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Hoshinjutsu Reccomended Reading
Books by Sensei Rob Williams: Hoshinjutsu: The Art of Esoteric Budo
Books by Dr. Glenn Morris: Path Notes of an American Ninja Master Shadow Strategies of an American Ninja Master Quantum Crawfish Bisque for the Clueless Soul: How Choice Works To Create Success or Despair
HOSHIN READING LIST “The following books are strongly suggested readings for those who are interested in the hoshin path of budo. I am presenting the books in blocks or groups representing both when and why they should be read in the belt system with a little review. Here are the recommendations and the order in which we used to (and some still do) read them”. –Glenn A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy A Book of Five Rings Book of Five Rings is the classic work on strategy from the viewpoint of the individual warrior. This is your guide through earth and water. Musashi tells us he meditates (I am a man with a smooth forehead.) in code, and is a devotee of the Goddess (Kannon). Rather surprising coming from one of the more successful sword duelists in Japanese history. You really have to understand combat, chi kung, and sensitivity to grasp many of Musashi’s concepts. He lies a lot. He leads you astray while giving you awesome information that could save your life. He complains about problems in his day that are still problems in ours. Whenever he says, “Study on this.” or “Oral tradition only.” he is usually warning the informed reader that one should, but few do, break this principle down and get to work as he has only revealed the tip of the blade to the neophyte. The Harris translation is what I usually have students read first and everyone should own it in hardback just because you will read it forty or fifty times, but particularly at white through red belt it should be read often. Basics, basics, basics. The Art of War The Art of War The Art of War is finest compendium of guerilla strategy ever written for a general officer. Its for bigger thinkers. In hoshin, we read it for the first time during the fire belt and test items will appear at all belt levels there after. Sun Tzu comments on field maneuvers, the placement of spies, and even gives out some cryptic esoteric hints concerning chi kung. This book is particularly important for green and black belts to read and think on as they develop their teaching style. Griffith’s translation is modern and we occasionally get a Marine general’s insights in the footnotes. The Book of Leadership & Strategy: Lessons of the Chinese Masters The Book of Stratagems: Tactics for Triumph and Survival The above two strategy books are important for understanding strategy from a global perspective. West and East aren’t that different when going into battle. Where the West emphasizes strength and position, the East emphasizes intelligence and relationships. Not understanding these distinctions has sunk more ships than loose lips. These are general readers and not part of the belt system but highly recommended by people in the system who liked them. –Glenn The Essential Tao: An Initiation into the Heart of Taoism through the Authentic Tao Te Ching and the Inner Teachings of Chuang Tzu Lao-Tzu Te-Tao Ching: A New Translation Based on the Recently Discovered Ma-wang-tui Texts Lao Tzu is the epitome of the civilian leader. Whether king or corporate his work is full of subtle commentary that will carry you through many stressful situations where drawing your sword is not appropriate. In hoshin he is introduced in the black belts, and the above two translations are my favorites. There are many other translations, as Lao Tzu is translated almost as many times as the Bible. –Glenn The following books are not necessary to the hoshin system but will provide fodder for your lung horse, as well as hours of discussion. –Glenn The Sword & The Mind 36 Stratagems: Secret Art of War Reflections on the Art of Living: A Joseph Campbell Companion Thunder in the Sky: On the Acquisition and Exercise of Power Wen-Tzu: Understanding the Mysteries: Further Teachings of Lao-Tzu The Fu Hsi I Ching: The Early Heaven Sequence Zen and the Art of Making a Living The following books are the reading material that eludes most other martial arts but are part and parcel to hoshin. If you are not working on your healing skills, meditation, and energy work you really have no understanding of hoshin budo. This is the living heart of the system. A hoshin dojo and hoshin budokan learn and use chi kung for their own warrior skill development and the healing of others. –Glenn Awaken Healing Energy Through the Tao Inner Teachings of Taoism The Root of Chinese Chi Kung: The Secrets of Chi Kung Training If you haven’t read Path Notes, this is where you should. It fits into green belt knowledge in the old system and red belt in the new. However, the above three books gave me most of the info that I passed on to the Hillsdale hoshin dojo back in the eighties. They are still excellent sources of basic chi kung theory and exercise. –Glenn Light On Pranayama: The Yogic Art of Breathing The Meditative Mind: The Varieties of Meditative Experience Mind Over Matter: Higher Martial Arts This next block of three will lift you from knowledgeable beginner to really knowledgeable beginner. We are all beginners when it comes to the void. The two books below are my favorite works on Zen. What can be said about zen, beyond just do it. Well, all the above helps you to understand just doing it better. –Glenn Zen and the Ways The Zen Way to the Martial Arts FIGHTING TECHNIQUES If you want the fighting techniques of the hoshin system you’ll just have to buy the videos. You can learn a lot from a book if you have good basics. You can learn even more from a video, however the following books have been very useful and may give you some ideas. I’ll put a mini-review after each one. –Glenn Comprehensive Applications of Shaolin Chin Na The Essence of Shaolin White Crane Handbook of the SAS and Elite Forces: How the Professionals Fight and Win Ninjutsu: History and Tradition GENERAL KNOWLEDGE There are books everybody should read like My Life by Benvenuto Cellini or War and Peace but we often miss them. The following are very useful and interesting from a pragmatic perspective. Check’em out. –Glenn Ninpo, Wisdom for Life Martial Arts Madness The Way of the Scout Developing Talent in Young People The Gift of Fear Protecting the Gift Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination Never Be Lied To Again: How to Get to the Truth in Five Minutes or Less…. Prometheus Rising Scottish Witchcraft: The History and Magic of the Picts Shamans, Healers and Medicine Men
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