The Ninja Mind is the mindset that perceives things from the perspective of a ninja.
The historical ninja of Japan were known for their unconventional perspectives, perspectives that freed them to perceive possibilities that their enemies could scarcely imagine.

It’s not easy to develop an unconventional perspective – that’s why it’s unconventional. The ninja trained their minds and hearts in order to perceive the world differently. They studied Japanese shamanism, Buddhism, Taoist theory, and of course the warrior ways of Japan. They also studied politics, economics, history, and art. Then they took all this knowledge and went out into the world, observing the way of things and how history unfolds. Over time, this allowed them to develop a view bigger than an ordinary person.

Unconventional perspectives are not the same as countercultural or unpopular perspectives. While the ninja could certainly entertain countercultural or unpopular thoughts if it helped them to do so, the kneejerk tendency toward contrarianism is just as limited as blind conformity. Contrarianism and conformity both suffer by being trapped in a view, unable to seriously consider alternatives.

The Ninja Mind constantly asks, “What if things are not as they appear to be?” The Ninja Mind actively looks for clues pointing to a greater reality, asking why things appear as they do. Some of the hardest things to question are the things which are most obvious and seemingly unchanging in our lives – it is obvious, for example, that the sky is blue. However, if we ask “Why is the sky blue? Does it always have to be so?” we are led to a deeper understanding of both color and the nature of the sky.

This is a simple example that helps to explain the ninja mindset. The real questions are such things as “Why do the obstacles in my life exist? What created them? What sustains them?” In questioning, the ninja comes to understand obstacles in an unconventional way, and from there, creative and skillful solutions can be formed.