Japanese Esoteric Teachings (ritual, mystic, Buddhism, beliefs, soul)

[Lord_Vader]

There was a Japanese religion which was born which was not shinto nor was it buddhism. It was a combination of both, but the people who started it exisited around the 8 to 10 centuary. It was an esoteric teaching where the follows explored the inner soul & spirit, pushing the boundries of human abilities and re-activating human abilities lost over time. These people developed sub human abilities that put them at a level above normal humans.

Eventully as a result in conventional religious beliefs, it was deemed to be dark practices and they were to be wiped out by Japanese officials. Due to this fact, the most famous mystical Japanese martial science evolved and gave birth to the famous Ninja of Japan, woses understanding of universal laws and spiritual gave them abilities unlike conventional humans.

Ninja's had the ability to sense danger, human feelings, in-vision short term & long term future, put their bodies into hybernation where they had non vital signs of life at all for long periods of time. This site touches on some of those skills: http://www.geocities.com/yowie_26/18.htm, but books by stephen K hayes about the ninja, especially his 5 volume serries "Ninja" will take you on a spiritual journey they no religion could do.

[Ody]

Uhh, i always thought 'ninjas' where really invisioned to help teach peasants to defend themselves against the later rogue samurai, ehh maybe history channel isn't a good source after all =\

[Scarlett Wampus]

AlanGurvey the history of Ninpo is notoriously obscure. I've heard lots of stories.

When I went to Ninjutsu classes some of those unusual 'skills' were part of what we were taught from the outset, e.g. creeping up on people unawares by learning to move very silently & quietening the mind (mental noise), deception tricks to appear harmless or very scary to faze someone before striking or running. Was fun They were the roughest & friendliest martial arts classes I ever attended too.

[ChrisP]

There's a far more unknown about ancient Japan than is known. All that is really recorded is the politics up until the age of the Samurai.

Who knows. It's possible, I've certainly heard stranger things which turned out to be true...

[Engyo]

I have an acquaintence who practices Ninjitsu; he studies with the so-called last living ninja (a very old gentleman from Japan). I think he would tell you that Ninjitsu, just like Buddhism, is much more about hard work and unrelenting practice than it is about cool magical knowledge and powers. Unfortunately, none of the movies and video games like to spend much time on those aspects of the reality; people get bored really quickly watching someone do the same things over and over for years on end, but that is actually how the skills are developed. Sorry.

[Scarlett Wampus]

Engyo that is very true. I can still see a part for glamour (i.e. magic) to play though. Since Ninjutsu, indeed any martial art or other discipline, requires dedication over a long period of time its best to begin when quite young. Glamour appeals to young people and can serve as the initial hook that gives them the zeal to actually begin real practice. Few will look back in retrospect on something significant they've achieved and not find their ideas were fantastical to begin with.

[Scarlett Wampus]

Found myself thinking about something tonight. I find that the so-called esoteric works out quite ordinary. Ordinary probably the wrong word. Maybe natural is a better term. Maybe not. Rootedness? My point is this: Maintaining health, clearing the mind, finding simple happiness; these things are so valuable yet easily lost. Its easier to become famous, obscenely rich or chase after other special things than it is to get back to 'root' connectedness, and this isn't helped that being lost we don't realise how wonderful 'root' is. Meh.