Robins Doenicke's seminars in both Newcastle and Sydney were well attended.  A dozen practitioners from Taree and Newcastle came together at the Mayfield Dojo -  in Newcastle  - and sixteen practitioners at the Hunters Hill dojo.  We were all encouraged to see Taree practitioners make the journey

Robin brought over some information that traslates some of the estoric Japanese used in the Bujinkan to English. The following is his interpretation of these words after discussion with Nagato-sensei, Soke and others in the Hombu Dojo. As anyone involved in Japanese translation knows, there are usually multiple interpretations possible for any given word, especially words no longer in use in modern times. It's important for each person to discover what these words mean for themselves through their own training, knowledge, experience, understanding of budo, philosophy, Japanese language and through their own discussions with the Japanese Shihan.

千早振る神の教えはとこしえに正しき心身を護るらん詞韻波羅密大光明

Chihayaburu kami no oshie wa tokoshie ni tadashiki kokoro mi o mamoru ran
shikin haramitsu daikoumyou

chihayaburu = Since long ago

kami no oshie wa = Divine teachings

tokoshie ni = Forever

tadashiki kokoro mi o mamoru ran = Protect the right heart and body
‘mi’ means shin or body.
shikin = A Shinto word. No meaning.

haramitsu = A Buddhist word (originally from Indian Sanskrit). The expression relates to satori or enlightenment.

To cross the river from death to life – ‘higan’

daikoumyou – Great light. Soke mentioned that within this is plus and minus (duality).

When the two collide it gives a sound and produces light.

Soke said the inherent meaning of shikin haramitsu daikoumyou is that man is in nature and nature is in man.

Problems occur when man thinks the two are separate.

On This Years Discussions In the Hombu

才能魂器

sainou kon ki

sainou = Talent or ability

kon = Means spirit or soul. The normal kanji for ‘kon’ is kokoro or shin.

Soke changed it to this other kanji to emphasize that the spirit/soul is not changed as easily as the heart.

ki = Means utsuwa or vessel/container. Also means ‘ku’ which means empty. To be an empty cup. If not empty then nothing can enter in.

Soke put these words together. They did not exist as a set expression before this.

Jin tsu riki = literally, God transmitting power. In otherwords it means through divine power or, divine power moving through me. It is not my own power or my own volition but that of the divine, Consciousness, God. It is important to understand that this is our kami no musubi or connection with the divine.