# kuji kiri question



## aikedo-boy

hi all,
i tryed to do an exercise in mr. ashida kim boook (the secrets of the ninja) called full lotus possition which contained putting ur right sole on ur left thigh then u put ur left sole in the right leg crossing.When i tryed to put my right sole into my left thigh i  did it hardley and when i did this to my left thigh i found it more harder then i couldn't  do the core of this exercise which is to calmn the mind because of pain.so what to do?ppl no ninjitsu sensei's or practiceners her in egypt so plzz don't answear by going to a dojo.
thanks


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## arnisador

Do a search on Ashida Kim on this board for more information.


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## heretic888

i like ashida kim's work. it makes me smile.


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## Jason Chambers

I would suggest, as would any other Ninpo person here, to explore other outlets of information.

Meditating does not require your sitting in the "lotus" position.  Sit in posture most comfortable to you.


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## heretic888

What particular outlets of information would you suggest, Jason??


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## Jason Chambers

Well, if the original poster is interested in "mind sciences" then I would suggest works by Stephen Hayes.


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## heretic888

Yes, I have several books by Mr. Hayes ("The Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art", "Ninjutsu: The Art of the Invisible Warrior", "Mystic Arts of the Ninja: Hypnotism, Invisibility, and Weaponry", "Ninja Vol. 1: Spirit of the Shadow Warrior", "Ninja Vol. 2: Warrior Ways of Enlightenment", "Ninja Vol. 3: Warrior Path of Togakure", "Ninja Vol. 4: Legacy of the Night Warrior", and "Ninja Vol. 5: Lore of the Shinobi Warrior"). I think they are quite good, but I have heard some less than flattering comments by some modern Ninpo practitioners. 

What other works by Mr. Hayes do you suggest?? Have you read any of his recent work??


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## Greg Chapman

if your looking for a good book on meditation within the art, then get a book By Glenn Morris called pathnotes of an american ninja master and his follow up book (cant remember that one) its very deep and disturbing to find out about yourself, i still cant concentrate enough to get into it, but what i have read so far is great.


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## telecino

Hi Guys,

Here is a bit of information, in PDF and videos, for those who wish to learn more about kuji-in and the likes. Part of it is copy-paste from what i just posted on the martialpedia.

Here is a video of a guy (doh! me  ) doing a sanskrit prayer to set the mind in a sacred state, then does a quick version of the kuji-in ritual, using the Japanese kanji pronounciation (sanskrit mantras are offered to the serious seeker).
http://www.livemaster.org/archive/KujiIn_front_low.wmv

if you wish to have a basic idea of the technique, here are a few pages from a book on kuji-in, covering 3 of the 9 basic techniques:
http://www.livemaster.org/archive/Kuji-in_EN_78_85.pdf
http://www.livemaster.org/archive/Kuji-in_EN_93_95.pdf

And a video meditation (5 minutes) of the first technique, to assist the mental visualization:
LOW RES: http://www.livemaster.org/archive/Rin_Meditation_Low.wmv
HIGH RES: http://www.livemaster.org/archive/Rin_Meditation_High.wmv


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## telecino

Oh!, And i DID read the material available from Ashida Kim's books . He copied material from other modern masters, and he changed it to make it copyright free, actualy deteriorating it. 

With little effort, he could at least have acquired a copy of the Shinto manuscripts :rtfm: , or an ancient scroll of Bao Pu Zhi :asian: to copy from, but it seems he took the easy way,... again.


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## Don Roley

telecino said:
			
		

> Oh!, And i DID read the material available from Ashida Kim's books . He copied material from other modern masters, and he changed it to make it copyright free, actualy deteriorating it.
> 
> With little effort, he could at least have acquired a copy of the Shinto manuscripts :rtfm: , or an ancient scroll of Bao Pu Zhi :asian: to copy from, but it seems he took the easy way,... again.



Gee, I don't know where to start with what you wrote. There are so many things wrong with the above statement that I would spend more time rewriting what you wrote than the time you spent.

For people that are interested in the subject and the qualifications of the person spouting them, the following link should be of  interest.

http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35123

You will note that in post #4, the posts that George Kohler linked to are by the person that has just joined us.

EDIT- it looks like #4 and everything since it, including our friends posts has been deleted since there really was nothing that Telecino could add in an accurate manner to the discussion.


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## Don Roley

Looks like they have been busy over at e-budo putting threads together and  eliminating others.

The following thread seems to be relvant and still up as  I write. The last time, another martialtalk member  was standing right next to me as I linked to a thread, but when  we went back, the posts we wanted to stress were gone. But this is still up.

http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34964


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## shesulsa

_*MODERATOR NOTE:

Thread moved to Philosophy and Spirituality.

G Ketchmark / shesulsa
MT Super Moderator*_


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## Don Roley

They do not like fraud busting here. But considering that there may be some people considering buying or listening to telcino, there is some things you should know before you lay out your cash and risk your sanity.

On his web page (livemaster.org) he lists the following.



> Amongst others, he has especially been studying meditation and self-transformation, since the age of 20, with Swami Paramananda Saraswatti, of the Foundation for Meditative Studies.



Paramananda Saraswatti's real name is Penny Torres. She is an aging ex- Playboy Bunny who has gained a lot of infamy over her unsubstantiatied claims of being an ordained Hindu priest and the channeler for a spirt she calls Mafu. You might note that in the Hindu religion, women are not priests according to a friend of mine who is one.

Take a look at http://fakeguru.com/



> mafu
> Penny Torres, aka "Mafu," now alias "Swami Paramananda Saraswatti"
> 
> SUMMARY: First a "Ramtha" clone (Ramtha is a disembodied spirit who allegedly possesses a Montana woman, J.Z. Knight), now "Mafu" has morphed into a Gurumayi wannabe. Said to be a former Playboy Bunny, this cutiepie started out as an absurd "channeler" of an "ascended master" called "Mafu."  With pretty looks, the channeling shtick, and lots of vague "new age" blather Torres was able to assemble a small following of naive people around her in Ashland, Oregon -- mostly female of course. Getting the scent of the greater glamour found in Indian guruhood, she now poses as an Indian "swami" complete with orange robes of the renunciant and the "guru reception line." Her house in Ashland is now called the "ashram," and a glimpse of Torres/Mafu is termed darshan.. (In reality the ancient swami orders of Sankara do not admit women. As much as females may seek to steal, there is no such thing as a female "swami.")
> 
> The new line is that Mafu and Penny Torres are now becoming one. Interestingly, her talk as "swami" is as embarassing and inarticulate as her spirit possessor "Mafu," who is now being forced into retirement. (By the way, no genuine swami would play host to a disembodied spirit, and no "ascended master" would possess another's body to teach down below.) Her organization now puts out windblown video clips of Torres, ala Gurumayi of SYDA Yoga. In one creepy clip she kisses a bald-headed man in her "guru reception line," maternally planting a kiss on his forhead, then noodling about nose-to-nose. Hardly the  behaviour of a yogic swami. Just another out-of-control female on a sex-and-power trip, sowing more spiritual confusion in the world.


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## BlackCatBonz

that is pretty disturbing, Don.


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## Don Roley

BlackCatBonz said:


> that is pretty disturbing, Don.



Yeah, and that is the only source he will give. I do not think he has much more than Penny as a source of instruction. A friend of mine who actually does shugendo has looked at his stuff and said he really has no clue as to what he is writing about. On e-budo he has tried to say that he only used the term Kuji kiri to make it easy to label and is not trying to portray himself representing an authentic Japanese tradition. But if you look at the way he jumped into this thread and what he said, you can't say that with a straight face.

Maybe this thread should be split from Telecino's first post and moved to the horror stories section.


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## budo_magus

Hello,

I can appreciate any skepticism. I was a particpant in the original e-budo discussion s few years ago. I am a student of telecino/Francois Lepine/Maha Vajra. 

Let me give my review on the Kuji system that he teaches. 

I've done a variety of things in the past. Yoga, qigong, meditation, in various styles, and with different teachers.

My interest in Kuji in/Kiri derived from the old Stephan Hayes books. Eventually I found my way to Maha's door a number of years ago. I began my study with a great deal of vigor, and during this time, moments of spiritual revelation arrived with more frequency than at other times in my study. 

However, after participating in that discussion in e-budo, and a few other related events at about that same time. I again went on my own to study various things elsewhere. While on my spiritual journey away from him, I've had a number of wonderful experience. 

Then some time later, something interested me to start the Kuji In again. 

Once more, it wasn't long for times of spiritual revelation to exceed my previous studies. 

I've decided to include the methods he teaches as a regular part of my spiritual processes. A fairly large part. 

Much of the criticisms on his Kuji-In technique came from when he had a tiny portion posted of what he taught. When he eventually posted the full technique, his staunchest detractor on e-budo said "He must have needed time to learn the material" and did not argue with the substance of what he taught. 

The second point of detraction came from his study with Penny, and at the time it did not appear he had any other teachers. Upon acquiring priesthood in his Buddhist lineage(which his detractors do not recognize as one of their organizations)he listed those credentials as well. 

In times when I had financial trouble and wanted to continue to learn, he did not charge me for books, and even gave me money to buy headphones so that we could have a video conference to discuss his teachings I have never been asked to  repay him in any way, and I did not have to render and sort of service to him for the help he gave me, and continued to give me free of charge. Even when I would not talk to him for months and months at a time, I simply needed to send him a question, and he'd respond rapidly, without mentioning a fee, or any such issue. 

I'm not interested in attempting to convince anyone of my primary teacher, or his methods. I just wanted to write a positive review because of all the bad press he got, from people who did not wish to look at all he was teaching when it was offered. 

I apologize for ressurecting a dead thread. 

Shawn Zemba


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## Daisan

budo_magus said:


> Hello,
> 
> I can appreciate any skepticism. I was a particpant in the original e-budo discussion s few years ago. I am a student of telecino/Francois Lepine/Maha Vajra.
> 
> Let me give my review on the Kuji system that he teaches.
> 
> I've done a variety of things in the past. Yoga, qigong, meditation, in various styles, and with different teachers.
> 
> My interest in Kuji in/Kiri derived from the old Stephan Hayes books. Eventually I found my way to Maha's door a number of years ago. I began my study with a great deal of vigor, and during this time, moments of spiritual revelation arrived with more frequency than at other times in my study.
> 
> However, after participating in that discussion in e-budo, and a few other related events at about that same time. I again went on my own to study various things elsewhere. While on my spiritual journey away from him, I've had a number of wonderful experience.
> 
> Then some time later, something interested me to start the Kuji In again.
> 
> Once more, it wasn't long for times of spiritual revelation to exceed my previous studies.
> 
> I've decided to include the methods he teaches as a regular part of my spiritual processes. A fairly large part.
> 
> Much of the criticisms on his Kuji-In technique came from when he had a tiny portion posted of what he taught. When he eventually posted the full technique, his staunchest detractor on e-budo said "He must have needed time to learn the material" and did not argue with the substance of what he taught.
> 
> The second point of detraction came from his study with Penny, and at the time it did not appear he had any other teachers. Upon acquiring priesthood in his Buddhist lineage(which his detractors do not recognize as one of their organizations)he listed those credentials as well.
> 
> In times when I had financial trouble and wanted to continue to learn, he did not charge me for books, and even gave me money to buy headphones so that we could have a video conference to discuss his teachings I have never been asked to  repay him in any way, and I did not have to render and sort of service to him for the help he gave me, and continued to give me free of charge. Even when I would not talk to him for months and months at a time, I simply needed to send him a question, and he'd respond rapidly, without mentioning a fee, or any such issue.
> 
> I'm not interested in attempting to convince anyone of my primary teacher, or his methods. I just wanted to write a positive review because of all the bad press he got, from people who did not wish to look at all he was teaching when it was offered.
> 
> I apologize for ressurecting a dead thread.
> 
> Shawn Zemba


Here's to bringing back the dead!

Like Budo Magus, I have studied a variety of arts and styles - both martial arts and spiritual pracitces.  Like every other aspiring ninja of the 70's and 80's I got turned on to Kuji-in by Stephen Hayes' books.  From there, my search widened to include many other sources of information, but not necessarily education.  Until I came across Francois Lepine.

I have studied Qi Qong with the likes of Gunther Weil and his teacher Mantak Chia (who is also quite controversial in some circles).  Controversy seems to follow those who are willing to share the jealously guarded 'secrets' of the ages.  Especially, if it goes against the tenets of one organization or another.  I am also a student and practioner of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, which is not without its own controversies.

The reason I point this out is only to draw a relationship between what has been said about Telecino/Francois Lepine here on MartialTalk.  Regardless of what you think about where and with whom he may have trained or studied with, he has gone well beyond what is portrayed here.  He has opened himself up to criticism by sharing what he has learned.  But what teacher or leader hasn't?

The bottom line is that his methods work.  They work for me and they work for others that have taken the time to study them and follow the instruction.  I could literally list hundreds who have gained from their association with Venerable Francois Lepine; aka Maha Vajra, but I won't do that here.  Just suffice to say that, Francois has given me something very valuable, for which I am truly grateful.

Tony Griffin


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## Silens

Greetings everyone,
Here is my two cents on this whole Lepine/telencio/Maha Dude.

I was bored at work one night and did a search for "Kuji".  I found a series of books by a Francois Lepine on Shihan Van Donk's website.  I searched more and found a homepage of Kuji-in.com.  On a whim I ordered his first book but i did not receive it.  I proceeded to send an email to enquire if i was going to get my book.  I shortly received a reply from Mr. Lepine that he had never received my request, but he was going to send me the book frees of charge.  If I liked the book he asked that i would someday return for the next book.  I was taken back by his generosity.
I did more research into this proclaimed "Master".  Before i started to study his material, I thought to myself who is this clown that thinks he can teach Kuji-in"?  He is very young for his proclaimed skills, he gives very little references and he speaks French...just joking.
Nonetheless, I began studying, deeper and deeper from one book to the next.  It just made sense.  His books are stepping stones.  
Many have read his first book or intros and have said "thats crap".  Well my first martial arts classes seemed to be crap but they gave me foundations to build on so I wouldn't hurt myself or others.  
I went to the next step and enrolled in his study course.  I didn't realize I would be receiving personalized attention WHENEVER I needed it.  
He learned who I was and what I needed to progress.    
He NEVER ONCE judged me.  I could have had the worst day and messed up everything and he would not have given it a moments noticed but just worked to make my soul and life better.  
It has been close to two years since it began training with Francois/Maha.  I am traveling down a path i never dreamed of.  Spiritually I am growing and evolving faster than I thought possible, my life has changed so much, and I have awareness now that life is magical if you want it to be and have faith.  I am much more successful in my career, with my family, and in my spirit.  
  Take it for what its worth.
  Blessings and Honor to you all.


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## Sukerkin

Hmm.  Three new chaps, one post each all within a couple of hours of each other, all singing zombie hosanaa's for what is, to most people, a dubious mine to be digging at.  A more suspicious person might suspect something remiss about that.

Good luck, gentlemen - there is after a familiar saying with regard to the availability of people of limited discretionary reasoning.


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## exile

Well, well...

Silens, Daisen, Budo... just dropped in all together by accident, eh? No connection amongst you at all, right? :lfao: Just happened to stroll into this dead thread all at once, did we?

And people say such dismissive things about coincidence!


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