you had to put some effort into education, language, and literacy. Whether or not you were the very best student, you stuck with it enough to really learn to read and understand language at a sophisticated level. There are many humans who turn their back on literacy because of more pressing needs or confusion about what is important in life. With the blessings of your teachers and guides, you acquired some education and understanding. Maybe all this seemed automatic to you, but that would only be because you had a good attitude about it from the beginning – because you expected to develop yourself into a mature and intelligent being.

And then, with all these good conditions in place, you had to encounter this book. This is a really rare event. Various sources estimate that between 20 million and 100 million books have been written. If you read a book a week for 60 years, you would read 3000 books – a tiny fraction of everything written. To find a book that can change your life for the better requires both discernment to narrow the field and good fortune to encounter the correct book.

Now you have arrived with all these advantages, navigated through and around all the books that couldn’t possibly help you, and found this book that could possibly make a big and beautiful difference in your life. Of course, it still isn’t a sure thing, but it’s definitely worth a determined effort to read and contemplate these ideas. This very moment, in this very special human lifetime, could be the time when you find the breakthrough that you need.
-----------------------------

Vetting a book

2009-08-13T10:20:00.004-06:00

Hello friends,

I'm working on writing a meditation workbook based on the program we teach at the Boulder Quest Center. It would be fun to run parts of the book by you and get your input. If I posted sections of the book here, would you be willing to give feedback?

Longs Peak climbing trip, part 3 of 3

2009-08-12T13:27:00.001-06:00

We pushed on. By now, a few people had met us coming back, saying, “Don’t go. It’s too windy.” Now we met a ranger on the edge of the insane cliff called the Narrows. She was sitting down and saying she wasn’t going on. A family member was with her trying to convince her to proceed, and she was saying no way.

We chatted for a few moments about the weather. We cautiously proceeded while she continued discussing it with her climbing companion. At last, we reached the end of the Narrows to witness the Homestretch, a near-vertical crack running up the last 200 feet to the summit. We had been exposed to the icy wind for over 3 hours now, and above 13,000 feet for the last 2 hours. We could see the summit and the rest of the route clearly from where we sat, but I noticed that my whole body had started shaking from the combination of exhaustion, adrenaline, and hypothermia. My hands quivered and burned intensely, coming back from the numbness of mild frostbite even through my gloves, and I felt dizzy. Shannon looked at me, looked at the wall, and shook her head.

I gave her the thumbs up to indicate my agreement. We had climbed Longs Peak. We were done. I checked the altitude meter – 14,050 feet. I took a couple of photos, and we started the way back… through the Narrows and turbine-rock, to the top of the Trough. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief to be headed toward lower elevations while I was still intact.

The chokestone at the top of the Trough posed a problem. Down-climbing is a little more awkward than climbing up, and found myself in an awkward spot clinging to the side of the cliff face, unable to go forward or back. I paused to consider my predicament, and another climber called out to me. “Are you stuck?”

I couldn’t believe it – I haven’t been stuck climbing something since I was a little kid. But, I was indeed stuck. “Yeah,” I called out. He climbed partway up and made a brace with his body so I could use him to transition to another ledge. I made it off the stone and marveled at how much I was losing my faculties. My hands had become claws, my balance was questionable, and I was having trouble seeing clearly.

We scampered down the Trough, trying not to create rockslides and dodging other people’s rock slides. We ground across the Ledges, still exposed to the intense wind, and by the time we passed back over the roaring 70 mph lip of the Keyhole, everything in our bodies hurt.

Finally, descending the wall that leads to the Keyhole, I started to regain some intelligence again. My hands thawed out, my brain thawed out, and it became evident that we were going to make it back. I reflected on how I had experienced everything I came for – the intensity, vastness, and power of a big mountain. I just hadn’t realized how much it would hurt.

Safely back at the Boulderfield, we re-gathered cached gear and took stock. We were still 6 miles from the car, and very tired. Shannon wanted to push hard to the car before her legs stiffened up – I wanted to continue my meditation practice with the mantras I had intended earlier. We agreed to separate – the way down was clear blue skies, mellow wind by comparison, and easy navigation. She set off for the car, and I spent about 30 minutes in meditation and recitation.

I started the long hike back. As I went, I recited mantras, stopped for photos of chipmunks, pika, and marmots, and retrieved the water bottles I cached on the way up. It was fun, and I tried to enjoy the scenery and the game of finding the water bottles even though my legs and back were screaming at me.

At least I wasn’t cold anymore. The sun continued to warm the day, and as I dropped below the last snowfields, it got up into the 60s. I put my gloves, hat, and jacket away and kept going.

At 11,000 feet, I found Mary enjoying the sunny day on a big rock. It felt so good to see her! She was happy and healthy, and let me know Shannon had passed by 20 minutes prior. We set off down the mountain as I told my story and she shared hers – a much more graceful and relaxed account of a day on the mountain. While I was struggling to stay alive, she was singing, napping, and meandering through the high hills. She sat by waterfalls, ate apricots, and did a crossword puzzle. We decided that she should do a television show on how to enjoy yourself in nature, as opposed to trying to conquer it. “Woman in the Wild” – like The Crocodile Hunter meets Martha Stewart.

I reflected on the enormous pain and risk of the climb and wondered why we glorify these things. It seems like our culture is obsessed with the extremes, but it’s clear that the extremes are no fun. Of course, it’s possible to overcome the extremes with enough planning, preparation, practice, conditioning, focused intention, divine intervention… but why do it for mere recreation or bragging rights? The folks on TV do it for a paycheck. I did this climb to see what was there and to push myself to the limits of my outdoors skills. I accomplished my goals. I reminded myself that I wouldn’t need to do that again.

And how could I recommend it to others? Such an extreme exertion and danger makes no sense without a very compelling sacred mission. I can hardly justify my own journey, except that it brought me to a transformative recognition of how I relate to risk, work, and identity.

I completed my mantra recitations with the Dedication of Merit, a mantra whereby one states that any benefit created by this work is for the purpose of making the world a better place. No other purpose is acceptable. Did I make the world a better place by climbing Longs Peak? I’m a little clearer, a little cleaner, more satisfied and aware of my place in the world. I appreciate comfort and intelligence more now. I’m a little more focused on what I need to do. May all of those attributes be put into service of a greater good.

Longs Peak climbing trip, part 2 of 3

2009-08-11T13:17:00.001-06:00

I was starting to get beat down by the exhaustion and wind, but Shannon was very encouraging and kept reminding me to take it a few rocks at a time. We eventually reached the top of the Keyhole, and we were greeted with the two-thousand foot cliff behind it, 70 mph winds over the lip, and the Ledges off to the left - the series of interconnected rock ledges that traverse the west face of the mountain over a stunning drop. It's like a real-life Mario Bros. level.

Shouting to be heard through the wind, we pushed around the corner to where the winds were only 40 mph again. Unfortunately, now the mountain blocked the sun, so we were cold, no question about it. On the other hand, I'd now made it further than ever before, and I was invigorated by the Ledges. This was my whole reason to climb Longs Peak - I wanted to see the huge drops and dramatic rocks.

When I sustained exertion for too long, I could feel my stomach start to knot up, and I knew from past experience that this was the beginning of altitude sickness for me. I stopped, breathed deeply, and the feeling would pass. I could keep my body under control and warm if I was careful and paying attention. I couldn't eat anymore, unfortunately, because of the altitude, so I'd had my last food at the Boulderfield.

The Ledges went on for so long that I got disoriented and thought maybe we were almost to the summit. Hah! As we reached the Trough, the next mega-section, I asked someone coming down if that was the Homestretch, the last section. He laughed. "Oh, no..."

The Trough is a climbing section that goes up from 13,200 feet to 14,000 feet. If it were down at a nice altitude like 7000 feet, it would be a thoroughly satisfying adventure all by itself. It would also help if it wasn't constantly windy and freezing cold, and if a person hadn't already been hiking for 6 hours at high altitude. Ice coated many of the rocks - even in August - and climbers above would knock off rocks that would come bouncing down the canyon. My hands alternating between painful and numb, even through my gloves.

We spent a bit less than an hour making gradual tortuous progress up the Trough. Everybody was slow here, grinding along and trying to keep our spirits up. The views were amazing, when you could remember to enjoy them, as we could see over all nearby peaks and far into the distance. The drop below the Trough is thousands of feet to lakes and snow fields. Still, in truth, it was hard to enjoy because my body hurt so much.

Near the top of the Trough is the chockstone, as they call it, which is a big boulder that seals the canyon of the Trough. You have to climb up the stone, and although it's only a few feet, it was real climbing with handholds and care. Again what would be trivial for in good times, and fun in pleasant times, required some real thought and assessment up here. One group watching me climb it decided to turn around at that point. Shannon followed me up, and we were both amazed to look back down over what we had ascended. Amazed at our abilities, and scared at the notion of having to climb back down it later.

Shannon pulled ahead while I adjusted my gear, but the Trough seemed to terminate in empty space. The backside of the Trough is a cliff of at least 2000 feet, maybe 3000 feet. She lurched to a stop when her eyes fell on the vast nothing, and I could see the stunned expression of surprise on her face. "Where do we go from here?" she called back to me in the ever-present wind.

"Turn left," I shouted back, directing her to the beginning of the Narrows, which are basically a stone catwalk along the super-high cliff. I climbed up to her location and we began the trek across the Narrows.

The Narrows are traversing the face of the cliff, even going downhill slightly, but they are just wide enough for one person to walk comfortably. Anyone passing someone has to slow down, use handholds, and snuggle by. The wind was still pounding us at 40 mph with 60+ mph gusts, so you had to keep your knees bent or a sudden gust would knock you down. Luckily, it mostly threw you against the rock face and not off into the void. I lost my balance a couple of times, and one occasion got such vertigo that I toppled over. I witnessed another guy have the same thing and fall right off the mountain… luckily only 5 below to another ledge, where he landed on his pack and seemed okay.

I had gotten distracted from my mantra practice, but I remembered now and sat down to do a few more, invoking protection and inner judgment. This is the part where you have to make hard decisions or face hard consequences.

The wind got even more ridiculous on the Narrows. Although most of it is a catwalk, in one place you have to climb through a whole about 5 feet up. It seemed like the entire atmosphere was being crammed through that hole. As I tried to climb against it, the air jetting through at me was moving at least 100 mph. It was so intense that it felt liquid, like being plunged into an icy stream, and I could barely pull myself against it. I managed a rather undignified slither over the rock upstream.

Shannon started the climb and got three-quarters up but couldn’t push against the wind anymore. I braced myself with three limbs, wedged in between rocks, and reached out a hand. She grabbed it, we both pulled, and she moved up through the slipstream too fast, slamming her head into the ceiling of rock overhead. She was knocked silly for a moment and dropped back down, but we couldn’t because of the wind noise. After she regained orientation, I helped pull her through and we checked her head – no bleeding, but a bruise to the spirit... (to be concluded in part 3)