Hand seals in Ninjutsu

[Dark Luther]

Hand seals have been made popular by numerous things over the years.
These days you can see naruto fans do hand seals against each other.
This practice has been popular in movies, video games, and popular anime. But what is the true history behind this practice, and what use is there for it today?

What many don't know is that while these seals where a part of genjutsu ( with all of genjutsu's separate but linked past with ninjutsu ) and even practiced now for many purposes. Yet it is truly the fantasy of it and stories in fiction that have kept it's memory alive.

So what do you think hand seals truly are - and what use are they?
Do any arts still practice it regularly ( I personally don't know, but wouldn't be surprised)...

[Elisa Maza]

The positioning of the hands helps to direct the flow of ki (or chi, or chakra, whatever you want to call it) within the body and to guide that flow to specific areas of the body's several ki points. That is, historically, what the hand seals are used for. Just using the seals by themselves does nothing, however. You have to have actual knowledge of the body's ki flow and how to manipulate that energy within that body. With the proper practice and concentration, the hand seals can be used to then direct the ki within your body to the correct ki points, as I mentioned. Different hand seals, obviously, are used to direct the ki flow to different and specific points of the body. In actuallity, you can think of the hand seals as a kind of concentraion medium, or focal point, that helps the person concentrate on that one single thing while they manipulate their ki. By doing different hand seals, a person concentrates on each particular seal as they do them, and in turn, their ki flows in a specific direction within their body because of the concentration. That is what the hand seals are used for.

[Zelphiel]

I guess it could also be used as a mind clearing exercise so you can be more focused when you go into battle.

[Gravity]

I don't know much about it, but here's some pics of the poses:

Hand Seals (http://www.narutofan.com/index.php/content-Ninja%20Guide,hand%20seals)

*NARUTO SPOILER*

[Dark Luther]

One thing about Naruto that most people don't know is how close to reality some things that apparently would not appear to be.....

Hand seals ( also called mudra and finger cuts / gestures ) originally started in India and worked over to use in Buddhism and other practices.
While the type used in Naruto is actually a collection of seals from the zodiac animals, the seals of Genjutsu and Ninjutsu are actually part of the art of ninjutsu's Kuji-in and Kuji-Kiri, which instead of dealing with magic like in Naruto - are more forms of concentration to focus on one aspect of one's characteristics....

Naruto seals are still very similar to those of kuji, along with those of Buddhism and older Hindu styles - as seen on the following sites....
http://members.tripod.com/~Neurotopia/Zen/Mudra/
http://www2.bremen.de/info/nepal/Icono/Mudras/Mudras.htm
http://www.skhquest.com/articles/ninjakuji.aspx

( Please excuse me for using a Steven Hayes site to demonstrate this, the simple fact is that ninjutsu has for the most part abandoned this practice and Hatsumi only really addresses it to Japanese, or in History books )

As shown here, we have very few actual seals - but many other's from buddhism are used. They are not as much used for meditation like in Tai Chi but as a focus point.
( BTW, don't take what the ninja site says seriously.... Hayes isn't very respected in the japanese ninjutsu community - I just used the site cause it had some o the symbols )

[Aoi Asahina]

With mudras your spirit and body must have a complete understanding of Rin, Kyo, Ki, and Ketsu. Each seal is meant to mentally condition you. The mind guides every part of the body.... It dates back a lot of years and were used in many religions. So basically it is just an expressive action or gesture made by speech and by sight.

[Dark Luther]

Good point - many of the hand seals are simply a set way to focus the mind's awareness. They could have been any real shape - it's the training behind it.
Some have pointed out how natural some of the hand seals are to people - hinting that it may just be how our natural hand gestures come out. This playes well with Hindu and Buddhist religion and the style of ninjutsu which is very tied to the natural way of the human body.

[Aoi Asahina]

There is a hint of hand seals also in the Christianity religion

[Dark Luther]

True - but it is a lost art for the most part, researched by the archaic groups within the church. I believe the Order of Gelgouch and the Hospitalers did a lot of research inside their meaning. Who knows what they found - or if they still continue their independant studies....

[Rainbow Dash]

Huh? I know there were more seals that THAT in Naruto.