| Home |
| About Ninjukai |
| Meditation |
| Juniors |
| Junior Camps |
| Displays |
| Instructors |
| Camps |
| Social Events |
| Classes |
| Calendar |
| Articles |
| Contact Us |
Bush Camps & Workshops
|
The Annual Bush
Camps
The annual camps are all about 'blending and harmonising' with the environment. The ancient Ninja understood this only too well; they regarded themselves as part of their surroundings. The Ninja viewed man as an integral element of nature: an element which should exist in accord with natural laws. Camp locations are therefore selected with this in mind: they are specially chosen for their undisturbed, natural bushland settings. Ninjukai students are fully aware that techniques are irrelevant by themselves. The success of techniques depends entirely upon the student's ability to blend them with the environment they find themselves in. Hence, central to Ninjukai training is the experience the ability to spontaneously adapt to changing situations and surroundings. A change of surroundings, from an enclosed dojo to the open bushland, will help the students to understand the need for this adaptability. 
Weaponry training also constitutes an important section in the bush camps itineraries. Students can experience the freedom of movements with their weapons when they are not limited by the enclosed space of the dojo. Mokuso, or 'quiet sitting', in the midst of the forest, as the ancient Ninja warrior would have done, also forms part of the camps programmes. Students are made to realise that their training goes beyond the four walls of the Dojo. They must return to nature to reflect, to contemplate and to meditate. Only by doing that can they start to realise that techniques are of no use per se. All techniques are relative to the environment. Therefore the student must get to know and feel the environment, and as the student finds himself, he further understands that all techniques are manifestations of the mind. He must therefore balance his mind, for that is the only way to allow the spontaneous flow of his techniques. A mind in conflict can never respond well to the surroundings, the Annual Bush Camp allows the student the opportunity to balance his mind with his body and from there to relate to his techniques. Annual Bush Camp HistoryHere is a summary of some of the locations of previous camps: 1990 - Woodman's Point, Fremantle, 8-9th Dec. 1991 - Woodman's Point, Fremantle, 13-18th Dec. 1992 - Kingston Barracks, Rottnest Island, 13-15th Dec. 1993 - Camp Simon, Darling Range, 18-19th Dec. 1994 - Camp Pickering, Darling Range, 13-15th Dec. 1995 - Spring Hill Training Camp, Northam, 9-10th Sept. 1996 - Woodman's Point, Fremantle, 6-7th Dec. 1997 - Camp Simon, Darling Range, 7-8th Dec. 1998 - Ern Halliday Recreation Camp, 19-20th Sept. 1999 - Woodman's Point, Fremantle, 18-19th Sept.
2000 - Paxwold Bushland, Lesmurdie, 15th Oct. 2001 - Paxwold Bushland, Lesmurdie, 28th Oct. 2002 - Advent Park, Maida Vale, 25th Aug. 2003 - Advent Park, Maida Vale, 17th Aug. 2004 - Advent Park, Maida Vale, 15th Aug. 2005 - Alan Anderson Park, Walliston, 25th Sept. 2006 - Alan Anderson Park, Walliston, 24th Sept. 2007 - Camp Simon, Darling Range, 20-21st Oct. 2008 - Alan Anderson Park, Walliston, 19th Oct. 2009 - Victoria Park Gardens, East Perth, 1st Nov.
The years 2000-2006 saw the overnight annual camps split into two separate day camps during the year. One Shin Tao Forest Retreat aimed at the meditational aspects of the art, and one Taijutsu Day Camp, focusing on the more physical Taijutsu part of the art. Annual Bush Camps returned in 2007, with the Annual Bush Camp 2007 - The Genpei War. The Annual Bush Camp 2008, BU-DO "A warriors adaptation & spontaneity" was the most recent scheduled event.
PREVIOUS CAMPS/RETREATS - Details &
Images from the events |