by Ameet Studio
The Book of Spinjitzu
“THE ROAD IS LONG AND WINDING,
AND YOU ARE ONLY AT THE BEGINNING.”
I have studied Spinjitzu all my life, but there will
always be more to learn. My father, the First Spinjitzu
Master, taught me the ways of Spinjitzu and the wonders
of Ninjago — the world he created. Since I was a boy, I have
recorded these lessons so that I may teach others. Parts
of this book are from journals I kept as a child and young
man (yes, I was young once!). I wrote other parts as I have
continued my studies. Now, late in my journey through life,
I have added more notes to these pages . . .
To possess The Book of Spinjitzu is to bear a great
responsibility. The information it contains is to be used wisely,
and only for good. It is my hope that you, my reader, will let
the power of Spinjitzu unlock the True Potential within you and
become one of Ninjago Island’s great champions. Someday I will be
gone, and this book is my legacy . . . as are you.
- Master Wu
THE PHILOSOPHY
OF SPINJITZU
“NOT ALL LESSONS ARE ABOUT FIGHTING.”
My father’s first lesson was this:
Spinjitzu is more than an ancient
martial art of punches, kicks,
flips, and throws. It is a
philosophy of living that
takes a lifetime’s journey
to acquire. As a boy, my
greatest desire was for
Father to teach my older
brother, Garmadon, and
me how to defeat the
forces of evil. Though I
would indeed learn how to
do this, I would go on to learn
so much more.
BALANCE
Spinjitzu is about balance. Not just how a ninja stands as
she fights, but also how she balances the Light and Darkness
(good and bad) within herself and the world around her.
ROTATION
Spinjitzu is
also the art
of rotation,
which is key to
how a ninja moves.
It teaches flexibility
during battle and in life,
which is full of change.
Rotation is a source of
strength. It adds force
and momentum to blows.
Once mastered, rotation
helps a ninja create an
elemental tornado. It
also comes in handy
while dancing!
Spinjitzu mirrors the qualities of its students. Only a true Spinjitzu
Master knows that human potential goes far beyond what most people can
imagine. Spinjitzu is a quest for total perfection. It may not be reached,
but there is value in trying.
I was very young when my father explained that
Garmadon and I needed to uphold and pass on the
legacy of Spinjitzu. Taking on such responsibility as a
boy was daunting. From the beginning, I took my studies
very seriously. I did not want to let my father down.
MASTER CLASS
“TO BECOME A TRUE NINJA, YOU MUST BE ABLE TO SEE
WHAT OTHERS DO NOT SEE.”
One day, I will become a ninja! Father says being a ninja is one
of the best things you can be. A ninja is honorable and strong.
A ninja never quits and never leaves a friend behind. A ninja
helps those who need it, and keeps dark forces from spreading evil.
Look out, dark forces — soon I will be coming for you! (As long
as the dark forces aren’t too dark . . . I
still leave the light on when I go to sleep.)
Garmadon and I enjoy listening
to Father’s stories from long
before time had a name.
I want to grow up to be
just like my father. He is
so calm and peaceful –
except when Garmadon
and I fight. “Brothers
should not fight,” Father says.
Even if I am never to be the master
that he is, I know I will learn many
things. As Father likes to say, “The
journey is more important than the
destination.” I am excited to see how
far I can travel on my journey.
MASTER OF SPINJITZU!
I can’t wait to
begin my training!
Little did I know what
I was in for next !
WU (ME)
GARMADON
TRAINING DAYS
“A NINJA NEVER QUITS!”
????
Training is hard. I didn’t think it
would be like this. When the training
sessions are over, I’m so tired I can barely
lift my chopsticks!
Before sunrise, Garmadon and I stretch our arms, legs, necks,
shoulders, backs, and even our eyes and ears. Father says
stretching loosens the body and mind for the challenges ahead.
LEG STRETCHES
NECK STRETCHES
Then we run the
training course Father
has built. Something
always throws, trips, or
smashes us! Father just
drinks his tea and says,
“Fail,” every time we fall.
Then we do it all over again.
Next, Father leads us through Spinjitzu movements.
We have learned hundreds of moves, but it seems
there are thousands more. Sometimes I
want to give up, but then
I remember, “A ninja
never quits.” (Although
sometimes a ninja
REALLY wants to!)
The Great Devourer
took my brother away
from me.
Yesterday, something scary happened. During our training exercises,
my katana was knocked over the monastery wall. Garmadon went
to bring it back, but when he reached for it, he was bitten by a
strange snake. Father and I were very worried, for we could tell a
great evil had found its way into my brother’s heart. The snake’s
venom could turn the purest of things wicked . . .
FINDING YOUR
TRUE POTENTIAL
“SPINJITZU IS INSIDE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. BUT IT WILL
ONLY BE UNLOCKED WHEN THE KEY IS READY TO BE FOUND.”
Over the last few years, Garmadon and I have made great progress
in our study of Spinjitzu. Father says that to reach a higher level
of mastery, we must unlock our True Potential. In each of us, there
are obstacles and worries that keep us from true greatness. It is only
when we conquer those obstacles that our hearts will be free and our
True Potential — our own personal elemental power or skill — will be
unlocked. Then we can achieve higher goals and truly master Spinjitzu.
DOUBT
FAILING
EMBARRASSMENT
Me (trying to be brave)
Fear often prevents ninja-in-training from taking the next step
forward. I wonder what my greatest fear is? Doubt? Failure?
Father said True Potential unlocks the power
of Elemental Masters. What can I do to unl
ock
my True Potential? What is my True Potential?
Which element will I be connected to? Fire, Ice,
Lightning, Earth? Am I even an Elemental Master?
How will I be able to help Father protect our world from evil? I hope
the future holds the answers . . .
KNOWN ELEMENTAL MASTERS:
Pale Man - Light
Griffin Turner - Speed
Skylor - Amber
Bolobo - Nature
Karlof - Metal
Gravis - Gravity
Neuro - Mind
Ash - Smoke
Jacob - Sound
Camille - Form
Tox - Poison
Kai - Fire
Cole - Earth
Zane - Ice
Jay - Lightning
Nya - Water
Me, Elemental Master of ????
THE JOURNEY TO MASTERY
“ONLY A TRUE SPINJITZU MASTER KNOWS THAT THE HUMAN
POTENTIAL EXCEEDS WHAT WE DARE TO IMAGINE.”
Every morning, I ask Father, “Have we reached our
True Potential yet?” But he always answers, “When
you do, you will be the first to know!” But how?
There is so much I still don’t understand. I must
work hard, and study even harder.
Garmadon is becoming less
interested in unlocking his
True Potential. He does not
follow instructions and will
not practice by himself.
He has changed. A
growing Darkness within
him is pushing him away
from the path our father
hoped he would take.
I train each day. I wish to
harness not just my physical
potential with Spinjitzu
movements, but also my mental
potential by studying their
meaning. Everything in Spinjitzu is done for a reason, and every
movement and thought has a purpose. These combinations are
too many to count, but by understanding them all I may someday
master Spinjitzu.
“Life is but a series of small steps toward your ultimate goal,”
Father likes to say. But I must admit, on many days, it feels as
if we are walking backward!
SPINJITZU IN
EVERYDAY LIFE
“SPINJITZU IS AS MUCH A PART OF
EVERYTHING YOU DO AS BREATHING.”
Father says many Spinjitzu
movements involve rotation, or turning.
The Spinjitzu tornado is one of these movements. Father
challenged us to find examples of rotations in
everyday life. Here are some:
We stir tea in the
teapot to dissolve
sugar in it.
Don’t stir too hard,
or the tea will spill!
We turn around to speak
Pottery wheels
to someone behind us.
rotate so we
can make pots
and vases.
It’s wise to talk to only
one person at a time.
By spinning a potter’s
wheel, we can create
true pieces of art.
How
will this
training
help me create my
first Spinjitzu tornado?
I must meditate on that
and practice harder,
for when I use Spinjitzu
in battle, my moves should be quick and
precise. Father assures me that stirring my
tea properly is an excellent start.
MY FIRST SPINJITZU
TORNADO
“A THOUSAND-MILE JOURNEY
BEGINS WITH THE FIRST STEP.”
Today, Garmadon and I
created our first Spinjitzu
tornadoes! It was AMAZING!
Father sent us to the village
to fetch tea. While we were
there, bullies confronted
us and tried to take the
tea. Instantly, we put our
training to use. The next
thing we knew, we were in
the center of whirlwinds
that seemed strong enough
to blow our enemies
halfway to the Lost City of
Ouroborus!
The Spinjitzu tornado is one
of the most important moves
to master, and being able to
perform one is a huge step
forward.
We must use precise motions to create the Spinjitzu tornado, which
acts as a shield of energy. It protects the ninja, and it can also create
devastating attacks. This is how I begin my Spinjitzu tornado:
2. I begin a series of precise
1. I shout “NINJA-GO!” —
3. Once I achieve perfect
movements to build up momentum.
this helps me concentrate
balance, an unstoppable whirl
Momentum increases as I begin to
and attain inner balance.
of energy surrounds me.
rotate. It builds into one balanced
motion, almost a dance.
5. . . . but I’ve
created a Spinjitzu
tornado! Now each
of my blows will
be equally strong.
Then I slow down,
4. I maintain the pace without
concentrate, and
losing force. At first, I feel
do it all over
a bit dizzy . . .
again. Practice
makes perfect!
THE PROPHECY OF
THE GREEN NINJA
“ONE NINJA WILL RISE ABOVE THE OTHERS . . .”
What’s my destiny?
“One ninja will rise above the others
Is my life’s mission to
and become the Green Ninja — the
become the Green
ninja destined to defeat the Dark
Ninja? Or maybe it
will be to find the
Lord.” So says the Prophecy of
Green Ninja and
the Green Ninja. Since the day
protect him (or
my father first told me of this
her)??
prophecy, I haven’t been
able to stop thinking
about it.
The Green Ninja is
the most powerful
of all the ninja. It is
said he will be revealed
only when the Four Golden
Weapons of Spinjitzu are laid out
before him. It is also said that
the weapons will recognize him.
I wonder what that means? Will
they say, “Hello, Green Ninja?”
Somehow, I do not think so.
The Dark Lord is the
Overlord — the eternal,
indestructible enemy of all
things good. He is a being
born of pure Darkness
who was created when the
first shadow fell, after
my father formed the
world of Ninjago with the
Golden Weapons.
As it turns out, the Golden Weapons glow green
in the presence of the Green Ninja.
Once we find the Green
Ninja, we must protect him
or her, as one day he or
she will save us all. The
Overlord’s Dark Forces will
want to keep the Green Ninja
from mastering his powers,
and they will stop at nothing
to accomplish their goal.
THE DARK SIDE
OF SPINJITZU
“SPINJITZU IS A SWORD WITH
TWO BLADES.”
Father says Spinjitzu, if not performed exactly right,
can cause great harm. I learned that lesson today.
During sparring, I rotated my hips too much while
executing a Kick of the Mantis, and I accidentally sent
Garmadon flying through a support beam. The entire roof
almost came down on him!
Afterward, Garmadon lashed out at me with a kind of anger I had
never seen before. He was so furious, he didn’t use Spinjitzu
correctly. And he nearly destroyed the entire monastery before
Father calmed him down!
These days, it seems there is almost as much Darkness in Garmadon
as Light, and nothing Father tries can reverse it. Now my brother
is undergoing different training — training my father hopes will
return him to the right track. Father says using Spinjitzu for evil
purposes could affect the balance between good and evil, and that
whoever gives in to that temptation could destroy the world.
I will not let that happen to me.
THE SCROLL OF
FORBIDDEN SPINJITZU
“SOME SECRETS ARE BEST LEFT HIDDEN IN THE SHADOWS.”
One day, we were browsing Father’s library, hoping to find a cookbook to
replace Father’s usual “plain noodles.” When Garmadon pulled out a book
called The Art of Broth, a scroll of black paper fell from its pages. He
picked it up and said it felt hot.
He wanted to read it. I sensed we should not. Garmadon started to unroll
the scroll when Father raced in and snatched
it. He told us never to touch “the
Scroll of Forbidden
Spinjitzu.” Then he
ordered us to
leave.
The next
day, Garmadon
returned to the
library. He said the scroll was
“calling” him. I should have told Father,
but instead I followed my brother. The
scroll wasn’t there, much to Garmadon’s
frustration . . . and my relief.
Sometimes I wake at night and find Garmadon is missing from the
bed next to mine. I imagine he is looking for the scroll. I cannot
imagine what dark secrets it contains. A long-forgotten phrase
that will turn the sun cold? A chant that will raise the spirits of
the departed? A great tea recipe?
As I suspected, Garmadon was still looking