Transmission in Ninjutsu Teaching: A Special Case of Mentoring

Mentoring is an essential, powerful element in personal development. I use a comparison to the concept of "transmission" in ninjutsu -- a model of knowledge, skill and authourity transfer that shares much in common with other traditional Eastern practices -- to help elaborate what mentoring is all about.

Direct, Personal and Intimate Teaching as "Transmission"

In certain arts and practices, there is a pedagogical tradition of "transmission" from master to disciple. This seems to be more common in Eastern culture, eg. in yoga, zen, and koryu (traditional Japanese martial arts).

This mode of teaching, with its strict hierarchies, concern for lineage, and mystical overtones, can really rankle with North American values (egalitarianism; novelty and revolution; rationalism), or at the very least seem awfully foreign. This can lead to both rejection and hyperadoption. ("Don't be more Japanese than the Japanese," says sensei Meunier.)

There's a lot of interesting stuff to explore in and around the idea of transmission idea, and I look forward to exploring a lot of it. For this post, though, I'll use it as an exotic and specialized example of what mentoring is and how it works.

Like mentors, senseis are further along the path. They've been where you are, and have what you want.

(Note: For the ninjutsu parts of this post, I am following Stephane Meunier from pages 45-46 of Kihon no Izen . All credit for accurate ninjutsu information goes to him; further interpretations and any attendant mistakes are my own.)

Ninjutsu Transmission as an Analogy to Personal Growth Mentoring

"A real transmission is done in three parts and directly from master to disciple. You must have a direct and personal relationship with the master to have access to any transmission."

- Kihon no Izen, Stephane Meunier

In my last post, I talked about the strengths of using books, DVDs and seminars for personal development -- and the crucial aspects that are left out when mentoring isn't part of the mix.

This issue is a hot topic in and around ninjutsu. There are some really poor examples of ninjutsu teachers and practitioners out there, and part of the issue is an over-reliance on books, DVDs and seminars, and a corresponding lack of direct teaching and mentorship. More specifically, for people claiming to be qualified authentic teachers of ninjutsu, a lack of "a real transmission... directly from master to disciple". (Note that there's a difference between being a student and being a 'disciple'. Exactly what that difference is will have to wait for another post.)

What is so important about this "direct and personal relationship"? What is communicated (transmitted) there that can't be through indirect means?

Though there are many books and DVDs with good and interesting information about ninjutsu and other martial arts, it's perhaps obvious that these alone will not allow someone to learn the art with any coherence, integrity or depth, no matter how hard they train. Physical experience and direct coaching are necessary to learn an art that depends on how you move your body in space.

Though it's a little less obvious, the same principles apply in personal development -- there is only so much that can be learned without a direct, personal relationship with one or more mentors. Transmission is concerned with the very intense, somewhat secretive and almost sacred relationship between a master and his one or more (but not many more...) disciples. Not all mentoring relationships need be anywhere near as intense as all that, but they do need to be "direct and personal" for the same reasons that a master/disciple relationship does.

The Three Ways of Transmission

In the ninjutsu tradition, there are three aspects to the transmission of the art: kuden (oral transmission), taiden (body transmission) and shinden (spirit transmission).

Let's see why each aspect of transmission is necessary, and how this maps onto personal development.

Kuden

Oral transmission is the terms, concepts, explanations, and instructions of the teacher. If they've published a book, or produced articles or videos, some of this information is available elsewhere. But in an ongoing relationship, the information given by the teacher is inevitably tailored to the student at that moment, in context.

The effect of timing alone on integrating information is just one obvious benefit of personal instruction.

In personal development terms, even a half-decent mentor will inevitably speak to you in ways that address your current situation and needs, sometimes just in the spirit of the moment without their intending to do so.

Taiden

Body transmission in ninjutsu has to do with experiencing the techniques, i.e.: the teacher performing them on you (in a non-injuring way). It's surprising sometimes the effect this can have -- it can be inspiring, frightening, and spark real insight into the art.

What does this look like in a personal development context? All personal development concepts and skills relate directly or indirectly to our interactions with others. Some, like confidence, presence, honesty can look very different in practice than we imagine.

And there are some skills, like emotional facilitation, or active listening, that (like martial arts techniques) imply an interaction between two or more people. So body transmission could be considered especially relevant in personal development when a mentor or teacher uses a technique or facilitates us directly, i.e.: we experience what it's like to be a participant in, and perhaps on the receiving end of, some ability they have.

Shinden

To quote Sensei Meunier again, "This is the part of the transmission that goes beyond words. It is used to describe the bond between the master and the disciple. It's a way for the master to show his student without showing."

Putting aside anything mystical for the time being, spirit transmission could simply mean all the additional information that our minds can glean from an intimate interaction (where we are open and 'all ears'; see my last post). Our non-conscious minds pick up many times more information than we process consciously, and direct, personal interactions simply have more data on most channels than a DVD or book can communicate.

Another way of seeing spirit transmission is as the subtle, powerful impact that people have on us as we spend time with them. We become like those we associate with. When they're people we admire, and who have powers and presence that go beyond our own, the influence can go very deep.

The Case for Mentoring, One More Time!

This is where mentoring becomes absolutely indispensable. This is the part of transmission that is least present in any indirect relationship or communication. With verbal instruction and technical know-how, one could make an argument that it's possible to glean them from books and DVDs and the occasional seminar.

And with any great teacher we admire, it's easy to feel a connection to them. But no matter how much we feel an author or speaker is "really speaking to us", or sense their presence in their work (and I feel both of these often), this does not make it a direct relationship. On the one hand, there's feeling someone's presence in a book or blog post they write, perhaps shaking hands with them after a seminar appearance, or even doing an interview with them.

Now imagine seeing that teacher, mentor or sensei regularly for years, getting to know their quirks, and them yours, eating meals with them, sharing long car rides, feeling their presence in a room every time you walk in, knowing they're watching your behaviour, and that they care about your progress -- yes: yours, personally...

How could this not make a difference in how (and what) you learn from them?

(PS: The heading for this section may be misleading: this is definitely not the last time I'll be making the case for mentoring. :-) )