2010

 by Jon F. Merz

Evolution of a Martial Art

When I started training in martial arts several decades back, the styles I studied were very two-dimensional. In other words, they were written down – sometimes with photos or illustrations – but there was nothing alive about them. They were a cataloged series of techniques/kata/movements that existed for me much the same way they had existed since the art began many years ago. It was passed down, ostensibly by teacher to student who would progress to become a teacher with his own students, pretty much as it had been for generations previously. Even today, there are certain koryu bujutsu enthusiasts who believe that techniques must be preserved and passed on exactly as they were for hundreds of years. They are exacting – to the point of being incredibly anal retentive – about what they do. But most of them are also honest: they don’t pretend to be able to use their art in combat. For them, it’s more of a recreation, much the same as those who dress up in military uniforms from the Civil War to reenact battles would be.

For a combat martial art like Ninjutsu, however, this approach is wrong; it robs the art of its life. There’s no sense of vitality to it. Combat cannot be reduced to two-dimensional snippets. It is an ever-changing, ever-evolving situation and the art needs to be that way as well.

As a beginning student, we walk into a new school filled with wonder, apprehension, and the proverbial empty cup. As years pass, we grow comfortable with the tradition, its mechanics, and the training partners we sometimes come to call friends. Eventually, our own evolution in the art produces a certain degree of skill within us and we may be inclined to become teachers. Sometimes, this happens when the student is ready to take on the mantle of teaching and the incredible responsibility that position entails.

The best teachers are those who continue to view themselves as students, always looking to add to their pool of knowledge and experience. They are forever looking further down their own path to the information they can incorporate into their own evolution. They study constantly, subjecting the techniques to the constant fire of real life, for it is only in this crucible that true experiences worthy of being handed down to a new generation of students are gathered. This is the legacy of this martial art. It is the reason why the art continues to evolve instead of being confined to the two-dimensional status of other arts.

But sometimes, becoming a teacher happens much, much sooner than it should. The reasons can be many: rabid insecurity and a lack of success in other areas of life may cause one to seek the position, a student may be graded at a higher rank as a test by their teacher to see if they allow their ego to trip them up, a desire for fame, status, or money, the need to be seen as some type of expert, etc. etc. etc.

Inevitably, what happens to those who should not teach – but do – is that they end up killing the art they may once have loved. They stop learning; they stop evolving. Worse, their inability to pass on even basic fundamentals to students can end up causing those students to get hurt or potentially die because of the teacher’s lack of experience. Those who teach but should not have a tendency to view themselves as masters of material that is far greater in depth and volume than most of us – truthfully, pretty much all of us – have the capacity to learn to the degree that we can pull it out and use it when we need to. There is simply too much to learn.

Yet the best teachers always try.

Those who teach but should not don’t try to learn this material as if they were still that beginning student filled with wonder. They try to assimilate the material only enough so they have something new to show their students. But they know deep down that they don’t understand it, so they explain that lack of ability away by casually lumping in this new information with the old. “This is just like that kata” or “this is just like that movement we did six years back.”

Only it’s not.

The best teachers don’t allow themselves to get trapped by the position of teaching. In other words, when it’s time to teach, they teach from their experience of working with the material they have learned and tried to master as students; they teach having used this stuff in the real world, knowing the emotional flux that happens, the uncertainty of facing a real threat, and the confidence they have gained from emerging safely on the other side of the conflict. But when they’re done teaching, they go back to being that student all over again. The cycle repeats. And as their experiences mount, their students are richer for it. This natural cycle becomes the basis of why this art continues to evolve.

Those who teach but should not, on the other hand, find themselves trapped by the status they sought so fervently. The need to always be seen as someone who is an expert, or the desire for others to gaze upon them with wonder, or the need to change their own personal history to try to be a part of something they never were, is fueled by insecurity and inability to stop the downward spiral they’re trapped on. The result is a further diminishing of skill in that would-be teacher, in the skills of those they would teach, and in the art itself. One only need go to Youtube and enter “Bujinkan” to see ready examples of why this art suffers from a tragically horrid reputation within the martial arts world. Too many people want/need/must be teachers without having the time, skill, or personal integrity to be one.

Those who teach, but should not, are forever scrambling to find new material to teach their students, lest they lose their students. As they scramble, the veil of ineptitude slips inevitably away, exposing the lack of skill. The students leave anyway.

But the best teachers have an inexhaustible supply of material to teach based on the fact they are always having new experiences from which to draw. As they evolve, so too do their students. So, too, does the art.

So while there exist far too many teachers who should not teach but do, there are also those who teach and should. For this amazing art, that is a good thing. It means the art will continue to live and evolve as it should, to always address the needs of the newest generation of warriors.

While those who teach but should not will inevitably end up blowing away like the very same two-dimension pages they draw their limited scope of knowledge from.

And the evolution continues.

in junk martial arts / life thoughts / martial arts / self protection / ninjutsu / Uncategorized 0 comments
 by Jon F. Merz

Wuz Bin Goin’ On?

I figured I’d come up with a new way of saying “updates,” so the title above is my first stab at it…

Anyway, a few things to talk about. First, the 18th of January will be here before we know it and with it, the long-awaited release of THE KENSEI. So far, I’ve booked 3 signings in January (1 in Cambridge & 1 in Burlington, MA and one in Concord, NH). Expect more to come, although in the course of my conversations with the publicity person at St. Martin’s, signings don’t seem to be the draw they used to be. I find that extremely interesting, since the drive was always to schedule as many as possible. Having done that, however, and not always with fruitful results (the signing down on Cape Cod in 2003 was like watching tumbleweeds blow through the store since that was the day President Dumbass decided to invade Iraq for absolutely no good reason whatsoever, comes to mind…) I can’t say I’m too broken up about the change in things. But I’ll definitely schedule more, probably just not to the extent that I’d planned. Guess we’ll see how it goes.

I’ll be shooting some new author photos this weekend. St. Martin’s needs one for the back of the book. I’m always torn about this type of stuff. I don’t think my smile looks all that good since I have two very sharp and pointy canines that actually make me look like someone who takes the vampire thing WAY too seriously. They’ve always been there, so I normally end up grinning in some sort of fashion. Ah well we’ll see how it goes…

The website for THE FIXER television series and all things Lawson Vampire is coming along incredibly well. Nick, the same genius who created this website, is hard at work and we expect to debut it in another month or two, if not earlier. The snapshots I’ve seen of the work thus far are incredible. Expect a lot of interactivity and a lot of fun. And yes, the TV series is still moving ahead, albeit slowly. “These things take time” has never rung so true as it does when you are literally trying to bring something into being where it never existed before. And operating outside the Hollywood production system is a terrific challenge, but one we are meeting and defeating, I assure you.

My YA series, The Ninja Apprentice, is still circulating among prospective editors in NYC. We’ve had a few rejections from some smaller houses since the flavor of the series wasn’t right for them. We weren’t surprised by this, but figured it didn’t hurt to try them all. I have very high hopes for the series and think that the YA market will really dig it as well. Keep your fingers crossed.

Finally, my friend Ken Richardson is still trying to raise funds for his program to help at-risk kids avoid the lure of drugs and gun violence on urban streets. I’ve pledged to help him as much as I can by donating proceeds from my direct ebook sales to his cause. I’ve tweeted about this quite a bit, but frankly, the response has been pretty awful. The program is just starting up and so far, Ken has sunk a ton of his own money into it. I’d like to help him as much as I can, so if there are any of my ebooks that you don’t have yet, please drop me a line jonfmerz AT verizon DOT net and let me know what you’d like. Once you Paypal the money over, I’ll send you the ebook. A $50 donation gets you everything I currently offer on Amazon in the format of your choice. Otherwise, individual novels are $2.99, novellas are $1.99, and stories are $.99. The Fixer Files is $9.95. I really hop that most of you reading this (actually, I hope ALL of you reading this) will take a moment to help out a great cause. Ken grew up on the incredibly mean streets of Baltimore back when it was the murder capital of the US, and saw his brother gunned down. He’s resolved to do his best to keep other kids from suffering that same fate. Thank you for your support!

in film/TV / Hollywood / lawson / novels / production crew / promotion & publicity / publishing / short stories / THE FIXER TV series / Tour 2011 / vampires / website 1 comments
 by Jon F. Merz

Helping a Friend…

A good friend of mine, Ken Richardson, has formed an organization devoted to helping kids resist the lure of drugs and violence. No Weapon Needed promotes the development of a sound body, mind, and spirit through martial arts, boxing, working out in the gym, and more to inner city youth on the North Shore of Massachusetts. The organization is just getting started, and it needs help to survive. I believe very strongly in Ken’s work and I’ve known him for a very long time. He’s got a great heart and the kids he helps are truly appreciative of all his time and effort.

Here’s Ken describing the mission statement of No Weapon Needed:

So, to that end, I’d like to help Ken as much as possible. I’m donating proceeds from the sales of my ebooks over the next week to No Weapon Needed and my goal is to raise at least $500 for his great work.

If you’re missing any of my various ebooks or stories, I hope you’ll consider purchasing them over the next few days. I’ll also make this special offer:

Donate $50 and you get every single one of my current ebooks & stories sent direct to you. That’s everything I’ve got available on Amazon right now (in the format of your choice) along with The Fixer Files and some other things kicking around. You can use Paypal to send the money direct to me at jonfmerz AT verizon DOT net and I’ll ship out the ebooks within the next 24 hours. Just be sure to specify the file format you’d like (.pdf, .azw (Kindle), text, or epub)

The Fixer Files are available again for this special cause: $9.95 through Paypal as well.

Otherwise, my novels are $2.99, novellas are $1.99, and stories are $.99 each. But I hope you’ll consider donating more to this worthy cause. Just Paypal the money to me direct at jonfmerz@verizon.net and let me know what you’d like.

You can find a complete listing of my work by visiting my website at http://www.jonfmerz.net/ or out on the Amazon Kindle store – just search for Jon F. Merz

Have a great day,
Jon

in common sense / general / life thoughts / martial arts / self protection / ninjutsu 1 comments
 by Jon F. Merz

Methods & Goals (or How to Control Your Universe)

Ask anyone what their goals in life are and chances are pretty decent that the vast majority of them will spout off a list of fairly general ideas. “I want to be rich.” “I want to live a long life.” “I want to have a great career.” These are pretty standard, pie-in-the-sky ideals that a lot of us have grown up dreaming about. Usually, these ideals are tacked on to the end of a statement like, “Wouldn’t it be great if one day…?”

The problem with stating goals in such a general way is that the likelihood of them ever actually occurring – of the energy in the universe coordinating itself to bring that goal into reality – is slim to none. One of the reasons why goals stated in such general terms don’t normally come to fruition is because they are too general. They’re not specific enough. Not enough detail. In other words, has the person wishing for these things really devoted a lot of time to what their goal is? Have they figured out exactly what they want?

Look at the differences between the following:

“I want to be rich.” VS. “I want to design a new operating system for Apple computers that will sell millions of copies and thereby make me a billionaire.”

“I want to drop twenty pounds.” VS. “I want to start a new program of walking an hour each day and cutting back on the volume of food I eat, while increasing the amount of water I drink.”

“I want to be a bestselling author.” VS. “I want to write a great new urban fantasy series that my agent will then sell for a lot of money, leading the publisher and book chains to get behind it and sell millions of copies.”

The first goals aren’t really goals at all. Nor are they dreams. They’re only a vague inkling of desire. There’s no energy put into them, so there’s no energy going out into the universe to make them reality.

The second set are indeed goals. They’re detailed. There’s significant thought behind each one. There’s real energy contained within the expression of each one. But each of them also has something else the first set does not have: the beginning of a method.

Methods are absolutely vital for pretty much every aspect of our lives as we know it. But lately, I’ve seen several people advocating an abandonment of method, preferring instead to imply that the goal is the most important thing, and that the method doesn’t matter much at all. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Within the system of martial arts I study – ninjutsu – there is a a subset discipline known as kuji-in which is derived in parts from Mikkyo esoteric Buddhism. During one of the training events held by Stephen K. Hayes he advocated against simply tossing out careless energy into the universe. The example he used was of someone desiring to be rich. So they simply repeat a sort-of mantra over and over again: “I want to be rich.” But there’s no detail, thought, or energy in the desire. So, the universe, being the universe it is, decides one day to have a tree fall on the house of the parents of the person who wishes to be rich. Both parents are killed. Now the inheritance goes to the person wanting to be rich and lo and behold, they are now rich.

“But that’s not what I meant!”

At which point, the universe cocks an eyebrow and says, “Hey, Slim, you said you wanted to be rich. You didn’t say anything about how you wanted to get that cash. So we improvised. It’s not our fault you didn’t know how to spell out your goals so there was a method to them. Deal with it.”

Detailed goals contain a method within them that enables the energy of desire to flow along a proper conduit toward actual achievement and realization of that goal.

Let’s look at this again: “I want to design a new operating system for Apple computers that will sell millions of copies and thereby make me a billionaire.”

Goal: become a billionaire.

Method: STEP 1 – design a new operating system for Apple STEP 2 – Sell or license operating system technology to Apple STEP 3 – Cash paychecks

Each of the above steps has within it its own set of steps, smaller waypoints along the path to success, that must be taken in order for the energy to continue to flow along toward the actualization of this eventual goal. (example: designing a new OS for Apple would inherently mean you would need to first learn how to code for computers, figure out how to then improve existing OS technology, and then code and debug a new OS – among many other smaller steps) Skipping or bypassing any of those steps may well cause the entire goal to derail. At which point, it’s no longer a goal at all. It’s most likely a New Year’s resolution. 🙂

The same thing happens in fighting. You don’t simply become good at martial arts. You have to figure out what style you want to study, how to find a good school, how to put on the uniform, how to figure out stances or kamae, how to move your body, how to coordinate your limbs and motion, how to breathe, how to stay clam under pressure, how the mechanics of striking, grappling, throwing, joint locks, weapon usage, and strategy all work. And again, within each of these steps are subsets of other steps. This is the way it’s always been taught, and for good reason. Students need a proper path – a proven method – in order to acquire skill at what they are studying. Advocating the abandonment of method in favor of the end goal is a recipe for disaster. In fact, it’s also terribly irresponsible for any teacher to espouse as it might well get the student killed.

For sure there are alternative methods to acquiring, say, an outward wrist lock (what, in ninjutsu, is known as omote gyaku) but you don’t simply say, “I’m going to get an omote gyaku” and expect to somehow achieve it without a method. That’s just silly. For beginning students, they learn a basic method for acquiring an omote gyaku – they understand mechanically how the lock works and how to affect it. More senior practitioners understand that they can get that omote gyaku in any number of ways, provided the basic mechanical method is still adhered to. But it doesn’t just happen.

Methods exist in pretty much all aspects of life. Babies don’t suddenly turn into adults. Seasons don’t just change.

And goals don’t just happen, either.

So the next time you think about your goals, ask yourself if you’ve given them enough thought and detail. Are you stating that goal in the best possible way? Is there real thought, information, and energy behind it? Once you’ve stated the goals the way they should be stated, are you then following the method that is inherent in your well-stated goal? Are you taking the steps and substeps that need to be taken in order to keep things moving toward actualization?

And if you’ve got goals that have gone stagnant or died completely, is there a way you can revive them?

Remember that the universe appreciates careful, directed energy a whole lot more than chaotic, unfocused energy. And you have a responsibility to not generate chaos as much as you can avoid doing so. Be careful with your stated intent-make sure you’ve given it the careful thought it requires.

But if you’ve done the work that focused intention deserves, then there is no reason why your goals will not become reality.

Good luck!

NOTE: when I write on topics like this, I prefer to use the term “the universe” as a reflection of my own spiritual inclinations. But feel free to substitute your own for mine. God, Jesus Christ, Allah, Mother Nature, the Buddha, Yahweh, Shiva, Mother Earth, Frank Zappa or whatever all work just as well as the term I’ve chosen. 🙂

in common sense / life thoughts / martial arts / self protection / ninjutsu / Uncategorized 1 comments
 by Jon F. Merz

New England Warrior Camp 2010 – Recap

This past weekend was the New England Warrior Camp, an annual gathering of ninjutsu practitioners from New England and beyond. My good friend and buyu Ken Savage of the Winchendon Martial Arts Center created the event 13 years ago and each successive year, the Camp gets stronger and stronger, with 3-days of intensive day and night training in rustic conditions meant to take camp-goers out of their comfort zones and encourage them to explore the path we walk in new and exciting ways. It’s truly a fantastic event – and while many others have attempted to copy it – none have succeeded.

For the past 10 or 11 years (can’t recall now), I’ve been honored to teach one of the break-out segments at the Camp and I always try to center my presentation around what I happen to be working on at that particular time. It’s always a fantastic experience to get to work with people I don’t normally train with, see how my training and presentation hold up under the duress of each individual attacker, and see how other practitioners are walking the path.

Friday was a humid, rainy day, and I arrived at the Camp at about 3pm. At the White Lodge (the Camp is held on a Boy Scout reservation), I checked in and immediately saw Ken and Paul. A few other folks were milling around, but the excitement was palpable. It always is. One of the great things about the Camp is the caliber and attitude of camp-goers. Everyone is friendly and outgoing. And while there is plenty of political idiocy running rampant in the Bujinkan as a whole, the Camp never tolerates nor suffers from any such juvenile behavior. In short (as Ken’s motto states), we’re there to “explore, challenge, and develop” our warrior spirit. A humid, rainy day wasn’t about to spoil that.

At one of the open-air pavilions, Ken taught a class from 4-5:30 on Kuki Shinden-ryu Hanbojutsu. It was a great way to kick things off and tons of people arrived in time to take part. Ken took us through some basics on using the hanbo, a 3-foot staff, and we got a chance to loosen up with some cool striking techniques.

At 8pm, Ken officially opened the Camp with a welcome around the big fire at the Chippanyonk fire circle. After going over Camp logistics, each of the instructors got a chance to briefly tell folks who were taking their sessions what to expect from the training. From there, we went out to the Ellis Lands where Mark Davis, the senior teacher at the Camp, taught some great night time techniques. As the rain poured down, the air grew cooler, and the night got even more beautiful. The Camp is a fantastic reminder that the wonders of the universe exist in every moment of every situation – we only need to open ourselves up to their presence in order to see and appreciate them.

After the night training concluded, we went back to our quarters at the Henderson Cabin. Several of us stayed up pretty late talking old times and sharing some pretty funny war stories from our years of being in this art. Billy, Dave, Paul, Dennis, Paul, and myself had some great laughs. Then it was off to bed.

Saturday dawned bright and cool. The rain that had poured down the previous night had vanished, leaving behind intense crystal blue skies. A lot of campers showed up for Ken’s early morning Gyo natural fitness session, which is a great method for improving strength and fitness. After a breakfast served up by the Camp’s cook, Ed – who is just crazy enough to add another colorful dimension to the Camp experience without the need for a strait jacket – we all walked out to the Ellis Lands for Mark’s next segment. The ground, which we expected to be muddy, was prefect for training. We twisted, rolled, and bounced around for several hours.

Lunch came and while the rest of the camp-goers went back for the meal, I hung back at the Ellis Lands going over my presentation notes and preparing a few more props. My good friend Billy came out early since he’d be playing the role of attacker (my uke) for my session. We went through what I’d be presenting and then sat down to wait for everyone to show up. Paul showed up to prep for his session and then Ken came out along with the rest of the campers. Each of us had a spot on the giant field and we broke up into three groups for our breakout sessions.

The focus of my presentation was on development of kinesthetic awareness, broadcasting too much intent to an attacker, and disappearing in the midst of a violent encounter. I had a fun time demonstrating the techniques we’d be playing with. The second hour included both attacker and defender being blindfolded with a practice knife inserted into the mix. Two hours flew by and I then raced back to the dining hall to down some chow since I hadn’t eaten much since breakfast aside from some Twix bars and Gatorade.

After dinner I had a chance to grab a quick shower and a cat nap. After that we headed back to the Chippanyonk for the Saturday night talk around the fire. Traditionally, this is where folks can ask questions of the instructors, and we do a few other cool things as well. Ken also laid out the specifics for the night training exercise. This year’s exercise involved a VIP search-and-rescue followed by escape & evasion through hostile territory. Myself, some of the other instructors, and staff volunteers played referees for the event, and as the cool night grew colder, 90+ campers were sent off on their respective assignments. Complicating the assignment even further, each VIP held an index card. Upon arrival, the search & rescue team would be presented with the index card, which told them that their VIP was injured (broken leg, broken knee, etc. etc.). Search & rescue would then have to figure out how they were going to transport their injured VIP back through enemy territory without being compromised. Needless to say, it was a very tough assignment, but a helluva lot of fun.

The Saturday night exercise ended with folks heading back down for the traditional Spam-fest around the campfire. Each year someone seems to concoct some insanely ridiculous recipe for Spam and something else. In the past, the sandwich concoctions have gotten pretty extreme. Not being a fan of Spam, I opt out. But folks brought cookies and other snacks. This year, most people headed off fairly early to bed. Saturdays usually produce the best sleep at Camp.

Sunday morning, Ken took the campers on a walk up the mountain, using more of his Gyo techniques. The view must have been spectacular! After breakfast, the morning’s breakout sessions were with Dennis Mahoney and Leon Drucker. I had an errand to run and missed the first hour, but got back in time to train with Paul and my friend Mike Zaino for the second. More fun training before lunch.

Mark Davis closed out the Camp with a great afternoon session focusing on using the six-foot (bo) staff in a natural way. Paul and I got a chance to explore some of the material we’ve been studying and had a blast doing so. After the session, Ken officially closed the Camp and folks got their gear and said their good-byes. It was, as it always is, a fantastic time. A lot of campers call the Camp, “Ninja New Year” and use it as a means of setting new goals for themselves as they continue walking this path. Ken hands out blank pieces of wood early on Saturdays and invites people to write down a goal for themselves. At the Saturday night fire, campers are invited to come up to the fire and toss their intention sticks into the flames. There’s nothing spiritual or mystical about it, per se, but it’s always a powerful moment as the flames grow higher from the inclusion of each successive intention stick and I, for one, always enjoy watching it. I know I’ve set many goals for myself at the past Camps, and it helps to remind me that there’s still so much to learn, despite twenty years of study in this style.

2010’s NEWC was a great time and I got to meet some wonderful new people. The strength of this art lies in the fact that it is forever growing and evolving – it’s a “living” martial art, not a stagnant, static one reduced to a finite number of stances and techniques. The strength of the Camp lies in the fact that the people who attend it continue to “live” their own individual martial paths, rather than imagine themselves as masters with nothing left to learn.

My sincere thanks to Ken Savage for creating such a wonderful event & to all who came out to the training this past weekend. I’m already looking forward to next year!

in life thoughts / martial arts / self protection / ninjutsu 1 comments