Why do we tend to complicate things? We take pride in how natural our movements are and yet I see so many people that complicate things in the Bujinkan. But why?
Our concept of shizen gyoun ryusui 自然行雲流水 teaches us a valuable lesson… the natural movement of the floating clouds and flowing water. The clouds travel across the sky in the easiest way possible and if the flowing water hits a rock it finds the simplest way around it.
There is nothing complicated about that, just completely natural.
I have heard so many times that Hatsumi senseis way of moving is so complex that it is impossible for us to understand how he does it. In my opinion this is a big misunderstanding that leads so many students down the wrong way. In cases like that the student mistakenly thinks that the more complex a movement or technique is the higher the level. Then the student starts to complicate things. And if the student becomes a teacher the next generation will have a problem.
In my opinion it is not complicated at all. Hatsumi sensei moves in an extremely natural and simple way after a whole life of dedicated practice. Over the years he has subtracted all the unnatural movements, thoughts and actions and instead made the natural ones an innate part of his whole being. He moves like the floating clouds and flowing water.
And right there is where our focus should be.
Not to make things more difficult but to make them easier. This is of course not an easy path to follow since the simple way is much more difficult than the complicated one. Why? Because you are bare naked when you follow the simple way. If you can’t perform the technique it shows from a mile away that you are not natural. If you follow the complicated way you can always hide behind the complexity and tell your students that they need more training before “they get it”.
So what is the solution to not getting into the “complicated trap” and delude yourself that you are a true budoka?
Go back to basic training. And be good at it. It really is as… simple… as that. And it will probably take a life time to get there.
Dōchū 道中 
November 30, 2016 at 8:12 pm
I would venture to say and believe that complexity is the necessity of the novice but simplicity the hallmark of mastery. To understand simplicity you have to learn the complexities of things but the key then is to “Let go” of the complex and allow the simplicity to manifest in creative ways. Modern practices simply fail to let go of the complex to allow for simplicity much like letting complex thoughts dominate when allowing for being in the moment is more balanced and productive in living properly. There is a time to think of complexities and a time to allow the mind to let go of such complex thoughts and allow for the simplicity of things to naturally and creatively to manifest – in the moment.
In order to allow simplicity to manifest you have to remove the unnatural such as unnatural movements, thoughts and actions so that the natural simplicity of it takes action but to do this you first have to know and understand all those seemingly complexities that underly all the myriad things of our world then “Let go” so they fall into the deep mind to be trigger from necessities of life – naturally and with creativity and unencumbered by the thoughts of the logical mind allowing the faster, deeper mind, to act (think of the OODA here too).
It should be, in my mind, a requisite to master and higher ranks because simply passing along the first novice levels due to a misconception and perception that complexities mean mastery and high rank is to stagnate the evolution and progression of the arts and systems, you have to learn the complex and let go to achieve the simplicities of mastering of the arts.
Thanks for such great articles, much appreciated!
Charles
December 1, 2016 at 8:52 am
Hi Charles,
I think you are absolutely right. The road to simplicity is a complicated one 🙂
Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate it.
Magnus