Kuden! Martial Arts, Self-defense & Survival

During this episode, we’re going to be looking at a problem with the ‘traditional’ vs. ‘modern’ Ninjutsu (or any other martial art for that matter) argument that seems to dominate the realm of personal combat and self-defense training in today’s world – which one is right, does it matter, and… …can this kind of dualistic […]

Commemorating the 200th episode of KUDEN! with Dai-Shihan Miller and multiple special guests! Commemorating the 200th episode of KUDEN! with Dai-Shihan Miller and multiple special guests!

It can be very easy to look at our techniques, skills, and training – both martial and those for life mastery – from the perspective of total control. We can assume that once we have mastered these timeless lessons, that we won’t be caught off guard, hijacked, or surprised…when nothing could be further from the […]

The secrets passed down from our ancient Ninja and Samurai masters go far beyond the technical fighting skills that the majority of people tend to focus on. But there is much more beneath the surface for those willing to look beyond the surface appearance of these powerful self-protection and life-mastery systems. During this episode, we’ll […]

During this episode, we’ll be exploring ways to combat the negative programming and subconscious / unconscious factors which can (and DO) get in the way… and how I went from literally one extreme of “wanting this, but the Universe is against me…” to where I am now, and what I’m constantly moving towards. And, to […]

Having come to training from a wide variety of other martial arts and self-defense systems, one of the concepts my teachers introduced me to within Ninjutsu and the schools of the Bujinkan is the idea that there were lessons and things to learn, which were: Not “self-defense” techniques in and of themselves but had EVERYTHING […]

This week’s episode is based on something ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS that I saw while on vacation with Mrs. Sensei recently! The worst part of it all, was that the mistake was being made by a LEO – a law enforcement officer who, like us, may need to use that weapon to protect themselves or others in […]

Based on a question and topic request by a listener and student, during this episode we’ll be exploring the two largest Ninja regions that most know about in ancient Japan. We’ll take a look at similarities and difference between each region… … but also, what I’ve experienced when visiting one of these historical areas in […]

One of the biggest things that stops serious individuals from even beginning towards the accomplishment of their goals is the fear that they’ll fail. This fear is not only founded on another, more deeply ingrained fear; but also ramped up by threats of punishment or ridicule in our early lives for not hitting our mark […]

During this episode, we’ll be welcoming in the New Year together with a look at few things that separate the way the holiday is celebrated in Japan vs here in the West. This will also include a look at the symbol for this year as depicted in the Chinese Zodiac, and ways to get past […]

During this special holiday episode, I’m going to share a lesson I received from my teachers that is more than appropriate during this time of year. Regardless of how you celebrate or where you live, being a true warrior requires a certain perspective, as well-as a unique combination of character traits that create something that […]

During this episode, I’m going to share a lesson I gave at the dojo during a recent Black Belt testing. The lesson is based on the answer to a progress-related question posed to one of the Shodan candidates and, while it was well-intentioned, his answer pointed to a HUGE misconception for many in the realms […]

During this episode of KUDEN! Radio, we’ll be diving into the misunderstood idea of “motivation”, and why it is not only highly over-rated… …but one of the downfalls of so many looking for success. I’ll also be sharing some insights from the Ninja’s ancient, secret mikkyo ‘mind-science’ with regards to how an Enlightened one goes […]

During this episode of KUDEN! Radio, we’ll e diving into the Ninja’s Mikkyo “secret knowledge” and ‘mind-science’ to uncover the three aspects of success, and what we in the martial arts tend to call Mastery… …and how each one, from the perspective of Ego, can create the illusion of success. We’ll also look at how […]

During this episode, we’re going to be taking a look at the difference between two mindsets. Each one should be a part of the overall journey of our progress towards Mastery, but one of them can become a trap that not only keeps us chained to lower levels of development, but which also sets us […]

During this episode, we’re going to explore the differences between instructors, teachers, and mentors, with a specific focus on the latter. More importantly, we’ll be taking a look at the elements of a good mentor…for you… …and an important piece of the puzzle that even the most serious students miss when it comes to learning […]

In this episode, we’ll be exploring the timeless lessons that have been passed down by warriors and enlightened masters proven to produce (at a minimum) above-average results. But, while most prefer to focus on only the positive, “feel-good” parts of the plan… …we’ll also be looking at the habits or “inhibitors” that have been discovered […]

In the business world, there’s a concept called ROI or “return on investment”. This includes the benefits of what we get for putting in the time, effort, and resources along with the accomplishment of the goal. In the martial arts and self-defense realm, this is the black belt or skills necessary to make ourselves and […]

If you’ve been around in the martial arts and self-defense realms for any significant length of time, then you’re sure to have run into several different personality-types, both in the form of well meaning students, “outsider” naysayers (you know, the “that doesn’t work” crowd) – those who are willing to even get verbally or physically […]

In the Ninja’s Mikkyo esoteric ‘mind science’ study, there are are more than a few symbols used to convey everything from energies, to actualized human potentials, to processes and interactions between these things. Some of these can seem fairly obvious, or at least easily grasped when you learn about them, others have meanings far beyond […]