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Old 07-19-2004, 11:46 AM   #1
Bronson
 
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"Initiation", any thoughts...

Initiation. Check out the instructor profiles at the top of the page.

Bronson

"A pacifist is not really a pacifist if he is unable to make a choice between violence and non-violence. A true pacifist is able to kill or maim in the blink of an eye, but at the moment of impending destruction of the enemy he chooses non-violence."
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Old 07-19-2004, 12:13 PM   #2
Ron Tisdale
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Not my cup of tea...

RT

Ron Tisdale
-----------------------
"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)
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Old 07-19-2004, 12:39 PM   #3
jxa127
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Why can't boys do a vigil and girls a quest?

----
-Drew Ames
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Old 07-19-2004, 12:41 PM   #4
Ron Tisdale
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Quote:
Drew Ames wrote:
Why can't boys do a vigil and girls a quest?
Hmmm, well personally, I LIKE doing vi...Ooops...my mistake...

RT

Ron Tisdale
-----------------------
"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)
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Old 07-19-2004, 01:10 PM   #5
David Humm
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Oh come on.... best belly laugh I've had for a very long time.

Quote:
Initiation founder Jeffrey Prather is a son, father, husband, warrior, artist, author, actor, soldier, special agent, student, and teacher. A US Martial Arts Hall of Fame member, he holds 13th-degree black belt, master rankings in Budo Taijutsu (Body Skills), and Shinken Gata (Real Combat),
I only have one thing to say to the above...

-::said in a Janice style of 'Friends'::-

O...M...G

Regards
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Old 07-19-2004, 01:38 PM   #6
Chuck.Gordon
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

This one's been taken to task before. Pretty much BS.

You gets what you pays for, neh?

Chuck

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Old 07-19-2004, 01:39 PM   #7
kironin
 
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

I guess it's time to make some teenage Ninja!


Bujinkan rankings go up to at least 15 dan. Not that uncommon to see someone advertising a dan above 10. Remember how meaningless discussions of interstyle Aikido ranking gets.
It means something in their organization.

not my taste either...

the Hall of Fame bit is the funny part.
who ?

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Old 07-19-2004, 01:44 PM   #8
kironin
 
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

I spoke too soon...

Quote:
By eighteen he was a licensed black belt holder and meditation teacher. 
Quote:
As a Green Beret he lived with and learned from many native peoples:  the Aymara in the Andes, the Kuna in the San Blas Islands, and the Misquito on the Honduran-Nicaraguan frontier.  He was also given a pipe and blessed to pray with it by Dakota pipeman Asa Primo (Pejuta Okshina).

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Old 07-19-2004, 01:59 PM   #9
David Humm
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

I've spent quite a bit of time on this website and the sister site which is accessed through the "donations" link.

Maybe I'm wrong but this seems to me like a cult recruiting people of all ages under a banner of moralistic code.

Not my cup of tea.

Regards
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Old 07-19-2004, 02:18 PM   #10
spin13
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Regardless of the validity of the teachers and such, its a very vague concept. You can apprentice to become a warrior against evil. What the hell does that mean? Notice they never really tell you. The only thing is actually denounces as evil is gang activity when it itself seems gang-like itself. Perhaps not illegal, but gang-like nonetheless.
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Old 07-19-2004, 03:27 PM   #11
suren
Dojo: Aikido of Silicon Valley
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Quote:
Chuck Gordon wrote:
You gets what you pays for, neh?
600$ for 3 days?! I better pay my aikido teacher and train.

It looks like someone just grabbed some ideas from everywhere and dumped it into that website. Pictures in their training stages looks pretty funny.
The first one - Purification. Picture looks like a shot from "Survivor" TV show Description says smth like "Stretch / Massage". Are they stretching some poor fellow with ropes ?
Second one - Empowerment. Looks like a person doing Surya Namaskara - a yoga exercise to greet the sun.
Third one - Impeccability. Looks like that gal wants to repeat the trick with the spoon shown in first Matrix film when a boy is bending the spoon with his mind
And the last one - Quest/Vigil. Seems like guy is feeding the bird. Very touching, but the bird looks like a falcon or some other predator... So I'm not sure what (or who) is used to feed it...
Anyway. I know much better ways to spend my money.
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Old 07-19-2004, 03:56 PM   #12
Goye
 
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Is there any Bujinkan people arround here?,... what do you think?

César Martínez
Satori Dojo
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Old 07-19-2004, 05:22 PM   #13
Michael Brown
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Hmmmm, does Prather also sit at the right-hand of God, too? Oh, wait, that is reserved for Christ, or at least it was..... But can Prather walk and chew gum at the same time?
Just a few random thoughts that were printable.......
-Mike
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Old 07-19-2004, 06:35 PM   #14
stuartjvnorton
 
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

I just want to know how many coupons I have to sent in to get a Bujinkan Gold Dragon medal!
<drool>
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Old 07-19-2004, 07:56 PM   #15
Ian Williams
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

for six hundred dollars, a case of beer and an appointment out the back of the gentlemans club would be a better idea...

Tsutsumi Ryu Jujitsu
Adelaide, South Australia

Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure
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Old 07-20-2004, 09:14 AM   #16
John Boswell
 
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

The scary thing is that someone could easily do this same thing with Aikido. Think about it:

Aikido was a very spiritual path for the founder.
Though aikido is a martial art, it is the "way of harmony" and effects people off the mat.
Many people in the world who have trained in aikido go on to do their "own thing."

Just replace "Bujinkan" with "Aikido" and take another look at how distorted the whole thing can get. Sad part is, the Bujinkan, at least their Soke (who is bone fide) is world renowned for being a true martial artist and humanitarian. It's a shame someone would try to exploit an organization that has given them so much, all for profit and... in my opinion: brainwashing.

The end does not justify the means.

PS: I'm not a member of Bujinkan, but I've done some of reading on Soke Masaaki Hatsumi.
http://www.winjutsu.com/source/hatsumi.html

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Old 07-20-2004, 10:10 AM   #17
happysod
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Just how many male initiation tests do I have to undertake these days?

I'm running out of skin to push various animal bones through. I'm also running out of animals to chose as a mystical spirit totem guide and I'm way out of luck when it comes to being abused by the latest I left the [insert branch of service/secret agent/home shopping presenter here] guru. I've given my all to these charlatans, can't they just leave me alone to be happily gulled by the idea that aikido is a useful self defense...(sob)
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Old 07-20-2004, 10:59 AM   #18
suren
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Quote:
Initiation founder Jeffrey Prather is a son, father, husband...
So being son (Which is natural for any male), father and husband add him points I guess?

That reminded me a joke when a person comes to an interview for a job:

The guy: "I have a family and 14 children!"
Interviewer: "Ok, what else can you do?"
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Old 07-21-2004, 01:53 AM   #19
Chuck.Gordon
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

John Boswell wrote:

>The scary thing is that someone could easily do this same thing with Aikido. Think about it:

Too late. It's already out there ... sadly.

Chuck

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Old 07-21-2004, 07:21 AM   #20
Goye
 
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Quote:
Chuck Gordon wrote:
John Boswell wrote:


Too late. It's already out there ... sadly.

Chuck
I´m sure people have done things like this with Aikido,.. and also others,.. do you remember www.aikidog.com?

César Martínez
Satori Dojo
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Old 07-21-2004, 07:34 AM   #21
happysod
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Quote:
César Martínez wrote:
I´m sure people have done things like this with Aikido,.. and also others,.. do you remember www.aikidog.com?
I object strongly to your linking this practitioner of aikido to a thread describing a rather disturbing attempt at a ma cult described by the initial link.

While you are of course at liberty to decry what this gentleman has done with his interpretation of aikido, I feel the only dangers Jason DeLucia represents are physical (if you actually fight him) rather than emotional or mental.
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Old 07-21-2004, 07:46 AM   #22
jxa127
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Freaky! Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Quote:
Ron Tisdale wrote:
Hmmm, well personally, I LIKE doing vi...Ooops...my mistake...

RT
*grin*

----
-Drew Ames
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Old 07-22-2004, 08:31 PM   #23
JasonFDeLucia
 
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Quote:
Ian Hurst wrote:
I object strongly to your linking this practitioner of aikido to a thread describing a rather disturbing attempt at a ma cult described by the initial link.

While you are of course at liberty to decry what this gentleman has done with his interpretation of aikido, I feel the only dangers Jason DeLucia represents are physical (if you actually fight him) rather than emotional or mental.
thank you sir
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Old 08-05-2004, 10:19 PM   #24
bearclanbrother
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

I find it interesting that this guy is "using" Apache songs that are meant for the woman's coming of age ceremony for boys quests. I am a registered member of the White Mountain Apache tribe and have seen many acts like this in my time. A man comes along and learns a few songs then decides to make a quick buck. These practices have been used for a higher purpose for centuries. I can understand an outsider studying and practicing these traditions but to blatantly market and exploit them is what we natives believe will bring about bad medicine. It will be interesting to watch what this mans future holds.
Bennett Lacapa
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Old 08-05-2004, 10:40 PM   #25
shihonage
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Re: "Initiation", any thoughts...

Quote:
César Martínez wrote:
I´m sure people have done things like this with Aikido,.. and also others,.. do you remember www.aikidog.com?
What's wrong with Aikidog ?
You should check out this guy's Aikido videos before passing judgement.

Maybe you just confused www.aikidog.com with www.kiaigolf.com ?
Now, that one deserves all your smileys.

Last edited by shihonage : 08-05-2004 at 10:48 PM.
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