Interview with "American Shaolin" Chris Friedman

 I am going to welcome Chris Friendman to my Blog he has written a one book for Shadow Warrior Press and revised and improved it before self-publishing it in China and offering it directly on Amazon, trained in Shaolin Kung-fu in China, as well as, other Chinese martial arts. He also writes for JetLi.com and a kung-fu magazine. You also offer a travel service to train in Kung-fu in China as well. Not to mention other styles of martial arts here in the states... Thats certainly a list of accomplishments, is there anything I left out?
Hi Ron well I am now embarking on the role of a novelist writing my first novel in the true crime genre.

Now I was thinking of not putting you on the spot but, no... The hell with it, I am gonna put you on the spot. You used to train in the Bujiinkan, as well, didn't you?
Yes, I trained in Bujinkan for about seven years. During that time I also crossed trained in several style. I have always used free sparring as part of my training and as most know traditionally in the Bujinkan they don’t spar, as part of their training. So I would train in systems like Sambo and Judo during that time. I reached the rank of Shodan then, transferred over to the Chinese arts. I was always slightly more interested in the Chinese culture and, liked the idea of having many solo drills and routines to do as part of my training.

Now you've seen the bad with it and I am not ask you about it. Its been discussed publicly on Facebook and privately. I am not going to beat a dead horse. Your instructor was a pretty amazing guy and you talked about him in your book, would you share that story?
Several of the Bujinkan instructors I trained under worked in security and law enforcement. One worked as a guard in Rykers Island and told many stories of using the stuff in real life. There were a couple of other instructors they had brief brushes with adversaries on the streets also with interesting stories to tell.

Now to be honest, I wanted to get that story out there because regardless of the art, he seemed like a very good guy and a highly skilled martial artist. I want to use him as an example of what the good Bujinkan Instructors look like...

So can we agree to leave all that under the bridge and talk about you and China?
Well, that particular instructor was very humble and friendly. He obviously had a lot of real life experience and, was not puffed up with false prestige. Sure I love to share my adventures here with anyone who is willing to listen.

Now, lets start with why you went to China? And how long you been there?
I always wanted to train in Asia. I grew up watching kung fu movies on channel five. I would put on a karate gi after and, go into my backyard in Long Island, New York do kata and imagine I was one of those guys in the movies. I got my first chance to take a two week trip there to train. Loved it, met a friend while there and, made the plan. I have been living here about eleven years already.

What is it like coming back to the US when, you have been living in China so long?
I feel really nervous. The people their behavior everything. The thing that makes me most nervous is how easy it is to get into a conflict with people in the states. Very different from China.

Have you met Jet Li yet? What's he like?
I never met Jet Li. I did do some extra work on films in the past but, never got to meet any of these big wigs.

 What are your instructors like in China?
They have all been really nice and open with me. I will only train with teachers whose personality suits mine. That goes for in the states as well. I don’t need a Master to tell me how to live sleep and eat. Just someone who is friendly easy going and willing to teach me what I’m looking to learn.

Now you wrote an article for this blog, detailing the differences in how the training in China is so different from the US would explain that here?
In the states there is more real life violence. Here they fight as in Sanda but it is mostly for a living like a job. Very few people get into fights on the streets here. The motivation is different. The basics are very solid in China, they have more patience and discipline you can say. Also usually there is less cross training. The country isn’t as open as in the US. Both are good and have their benefits.

So the Chinese arts you have studied do stress Sparring Correct?
Since I have been in China I have studied three system each has its own story. Baguazhang in Beijing. I took private lessons and every once in a while I would have a partner and do some application. As far as I know his group classes didn’t spar. Back in the state where I did Bagua Zhang they spared every week, and did special drills as well. Shuai Jiao (Chinese wrestling) which is  like a very aggressive version of Judo, where you wear short sleeve jackets and, very aggressively grab yank pull and throw each other. I trained with professional fighters the majority of the time and, the wrestling sparring was very rough. I got my ass handed to me weekly.

Within Songshan Shaolin all the school do Sanda as part of their curriculum. School levels in Sanada vary. I train once a week with full time Sanda fighters and, also spar with my traditional Shi fu students. Sanda is like most other forms of kickboxing but, also has throws. I also had a couple of real incidents but, we can save those stories for another time.

And how do they feel about Grappling? They are not all limited to just striking as seen in many forms of competition like Sport Karate?
Sanada has throws but, many schools these days seem to be neglecting them and, focusing on purely kickboxing aspect of it. Qin Na which has always been an integral part of Shaolin and, other styles of kung fu, has become very rare around here. Luckily I have found an old school teacher that knows the stuff well. Qin Na has all kinds of locks holds and escapes, even some ground fighting.  The Baugua Zhang had lots of locks escapes and thows, but no ground fighting. Shuai Jiao was all throws.  One of my Shuai Jiao coaches went on to become a MMA fighter. Because he came from a Shuai Jiao background when he began to cross train in BJJ, he picked it up real quick. He is a Beast on the ground weighs 125 pound and, can just destroy me on the ground and I’m 170 pounds and, was at one time a decent ground fighter.

So you've read the Shadow Warrior version of World's Deadliest Fighting Secrets, what are your thoughts on the Book in general?
Very interesting read. Count Dante was quite the character. I heard he was a very good fighter so there is no disputing the guy had skills and, was tough. I don’t agree with his philosophies. Firstly, in my opinion, martial arts are more than just fighting and, if you learn to control your mind and emotions you can not only avoid many fights but, improve health. I think if you had an option of using your martial arts to live a long healthy life or, a reckless dangerous one, the former is better. The fact that he died young and, even one of his students were killed says something about this point.

How about Count Dante and, his view of martial arts and racism in the martial arts?
I agree with him on that point. Prejudice suck and is evil in any shape or form. To fight against it is righteous and courageous.

Did you have any experiences with Racism in the Martial Arts, in China?
It is very subtle and sneaky form. They won’t come out and, say something but, they are very insecure around foreigners as they call us here.  Especially, around their woman. As far as martial arts training no. On the contrary my teachers have been very happy to have such a dedicated and, sincere student.

 I would say when have grown a lot more beyond that here in the US, wouldn't you?
Both have been important parts of my growth. I had a wild up bringing and, now to be in the strict environment of Chinese life style helps to balance things out. But, for people growing up in China it is like they are in a bubble. They are very limited to what they experience and, know about the rest of the world. I also am very grateful to have lived in another country, it teachings me a lot, to see things from other perspectives.

 In fact, I think the world of martial arts has opened quite a bit in our life times. I mean we have experienced a flowering and, openness to be able to learn martial arts as we have in the years since Dante's time but, we have also seen a rise in frauds and invented lineages as well... But, have you seen the same patterns as well in China?
In China if someone creates a new branch of an existing style, for example my Bagua Zhang teacher did. It comes from the traditional stuff and, not some imaginary linage. But that is my only experience with that subject. There might be people in China making up lineages. I don’t even really think making up a style is so bad, if the artist is gifted, the problem is they often lie about the history to seem more legit.

Now these adventures, seems the only word which comes to mind, you sell. Allowing people to come to China and train there, is amazing. I mean its living the dream for many martial artists... Its not just site seeing, its hard style training. Very serious stuff right?
Yes, the training is hard but you can do as much as you feel comfortable with. Many student here are young and, train full time so if someone older and, don’t train for a living, they will understand the fitness level won’t be the same. So it will be up to the student to decide how hard they want to push their bodies. If someone comes to train with us, they can learn Shaolin Basics, forms, empty handed and weapons, sanda (kickboxing), two man conditioning drills, qin na self-defense, shi suo (a traditional tool similar to a kettle drum), meditation and qi gong (health qi work). Or they can choose to specialize in any of the mentioned skills.

 In fact, the Chinese have a different view of rank don't they? How do the Chinese view rank in a martial art?
It varies and, if it is a government run organization, they have pretty formal ranks but, I never went that route so can speak much on it. With my teachers it is usually student and instructor. I have reached instructor level and, been certified by two of my Shaolin Shifus already. The term master is a tricky one, usually it is a term used by others who respect your level. Of course these days people call themselves "master" and, put it on their business cards even in Asia. I prefer the term Shifu which is just used for martial arts teachers. I have had a few foreign guests here call me Master, which is flattering but, I don’t take it too seriously. I never heard my teachers call themselves master either. I also don’t like calling anyone master because I practice Hinduism and, that is a term reserved for God.

 In fact, I am very late in getting this interview up... So I have to  cut it short, which is a bad thing... In any event, I would like to thank you for Interview and, want to ask if there is any links to your articles with Jetli.com, Shaolin Tai Chi Magazine and other sources so readers can follow you online?

Ah yes my YouTube channel and my latest article on JetLi.com, A Day in the Life of a Shaolin Foreign Disciple.

Dr. Kazoo Falls Threw... Why the Bujinkan hates me... Part 2.

Ok, so this gets into the newly discovered statements accredited to Hatsumi on research cedited to Dr. Kasem...

I will address the statements below...

 

 

Now this is interesting because on Why the Bujinkan hates me... Dr. Kasem's claim to finding Toda Shinryuken's grave must now be disproven but, its also a means of discrediting any lineage claims without hard evidence.

Additionally,  I am trying to give Sean Adskew the benefit of the doubt. However, he makes many excuses for why the Togakure Ryu lineage is so disjointed and even mentions fictional characters. However, as Hatsumi stated in Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu, sold as Ten Ryaku, Ten Chi, Kinryaku no Maki in Japan, there is no written transmission of the school (also addressed in the link above), so said Takamatsu.

I can and, will, also point out that since no lineage exists beyond what Takamatsu claims, we also have to look at such claims with a grain of salt.

Take the Kobusho, which existed from 1856 to 1866, Takamatsu lived from 1889 to 1972 meaning that image of who Toda Shinryuken might be in the Why the Bujinkan hates me is not proof of anything...

For one... The Kobusho was ended 23 years before Takamatsu's birth. So this and the name of Toda would have already been established in Takamatsu's life time... As would be the presence of Toda Hisajiro as an instructor.

Secondly, Ninjutsu is not that special. Almost every Koryu system had some form of it. The formation of specific schools lf thought came during Tokugawa Shogunate period of peace. Many had no specialty originally and were established as specialists in certain areas of combat, much later in History.

Hence, why certain Jujutsu Ryu also include weapons arts like Tantojutsu, Bojutsu, Kenjutsu and Hojojutsu, yet specialise in unarmed fighting, Jujutsu.

Third, what Sean Askew is suggesting is the dumbest "Ninja Move" of all... Calling his Secret Ninja Grandfather Toda Shinryuken as opposed to Toda Hisajiro, doesn't protect the mythological ninja secret of the Toda Family...

Lets say I am enemy ninja, I look up instructors at the Kobusho. I find no Toda Shinryuken but I find Toda Hisajiro's listed as an instructor there. Toda is a family name, so maybe Toda Hisajiro is related to Toda Shinryuken? Lets investigate Toda Hisajiro's family and goings on... It is just as likely that Takamatsu, made up the name Toda Shinryuken as a source for his invented Togakure Ryu and based the exploits of Toda Hisajiro's own life.

Finally, we get to Kacem... Kacem Zoughari is a PhD in Japanese History and Culture from Paris. However, if Hatsumi's words are true and, there is no reason to doubt them at this time. Dr. Kacem Zoughari is now a discredited source with horrible stain of providing false information to support the Bujinkan Lineage and, to make money off fraudulent martial arts claims and teachings...

Interview with Warlock Asylum: Messiah'el Bey

Well I anounced this upcoming interview, with Messiah'el Bey on the Art of Ninzuwu at the end of 2017 and want to make his Interview one of the first if not the first of 2018.

Thank for doing this interview. I have to ask is Messiah’el Bey your legal name? It just sounds too cool to be true.

Messiah’el Bey: Yes. It is what it is. Shamans and hoodoo men have a long history of changing their names or taking on an attribute to accommodate the spirit hosting within them. I live outside of Christian society and mainstream religion. So my understanding of “Messiah’el Bey means Spirit of the Heavens and Spirit of the Earth. Messiah’el means anointed of the Sun and Bey ultimately derives from Canaanite the term for Baal, meaning Lord of the Earth. Bey was added to my name as a Moorish Scientist originally handled the legalities of the change. The title Bey was also worn by most Samurai as in Bei, like Jubei and etc. A lot of what people call Hebrew and Muslim names today originated in ancient Mesopotamia, as well as the custom, of changing one’s name when embracing a new spiritual path. My spiritual path lies in ancient Mesopotamian shamanism and Ninzuwu. Btw, Messiah’el is properly pronounced mee-sigh-el.

And how did you get the name Warlock Asylum, which is also a very cool name, by the way?

Messiah’el Bey: Thanks! It came to me in a dream after praying over the matter. I was searching for a name for the band I am in. Although, we are more of an electronic music group, I wanted something that sounded rugged, like some of the names of metal bands. Later, I began to use it as a pseudonym for other projects. At present it is a legal trademark for my published works.

Now you are musician, poet, author, martial artist and, for lack of a better term, an occultist?

Messiah’el Bey: Yes. Historically, music, writing, and occultism originated in the arts and sciences of what is known as shamanism. As a shaman, I find that these arts all stem from the same source.  While this may be a logical thought for some, when you are a shaman you understand these things on an emotional and intuitive level. It’s very simple.

You have made several blogs and videos on H. P. Lovecraft and the topic of the Necronomicon. I want to start here because I love me some Lovecraft. Let’s start with that, now the Necronomicon as written about by Lovecraft was fiction, it didn't exist but he based it on Chaldean mythology correct?

Messiah’el Bey: Actually, I never read much about Lovecraft or his stories. This is why I have to laugh when I hear people make debate about the Simon Necronomicon, as if its practitioners are foolish enough to believe it’s the book that Lovecraft wrote about.

My interest in anything “Necronomicon” began with the Simon Necronomicon, which is a grimoire of Chaldean magic.  Lovecraft had nothing to do with this text. Unfortunately, the process in how grimoires of old were constructed is not popularly known.  For example, grimoires produced during the Middle Ages would use titles of legendary books of that time, even some mythological titles. So the idea of naming a grimoire after a title of a legendary or fictional book is actually a very old practice and doesn’t necessarily constitute a hoax in itself.

On the other hand, secret societies since the days of old have used fiction to convey messages to those “who know.” After working with the Simon tome, I began to read Lovecraft and review some of the characters in his work for any signs that it may be a medium of a secret society, whether it was created by the hands of man or otherwise. Bingo! Still, I avoid such discussions for the most part. Whatever occult truths found in Lovecraft’s work can be found in other forms of art.

My understanding was that Lovecraft was obsessed with Arabian Knights and Arab myths as a kid. So he drew a lot from actual Arabian History and Mythology.

But, I am more interested in your approaching the subject from a Secret Society prospective, can you explain that?

Warlock Asylum: In the same manner that human secret societies exist, so is it that secret societies exist on a spiritual plane. As far as Lovecraft is concerned, it’s very simple. There is no difference between what humans define as artistic inspiration and spirit possession. Think about it and then ask yourself when you analyze the two, where did he stories really originate.

Can you explain this a bit more, it seems a very interesting concept to me?

Warlock Asylum: Artistic inspiration is the same as channeling from the spirit world. That’s about as simple as it gets. First, we have t grasp that when most humans say that they are thinking, it really means that they are worrying about the future or remembering the past. This is not thinking in the true sense of the word, but has everything to do with a false sense of imagination. Inspiration is a direct message from an invisible force. This is easy to see when we are really thinking. 

And, you have actually been initiated into Mesopotamian spirituality yourself, correct?

Messiah’el Bey: Yes, I have. It’s been about 10 years since the time of my initiation into the Mesopotamian current and over 20 years of studies in Mesopotamian spirituality. It’s a very unique experience and state of mind.

So how does the Mindset Differ from say a Christian or Buddhist mindset?

Warlock Asylum: Well, from my observation, there are similarities, due to the practices of virtue and its attainment that is at the heart of Mesopotamian spirituality. Unfortunately, conspiracy theories and pseudo-scholarship tarnish a lot od people’s perception of this ancient gnosis.

Can you explain these conspiracy theories? From my outlook, I see Ninzuwu as a religion that incorporates martial arts; like Christian Karate Associations but, not a Christian religion of course. Are these conspiracy theories like the Church of Satan off shoots that use the Simon Necronomicon in a Lovecraftian theme, that you are referring to?

Warlock Asylum: No. I am referring to theories that claim the Sumerian deities were aliens. Meanwhile, we have records that these same deities were offered lambs, goats, and other things in sacrificial rites. I never knew that aliens like goat meat. I think some people call it the ancient astronaut theory. But most accredited scholars will agree that it all amounts to rubbish. Zecharia Sitchin authored several books on the subject and many people quote him and claim that he was a scientist. Then you go to Wikipedia and read his bio and you discover that he was a manager at a shipping warehouse and not a scientist. He taught himself Sumerian and claim to translate some ancient texts without learning rules of grammar. In such cases, he didn’t really translate but apply his Biblical theories to an existing idea.

Now you wrote on the best historical based texts on the comparing of Lovecraftian fiction with Mesopotamian mythology in your blog... I have to ask; what are your opinions of the various Necronomicon books on the public market?

Messiah’el Bey: My interest was only in the Simon Necronomicon and even that is a gate to explore ancient Mesopotamian spirituality. Necronomicon is not a subject that I entertain often these days, save its connection to ancient Mesopotamian spirituality. That being said, I interviewed Donald Tyson several years ago about his Necronomicon series, which is very consistent to Lovecraft’s description. I think Tyson even had Daniel Harms write an introduction for the book. Joshua Free also has a nice Necronomicon series, but his works are more in tune with ancient Mesopotamian spirituality as well. Lovecraft wrote that the Necronomicon was written in blood upon pages of human flesh. In other words, the Necronomicon is the study of the human body and how to gain its best potential is the Necronomicon. What is unique about this is that Masonic initiation are also patterned after the human anatomy.

Keep in mind I am asking in these questions in the historical sense because my next question is what is your opinion of the various texts in the sense of one initiated into the Shamanistic Rites, in a spiritual sense?

Messiah’el Bey: There’s a lot of art on the market that possesses themes of magic and occult science. It should be remembered that these are natural sciences and refer to things in nature. I’ve seen these themes play out in works of fiction and real-life dramatic scenerios.

Now you are of a co-founder of the Art of Ninwuzu, correct? It is a mixing of spirituality and martial arts, can you tell me a bit more about it?

Messiah’el Bey: Ninzuwu is a cultural that I received from the Jinn. The gate to their society open after my initiation. The Art of Ninzuwu are the spiritual sciences found in Ninzuwu culture. Martial arts is one of these spiritual sciences, specifically, Ame-no-Ukihashi. This martial art is based on the mythos of Yukionna, who is also known to us as Ame-no-Ukihashi-Hime-mo-Mikoto.

And from what I was reading online, Ninzuwu sees racism and racial classification as the work of evil spirits. Would you like to explain that?

Messiah’el Bey: Yes that is true. Evil spirits operate through people to cause chaos in our world. Race is a construct that developed out of colonialism. It is the religion of the New World Order and anyone that subscribes to the religion of race is a racist. Here it is that Christians believe that Jesus died for the sins of the world, but if you’re a Christian today you have to celebrate Christmas in “your own neighborhood” because Christians believe in race more than Christ. Christians are killing other members of the human family over race. So are Muslims and Jews. Then they put this genocide in their holy books and actually believe that this is the will of the creator of the universe! If you don’t believe me then read Leviticus 25: 43-46. Before the colonial era, people were recognized by their nation of origin. In the shamanic world, one’s zodiac sign is their race.

Modern-day racial classifications were developed by Nazi predecessor Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, whose research contributed to what scholars call today scientific racism. I am Ninzuwu. The racial classification you can keep for yourself.

I can't speak of evil spirits but, it certainly been a tool of evil men. Do you think it seems as if our own leaders are trying to use racism, political parties, income and even religion to divide us?

Messiah’el Bey: Well, these forces are all influenced by the work of evil spirits. Emotions are spirits, so let’s just say negative emotions. Religion plays a big role as it is usually the personification of one’s culture. In Ninzuwu, humankind must pass through four phases of development, hunter-gatherer culture, civilization, globalization, and celestialization. Currently, we are in the transitional stages of civilization to globalization. Race cannot exist during the era of globalization.

Well it isn't Unique that Jewish law during the Bronze age would accept slavery, as a depressing as it about the state humanity. Slavery was very common but, you do make an excellent point as, Hebrews of the time looked exactly like their Arab neighbors. "Race" was a matter of culture. I don't think "race" even became part of the description of other human beings until Charles Darwin. Race aside I have found that in the history of the human race, we find many ways divide us from our fellow human beings and to justify our own actions against them. So how does the Ninzuwu ideology see those outside itself?

Warlock Asylum: As Ninzuwu, we treat everyone with respect as much respect as possible.

So basically, a you be you and you do what you do and as long you aren't harming anyone we're cool, do no harm philosophy?

Warlock Asylum: All you can be is you. That’s all you can be. You see people go around claiming that “God” made people of all different races. That’s a false statement. Yes, a divine source made people, but man made races. Nowhere in any holy book do we see people calling themselves Black and White. Race and racism is a sucker punch mainly because adherents of this idea have to support people simply on the basis of physical characteristics. When stuff like that happens it means that you get offended when someone accuses another person with the same physical characteristics as yours of doing something hateful. Now you feel the need to defend this person. It’s stupid and demonic. So lets get all the fat people in the room and make a race out of them. Let’s get all the skinny people in the room and make a race out of them. If I become president, I will make race and racism a mental disorder and while some people may think is fantasy, lets not for get the 1950’s. During the 50’s if a person was a homosexual the psychiatric world considered him ill. Today, people of the same sex can get married. In all actuality, people from this community are making more progress that the straight people who can’t beyond their complexion.

 I just have to say, that is one of the things I love about your blog. You use the actual historical context of the Simon Necronomicon. Its Just refreshing to not see someone trying to act H. P. Lovecraft's fantasy.

Warlock Asylum: Thanks very much!

Now you are a proponent of the Simon Necronomicon, why is that?

Messiah’el Bey: When I started working with the Simon Necronomicon, there was a lot of controversy surrounding the grimoire. In the beginning I decided to be neutral and just look up the stuff in the book to examine its worth when compared to ancient Chaldean texts. 90% of the information I have verified as being an authentic spiritual practice in ancinet Mesopotamia thus far. This is how the blog started.

Now let me be honest, I was a little intimidated by this interview. The amount of knowledge and information to pour over in preparation for this interview is staggering... There are several levels and complexities to your ideas and what you teach and believe. It blows the mind, really. Another mind blowing element is that you plan to run for President in 2024. How did that decision come about?

Messiah’el Bey: I’m still debating about the idea. If anything, I am hoping that such a presidential campaign would draw attention to certain issues. But I’m not sure if I want the job at this point.

And would you care to explain some of your platform here?

Messiah’el Bey: When I come to a definite decision to run for president, I will reveal that platform. However, for now I can say that free healthcare and education will be at the top of the list.

Your blogs and books address not only the spiritual but, political and psychological elements of society as well. I am a Christian but, I had an interest in the Occult for a long time, since I was kid really, having grown up around folk magic and witchcraft. However, I do share a belief with many spiritaulists that everything is connected; cause and effect, physics and meta-physics, science and magic. So what in your path separates Spirituality from Religion or are they the same things?

Messiah’el Bey: Spirituality is about the condition of your spirit and nurturing such. Religion is about one’s adherence to a set of ideas, or beliefs. Ninzuwu is a spiritual path. Its very beautiful and enlighting.

Ok, people can rest easy knowing that Ninzuwu isn't a Satanic system. But, God and the Devil are Archetypes in their own right, we see it among multiple religious systems were their is a force for good and a force for evil. Where does the Idea of Good and Evil exist in terms of Ninzuwu?

Warlock Asylum: In Ninzuwu, we must constantly work on ourselves. We work on our hearts and minds to extinguish negative emotions and cultivate good emotions, as we attribute our thoughts and emotions as creators of our experience. 

Recently, it has been confirmed by scientists like, Dr. Bruce Lipton that 97% of our experience is created by our subconscious minds. In view of such studies, what is good and what is bad? See, its easy to create teams of good and bad and then say that you are a member, but is this really helping the world? Even most Christians are not aware that the definition of “beliefs” in ancient times were the thoughts and emotions a person contained in their minds, whether they agreed with this mental states or not.

So then following your train of thought, the Simon Necronomicon isn't a Satanic text or, even a Dark One. So doesn't that mean all the reports of "evil doings" associated with the practice of ritual magic from the Simon text, is people drawing in from what they are projecting into the world. If you use the rituals with evil intent you attract evil forces?

Warlock Asylum: The Simon Necronomicon entertains a belief in dual forces, good and evil. However, it encourages the practitioner to pursue the good. Most of the text lays out heavy caution against doing ritual regularly.

So Ninzuwu is very much against absolutes or, black and white thinking to the way it examines experience and the world then? I like that... Its a very enlightened and mature world view. I wish more people had it, honestly.

Warlock Asylum: It’s about developing your soul. The subconscious mind is identical to the craft of gardening. Pulling out bad thoughts like weeds and planting good thoughts in your mind makes for a healthy harvest.

 Ninwuzu has a Shinto element or root as well, So would you care to tell me a bit about that?

Warlock Asylum: Ninzuwu has a lot of things in it as pantheonic religions didn’t see themselves separate from each other. So it is important to remember that first. We do invoke the kami and participate in a form of spiritualism similar to Shinto. However, Shinto is the Way that possesses Japanese cultural aesthetics, we are not limited in that sense and take on a global perspective. In view of such, Ninzuwu respects figures like Jesus as a kami (a force of influence), and many others.

The term Kami is a compound term developed from two ancient Japanese words, ka .meaning fire and mi for water. Together, kami could be defined as a force of influence (ka =fire) over the environment (mi = water). A lot of words in ancient Japanese seem to compare to ancient Egypt and the Zulu language of South Africa.

Also I have to ask, you do a lot of work with the Simon Necronomicon, I already know the answer but, I am going to ask any way. Are you in any way associated with the Order of Dagon or, Lovecraftian themed church of Satan off shoots?

Messiah’el Bey: I used to work with the Simon Necronomicon about five years ago. Today, I work with Ninzuwu, which includes Mesopotamian, Shinto

, and several other elements. It’s a path of its own. The Simon tome was more of a template in how to approach the Chaldean gnosis. I am working on a book that will be available in 2018 that explains much about the Simon tome and Ninzuwu.

I have no associations with anything “Satanic,” or the Order of Dagon and etc. Satan is a Christian entity and I’m not a Christian. Nor do I want to entertain its antithesis. I am sure that people from these schools wish to examine the Simon Necronomicon, but it is not a dark working. Most of the people who I mentored in that system improved their lives greatly, even curing disease and etc.

Yeah I am also a fan of Ashida Kim. He was a mentor of mine & I think vastly under rated. So what drew you to Ashida Kim?

Warlock Asylum: My work in martial arts was more with esoteric goals in mind. In some schools of thought it takes years to reach a certain spiritual gnosis of how the art can be applied. Sensei Kim reveals this early on in his writings. As a practitioner of spiritual sciences, it is very easy to see this in his writings.

 That reference to the inner world for me has always been science and psychology. It is my filter for perception... That said I tend to find looking at most systems of magic tend to be based on an older science of sorts. The five elements of Chinese Alchemy for example is linked to martial arts like Hsing-I Quan but, if you get deeper into the concepts its points to small teams tactics, overall Strategy, psychology and so on. What would be the Ninzuwu take on this?

Warlock Asylum: Here is a secret that is taught in Ninzuwu that would advance a martial artist by decades if applied. The five elements of Chinese Alchemy can be applied in many ways. However, its use in martial arts is very simple, merge with the element of the given environment. When one merges with the element of the said environment, there is no fight, only peace. In the last Matrix film, Neo merged with the environment to defeat Mr. Smith. If man can’t defeat nature, then merge with it to fight an opponent of nature. That’s martial arts.

Ninzuwu is a martial art, philosophy and spiritual path correct? So how does one gain rank in that and what are the ranks? What are the purposes behind such ranks?

Messiah’el Bey: Ninzuwu is a culture. Part of our culture includes martial arts. We have our own calendar and language also. As for the martial science of Ninzuau, Ame-no-ukihashi, we really don’t do rank but work with a person till they understand a certain set of principles based on doing the forms. What good is giving someone a rank, if they have not learned any mental and spiritual cultivation? That would betray the intent of martial arts itself. This is why I respect the work of Sensei Ashida Kim though he receives a lot of criticism.

Sensei Kim requires that his students make contact with the spirit world, or inner world in much of his literature. I am also aware of who his teacher is, but that is another story. In Ame-no-Ukihashi, the Ninzuwu martial science, much of the training occurs in dreams, once the student enacts the martial forms.

So following the Matrix as an example, Neon did merge with the Matrix. But, in reality... I think mankind is a bit egotistical to think we can control nature. We can't even control ourselves, really. What is your opinion of things like global warming and such?

Warlock Asylum: It’s not about controlling nature. It’s about merging with nature. This is covered in initiation. In shamanism initiation represents allowing ourselves to merge with the mind of all. The experience cannot be calculated as it means different things to different people. However the aim is the same. Our idea of anything divine is nothing but fantasy until we cross that threshold and see the greater good. Remember the Samurais were so skilled because they felt their work was for the greater good and this is the foundation of martial arts as discussed in Ame-no-Ukihashi.

Martial arts began with shamanism. In ancient times it was believed that if a person attacked his fellowman he was under the influence of evil spirits. So the shamaness had to release this evil spirit from the coffin (physical body) by striking the victim at certain points of the body. In order to do this work one must become a vessel for the higher mind. It’s very simple.

 I have to cut this short and I do so hope to have you on again or, perhaps even do a Skype interview. So thank you and allow me to give you the last word on the interview, so what are your parting thoughts?

Warlock Asylum: Thanks for having me as a guest. My final thought for everyone reading these words is that each and every is an opportunity to improve our lives and ourselves. It’s never too late!

For anyone wishing  know more about, Ninzuwu or Warlock Asylum you can click on the links below.

Warlock Asylum

Warlock Asylum International News
Art of Ninzuwu

Interview with Warlock Asylum coming soon...

A couple years ago I was enterviewed by Warlock Asylum, concerning my struggles with certain members of the Bujinkan and my dealings with corrupt officials and false arrests and harassment by the police. I am currently waiting on federal lawsuit to clear my name and an interview with National Child Protective Services Reform organisation here in WV.

So while I wish to make the move to being a better person, I am going to leave the drama aside. I want to Interview Messiah'el Bey of the Art of Ninzuwu.

I want to look at Shamanism, Satanism, Occultism and Martial Arts. While I often describe martial arts cults as Martial Arts Systems used to indoctrinate a student unwittingly into an alternative religious ideology. Ninzuwu is a Shamanistic religion that uses martial arts as a  form of religious training. This might seem a bit of a semantic difference but, it is an important semantic difference.

Ninzuwu does not, need to draw people into a religious practice through "cultural traditionals" or entice them with "learning a martial art." Ninzuwu draws you by teaching you a spiritual path, martial arts is a part of training for this path. Messiah’el Bey offers some interesting insights and perspectives into Ninzuwu, the Simon Necronomicon and life in general.

Distancing & the Art of Danger Avoidance by Chris Friedman

Ninjutsu takes on many forms these days, with many claims and counter claims as to what the style is. Serval things all these modern ninja groups can agree on are, they wear black gis in the dojo, practice weapons, focus on self-defense and survival, and practice or learn stealth maneuvers.  

I remember when I was a young teen and practiced Tang Soo Do at a local karate school, and reading about the mysterious art of the Ninja by the only authors available at the time on the subject, Steven Hayse and Ashida Kim. I imagined earning a black belt in this deadly art, dressing from head to toe in the commercially available ninja costume, slipping out the window in the evening for a night time mission.

Thirty something years later after earning a Shodan in one of the well-known Ninjutsu organizations, as well as earning several black belt levels in other systems, that using stealth techniques in real life as a non-military personal, is a lot less dramatic. Do I use methods gained from such study often, yes, do they involve dressing up in a special outfit with a grappling hook and smoke bombs unfortunately no.

To examine the reason for training in stealth technique we have to justify the necessity for taking the time and effort in the first place. Unless you are a secret opts agent working for the military, or someone working in some kind of criminal organization there aren’t a whole lot of practical purposes for such skills. For me personally they are a useful tool for danger prevention. They also lend a helping hand for avoiding awkward situations.

For the past decade I have lived in China a communist country that doesn’t always take the straight forward way of handling business. Often the term cutting through the red tape comes to mind, or perhaps mind games. For a [wai guo ren 外国人] “foreigner” a term used for none Chinese, this situations can be quite a nuisance. For example in the previous city I lived in called Shenzhen, each building complex was surrounded by a gate or fence and a security guard was stationed at the gate’s entrance. This meant upon entering and leaving my residence I would have to deal with the daily chore of being the “none Chinese”. One would think in 2015 being a different nationality would be no big deal, but actually I would daily get prolonged stares by the same people as if they never saw me [or a foreigner] before in their life. To make life simpler, I found an alternative route. This involved going behind the building climbing a fence or two and leaving through a small exist in another gated community. This simple method didn’t involve a single acrobatic flip, smoke bombs or being covered in head to toe in a black masked uniform, though it can be considered just as much of a Ninja technique as the previously mentioned. This method of entering and existing the building meant I could go an entire day unseen by the guards.

When using ninja techniques to avoid danger, two things come to mind, awareness and distance. To begin with one has to be aware of subtle changes, some may say to the point of almost having a sixth sense. For the modern day Ninja student there are ways to train this ability. One method involves standing in a darkened room with a training partner about 15 feet away. The partner will be armed with a practice padded stick or club of sorts. His/her goal is to sneak

up on you without making a sound and touch you on the top of the head with the practice club. Your goal is to sense him/her and raise your hand as he/she is close and ready to strike. The attacking partner must think violent thoughts, as if he or she wants to actually bash your skull in with a blunt object. It is these feelings that you will pick up on through this training exercise.  This is one isolated exercise but even without having ever trained in such a drill a long time martial artist regardless of the style will gain such sensing skills.

The other day I had such an experience. To begin this story I must give a brief introduction to my current situation. For the past decade I have been living and training in Chinese martial arts in China. For the past year and a half I have been living in Songshan Shaolin [birth place of The Shaolin Temple]. Yesterday upon arriving at my Shifu’s school before reaching the outside training yard, which is down a slight hill, I paused and told my wife wait, I want to see if a certain person was outside training with my Shifu’s group. My wife assured me that he had left to work in other city the previous week. This is what we were told, and he had been absent from the school for at least a week. By all accounts he should have been gone for good. Something however told me this wasn’t the case. We were still at a distance and I planned to train in the other yard to avoid a certain someone if that induvial was present. Sure enough my instincts were right. The induvial was present that day.

In this way heightened senses and awareness of distance can be the best defense. If someone is bothering you or has the potential of causing you physical, mental or spiritual harm you can often simple avoid or gain distance form such a threat. As in a physical threat it is always better to be prepared and not taken by surprise. This is not always possible but by training your senses and trusting them often they can prepare you for what is yet to come.

About the Author

Chris Friedman has done the martial arts since

His early teens. He has spent the past decade training in China.

He currently resides in Shaongshan Shaolin as a disciple and assistant instructors to visiting foreign guest. He is also a writer for Kung Fu/Tai Chi Magazine and jetli.com

For more info on Chris please go to www.shaolinwithchris.com

Why Ninjitsu?

In this blog I am going to address something here... The answer to the question of why I have dedicated myself to Ninjitsu.

As we know thanks to the honest academic research of Anthony Cummins & Yoshie Minami, the Historical Ninjutsu Research Team and many unnamed Japanese scholars not mentioned but no less deserving of credit... (Allow me personally, to say "Thank You.") We know ninjutsu is not a martial art.

Yes, I call my martial art Black Dragon Ninjitsu but, I also refer to it as American Ninjutsu or Modern Ninjutsu. This is because when I was training with the Omoto family initially, Reginald Martin called it Omoto Ryu Ninjutsu. His father-in-law called it Ninjitsu. Kiyoshi Omoto (Western style of the name where Surname proceeds family name) called it simply Budo or Martial Way, as an all encompassing art of fighting, strategy and tactics with a philosophical guide to live by and approach life.

Now not all Budo has the same guidelines for this philosophical path... The term -do doesn't always represent Daoist/Taoist roots but a personal codified path to living.

1. Judo tends to embrace a more Taoist path of going with the flow...
2. Aikido tends to follow a more or less Shinto path with some Buddhist & Taoist concepts.
3. Karatedo has a different pathway in that it teaches a Bushido & Zen and/or Taoist mindset in dealing with issues head on but, not looking for trouble.
4. Kyudo (archery) teaches a philosophy of acting without regard for outcome... A very Zen (Japanese pronunciation of Chen) Buddhism & Taoism based concept.
5. Kendo (Japanese fencing) based heavily in Bushido (Japanese Warrior Philosophy) & Shinto.

Now I know and you should realize their are differences between styles and schools of Budo not just among Karatedo and Judo, for example but one Judo school and other judo schools. You have to understand a bit of modern Japanese history.

For the four years during American Occupation of Japan Bujutsu (martial arts) were illegal. Jugaro Kano pioneered Budo by turning Jujutsu into a sport. Even in the modern Military self-discipline and good character where stressed for more practical reasons. Where as martial arts as the methods of warfare, budo is the Way of War...

What do I mean by way of war? Well first, the term way here means a Philosophical path. So way is the philosophical path of embracing life as a matter of war or conflict. The same Self-Discipline used by a warrior in the heat of battle is also useful to the Philosophical Warrior in dealing with Social, Societal and various other forms of hardship. The same good character stressed by the warrior is useful to the philosophical warrior in dealing with those same forms of hardship.

More so, it make training in Martial Arts (fighting techniques) still possible as one wasn't practicing combat arts but, philosophical sports for the betterment of individual character development.

So what was the Omoto Ryu Budo Philosophy? Omoto Ryu Budo stressed approaching life as if a warrior about to go to battle. Every action had a purpose & every purpose brought you closer to a specific goal.

Omoto Ryu Budo has 10 simple philosophical principles, part of the 5 element philosophy of warfare;

1. Plant opportunity in many places in advance indirectly & harvest it when ready, directly...
2. Focus on achieving small goals, while have a clear vision of your end goal...
3. Build a strong place from which to take direct action...
4. Deal with all problems as soon as possible so that they do not grow larger...
5. Allow events to take care of themselves and do not become fixated on a solution...
6. Do not, allow others to control your path when you are beginning...
7. Do not, become lazy or complacent in good fortune...
8. Do not, allow friendship to blind you to deception...
9. Do not, let others gain more from your effort then you gain for yourself...
10. Do not, depend on events to resolve themselves...

These principles combined with the study of psychological manipulation and controls. Combined with the study of strategic thinking and planning, as well as, various methods conditioning the mind and body follows the same path as all budo. Bushido is a part of cultural and philosophical training as well, because the idea is not to train warriors but to train the Warrior Within. 

Our struggles may be different but, we all have to develop the Warrior within ourselves to face and overcsome our struggle. How we deal with that struggle defines us, it is how the world sees us and it is what makes us "Warriors." 

None of which explains why I call my art Black Dragon Ninjitsu. I use the study of martial arts (fighting techniques) & the training methods thereof to condition the body and develop the mind before I address the Higher elements of Ninjitsu. The term Ninjitsu or Ninjutsu is a reference to that subject matter and as a modern system I can teach call whatever I like.

However, in calling it Ninjitsu/Ninjutsu I open the door to comparison and study of the Historical Ninjutsu as well.

Stalking & Harassment 2: The Pattern of Behavior expanded

This is a Continuation of Stalking & Harassment: A Pattern of Behavior examined where I showed the intent of the "Internet Trolls" like Phil Elmore, Don Roley & Barron Shepherd to harass and stalk me. Some may not know this but these same clowns even tried to become involved in my legal cases, of which I had all charges dropped. While Phil has been careful to not go out of his way to exaggerate claims into the grounds of slander, Barron and Don Roley have not...

Regardless of me and my own agitations, it doesn't take a lot to see a pattern develop. When I first started "fighting back" online and even now people told me I was being too negative. Perhaps, but you fight back, you don't back down... Bullies are the same regardless. After Paper Tigers & Ducking Dragons 8, I received a message across facebook. Now Paper Tigers & Ducking Dragons 8 showed Trition D. Smith using the image of a former Dux Ryu student, trained under Sky Benson, defending Barron Shepherd backing out of a challenge to me. Stalking & Harassment showed how Barron was dead set on trying to entangle me in legal troubles, rather then face me directly. Quite simply put these "people" exist only to harass and defame other martial artists to push their products.

Here is one example;

This is only one example of the Harassment that someone faced, harassment they chose to protect their students from. I am in some ways lucky, part of what is claimed about me is true. I have been arrested a lot but, all but five charges were dismissed by the state without a battle in court, many times the charges were to push threats and intimidation by police officer who were themselves corrupt and criminal. So what? Some online ass clown talks trash and tries to ruin my business? Perhaps they seek to harass me into committing suicide like Dan Harmon?

Now Dan Harmon is an example of a person who was mentally ill. Dan lied and made up stories because he wanted be more then just who he was... He wanted to be respect, admired and loved. He made the mistake of thinking he needed some external source for this... He didn't.

He didn't have a teacher or the money to get a lot of training in "ninjutsu." What he developed on his own, was his own concoction from many different sources, he told stories and such. Cool... I really don't see a problem with developing your own style. The reality is it doesn't matter if you learn martial arts off YouTube or in a Dojo, it is what you do with the information that matters. Do you think a mugger cares if you stop with a self-defense technique you learn from online, a book or in school with a proven line to some ancient master?

Does it matter if the guy or gal who kicks your ass trained in his garage or in dojo? Do you know how many legitimate Karate black belts with lineage going back to Funakoshi himself, who have told me stories about fighting in Karate in Japan and they have never been out of the country? Too many... I know qualified and legitimate martial artists with made up stories of secret kumite and claims of being street fighters with no proof & just weren't the type. The type of person who is a Street Fighter is either crazy or near suicidal by the way.

I remember a story Where at a Tai Kai Event Hatsumi called a man in stage to help him demonstrate a technique and the man stated his rank was "Soke" and Hatsumi addressed him with the respect of calling him "Soke." I remember watching Ashida Kim dealing with other self-proclaimed masters who he addressed then with the same respect and often "traded ninja secrets" with them, often helping them to develop better techniques and skills. Many times looking back, I often wonder to myself if he ever did this with me... Playing the role of the "secret teacher." Dan Harmon would have no doubt fallen into this category with me and many, many others over the years. Karl Jung would have referred to this as the Wise Old Man & in some ways the Trickster. Regardless, Ashida Kim did show me a different way of looking the phrase "When the student is ready the master will appear." Masters appear to us in all ways of life and we often never know it.

Being blunt, terms like Shihan, Hanshi, Sensei and so on all sound awesome Master, Grandmaster & Teacher sounds authoritative but what do they mean? No not the dictionary meaning but context. They are ranks right? Sergeant sounds impressive but what does it mean, it is a rank right? So colored belts show rank and have titles to go along with them that context. I person ranked as a black belt in BJJ shouldn't have to prove himself or herself by breaking bricks like a Karate or Tae Kwon Do belt. Two different systems with two different ranks, its not about rank it is about the knowledge. Rank is dependent on the system involved and nothing more. So Dan Harmon invented a history and invented a rank to rank himself... Did that mean that he was to be harassed, threatened and mentally abused to the point of ending his own life?

This is an ongoing pattern of abuse, threats and intimidation designed to do one thing and one thing only... Harass people into dropping the term "Ninjutsu" so that the Bujinkan is free to sell their products alone. Dan Harmon didn't sell books or Home Study Courses like I do... He doesn't run a company like Shadow Warrior Publishing, like I do. No what Dan Harmon did was more painful to the Bujinkan bottom line... He put out free information online, he made commercials for non-existent course he was in the process of making and they looked pretty good given the low quality but still it looks remarkably like the other non-contact, non-sparring instructional videos produced by the Bujinkan.

My concern isn't what the Bujinkan is doing, I don't like what they do... So what, I don't have to. My concern wasn't that Dan Harmon had a mental illness or lied about is past. My concern is that psychological abuse in the name of a bottom line against a person with mental illnesses is akin to beating up a man in a wheelchair or (sorry for my blatant masculine bias but) beating women.

Unlike my cited friend above, I am lucky in that I don't have a school or students to protect and don't have to "nut ride" or attack others to sell products. In fact, I am simple... I hate bullies. Anyone who knew me in grade school will tell you I was often fighting bigger kids, not to protect myself but to protect other kids. Someone, who said many of my posts seem negative dealing with this drama and BS asked me how I would convince parents that I was qualified to teach their kids to warriors and, I will end this blog with that answer...

I don't want to teach anyone's kids, my own if I had any, to be warriors. Teaching children to be warriors is akin to raising child soldiers. I will teach kids to be fighters but not warriors. Being a warrior is not about how brave you are or how strong you are. Its not about your tradition or system. Being a warrior is about one thing, the belief that you have to stand up for those who can't. Sure this crap is negative and it is something I rather not be typing about or people I don't want to deal with... However, I'm taking it upon myself to do so. Not because of being a warrior or any martial arts stuff I learned, not because I am defending my business. I'm dealing with this because I am worried about the next person driven to suicide by mental illness and the harassment of so called Martial Arts Instructors.

What happens when the next person to be driven to that point is a teenage kid with ninja fantasies to escape abuse and violence at him? Rather then having someone ease them into real world and helping them to better themselves they just get pushed further by so called fraud busters online. So if being a Warrior means, standing up for those who cannot themselves stand up... I guess I'm warrior but like many things in my life, I'm not the best man for the job, I'm the guy who showed up cause their was no one else... I'm not a warrior, I am just that guy.

Update: 4/18/2016

After speaking with someone about what happened to Don Harmon, I decided to "go back in time" to an earlier blog about this same issue... Fake Koga Ryu Ninjutsu & The Events Leading to Dan Harmon's Death. In that blog I posted three images, two dealing with the statement's of another martial arts group on facebook talking about those who harassed Dan Harmon and pushed him too far.

It is plain to see that these alleged instructors and martial artists are nothing more then corrupt businessmen. Frauds and cowards devoted to harassing anyone who might be competition for them, even if they are fakes and frauds... Even now I have gotten several anonymous text message from 1-916-216-9579, each message contains insults, threats and in some cases images trying to insult me or make me feel bad about myself... May be they just want to make me mad, sitting behind their computer screens laughing at how they've "pissed me off."

I've fought through more then cowards like you all could ever deal with and I doubt any of you are strong enough to face the same challenges I have overcome. Its very sad and pathetic, this is the very best in mental abuse these cowards can offer...

Really all you did is a get chuckle out of me,.. LMFAO WTF are you trying to do..?

Black Dragon Ninjitsu Course: What can you Learn from a DVD Course?

What can you learn from a video course? Well what can you learn from a book? The idea of a video course was something I played with tested and worked on in comparative but independent study. Ideally speaking you will get nothing out of the course which you will not be able to put into the course...

First off, Omoto Ryu Jujutsu is not so much a fixed art. It was taught differently under Sensei Martin then it was under Sensei Omoto. One focused on Kata (non-resistant training between Tori & Uke) and the other on Randori (free sparring). The Course starts out with baby steps and then throws you into the deep end of the pool...
10th Kyu: Focuses on Atemi, Taisabaki, Ukemi, Kamae & Taiso building up your body and requires a physical fitness test to begin this course...
9th Kyu: Focuses more on Atemi-waza punching and kicking techniques & Taisabaki body positioning... as well as closing the gab to get into infighting range.
8th Kyu: Focuses more on Atemi-waza for infighting knees and elbows, as well as defensive use for the knees and elbows. As fell as a much more difficult PFT (Physical Fitness Test)
7th Kyu: You learn to penetrate the guard move from striking range, to infighting range and then begin to study basic stand up grappling, choke holds, throws and joint-locks.
6th Kyu: This knowledge is expanded on and one now includes ground fighting and Ne-waza (ground techniques) for the standing joint locks and chokes.
5th Kyu: By now everything is a matter of pressure testing and simulated self-defense situations. Mixed with meditations, philosophy and strategy... Here a student is incouraged to begin to develop their own fighting styles and is competent at all three basic ranges of fighting; Striking, Infighting & Ground fighting.
4th Kyu: One polishes their jujutsu techniques adding handgun disarms and begins to get into the area of intonjutsu, hiding and escaping, basic survival skills like navigation by the sun or stars, making one's own compass, making shelter, trapping food and similar.
3rd Kyu: Again involves area of study such as handgun and knife disarms. Yogen, making pyrotechnic devices and formula, herbal medicines and so on. As well as expanding on one's jujutsu/taijutsu skills and training.
2nd Kyu: Draws us into the first two of the fundamental weapons shuriken and bojutsu. Here the student learns striking with the bo, jo, & hanbo as well as grappling and throwing weapons.
1st Kyu: Addresses the other two fundamental weapons, of tanto (knife) and kusari (chain). Expanded weapon disarms and the five element philosophy in regard to psychological manipulation and emotional weaknesses.
1st Dan: This is a very special rank only given at the end of the 3 day Boot Camp and a 24 hour, 25 mile survival evasion course. But one learns an expanded Kyusho Chart, the use of the Katana in Kenjutsu, Yarijutsu spear work and Kyujutsu the art of archery. Including principles of leadership and espionage.

So while this course is still in the works, the 8th Kyu will be ready by mid April, with the 7th Kyu out soon after... The basic principle is teach and demonstrate at the level I want to student to learn. It is one thing to copy route form via a DVD course and gain rank by remembering these forms. It is quite the other to teach principles and concepts as segments of a movement and polish them as the rank becomes higher... It is vitally more important, a student, for example, develop explosive power at the 9th Kyu stage of training and have imperfect form, then its to try to develop perfect form and not be able to generate the power explosively.

What you will get in this course is listed in a small part above... But what you take from is what you put in with hard work and desire to gain momentum for your own personal growth. The grade of Kyu literally means boy, these are the ranks and lessons of childhood in the tradition. At the grade of Dan literally meaning Man, one is considered an adult in the tradition. Here one moves beyond "basic techniques" just as an adult already knows the basic skills of childhood, tying one's shoes, reading, writing, math and history and is now seeking to apply that knowledge to one's life...

In time, I plan to develop a teaching course available to Shodan and higher belts. A 1st or 2nd Dan could promote students to the grade of 1st Kyu (and licensed as Assistant Instructors). At 3rd Dan they would be able to rank to 1st Dan running their own Boot camps and licensed instructors. 4th Dan would be licensed as Senior Instructors. Godan or 5th Dan would have full transmission of the art would be Masters or Master Instructors. But, all of this begins with hard work and firm resolve to practice and train alone... motivating yourself to be better and try harder then you did before.