Not certain about learning from books? Questions about our our sources, the authenticity,... read a few answers given to previously emailled questions.
| Fear of wrongfull application? |
| Email: I practise ninjutsu and my master said, that there are not many people, who can do the kuji in in the right way, because if you visualize the wrong things, it may be dangerous for you, because you open the wrong energy doors, and your energy will stuck somewhere in your body and your spirit will go the wrong way (if you have bad luck, you might get thin bones or deseases or something else if you are older.) He said it is like doing wrong acupuncture. Is that right??? |
| Answer: If you visualize yourself dying for so long, you might end up dead. If you use a technique that stills energy in your dan-tian, it will be stuck there. You could do something wrong if you have read bad information, I did this myself when I was young and stupid, and it did have some consequences at that time. But it take another trait in order to stuck energy in your body, it is a lack of understanding and self-development. When you use kuji-in, the worst effects happen when you do it for a power-trip of for un-virtuous reasons. When your goal is aimed at self-development, it takes a lot of energy to counteract good intentions. My work cannot be compared to the books that write that you will become powerful if you put your hands this way or that way. I take care of the philosophical aspect, the inner growth, and I give energy practice in the beginning of the first book, to learn how to let the energy flow correctly. This is why the first book of the trilogy is called "Qi-Gong and Kuji-In", since Qi-Gong is the art of energy work. There is a great deal of people who got wonderful results by practicing from my books and you may ask questions by email anytime you wish. It will be a pleasure to answer you. And if you are afraid to damage your body, do not worry so much about that in regards to the techniques I teach. Before damage can be done from bad application of the techniques, lots of warnings from your body would manifest, and you would ask questions about them. It not exactly like the bad application of acupuncture, where the effect is quick and you have no time to react. The Kuji-In uses the energy of the person who practices, thus you only have the level of energy you have developed yet to work on yourself, which follows your evolution. Uppon that, in the first book I only show techniques that develops the awareness and consciousness of energy. You might find the mudras and visualizations a little different from the Tendaï martial arts application, since I use more of the Chinese Medicine tradition at first, to be certain the student develops sensibility and awareness of his energy before he actually starts using the most powerful techniques. In the second book, students learn how to develop themselves, using the awareness they previously acquired, in ways to make them more flexible, harmonious, flowing with the energy. Only in the third book "Mastery" do I reveal the mudra variations that generate the most powerful physical effects, but this is only once you learned all the reasons for these variations, and each of their application. As for those who believe that learning their way is always the best, and learning the ways of other traditions are wrong, then this I a mistake, since every tradition of Kuji-In/Nine Seals/Navamudra and other appellations, do produce the results they are said to produce. I teach the most secure way, and bring the student to the required awareness to develop himself in power only when he feels comfortable with it. Now, don't mistake any feeling for a bad feeling. You have to trust yourself. Each time you do lots of workout using muscles you never used before, you might feel some muscular pain for a while. In Kuji-In, only when the problems persist over a week must we alarm ourselves, since the only energy used to work on yourself is the level you developed alone, thus you don't actually have the means to hurt yourself until quite a while of practice. I wish to reassure you that everyone of my students developed great efficiency with their kuji-in practice, and when they applied the martial arts variation used in ninjustu, their art became much more empowered with quickness, agility and strength. But this would not have occurred if they did not previously developed the energy awareness and flexibility from the start. I advise you that I do not teach the Tendaï Buddhist approach thought in a religion, but the Transformational Approach thought to those who do not wish to engage in a religious path in order to learn Kuji-In. Kuji-In should not be reserved to the exclusivity of religious paths. Your ninjutsu master might react to this knowledge, saying it is not the method he learned, and it doesn't mean it is not a good way. Hindu, Chinese, Japanese Tendaï and Japanese Shinto do not agree on the exact application of kuji-in, and they all proclaim theirs is the only way to do it, constantly warning their students to be afraid of the wrongful application, although all these different ways work fine. The powerful and potentially harmful variations are only thought in the third book, available to those who practiced from the previous 2 books. I teach in a way to keep the student free of dogma and sectarism, keeping the information strictly to what concerns kuji-in and the philosophy associated with the development of the technique. I remain available to answer each one of your questions. François Lépine |
| Would learning a technique block you from learning other techniques? |
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Email: hello, I am writing to find out some info. at the american bujinkan dojo people are curious about your teachings. since our budotaijutsu contains the only historically valid form of ninjutsu, and that in the higher dan grades or at seminars we learn kuji in and kuji kiri, many people are hesitantly curious about your courses. if we spend time learning false mudras the psychosomatic trigger will be falsley formed, if the process is wrong the energy channels will not connect and we will not achieve the true result. and the masters have told us that it would be impossible to recondition the trigger once practiced enough. many of us are persuing the bujinkan as a career path, if we are damaged by your product and can not function as a higher dan teacher you may be liable. so having said that, should we in the bujinkan use your product? |
| Answer: Hi, First, I wish to explain a few details. Many schools teach different ways of doing each mudra. By applying a specific set of mudras to attain each effect, you do build a psychosomatic effect in relation with a certain mudra position. Since every school teach the ritual aspect of Kuji-In each in a different way, it would be awful to believe that 99% of them are wrong, and only 1% right, since all of the schools seem to have results. In fact, each difference in the mudras also operate a slight difference in the outcome effect, but it does not hinder the re-enacting of one of the mudras to another form in the future. In Kuji-In, you are already practicing 9 mudras, thus you develop 9 different psychosomatic triggers, and nothing prevents you from developing a tenth one if you ever elect to change one of your mudras, for one of the form. Kuji-In means 9 seals, so the myth that there is actually 81 mudras in Kuji-In is really just a myth. In Kuji-In, there are only 9 mudras to practice, and these exact mudras do vary from one school to another. But, there are 81 mudras in the traditions that gave birth to Kuji-In, and many other methods. Next, in Kuji-In, we call the ritual technique "Nine Seals" because the only apparent form of the technique seen is the hand positions, but the hands are still only 1 fifth of the technique. The Kuji-In tools are: - mudra (hand positions) Now, if you thought that the mudras had variations from one school to another, you would be astonished at the variations in mantras (original mantras are sanskrit). Variations in manadalas are even encouraged as the student progress, so its ok. Variations in chakras are few, but there are some. Variation in dharma is the most versatile, since each teaching is given in a different way according to the path of the student. Martial artists have a dharma style, and meditators have another, sorcerers have another, healers another,... Therefore, variations exists in many ways in the teachings of Kuji-In, and they all produce results. The technique that I show, is the general purpose technique, that fits all paths without specialization, and in many cases I give precisions to the path differences and I provide that said variations so to fit with one student or another, so that each may choose their preferred application. It does not hinder to start learning Kuji-In in a certain way, then to be initiated by your school's authority, and to start applying your new teachings. The mudras, mantras and other tools that vary will have to be re-learned almost from scratch, but it would have been the same if you had started only at the moment of initiation from your school. The mental process that poses a limit from learning different techniques, is the attitude of a students that proclaims "I know how it is done now" when he first learns a technique, thus his mind does refuse any other input in the future. This is what your teacher was warning you about, since every Kuji-In teacher says he holds the truth, thus the students build up their own limits to change. I teach right from the start that there are many variations and that we must remain opened to changed in life, and changes in the technique. In fact, the "Transformational Approach" I teach was learned by studying the knowledge that first gave birth to Kuji-In. I am totally available to believe that your budotaijutsu contains the purest form of ninjutsu. Yet, ninjutsu did not invent Kuji-In. They took Kuji-In from the Shinto religion, in Japan, which was the prime religion for ninjas and samurai at that time. Shito took kuji-in from the Buddhists, when they came to Japan, from China. The Chinese Buddhists took their "Nine Hand Seals" from the Hindu Buddhists when it came from India. And the Hindus created the Nine Hand Seals from the ritual techniques that were practiced by the local population, peasants and farmers, in their religious beliefs. That was almost 2000 years before the Shinto passed Kuji-In to the ninjutsu tradition, and it did not look like what is thought in ninjutsu today. The key component of correct application of Kuji-In is the development of "paying attention to the higher self". Being available to the process of revelation, when new perceptions of reality come into your human awareness, revealed or "unveiled" by your spiritual warrior, the powerful being inside you, that transforms your human limitations. This cannot be attained if you entertain a fear of failure, or a fear of irreversible damage. The Spirit if almighty, powerful, and it is not bound by a certain set of knowledge rather than another. People who devote themselves to spiritual studies such as Kuji-In embrace the multitude of facets of the truth. Being open minded, and never being so pretentious as to believe you hold the exact truth about a technique, will have your spiritual powers deliver ten fold what you would not even have expected of a technique. Most of the profound philosophy behind Kuji-In was lost, and very little of it is thought anymore. This is the point on which I focus the most. I don't even care if you select a certain mudra rather than another for a specific technique, as long as you select one of them and practice with determination and diligence, using the philosophical key component to provoke the awakening of your Spirit within yourself, transforming you in this mighty warrior we only see in legends. Only a few people attain this point, for this one main reason: they believe they hold the truth, and they are closed to what could be revealed about the truth, from within, by the Spirit, using words human can't possibly understand. Even in martial arts, Kuji-In is a spiritual quest of perfection. Even without the religious concept of God, without the spiritual dogmas of religion, without any specific belief, kuji-in must be practiced with the acceptance in a form of "High Self", the Spirit. It cannot deliver more than psychosomatic results to those who practice without a form of spiritual implication. But when Kuji-In is practiced with the sacred attitude of a personal quest for the higher self, psychosomatic effects are actually washed away by the presence of the spiritual warrior, and have less and less meaning in the end. In martial arts, this quest can be the awakening of the spiritual warrior, like the Chinese warrior Kuan-Yu did, using the Chinese version thought by the sage Bao Pu Zhi, 1200 years before the Shinto know anything about Kuji-In, and this technique was not the same as the one thought by ninjutsu today.
You will attain quick small results, by practicing kuji-in right now, results that don't really count in the end. You will attain powerful results only with a great deal of practice over a long period of time. You will be able to change aspects of your technique if you are inspired new ones from your specific school, where you can learn the specific variations that your school teaches. You will do damage to yourself only if you believe that damage can be done with such a wonderful technique. If you practice with a sacred attitude, your Spiritual self will rectify everything anyway. If you practice without a sacred state of mind, you are already doing it in the wrong way, but you can still aim at developing mental triggers to provoke 1 tenth of the effect originally intended by Kuji-In. Elitism (belief of being the only ones with the truth, or correct application of a technique) is issued from an egotistical need to feel in power. Once in true power, such beliefs are washed away, and one can embrace the hole of the truth. Elitism hinders the development truly intended by Kuji-In.
If you even elect to study from the books I wrote, you would develop such an open-mined attitude. If you prefer waiting for the knowledge from your teacher, it would also be a wise choice, since you would receive the technique eventually. Forgive my arrogance, for I invite you to offer this email to your teachers. Hopefully they will accept that while their technique is powerful, other aspect of Kuji-In exist that they don't know about, that might profit them as well.
Francois Lepine. |
| Book or teacher, or both? Relation with Bujikan Ninjutsu? |
| Email: I have a few questions about the books, Qi-Gong and Kuji-in, and Advanced Kuji-in. First, do these books cover everything one needs to know to effectively practice Kuji-in? Or would one have to eventually find a teacher? Second, how closely related to what is in these books to what is taught in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu (AKA Ninjutsu) if known, or is this purely Buddhist in nature? Third, what is the difference or significance of using Japanese compared to the Sanskrit language if any? Fourth, how did you originally learn Kuji? Was it from a Spiritual standpoint or from a martial arts standpoint? I have been searching lately for any info on authentic Kuji-in that I could find and eventually came across your website but am cautious as to whether or not it is real. Thanks for your time |
| Answer: Hi, The books cover everything you need to know about Kuji-In, but you might want to find a teacher in a spiritual path or martial arts path, to keep inspiring your Spirit in the application. Most monks who leanred the technique were involved in a spiritual path or martial arts path, but the kuji-in ritual technique was first thought simply by reading the ancient manuscripts. I teach the "Transformational Approach" which is a general purpose approach that is easily adapted to a specific path henceforth. Thus, I teach the global technique that will make all of the Kuji-In empower you, then you can seek a teacher if you wish to learn specific martial arts variations, or read on to the third book (Kuji-In Mastery, almost done writing) that details a few of those variations. The Japanese kanji mantras are suitable enough for someone who wish to learn the "Self-Empowerment" side, or mental training aspect of the technique, which is very good. The Sanskrit mantras carry a more profound spiritual sense, and will be useful only to those who are implicated in a spiritual path. If someone does not believe in the implication of the Spirit in the practice of Kuji-In, then only the psychosomatic response triggered by the application of the ritual technique will suffice, whereas someone opened to a form of spirituality, in any shape it might take, will be able to appreciate the sacred sense that kuji-in takes. Sanskrit mantras are next to useless for atheists, since the Japanese kanji mantras carry the same "mind-training" efficiency. I learned the kuji-in technique first by reading all that was available, then reading and studying the ancient scrolls and manuscripts from all traditions I could set my hands on: Japanese, Chinese, Hindu origins,... Then I learned the self-transformation aspects by visiting multiple temples of various traditions and consulting with their respective teachers and masters. I did not learn Kuji-In from a single specific teacher, but from all of them, and i studied the ancient texts like all Kuji-In masters did. My kuji-in background is of spiritual sources, and I practice the martial approach for 2 reasons: 1- I love martial arts, it is my physical activity of predilection; 2- I need to know what I teach when I am with martial artists. I am not an authority in martial arts at all, but I certainly am in the fields of spirituality and esoteric practices such as Kuji-In. Even the Grand Masters of Ninjustu used to get their own initiations from monks before a few of them started to believe they could handle the thing on their own. Although, most Grand Masters are also monks inside, so profound is their spirituality, and learning from them is still a wise choice. If you have any more questions, please, help yourself. François Lépine |
| Posture, incense, meridians. |
Email: Should I sit on the floor "cross legged" or would it matter if I either am sitting in a chair or standing up when practicing Kuji-in? |
| Answer: Any way you sit, kuji-in will work it's efficiency. But if you site like you are used to meditate, the energy level will raise more. Sitting cross-legged, even half or full lotus, will have the most energy increase and it will also be prone to meditate right after you do your kuji-in. I personnaly do kuji-in in half-lotus. |
| Email: do you recommend the use of incense or not? Although I have both used it and not used it during meditation I'm not too sure whether or not it is recommended for Kuji-in. And if you do use it which would you recommend? |
| Answer: Kuji-In is a spiritual practice. If you usually use incense while you do other spiritual practice, then incense apply. Since you ask for a recommendation, I'll suggest using tibetain or Buddhists incense type, and not use the commercial plastic scented of false flowers. |
| Email: When visualizing the flame at the base chakra in the Rin Mudra what color should I be visualizing it to be? |
Answer: RIN's flame
should be red-orange like real fire. |
| Email: When I was studying Qigong a number of years ago when one circulated their energy it would travel from the tan-tien (or hara in Japanese) down to the base chakra, then up the spine to the crown of the head and then travel down the front of your body back to the tan-tien. Now in the Rin Kuji you say to inhale the energy and have it go the opposite way to the base chakra. I am wondering if there would be any conflict in circulating the energy in this way as opposed to the way I learned before? |
| Answer: There are
many channels of energy in the body. At the level of the skin, energy
circulates thru the meridians, which are those you described in your questions,
the governing and generation channels of traditional Chinese medicine.
But deeper into your body, along your spine, there are other channels
each side of your spine thru which the energy goes from inside your nasal
cavity, up inside the cranial bone, back the head, down your neck each
side of the spine. These are the IDA and PINGALA energy channels of the
hindu tradition, and have different functionalities than the surface meridians.
Meridians are on the skin and serve health and vital functions. Energy
channels inside the body serve other evolutive purposes and regulates
more spiritual aspects of existence. |
| Studying with me... |
| Email: ... I really want to start my study of Kuji In with you. Your website
is astonishly good. Right now I am studying Ninjutsu so it will be a good
completion for me. But I have some more questions, when I become an online
student will I be a direct student of yourself or do you have a team of
co-workers. Warm greetings and take care. |
| Answer: Hi, ... Now, as for being my student, it does not engage you in anything. As long as you feel good about your kuji-in training with me, you continue. When you feel you wish to keep a personal path, you simply stop assisting the on-line classes, seminars or events. Kuji-in is a great training and it is totally acceptable to keep on training other arts with other teachers while you develop yourself in the kuji-in self-transformation art. I have more privilege relationships with my in-person students, but on-line students everywhere in the world are finding their distant training in kuji-in quite efficient. François Lépine |
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