TO-SHIN DO: Ninjutsu FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
TO-SHIN DO: Ninjutsu FOR THE XXI CENTURY Luca Paniconi
"Only a Ninja can kill a ninja ... any weapon being used against him."
Those who like me was a little kid in the 80's, definitely remember this phrase taken from one of the many B-movie era who rode the "Ninja Mania".
The world had discovered the existence of the Japanese warrior shadow and was fascinated. Sniffed in many business and without any knowledge of the historical and moral value of the true art of the Ninja, and even fewer scruples, dived into this new market. Rivers of movies, comics and books written by authors ignorant of any knowledge of the true Ninjutsu away even more from the public historical reality. Not to mention some shady characters who, taking advantage of the current fashion, were protagonists of ugly legal mess.
Today the term "Ninja" or "Ninjutsu" (in reference to their art) is so misunderstood and compromise, it is impossible to use such terms without bringing to mind images of ruthless murderers, addicted to every kind of cruelty, or receive ironic smiles from our partner, that come to mind, at best, the friendly turtles.
Yet art is alive, real and tested through centuries of history by people like you and me, and has enormous potential for modern Western man, for his welfare and happiness in society.
Ninjutsu was established as a set of techniques, strategies, tactics and philosophies adopted by a social group of people in response to a hostile environment and the need to ensure the welfare and survival, physical and spiritual, of his family in a historical period of uncertainty and civil war. The men and women who in time became known as Ninja Japanese crossed the history, characterized by long civil wars interspersed with periods of relative peace imposed by a strict central control, seeking spiritual enlightenment. A search that inevitably clashed with the ideas of the powerful, to which a free and enlightened people did some pleasure. After all, even in our history, the "enlightened", who had new ideas that clashed against the status quo imposed, they became enemies (see Galileo Galilei or some stories about the witch hunts). Hence the need to develop a system that would guarantee the survival of their families and their social group, and very important in my opinion, that would allow to achieve happiness, of course, all human beings seek. Over the centuries, "the art of invisibility" was also known as "The art of victory". According to me it would be more correct to call it "the art of happiness", because the victory is only a moment, a moment, a long way around.
The historical roots of Ninjutsu are deep and often difficult to separate from the legends. Some seem to bring to Tibet. For example, the classical chain with two weights, Kusari-fundo, has a remarkable similarity in structure and use, a bolt of iron tied to a leather thong, which is used to close the doors of time, that the Tibetan warrior monks used to bring to life, even as a weapon of defense.
Such a value could not be wasted, passing it to the stupid stunts by Jackie Chan movies, made more to meet the 'ego of' "teacher" on duty and enchant potential students, who bring a real benefit to them.
These are the reasons that led my Master Stephen K. Hayes to use another term, To-Shin Do, to refer to his art, which is nothing other than reading "alternative" characters, kanji, Japanese ideogram "Nin" Ninja. Nin can mean "secret" or "hidden" (read as shinobi), but read in another way can mean "Tenacity", "resistance" or, better, "perseverance". Here is the true meaning of Ninjutsu: a promise not sterile strength and invincibility (I guess we are all matured and we are not getting behind adolescent tales of strength, in front of a Van Damme movie), but rather an admission:
that life will inevitably be difficulties and obstacles encountered, but with perseverance and tenacity can be overcome to achieve happiness we seek.
And this, again, is tested historically by men and women who went through centuries of civil war.
Stephen K. Hayes is the most authoritative exponent of the art western, and the founder of To-Shin Do. It 'was a pioneer, has opened its doors to the West to this art and is currently considered by the prestigious magazine "Black Belt" "one of the 10 living martial arts teachers most influential in the world. " In Italy we have known through 6 of his books (he has written 11 other unpublished in Italy), published by Edizioni Mediterranee, and also thanks to the work dell'Ancona Quest Center, only school authorized to teach in this country of To- Shin Do, who invited him to hold a workshop in our country in 2005, which will be replicated next August 22/23. An exceptional event, which will be addressed both Shinden Fudo ryu of the study, one of nine schools that make up the technical knowledge of Ninjutsu, which of Kuji-kiri, resulting from an art Mikkyo, esoteric Buddhism (in the sense of difficult to access without that a qualified teacher you explain) and never has been proposed for such a high level or by a more authoritative, first in Italy. 
Writer, adventurer, actor, ninja, Buddhist priest, a personal friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama ... Mr. Hayes can be defined in many ways. I'm lucky to call friends and teachers. I never thought that I knew my "hero" of childhood, I'd be able to become his pupil or the less I could call him friend. But An-shu Hayes is this: great on the mat, disarming in its simplicity in loving life.
Stephen K. Hayes was just a boy in Ohio for 70 years, when he decided, to the amazement of his friends and family, to sell everything, gym, home and car, and go to Japan to find the last living Ninja , Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, and become a student. Do not know the language, had no friends waiting for him there and had little money. At the time such an idea had the same impact of credibility that would claim to want to go to America to become an assistant sheriff of Tex Willer, pace of Kit Carson!
Instead, in spite of enormous difficulties and hardships, he succeeded, and brought the art in the West. Today, a true "explorer", continues to travel the world to further his art, studying and experimenting.
If you imagine a man deep, ice-eyed and mysterious ways, you will be disappointed.
An-shu (Japanese word for the director, referring to his dojo) Hayes is a man open, cheerful, it has welcomed all with a smile and make them feel at ease. These qualities are reflected in the dojo, whose many members are a real family.
The first time I met him I was amazed by the charismatic presence of this man, who knows how to communicate, rather than with words, with the soul.
His lectures are based not on esoteric mysteries difficult to understand but on pragmatism, rational understanding of the topics and interior, transmitted from the heart, always keeping in mind that what you are learning to change your life every day!
In fact the difference between an approach to "classical" to Ninjutsu and that proposed by To-shin do is always aimed to be precisely the modern Western. Ninjutsu is the cultural baggage of defense technology and personal development generated by a people different from us Italians (or Westerners in general) and then each technique must be understood and adjusted to the different social and cultural environment. To explain better: If you propose a technique that involves as a situation that I and my enemy wear the Yoroi, Japanese armor, how many of you would be able to empathize with this situation? To imagine the weight of the armor, limited movements and mechanics of the body covered by Yoroi? Few can imagine, even among many experts. How many of us can identify with a man of the thirteenth century, Japanese, moving in a society completely, and culturally distant from ours? But how many of you are able to identify with Paul, tobacconist who has suffered an attempted robbery and was beaten or Cristina, who came home almost being raped in the entrance hall of his palace? All, of course.
Self-defense is the starting point in the study of Ninjutsu, as it is in the To-Shin Do approach. Think of such attacks actually happen, and probably it is possible that today, when I leave the office, school or home and teach them how to defend ourselves from these events very likely in our modern society (personally I have never been attacked by a ninja armed with a spear garage, parking the car). It 'very likely that a young, drunk and nervous, with no martial arts experience, try to hit you with a hook to the face because you have set in the disco (or at least believe that you could), but it is very unlikely that a sample Olympic Judo attempting to land in or that a sample International Vale Tudo I want to break your legs. It 'a simple matter of reality and statistics. Ask the police station. In making the study one realizes that "self defense" exception has much larger and only refer to a global defense kicks and punches.
Defence personnel is also meditation, derived from Tendai Buddhism and Mikkyo, to be more focused, concentrated, more in tune with the reality that we live with our mechanical and interior to be more aware and calm, able to avoid those inner conflicts or psychological aggression that we live every day (meditation does not mean an altered state of consciousness, a dream state, '70s-style flower children on acid). While it is true that you can suffer an attack in a parking lot is also true that each of us undergoes psychological assaults every day, at work, for example, by superiors, colleagues or customers. And here the historical legacy of Ninjutsu provides tools that allow us to overcome these obstacles and not be oppressed or demoralized. Beyond this, greater powers of concentration and mindfulness is essential in a society where normal driving, talking on the phone, smoking, I glance at the newspaper on the passenger seat and eat at once!
But it is also by the body, the "wellness" physical, if I pass the time, maintaining a healthy body, strong and agile, formed naturally, protecting and treating me with a balanced and healthy.
To-shin do speak a language not exclusive, but popular, thinking about a natural approach is for the athlete already familiar with other martial arts for the housewife who wants to feel more relaxed and confident.
The "classic", the most characteristic and, perhaps, folk, with its techniques of fighting with weapons, methods of silent walking, invisibility or launch of shuriken (the first thing you associate with the word ninja, the "pips") is not eliminated, but reserved for advanced students. Not for a reason elite , Caste or exclusive, but only for an objective problem of ease of study. The goal by Stephen K Hayes and To-shin do is to offer a real improvement, and a real and objective understanding of the art of the Ninja, not a weapon enchant with exotic.
The work of the Master Hayes is not intended as a work of "modernization" of Ninjutsu, because there is nothing to modernize, in the sense of improving. Ninjutsu fits naturally 
the time without cutting their roots and history. An art is alive, do not you create a table. Da Vinci, Mozart or Giotto did not create their masterpieces at the table, but they lived their art every day. Same thing for Ninjutsu: it can only be adapted to the reality that surrounds us daily and social (that you actually live?).
Quite the To-Shin Do is a work of translation to modern Western man, of centuries of Japanese martial art very tied to its religious culture, political and social, often difficult to understand even for a modern Japanese, so to make it more easily approachable, less esoteric (in the literal sense, difficult to access) and more "exoteric."
As I said earlier on 22/23 August Stephen K Hayes returned to Italy.
If you are looking for a martial art that can truly change the quality of your life come and try. I assure you that you will not be disappointed. But if, like me, you read his books as kids, you already know what to expect.
Luke Paniconi, responsible for Italy's Stephen K Hayes To-Shin Do
For information on courses Toshin-do in Italy
Master of the Stage and Stephen Hayes in Italy on 22/23 August 2009
link SKH QUEST CENTER ANCONA
SICILY VIA, 2
60015 FALCON MARITIME (AN)
tel. 0247956951 (Skype number)
Email anconaquestcenter@gmail.com
