Interpretive Dance?

Taijutsu: is there a method or is it just interpretive dance? It seems as though most people approach this issue as if it were open to personal interpretation. Taijutsu means roughly “the way of the body.” It is therefore a system centered on body movement, but what body movement? Is any type of movement fine? Or are there specific ways of movement?

From all of my trips to Japan and watching and listening to Soke Hatsumi, I have come to the realization that, yes there are very specific ways that we move, and no these ways are not open to interpretation. In order to achieve the kyojutsu and understand the kukan, you must be moving with a specific taijutsu. But where is this source of taijutsu? Where do we get it? How do we learn it? The answer is simple, yet everyone goes looking everywhere else other then the source. Soke Hatsumi!

This is not anyone else’s art! It is Soke's. If anyone else shows or tells you something, it is only that person’s best interpretation of what Soke has created. I personally don’t want filtered taijutsu, so I go to the source and watch, and feel and listen!

It seems that many students overlook the obvious. They either think that Soke is too far beyond their reach or that they don’t want “old man” taijutsu. Well, if I get the results that he does using this “old man” taijutsu, I will gladly have it! Soke moves the way that you have to move in order for everything to come together. Any deviation and it won’t work. Can you really see Soke out there wrestling some guy for an arm bar or trying to throw somebody? The answer is NO!

Soke does not try to do anything; he utilizes his movement and understanding of juppo sessho to have as he says, “wonderful things happen in the space.” He is always in the right spot because he understands and reads the space. If you use the correct movement with the correct heart in the Kukan you will win.  There is a saying “if you keep doing what you’re doing then you will keep getting what you’re getting.” If you want half-decent jujutsu, keep doing what you’re doing.  However, if you want to do Ninjutsu start doing what Soke's doing, not your interpretation.