Call Of The Shadows

This is a transcript of my conversation with a Ninjutsu master and instructor that I had the privelege of being introduced too. I was intrigued by his serious manner, and indifference to most things people consider important. So here it is, the interview with a shinobi. I hope it will be as eye opening and life transforming for you as it was for me.

IVR : Tell me, -- , why did you agree to this interview - Doesn't that go against your image?

SH : Yes. But I do not strive to maintain an image. I agreed to talk to you, because no matter how you portray me in the end, whether as a sage or a madman, someone will finally heed the shadows call because of my words. That is why I speak.

IVR : The shadows call? What does that mean?

SH : The shadows call is a term I use for the realization of a warrior destiny. Some feel it already... your so-called dojos are filled with people seeking a martial way. They can never find it there, for even those places are rooted in following what is considered acceptable. When one comes face to face with their true art, and realizes their destiny, that is the shadows call. To heed the shadows call, however, it takes a true warrior, so those without pure intention will fail.

IVR : You speak as though many have this `warriors destiny', although the kind of activity someone like you engages in and teaches, is considered dangerous and sometimes unlawful by the rest of society. Why should one choose to defy both society and the law?

SH : Men change their minds, and over time they change their laws. Nothing in government controlled society is ever the same for long. Once this nation banned the drinking of alcohol, and once its law allowed a man to kill another man in the street with "proper cause". Those laws are now reversed, as are many others. If you think on it, you will know what I say is true. To embark on a true warrior path, one must be willing to be though of as a fool, in order to better himself. It has been the same for many ages... `society' as you call it, will shun us in time of peace, and run to us in time of chaos and destruction.

IVR : Why do think that is ?

SH : We order are daily lives in chaos and destruction. We are not content to be comfortable. When others are shaken by the loss of normality, we are not affected. They have wasted their time in achieving worthless self goals, while we exist in the harsh reality to come.

IVR : So you believe that all things end in war and destruction ?

SH : Not necessarily war and destruction. But all things do end in chaos. It is written in the very laws of nature. Our lives are ordered by the laws of nature and no other. We change with the seasons, whether winter to summer, or sunshine to storm, but we do not change with the whims of men.

IVR : I see... So what can the average person do to embrace what he feels is a `warrior destiny' ?

SH : It is very simple... stop being average. Average is what the people around him dictate he should be. When he ceases to care, and seeks out his teacher with a pure heart, he will find his destiny. Many are incapable of this, because they could never leave their normal.

IVR : Do you believe everyone could be like you, if they struck out on this warriors quest?

SH : No. Only a few are capable of living the life of a Shinobi warrior. But one does not need to be a Shinobi , to follow his true path. The path of truth is sometimes dangerous, so some must be the light, and others the shadows. Some are destined to change the way others think, and some are destined to follow. I was destined to follow no one. Some cannot survive that way. The warriors quest is about fulfillment of your purpose and finding truth, for enough men waste their lives on petty things.

IVR : A lot of people consider the life you lead exciting. How would you reply to that.

SH : Those who seek excitement are either children or fools. A thirst for excitement is based in a basic lack of control, and has no place in my life, nor any other warriors. We are born into this life to seek a good place to die. That is all.

IVR : That's a very dismal outlook... What about all the places you've been in your career as an instructor, and all the things you've seen?

SH : I have seen many lands, and many people, yet they are all the same. One piece of earth is the same as another. Every person is unique, and everyone is the same. Many will find that there is no purpose, and fear of that is what keeps them from asking the questions about their existence that they must.

IVR : But haven't you seen some amazing things in your travels, out of all the wonderful sights the world has to offer?

SH : I have seen Spring and Winter, birth and death, cold and heat, darkness and light... And I have come to know it all the same. Spring dawns and fades to winter, the young are born to fade toward death, and the light blinds as deeply as the darkness. That is why I say, we are born to seek a good place to die. The cycle will begin anew, all things moving toward the final end. This is the reality that none wish to speak of. Each needs to believe that somehow he can make or has made a difference. The truth is, all things are transient and fading. I have devoted my life to seeking truth, and to passing on the spirit of the Shinobi in the generations to come. If our way is forgotten, the balance will tip to chaos, for their cannot be light without the darkness. In order to find true purpose, one must follow their destiny, whatever it may be, for that is their chance to fulfill their highest calling.

IVR : Thank you very much, --. I hope you will speak to us again soon.