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New Year's
Message
January 1, 2012
Dear Friends:
Happy New Year!
I hope your 2011
was a good one
and you were
able to survive
the challenges –
ban pen fu
gyo!
Let's make 2012
a year where we
don't just
survive, but
thrive!
It's mostly up
to us, you
know....
2011 was an
amazing year for
me; many
wonderful things
happened – but we
also lost a
few more of our
buyῡ around the
world.
That circle of
life just keeps
turning. I
am still missing
Buyῡ Dojo
co-founder Mark
Hodel deeply.
His impact on so
many Bujinkan
members
persists.
Mark was also
the co-publisher
of Robert
L. Humphrey's
book "Values
For A New
Millennium."
Dr. Humphrey's
Dual Life Values
theory is an
integral part to
my and many
other people's
view of
warriorship.
Mark Hodel's
Memorial Page is here.
Please consider
leaving a
remembrance on
the comment
wall if you
haven't done so
already – or
just check in
with Mark-san to
say "hello,
we miss you."
Mark Hodel
1953-2010
(Painting By
Masaaki
Hatsumi)
Mark, you will
never be
forgotten.
Sadly, we also lost
longtime buyῡ Abi
Allen and Kathy
Baylor in 2011.
Paul Fisher,
Doug Wilson, a
group of other
friends and I
attended Kathy's
memorial in NYC.
A beautiful,
bittersweet
ceremony and a
training event
was held in her honor.
Farewell, Kathy.
2011 was one of my
busiest years
ever for
training and
traveling.
Our Buyῡ
(Warrior
Friends) group
enjoyed a fourteenth Buyῡ Camp
West in San
Francisco under
the Golden Gate
Bridge on the
Pacific Ocean,
as well as, an
eigth Buyῡ
Camp East in
New Jersey.
Buyῡ Camps are a
great way to
connect with old
friends, get
valuable
"continuing
education," and
stay inspired to
"keep going"
when you get
back to your own
training group.
Click the
respective Camp
links for info
on these yearly
training
opportunities –
and check out
the photos tab
on our Bujinkan
Buyῡ
Facebook page to
see pictures and
comments.
We had training
seminars in NJ
and California.
I visited Don
Smith, Paul
Fisher, Ed
Figueroa and the
guys and gals in
Florida twice.
I was in Chicago
with Jim
Morganelli and
his group, and
also Mike
Eichenberg.
Chicagoland
2011
2011 also
featured a meet
up with old
friend Bud
Malmstrom in NJ.
Love that guy!
Bud & Jack -
2011
My buyῡ hermano
Pedro Fleitas
visited us from
the Canary
Islands last
year.
Pedro & Jack in
NJ
Pedro is coming
back to New Jersey
in January
2012 Join
us if you can!
And that's not
all for the
international
visitors;
Italian buyῡ
Giuseppe Costa
will be here in
May.
We did another
seminar in NJ
this past summer
in honor of my
Marine Corps
mentor, Robert
L. Humphrey.
We covered
Humphrey's Life
Value Theory,
warrior ethics,
taijutsu, and
the challenging
and fun STRIKE
training. By
the way, Robert
Humphrey and his
"Hunting Story"
is referenced in
Harvard
psychologist and
bestselling
writer Steven
Pinker's new
book
"The Better
Angels of Our
Nature: Why
Violence Has
Declined."
Check it out; it
is well worth
the read.
If you are
interested in
Bob Humphrey's Life
Values teachings,
we'll see you at
the
"Ethical
Warrior" seminar
again next July
in New Jersey.
And then there
were the
International
seminars.
I was in
Germany with
Steffen and
Sabine
Fröhlich,
Switzerland with
Phil Bradshaw,
Holland with
Dennis van
Eenige, and
Wales with
Murray Taylor.
The buyῡ spirit
followed me
wherever I went.
I am very
grateful for all
of the
friendship and
great training
experiences.
Thank you
everyone!
With
German buyῡ
Steffen
Fröhlich.
Phil Bradshaw's
new
Buyῡ Dojo Zürich.
2011 Seminar,
Netherlands
A night of
training with
Murray Taylor
and crew in
Wales, UK.
Next year looks
like it will
bring even more
international
travel.
Right now I am
scheduled to
visit
Colombia,
Switzerland,
Japan,
Germany,
Argentina,
Brazil, Spain,
and Italy.
I will travel to the
Canary Islands
in October to do
a
TaiKai with
Pedro Fleitas to
commemorate his
25 year
anniversary in
the Bujinkan.
It looks like I
will also be in
Madrid and
Sicily as part
of that trip, so
stay tuned.
You can consult
the WIN
seminar page periodically
for details on
all of our
training events.
As for my
training with
Masaaki Hatsumi,
I went to Japan
twice, once in
June...
June 2011,
looking at
Sensei's new
book.
and, again in
November/December.
As usual, I
attended the
Daikomyosai
(Hatsumi
Sensei's annual
3-day training
event) with many
buyῡ from around
the world.
We trained
outside one day,
and the feeling
under the
Japanese autumn
leaves was
magical.
The autumn
leaves of
Shimizu Koen.
We moved indoors
for the next
two days, but the
special feeling
remained.
This year I had a very
interesting
experience right
in the middle of
the DKMS.
Sensei was very
genki
and as spry as
ever. On
the first day
his movement was
great – just
what we've come
to expect over
the years.
On the second
day, he was also
in
very good form in the
morning, and
again during the
afternoon
session from
2:00pm - 3:00pm.
But from 3:00 to
3:20 something
happened.
He moved in ways that I
thought were
impossible for a
human being.
I just couldn't
understand
at all what
he was doing or
how he was doing
it. It
seemed
incredible for a
human being to
be able to move
that way.
I can't really
explain it, but
people went
flying! Pedro and I were
together and
when Hatsumi
said "OK, play!"
we just looked
at each other
and said "we're
not even going
to stand up and
try to do that!"
And then at
3:20pm Sensei
went back to
being merely
wonderful for
the rest of the
DKMS. But
I would have
taken the plane
flight there and
back to Japan
just to see
those 20
minutes.
Overall, it was
a great trip and
a great birthday
party for Sensei
afterward.
Sensei and
Jack on an
"interesting
hair" day.
Photo by
Sheila
Haddad
Every year it
seems that our
Buyῡ group grows
a little more.
We really have a
lot of fun
training and
enjoying each
others' company
– before and
after the
sessions in the dojo.
2011
Buyῡ
Dinner Japan
at Agio's in
Kashiwa, as
usual.
This past year I
was again
privileged to
work with the
Marine Corps
Martial Arts
Program (MCMAP)
in Quantico,
Virginia.
This fine
program is led
ably by LtCol
Pat Beckett, my
good friend Joe
Shusko (LtCol
USMC ret.), and
MSgt Johnny
Marlowe.
It covers armed
and unarmed
martial arts
techniques,
combat
conditioning,
mental training,
and character
development.
I can't say
enough about
these young
Marines who I am
privileged to
train with.
They are
physically and
mentally tough,
yet respectful
and ethical.
Many are
veterans of both
Iraq and
Afghanistan.
The methodology
we use is simple
but vitally
important: train
a lot, talk a
bit, train a
lot, talk a bit.
The Marines
relish the
physical
training, and
then are open to
hear how to use
their training
and core values
to maintain
their ethics and
a "combat
mindset" under
the adversity of
combat. In
martial arts
training, it is
often easy to
focus on the
physical part
while giving
mere lip service
to the mental
and character
elements.
But all three
parts must go
together.
"Training" -
USMC photo
courtesy of
Homer Brett
2011
"Talking" -
USMC photo
courtesy of
Homer Brett
2011
"Marine
Ethical
Warriors" -
USMC photo
courtesy of
Homer Brett
2011
It seems that
this concept of
an Ethical
Warrior –
protector of
life – is
starting to
resonate more
and more with
martial artists, as well
as, with various
military and law
enforcement
personnel around
the world.
We have compiled
many Ethical
Warrior articles
from the Marine
Corps Gazette
and Bruce
Gourlie and my
series of
articles on
PoliceOne.com
here if you
would like to
read more.
Two of the posts
were especially
controversial: "Are
Ethics Tactical?,"
and "Protecting
Your Enemy."
Have a read and
tell us what you
think.
And don't forget
to check out
"Joe Marine" Shusko's book of
values stories,
"Tie-Ins For
Life,"
here.
Resolution Group
International (www.rgi.co)
is in it's
second year and
continues to
flourish and
make an impact.
RGI is
made up of
military and law
enforcement
professionals
who teach how to
resolve conflict
under stress.
The
RGI curriculum extrapolates
on the work I
have done with
Robert L.
Humphrey and the
Marines in the
areas of ethics,
conflict
communication
and physical
protection
skills. We had
three more RGI
Conflict
Resolution
Courses in 2011.
If you are
interested in
exploring the
Ethical Warrior
concept further,
or learn how to
apply your
training in law
enforcement or
military
scenarios– or
just want to
work with these
interesting men
in a hands-on
setting, check
out RGI
Events.
To see more
training photos, you can
"like us" on Facebook
here.
As a
representative
of RGI, I had
the honor of
sharing the
Ethical Warrior
concepts with
many law
enforcement
professionals at
the
International
Law Enforcement
Education &
Training
Association
(ILEETA)
trade show in
Chicago last
April.
Thanks to Gary
Klugiewicz from
Verbal Defense
and Influence
(the new name of
the late George
Thompson's
Verbal Judo
system) for
introducing me
to this great
organization.
ILEETA 2011
The response has
been
overwhelmingly
positive and I
have been
invited back in
2012 to teach
two sessions –
including one on
RGI Tactical
Maneuver
Concepts.
Inspired by
Stephen Hayes' 5
element theory
and the
kukan
principles of
the Bujinkan
san shin no kata,
TMC teaches law
enforcement
officers to move
tactically
(using taijutsu)
as they perform
defensive
tactics
techniques.
If you are
interested, Jim
Morganelli and I
made a video on
TMC; check it out
here.
I was also
privileged to
introduce the
Ethical Warrior
concept to NYPD
senior
leadership in
two separate
sessions.
The response,
again, was
great.
They even gave
me a
certificate!
NYPD Executive
Development
It looks
like I will
be back in
2012 to do
some more
training
with New
York's
Finest.
Cool, huh?
What an
honor!
Another fun
thing I
did again this
year was to
"train" Nick
Heller from the
Joseph Finder novels.
It started with
"Vanished;" and
his latest book
"Buried Secrets"
came out last
June.
These are great
thrillers – if
you get a chance
to pick one up,
check out the
fight scenes,
you may
recognize a
thing or two.
There is also a
link to a
discussion
between Joe and
me on his site
if you are
interested.
And thanks to Joe, I
will be giving a
presentation
next summer at "ThrillerFest,"
a convention in
NYC on how to
write fight
scenes. If
you are an
aspiring writer,
or just a fan,
please consider
joining us, it
should be a
blast.
Which brings us
to 2012.
Last year was
the year of
kihon
happo.
If you recall,
Sensei started
out using a very
unusual kanji
for the term: 季翻初崩. 季 ("ki") can mean "season" or "end," 翻 ("hon") can mean "turn around" or "reverse," 初 ("ha") can mean "first time" or "basic" (it is also the first kanji of Hatsumi), and 崩 ("pou") can mean "collapse" or "break down." I
am not sure I
understood
entirely what
Sensei was
getting at, but
I used the
feeling I did
get as we
trained
throughout the
year. I had a lot of
fun going around
the world
practicing the
basics with
people based
upon how I first
learned them in
the early 80's
and then refined
them over the
years.
We did a lot of
"street-style"
defense in the
context of the
kihon happo
and a "combat
mindset," which
we tried to
develop through
a combination of
ethical clarity,
mental
toughness, and
physical
training in
challenging,
realistic
scenarios.
I think we
discovered that
if we weren't
confident using
the basics in a
realistic
attack, it
wasn't because
of some
deficiency in
the kihon
happo, it
was due to some
deficiency in
us, and
we needed more
work on the
kihon happo. We'll never be
"done" with
the basics, but I am
ready to start
applying them
from a fresh
perspective 2012.
This year at the
DKMS Hatsumi
Sensei announced
that we would be
practicing
sword in 2012. He
also said to me
as an aside
"...and guns."
Sounds good to
me! I am chagrined
by the cavalier
way we sometimes
talk about sword
and
gun-fighting –
and
knife-fighting,
too.
In the dojo it
is easy to gloss
over how serious
a gushing
gunshot wound or
a sliced open
body is.
Many of us would
go into shock or
faint if we ever
were exposed to
the real thing.
We need to be
more aware of
the realities of
what we are
training in – it
is deadly
serious stuff.
Another concept
Sensei spoke about
was finding the
"kukan no
kyusho," or
the critical
point within the
tactical space,
which I thought
was a very
interesting
consideration.
Perhaps we will
learn more about
Sensei's idea
for 2012 soon.
Buyῡ Doug
Wilson's blog
often contains
valuable insight
into what Sensei
is covering in
Japan.
Check it out
here.
As readers of
this yearly
message know, in
an attempt to
maintain the
"thread" that
reaches to
Hatsumi Sensei
across the 25
year differences
in our training
and life
experiences, I
create a buyῡ
theme each year
to try to help
"connect the
dots."
Last year, as I
wrote above, we explored
the "combat
mindset" and how
to
function more
effectively in a
real conflict.
We tried to
discover ways
through training
that would help
us develop coolness
under pressure, overcome the
"freeze," and act
decisively and
ethically when
thrust into a
sudden violent
situation.
The training was designed to
help us develop
as protectors of
life. Whose
life? Self and
others. Which
other? All
others, if
possible.
Killing only to
protect life. This seemingly
paradoxical
statement –
killing only to
protect life –
is the behavior
of the Ethical
Warrior. It is
predator-like,
in that it can be cold
and
professional. But the
objective is to
protect, not
kill.
How did we do
honing our
combat mindset
in 2011? I
learned a lot,
and I hope you
did, too.
Which brings us
to our buyῡ
theme of the
year 2012.
As I look at my
own training
regimen and the
fitness level of
the folks I
train with I
come to a
horrifying
conclusion: we
are getting
older!
Thinking about
what it will
take for us to
"keep going"
with great vigor
and increasing,
rather than
decreasing,
effectiveness
going forward,
let's put a
focus on our
health this
year.
"Health" -
Masaaki Hatsumi
I must admit, I
did not pull
this concept out
of thin air.
I received the
calligraphy
above out of the
blue from
Hatsumi Sensei
several months
ago. It
made me think
about my health
and what it will
take for me to
stay strong and
vibrant like my
teacher, now in
his 80's!
So, I decided to
take the hint.
Next year let's
focus on three
things in
addition to
Sensei's theme:
Buyῡ Jon Haas
has a nice blog
on health and
fitness
here.
You may want to
check it out to
get yourself
ready for this
year's buyῡ
theme. And
speaking of
health, it
doesn't just
start and end
with the
physical.
As we know, the
mind, body and
spirit are all
connected.
Let's explore
that connection
in context of
the word
"health," and
what it means
for us as total
human beings.
So this is the
theme of our
2012 Buyῡ
training:
Warrior Health.
How can we
improve every
aspect of our
physical, mental
and spiritual
fitness so that
we can "keep
going" another
year? Or
indefinitely?
A worthy goal,
but let's not
forget also
to enjoy
ourselves!
Happy 2012!
Jack Hoban
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