December 21, 1995, 5:30am – Bujinkai dojo, London. Evan entered the dojo at exactly 5:30am. They began with stretching and warmup exercises. One of the new exercises Sensei taught Evan was fingertip pushups. Evan was able to only hold his fingers straight for a few seconds before they collapsed. Sensei encouraged him to practice whenever he could, and to go into Mu-Shin when doing it.
Sensei explained that with Evan in the Royal Marines, there were several Bujinkai techniques he could benefit from in the very near future. Sensei would teach Evan those now. Other useful techniques he would teach Evan on future Leaves. For now, though, he would teach Evan the art of camouflage (Bujinkai style), the application of poisons and pressure points (i.e. to paralyze or put someone to sleep), scaling, and Nine-Hands Seals (Kuji-Kiri). The Kuji-Kiri are hand positions used in Ninjutsu as a process of ritual and meditation. It helps focus energy. The nine hand gestures, or cuts, correspond with mantras that serve to evoke energy change, and in some cases, inspire enlightenment. It had its origins in the Hindu teachings, long before coming to Japan. The Hindus used these mantras (or mudras, as they called them) to bring intrinsic worth of the spirit into the physical realm. The Buddhists added mantras, some to stimulate personal growth and empowerment. The Ninja expounded on the technique, creating a total of 81 (9x9) different ways of interlocking the fingers to create the kuji. Eight "cuts" are performed during this technique: 4 vertical and 4 horizontal, associated with the nine syllables or kuji-in. Sensei was going to teach him the concept of enlightenment as part of the kuji-kiri. According to Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, the current Grandmaster of Bujinkai in Japan,
"The attainment of this enlightenment is characterized by the development of the jihi no kokoro, or 'benevolent heart'. Stronger than love itself, the benevolent heart is capable of encompassing all that constitutes universal justice and all that finds expression in the unfolding of the universal scheme. Born of the insight attained from repeated exposure to the very brink between life and death, the benevolent heart of Ninpo is the key to finding harmony and understanding in the realms of the spiritual and natural material worlds"
The nine kuji include: Rin (or Power, strength of the mind, body and spirit); Pyo (or Energy, channeling ones inner energy and connecting it with energy outside the body); Toh (or Harmony, one-ness with the universe or self); Sha (healing of oneself or others. It connects oneself to the universe and its vibration, allowing for the harnessed energy to be summoned for healing of self and others); Kai (Intuition, premonition of danger, feeling others intent); Jin (awareness, feeling the thoughts of others, and hiding your own); Retsu (or dimension, control of time and space by opening the mind to different flows of energy); Zai (or creation, understanding nature. By connecting to nature in a meditative and harmonious way, the Zai allows a level of elemental control of natural elements); and, Zen (or absolute, enlightenment. Mediation using this kiri enables one to obtain invisibility. As all life is energy and each type of energy has its own vibration, the enlightened practitioner can control their own vibration and become invisible to others). The kuji-kiri in the past were typically used before going off to battle, but today could be employed during daily ritual meditation. Sensei wanted Evan to practice the kuji-kiri every day like he practiced Haragei and Mu-Shin.
December 21, 1995, 8:00am – Bujinkai dojo, London – Evan called the Commander for the debriefing. Waiting with the Commander was General Black. The Commander directed Midshipman Fenix to recount the events of the previous evening, which he proceeded to do. "So, what gave this attack away Midshipman?" The Commander asked. "Well sir, I just sensed there was eminent danger. One of the techniques I've been practicing in martial arts is a type of meditation that I can employ even when engaged in discussion, like I am doing right now. It's like developing a sixth sense in a manner of speaking." Evan replied. "OK. We can talk more about that later. Walk us through your defense." The Commander requested.
"I remembered what we have been trained during Individual Skills, sir. First thing I did was to get the civilians to safety – I sent them to the back corner of the garage where they could hide. It was reasonable that the attackers would think everybody was in the house and not the garage. I then set up kill-zone corridors at the front door and rear patio doors, as those were the most likely entry points. I flipped furniture over to create the corridors. I flipped over the heavy dining room table and the couch next to the table to better secure my location. I opened a hole in the adjacent wall allowing me a better view of the patio door. I had with me a bag of Tetsubushi, or floor tacks, which I had just bought at the store that day."
"I sprinkled them at the front door and rear patio door, hoping some of the attackers would step on them and fall down. I was further hoping those following would try to push through, and fall down as well. I had limited ammunition and needed to make the best use of the terrain and available materials so I could hold out the longest. I took all the sharp cooking knives from the kitchen, and the Fire Glass stones from the fireplace. I took some of the Fire Glass and crushed them into a powder, the rest I crushed into smaller glass shards. I figured glass dust and shards in the eyes would inhibit their vision. I could throw the knives to take out more, and then use my weapon as needed to complete my defense."
"Well explained Midshipman. Did it play out as you expected?." General Black said after the Midshipman's review. "Yes, and no, sir." Evan responded. "I was lucky to have had the few minutes to prepare, and that the Grangers were willing to listen and comply as quickly as they did. Throwing glass dust itself resulted in it beginning to disperse near me. I was lucky it was indoors. While having the kitchen wall on my other side provided some cover, it also hindered my line of sight. I had to lean over to get anything going that way. Otherwise, I was happy with the performance, sir. The first few Death Eaters did step on the Tetsubushi and fell down. Those following tripped over them, as hoped for. Both the glass dust and larger glass shards helped, but did consume some time to be deployed, which I may not have had if they were attacking with firearms. Same with the knives, sir – they were effective, but only because they weren't using firearms. I only used six rounds as a result of the tactics, but I also only had two magazines with 14 rounds each. Overall, I think these tactics saved my life because my attention was split between two points. If I had only my firearm to defend with, I don't believe I would have survived, sir." Evan concluded.
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