MOST OF THE TIME THOSE THAT HATE YOU WANT TO BE YOU

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Interview with the leader of the only Macedonian dojo for Samurai and Ninja arts

I called you many times to arrange an interview and I always got the answer that you have nothing new to say. Now when I finally managed to get you to sit down with me, I wanted to ask you why you think that is the case?

 In the past I have given more interviews that I have deserved. The principles of martial arts were set in stone a long time ago and I can’t even think, let alone want to change them. Except that, all previous questions more-or-less have been similar and connected with my Way in the martial arts. But from another point, about what else could someone want to ask a man that has dedicated his entire life to the practice of martial arts. And in the end, to be honest, I would rather not talk about anything else.

 Shouldn’t the teachers of martial arts know everything?
Of course they should. But there is no need to publicly talk about everything.
All right, I will try to ask a question that has not been asked of you till now.
When was the first time that you heard the word Ninja?
When I was five years old. My father bought me comic strips that I loved very much. Especially with Zagor Te- Ney. At three years old I already had learned how to read. In one of those strips Zagor fought with a man that had come from Japan was dressed in black and fought with a katana and shuriken. That was the first time that I heard of and learn about the Ninja. And for the first time, Zagor was no longer my idol, but the man in the black suit that fought him.
Was the road to becoming a teacher of Ninjutsu a hard one?
Although I still do not consider myself worthy of being called a Teacher, I will respond in the affirmative. Yes. The road was hard. Because many times my life was intersected by many different fates that somehow integrated in and became a part of my life. It is not easy when so many people will come and one day will leave from your life. Luckily I overcame even that weakness, and now I try not to connect too much with all my students. I started to strictly select the people around me.
What do you think about hate?
An auto-destructive disease that ravages the body, mind and spirit. When you hate, you gather a large quantity of negative energy, with which you actually hurt yourself, and in no way the one that it is directed at. Otherwise, most of the time those that hate you deep inside wish to be like you meaning in your skin.
And what about love?
Which one? Towards the kids? Towards the partner? Towards the fatherland? Towards the martial arts?
It is strange, but as the years pass, the sense of love changes its form, intensity, direction and meaning. It is an incredible feeling the can give a lot and at the same time take a lot – it is a phenomenon that drives the ideas and forms the guidelines of our planet since humanity came to be.
I am sorry, but I will clumsily avoid this question. I have so much material to talk about, and almost not a sliver of will to open up my soul to the public.
What are your long distance plans for “Taiyou e no Michi”?
Since I have known about myself, until the day when I celebrated my fortieth birthday, I made long distance plans which in the end I always managed to complete. I though years in advance, I set high goals, I moved my limits and realized incredible ideas. And then, overnight, I decided that I will continue as a torrent, as a river, that changes its path according to the terrain that it flows through. The first half of my life I spent as earth and fire. Stable and unstoppable. The second half I will continue as water and wind. Adaptable and neutral. With no concrete plans, with no deep analysis, with no far flung goals and incredible ideas. I expect what the things that I invested in, will start returning gains to me. In every way. I now continue to live day to day. Of course, with all the qualities that I have or have gained throughout the years.
Thank you for this exact and direct interview. I hope that I was at least a little bit different from my colleagues that have interviewed you before.
Thank you for the invite and approach. I hope that I managed to say something new, considering my rigid and set in stone views toward life.
D.D