The Ring of Earth - Chris Bradford [25]
‘In order to understand ninjutsu, you must first understand the Five Rings,’ Soke began, using his cane to draw five interlocking circles on the ground. ‘These are the five great elements of our universe – Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Sky.’
With the tip of his stick, Soke wrote the kanji symbols for each element into each one of the circles.
‘The Five Rings form the basis of our approach to life. As ninja, we recognize the power of nature and seek to be in harmony with it. Each of the Rings represents different physical and emotional states:
‘Earth stands for stability and confidence.
‘Water is adaptability.
‘Fire is energy and commitment of spirit.
‘Wind is freedom, both of mind and body.
‘Sky is the Void, the things beyond our everyday existence, the unseen power and creative energy of the universe.’
Jack listened intently, nodding, trying to appear as if he understood what the old man was talking about.
Soke smiled, chuckling to himself. ‘I can read your mind as clearly as a reflection in a pond. Let me show you the Five Rings in action.’
Soke swept his hand around the valley.
‘The Five Rings are in everything we do. They’re the inspiration for a ninja’s techniques and tactics. See how the village is laid out. We’ve applied the principles of the Ring of Earth here.’
Jack looked, but all he saw was an ordinary farming village. ‘Where?’ he asked.
‘A ninja without observation is like a bird without wings,’ Soke chided. ‘Look harder. If you were to attack our village, what problems would you face?’
Jack studied the lie of the land through an invader’s eyes. ‘You’re in a steep valley,’ he began. ‘That makes it much harder to launch a mass attack.’
‘Good,’ said Soke. ‘What else?’
‘There’s only one road in and out. Otherwise there are just lots of paths in between the rice fields.’
‘Yes, and notice the paths are very narrow …’
‘So that only one person can pass at a time?’ hazarded Jack.
‘Exactly!’ said Soke, striking his stick upon the ground with satisfaction. ‘Everything has been designed to make the village as difficult as possible to penetrate with an army. The Shonin’s farmhouse is in the middle of our rice fields, which are a maze in themselves, and when flooded act as a massive moat. We’ve created natural defences both to his quarters and the square by raising them upon an earthen bank. The bamboo fence and thorn hedge form another barrier. So you can see we’ve exploited the surroundings and environment to our advantage. That’s one way a ninja can use the Ring of Earth.’
Jack gazed in astonishment as the scene before his eyes transformed from an innocent-looking village into a disguised fortress.
‘Follow me,’ said Soke, heading in the direction of a small stream. ‘The Ring of Water gives rise to an entire discipline of ninjutsu, known as sui-ren. Water training. Not only must a ninja be able to swim, but he must learn to use water as a weapon, as a way of escape and a means of survival. You’ll encounter these techniques in due course. But first you need to understand the Ring of Water’s key principle.’
He pointed to a log on the ground. ‘Place that across the stream.’
Jack lifted the log into position until it blocked the channel.
‘What’s that done?’ said Soke.
‘It’s stopped the stream.’
‘Are you so sure?’ he challenged.
They watched as the water backed up against the log. Then it ran around the ends and spilt over the top.
‘What does that teach you?’ asked Soke.
Jack thought for a moment. ‘I need a bigger log.’
Soke shook his head. ‘That’s samurai thinking. If something doesn’t work, more power, more men, bigger swords. But however large you build that dam, water adapts and will always find a way.’
He pointed to a leaf that floated down the stream, around the log and into the pond. ‘What I’ve demonstrated is the principle of nagare – flow. From now on, apply this to your thinking. If something doesn’t work, change your strategy. Use it in your taijutsu. When an opponent blocks or resists a technique, simply flow into another.