KUDEN! Radio — Ninja Strategy, Warrior Mindset, and the Path of the Modern Protector

Within the Shinobi Warrior’s philosophical underpinnings – the life-mastery and wisdom teachings that cover the “OTHER HALF” of TOTAL training – is the study of what many call “the Human Condition.” Called by different names across as many lineages, this is known as Seishin Teki Kyoyo – ‘personal development, clarity, and spiritual refinement’ – within […]

This is part 3 in our 3-part miniseries on the Togakure Ninja school’s principle of “never engaging the enemy head-on”. as well as the deception tactics that “nothing is ever what it looks like”. During this episode, we’re going to continue our look into these principles by exploring what they look like when used by […]

When the art of the Ninja exploded onto the scene in the early ‘80s here in the Western-world, everything… everywhere was about “Ninjutsu” and how it was different from nearly every other conventional (read: ‘modern’) martial art. But, along the way a shift occurred and, ever since then, there has been a debate about whether […]

Ever since the art’s introduction to the Western world, it has always been easy for folks, both inside and outside the art, and especially those coming from more conventional martial arts backgrounds, to try and relate to and/or translate Ninjutsu through that lens. What this means is trying to see Ninjutsu as another head-to-head / […]

It’s easy to understand physical distance, known generally as MAAI in Japanese, regardless of whether we’re talking about a carpenter or other tradesman measuring off a certain length of wood or tubing to make sure things fit, or the distance between our body and that of our assailant in a self-defense situation. It’s also one […]

Discover the “unseen” skills that set Ninjutsu apart from other martial arts in this episode of KUDEN! Radio. This week, we dive deep into the advanced art of “sensing” unseen danger—a skill famously tested for in the Bujinkan’s 5th Dan Sakki Test—and explore three other powerful perception abilities that extend Ninjutsu beyond mere physical defense. […]

Every master teacher I have ever trained with had a saying – something which summarized their approach to training, and a very important, core lesson they wanted students to “get,” through their study and practice. During this episode I’ll share some of these gems that I’ve received from several of my own teachers – focusing […]

Part of the art of enduring and persevering, in fact right there in the name: Ninjutsu, is a key element to being able to “weather any storm.” And, without it, one cannot really say that they are, or are really working on becoming, a true “Ninja.” During this episode, we’re diving into just how students […]

Many years ago, Hatsumi-Sensei penned an article that was titled: “Pride Goes Before the Fall”. In it he discussed how one’s belief systems and bad habits, while allowing for certain success in certain areas will, eventually, cause them to fail. And, when that failure comes, it very often causes a catastrophic crash to rock bottom […]

This episode is the next installment in Dai-Shihan Miller’s new: “Student’s Perspective” interview series, designed to not only spotlight his highly engaged Ninjutsu students, but also to give them a chance to share their successes and, perhaps most importantly, how they’re overcoming the obstacles to success. He and his guest this week, former U.S. Marine […]

What is “Mastery?” How do we go about attaining it? Not just the physical expertise with our bodies – with the physical fighting techniques – but with the core philosophical, strategical, and tactical lessons, insights, and levels of understanding described in the ancient scrolls? In this episode, we’ll delve into something that my teacher, Hatsumi-Soke […]

What if the key to mastering self-defense and Ninjutsu lies not in flashy, pre-set techniques but in navigating the unseen paths of training? For many, the allure of immediate results can overshadow the profound truths hidden beneath the surface. Yet, for those committed to genuine mastery, understanding these invisible principles can make all the difference. […]

What if you could follow a guaranteed, time-tested path to mastery in both martial arts and life? In this episode of KUDEN! Radio, Master-Teacher Jeffrey M. Miller reveals one of the timeless processes used by warrior’s since ancient times to become a master of yourself and your life. Many avoid the path to greatness, even […]

Join Dai-Shihan Jeffrey Miller for the latest installment of the “Student’s Perspective” interview series on KUDEN! Radio. In this episode, Jeffrey Miller spotlights Fred Strickland, one of his most dedicated and highly engaged Ninjutsu students. Together, they delve into Fred-Sensei’s journey towards Black Belt Mastery, exploring how Ninjutsu serves him in both martial arts and […]

Are you struggling to get the training you need to start or advance on your path to Mastery? Whether you’re a solo student just starting and forced to train from a distance, or someone looking to take your skills to the next level, the journey can feel overwhelming and isolating. In this episode, we’ll explore […]

The debate about whether or not online ninjutsu training programs actually work to help you develop the skills you’re looking for. So… … during this episode we’re going to revisit the topic, but from the historical perspective (something that seems to be popular among many, “only want to do it the ‘traditional’ way, students) to […]

During this episode of KUDEN! radio, I’ll be kicking off my new student interview series designed to spotlight some of my highly engaged Ninjutsu students. My guest, Lee Davis, and I will be discussing their perspectives on the art, how it serves them and the value they get from it, and even their dislikes as […]

In this episode of KUDEN! Radio, we explore the Ninja warriors concept of kamae from the perspective of a master strategist. We’ll discuss how these physical postures and attitudes, used to keep us safe and protected in self-defense, can be adapted to handle life’s non-physical challenges such as arguments, stress, and common daily scenarios as […]

During this episode, we’ll be taking a look at the realm of Mastery, what past (and present) master-teachers say about it, as-well-as what modern science has discovered that backs up the ancient teachings. We’ll be specifically looking at how we develop the habit patterns necessary for success, why what we’ve been taught or modelled from […]

During this episode, we’re going to play a game of “Mission Impossible,” with you using your strategic and tactical-thinking skills to solve a riddle – one where the fate of the world (literally) hangs on your ability to understand the enemy, the threat posed, and successfully complete the task before you. Sound like fun? If […]

In this episode we’ll discuss a comment posted on one of my videos regarding the effectiveness of Ninjutsu for real-world self-defense, and how the power of our beliefs about any ‘thing’ is often rooted in Ego’s tendancy to use vagueness and generalization to define that thing…which in itself affects everything else we do, say, think, […]

In my book, “Fight Smarter – Not Harder”, I share 3 very common things that over 90% of the people say to me, that all point to the same problem – a very REAL problem in the world of self-defense and personal protection; and that “thing” is a sense of feeling lost when it comes […]

In the realm of the Warrior, especially when dealing with the Bushido code, one of the core tenants, character strengths, or virtues is that of makoto. This can be translated as ‘sincere truth’ and includes the way we express that truth in words. During this episode, we’ll be taking a look at a few of […]

One of my military leaders once said to me, “Sergeant Miller, hope is not a strategic plan!”. Couple this with a technique I learned from both Soke Hatsumi, as well as my Mikkyo teacher for using both of the Ninja’s mandala perspectives, allowed me to master techniques, gain skills, and produce success much faster. During […]