Ninja hand signs - Kuji in, and Ninja stances—The hidden connection

The AKBAN Method

At AKBAN, we take a fundamentally different approach to kuji-in or kuji-kiri (Ninja hand seals) and kamae (body positions). This is part of our comprehensive course that removes all mysticism from these practices and places them firmly in the concrete realm of applied psychology and martial training.

The Secret Behind Hand Seals, Mudra

The "secret" behind hand seals is practical CBT, not mysticism.

Hand seals (kuji-in, or mudra) work by binding together physical actions, breathing patterns, and cognitive tasks into compact units of mnemonics. As martial artists, we understand a fundamental truth: if the frame of mind, the insight, the reaction, is not bound by a deed, by an action, it will be forgotten in stress.

Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face, but we are martial artists and we should have a plan after we get punched in the face.

Binding Action and Awareness

How do we achieve this frame of mind? We bind together physical actions, breath as a means of mindful awareness, and cognitive action. This binding together creates a seal - it seals in the order we have, the control we need.

The mudras function as learned behavioral resets. When we repeatedly practice a specific hand position while controlling our breathing and engaging in cognitive tasks (like counting or mental math), we create a conditioned response. Under pressure, that physical trigger instantly recalls the entire trained state of awareness and control.

Kamae as Seals

A kamae is a seal. We have different kamae for every kind of situation that requires specific awareness:

• Doku ichimonji no kamae - A strong seal connected to courage and attack, useful when afraid
• Hoko no kamae - When we want courage without rushing forward
• Specific situational kamae - Each designed for particular types of awareness needed

These positions don't have to be big or obvious. Small hand positions can be just as effective because they remind us that in stressful situations, we're not having tunnel vision. When we see our hands, we change our awareness and bind together compact units of order.

From Obvious to Subtle

This is learned behavior. We start with something big and obvious - learned skills, learned behaviors, learned mudras. From these learned patterns, we can develop subtle behavior patterns.

If we're a civilian wanting a certain frame of mind, dramatic poses might not be socially acceptable. But subtle finger positions work just as effectively once the neural pathway is established through training.

Scientific Approach, Not Religious

We approach this scientifically, not religiously. Instead of praying to higher powers (which has its place), we give ourselves complex cognitive tasks:

• Subtracting 7 from 100, 93, 86, and so on
• Simple counting: 1, 2, 3, 4...
• Making the practice stronger with structured counting patterns

This isn't about connecting to higher forces - it's about creating a reset. When we occupy mind and body in solving a "physical Sudoku problem," we achieve a reset of control.

Practical Applications

It's like an operative drawing and aiming a weapon, a handshake, or any cultural physical gesture that carries meaning through repetition. The seal doesn't connect us to mystical forces - it connects us to our own trained responses. We're essentially doing a "physical sudoku" that occupies our mind and body simultaneously, preventing tunnel vision and emotional overwhelm.

If we're standing in front of a big commotion and people want to attack, the kamae becomes a reset that brings us back to a place where we have control over ourselves. We may not control the situation, but We will have control over ourselves.

Physiological Effects

Through repeated practice, these seals create measurable physiological changes. If for many years every time we practice a specific position, we achieve lower pulse and blood pressure, then doing that position will lower our blood pressure and corresponding cognitive and emotional factors.

Integration with Modern Training

We integrate these concepts systematically with our training methodology. Whether drawing a firearm or facing combat situations, we remember that the kamae binds together:

• Correct emotional attitude
• Correct cognitive processes
• Body position and breathing patterns
• Awareness and gaze direction

It's not just "know yourself" - knowing is doing. We must do something to ourselves to understand what happens, and what we do is control by binding together stance, breathing patterns, awareness, and cognitive functions.

Conclusion

This is applied psychology using the body as the interface, not supernatural energy platform. Like Orthodox Greek prayer beads or any cultural practice that binds together thoughts, emotions, body awareness, gaze, and cognitive actions - it's a very advanced psychological, scientific, Western tool for regulating emotions in chaotic situations.

The real power is in the systematic development from obvious to subtle, from religious tradition to scientific application, from mysticism to practical martial psychology.