February 06, 2009
You've received this because you are subscribed to the Warrior Concepts Newsletter from Shidoshi Jeffrey Miller. If you no longer wish to receive these informative messages from us, you may unsubscribe at the bottom of this message.
REMEMBER: "Being born as a human being is difficult - but here you are. Finding this training is difficult - but you found it. Of all the things you could have been and all the things you could be doing, you are here as a human being at the foot of the Path that lies before you. If you do not take action now - when in the future will you do so?"
- Traditional Buddhist Reminder
From the Desk of:
Shidoshi Jeffrey Miller
Friday, February, 6th, 2009
2:13PM EST Time
There are several very important seminars and training opportunities scheduled for serious students in the upcoming months.
Check the main page, and below for details about the events that are right for you.
The face of the warrior-concepts-online.com website will be changing this month. In fact, I've been hard-at-work migrating everything to the new site to make sure that it's better able to serve your needs. I have so many people coming to me now for training in the different areas of real-world self-defense, Ninja Warrior Training, and Warriorship-based personal development that it became time to split the one site into several areas that could serve the specific needs of each student/client.
I'm personally very excited about the changes (and if you know me, you know that it takes a lot to get me excited!). So check the Warrior Concepts site often and stay up-to-date on the new programs and courses that will be available - both online and off!
3 Approaches To Training
But Only One Mission!
by Shidoshi Jeffrey M. Miller(C) 2009, Warrior Concepts Int'l, Inc.
Let me tell you a little story. Some of you know this already, but I think it's important that everyone know where I'm coming from in my approach and focus. That way, if I'm not your "cup-of-tea" so-to-speak, you can cut your losses and unsubscribe and go back to the search for a teacher who is offering more of what you want.
That being said, I grew up in an inner-city environment. Even in those days, the violence and environment were constant negative influences. I was regularly picked on and beaten up in and after school by bullies, antagonists, and future jail-birds and dead-people.
Top that off with a toxic family environment ruled by a very abusive (physically, mentally, and emotionally) stepfather and you have the makings of, what? According to the "specialists," I should have become a mirror-image of those influences. According to the crisis-intervention and abuse advocates, I should need to be watched for the same behaviors.
Maybe. But let me tell you what did happen.
All of that violence - all of that negativity taught me some very important life lessons. They taught me that, one - I didn't want to be like those people, and two - they taught me that there was a need for protectors in the world. And to a young person, since I knew that I couldn't become a super-hero, at least not like the one's I saw on Saturday morning cartoons, I looked toward becoming a police officer.
So that's what I did.
I not only became a uniformed officer but I took my training very seriously and progressed along through different specialties. I entered the realm of investigations and even went on to do some bodyguard work.
But, the more I did this, the less content I became. I thought that the job would give me a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment, but it did just the opposite. The longer I was a cop, the more frustrated I became. And I couldn't figure out why.
Not until I had a major breakthrough. Not until I realized that I wasn't living up to my primary aim, my life purpose, or as some would say, my "calling."
No, I'm not getting religious on you, but this is a very spiritual thing. Discovering one's life purpose is like the curtain being pulled back away from the window on a beautiful, bright, Summer day. Corny, I know, but it's a great way to describe what the experience felt like.
What it meant was this - I wasn't doing the right job.
While catching bad guys and making them pay for what they've done is a very noble endeavor, and I support everyone in occupation who do just that. But, it wasn't what I wanted to be doing.
I became a police officer to keep the bad guys from hurting people. Based on my life and what I experienced growing up, I felt driven - no, compelled - to keep the danger, destruction, and hurt from occurring IN THE FIRST PLACE!
And, as a police officer, I couldn't do that.
Perhaps you can relate to this. Perhaps you found yourself in a life, a career, or relationship that you were told you should want - that should give you what you want and need - and yet felt empty and unsatisfied.
That's how I felt. That was, until I made this powerful breakthrough.
I realized that I was on the wrong end of the "help" cycle. I didn't want to be helping victims. I wanted to be teaching people how to not become victims themselves. I wanted to be able to empower people with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary that would allow them to create the lives they always dreamed of living and to also be able to protect that life from anything that might threaten it.
What's this have to do with a self-defense and ninja training newsletter topic? Well, if you're still reading and haven't hit the unsubscribe button (which, by-the-way, is way okay with me), there's probably at least a little bit of curiosity going on.
What's this all have to do with what I teach?
EVERYTHING.
Regardless of what I teach, the focus is always on self-protection and personal development. Period.
I know that there are many more people out there teaching martial arts (Bujinkan included), self-defense, and life-empowerment training who like to do things the "traditional" way. The training always looks the same and they pride themselves in knowing special names and terminology - being able to do picture-perfect kamae, stances, or sit in this or that meditation position.
But, my question is: "Why?"
Why are you doing that?
I'm not saying that any of it's wrong. What I am saying is, "stop putting out a ton of information that will overwhelm the student and leave them to figure it all out.
We live in a world where most of us barely have enough time in the day to "think" about training, let alone get to that class, seminar, or online course. It's up to me as the teacher to help you make sense of the information. To put it into a life context that you can use right away.
To help you answer the "why?" So that you can get results from what you're learning.
You and I don't live in a monastery where we have twelve years or more to perfect our skills and understanding about something. Gone are the days where you "just do it because the teacher/authority-figure says so." Sometimes you do need to do that as a student but, in Today's world... you need results now - today, not tomorrow. You don't need rank, or certification - you need knowledge, skills, and abilities that will help you save time, effort, and maybe even some money (of course it would be nice to be able to make a lot more than you are right now BECAUSE you developed those things!).
And that's what I've done. I've created programs that put things into context for a certain group of people who are looking for THAT thing. That's why I have the book, "The Karate-Myth" and the "Foundations of Self-Defense Mastery eCourse", and my proprietary EDR program for people who want no-fluff self-defense training.
It's why I created my Warrior Concepts' Life Mastery Program precisely the way I did. It takes the lessons, strategies, and techniques of the ancient Ninja warriors and makes them easily understandable to my students - today. Not in 16th century Japan.
It's also why, when I teach a meditation program, like my upcoming "Unleash The Power Of Your Mind" seminar, that everything has to be able to produce results for people. It has to. Meditation, just like martial arts or self-defense skills, is just one tool for maximizing our experience of life. Otherwise, it's just another distraction - just another ego-based "game" that we get to play so we can "feel" important, powerful, or confident - without necessarily being so.
So, while it may appear that I have three to five groups of clients who want to work with me - and I do. Regardless of whether I'm working with my ninjutsu-oriented Life Mastery students, my self-defense students, parents who are looking for child-safety that works and doesn't teach the same patronizing, feel-good crap that the current wave of stranger-danger and stop-the-bully programs, or my warriorship mentoring clients...
...my purpose is always the same.
The focus is always on real-world, usable, and proven reliable self-protection and personal development knowledge, skills, and abilities. The two sides of the same "coin" called "mastery" for the true "Tatsujin" - the balanced human being able to create and live a life of value, and able to be of value as a protector to self and others - the True Master. The focus is always on developing true power, confidence, and control.
If you haven't already done so, I recommend that you visit the website at warrior-concepts-online.com and see how much information is there for the serious student. If you're a business owner, or in managment, education, or the healthcare fields, I recommend that you visit my site on workplace violence and crisis management at wcinternational.com
I also invite you to email me at warriorc@warrior-concepts-online.com or call my office to set up a time for a no-obligation, 30-minute consultation. During that time, you can give me feedback, make a suggestion about a topic you'd like to see offered, and tell me what your most pressing issue is - what you feel is holding you back from moving to the next level of mastery.
You can call me at (570) 988-2228. And, if you're too shy or lack the confidence, you can always call late at night (Eastern Standard Time) and leave a message and I'll call you.
There's never been a more important time in peoples' lives to take back responsibility and control for their own lives than right now. Stop waiting for the government to do it. Stop believing that it's the job of the police to protect you or that you need a black belt to really be safe. Stop trying to sift through all the information on the internet, trying to figure out what works and what doesn't.
I invite you to be a true warrior - a man or woman of action - and take a*ction. Get going with those things you've been meaning to do for you and do it now.
Remember, check the site for upcoming seminars and courses. Get to the blog or on the forums so you can learn from others. Send me an email or call me to get a personal assessment for moving yourself forward.
Life waits for no one!
Want to send me something?
You may send questions, comments, or "what-if's" for inclusion in the newsletter using the CONTACT form on the web site - or cut and paste this link into your browser: http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/contact-longdistance.html
Just remember to keep your communications clear and to the point (limit each correspondence to ONE point, please). Any comments or questions received that are not easily understood or rife with spelling and grammar errors will be deleted. It's not that I don't want to answer but, if I can't understand your point or what you mean, I can't answer in a way that will be beneficial.
To Your Attainment of Mastery!
Jeffrey M. Miller, Shidoshi
Warrior Concepts Int'l
Self-Protection & Personal Development
362 Market St.
Sunbury, PA. 17801
(570) 988-2228