Tatsuo Sensei and the I Ching

The Concept of Time;

"It is not something that can be rationally induced at will; it is an attitude, through which the tools and the method can be brought to bear effectively."

"The most advantageous relation to time is naturally that of harmony."

The Creative Principle;

This particular reference in the I Ching points to the Creative and the dragon which I find to mean, in relation to my practice, the creative processes of Tatsuo Sensei in the creation of Isshinryu and since the dragon plays a critical role, i.e. Tatsu means dragon man and Tatsuo has the dragon in his "Me-gami design" that this is a significant verification as to his abilities as a man of the ancient texts.

"One is the word for Sun, not the sun as a heavenly body but as a giver of light, a word that is also to be found in the sign of yang, one of the two first principles in old Chinese philosophy."

[When yin and yang interact they create and the Creative here is hi lighted by the light of heaven as it shines on Tatsuo Sensei illuminating the inner understanding of the fighting arts as life to create a new form which will become "Isshinryu."]

"It is drawn down out of its heights into the human cosmos. The divine heaven becomes a human heaven."

[Tatsuo through his meditative practice accepts the heavens as they enter into his human heaven.]

"Success, the second word, is characterized as the coming together of all that is beautiful, as the beauty of excellent, valid forms, the forms of works of art, but also of the beautiful forms of social intercourse, of the mores."

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"The word 'furthering' is associated with justice, with what is right and fair, and thereby also with duty, what it is suitable that a man should do. Perseverance is consistency; it is fundamental to all actions."

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Hexagram 1: Qian
1. The sublimity of the Creative depends on the fact that it begins everything and has success.
2. Furtherance and perseverance: thus it brings about the nature and way of all beings.
3. The Creative, by positing the beginning (accepted as true; positing), is able to further the world with beauty and utility. Its true greatness lies in the fact that nothing is said about the means by which it furthers.

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"The movement of heaven is full of power. Thus the superior man makes himself strong and untiring. He strengthens himself and does not give up; a further indication of the need for a strong creative will."

[Tatsuo Sensei as the dragon; nickname deals with dragons, etc.]

"Hidden dragon." "The word 'hidden', used here, literally means: submerged under the water, concealed in it, and water, naturally, is the dragon's original element."

[In relating excerpts from the I Ching I take this statement to mean, in relation to Tatsuo Sensei practice, etc., to mean that during those formative years in practice which he used to create his style the dragon, Tatsuo Sensei, remained hidden or submerged in the water where he in his element was able to conceive of the possibilities.]

"Dragon, the symbol of the Creative."

[Since the dragon and the dragon of Isshinryu, Tatsuo Sensei, both symbolized a Creative aspect of their life that this told Tatsuo Sensei the direction or change he must live in order to "change" and thus bring about Isshinryu.]

"The dragon on the bottom line is, for the time being, still hidden beneath the water with the advice: Do not act [This refers to his holding back to inform the karate community until the time was right]. At this time the primary need of the creative principle is concentration, the plunging downward into its own depths, whence it is uncertain with what one will emerge, a situation that naturally prohibits any action."

[This told me that Tatsuo Sensei understood the meaning of the I Ching and the resulting Kenpo Gokui because he remained true and loyal to the community while if focused his concentration on birthing Isshinryu through his study and teaching of the older styles of Goju and Shorin. As the I Ching and the symbolism of the Dragon in Chinese Philosophy dictates the submerging of the dragon into his or her own natural element allowed the creation to emerge from within Tatsuo Sensei. He knew that until the dragon emerged from the depths he was to remain focused internally.]

"The second line of the hexagram is where the dragon emerges from the water. The man comes forth among his peers with a message (I have a new style, etc.), which he has brought from the depths (while submerged he took no actions but when he was ready he emerged to speak with his peers and introduce changes to his practice of the fighting arts, etc.), and would like to obtain some response to his message."

[When Tatsuo Sensei determined from this excerpt that the dragon was to emerge from the water that he could now come forth to the karate community and announce that he created a new form of fighting art which was named Isshinryu. It also refers to his obtaining a response and initially the response was not favorable so it is understandable that he would switch back some aspects of his teachings to please his peers until the time of change was ripe for their acceptance. Maybe this was that period before he officially named the style. He would soon receive that favorable response from his peers leading the official naming of Isshinryu.]

"The dragons realm is in the water or the heavens, not on earth. The insight that has been gained in the course of the creative process is still unshaped, not yet in a valid form, and so not ripe enough to be represented. This is the time to apprentice to a master and to learn through work with the material."

[This can be coupled along side the other previous quotes as the reason he understood that his initial message would be received with doubt from the others, his karate peers. Due to his meditations he had the insight and foresight to resist pushing and allow the path to unfold naturally. He remained an apprentice to his masters until acceptance was assured.]

"The position of the Creative shows the danger of stepping out of established ways with a group of like-minded men and playing the revolutionary."

[The above also coupled in his readings of the book of changes also told him about their initial response by warning him of the dangers of stepping out of the established ways or the old traditions of the group of "like-minded" karate practitioners of Okinawa. He new his ideas would be revolutionary in two senses in that one was a direct conflict with his peers beliefs and the other is the revolutionary views Isshinryu would provide to the future.]

"Fellowship with men in a clan. Humiliation."

"The situation is characterized by the incessant work of creation and the intense anxiety to have the image come into being. Here a man must work consciously on what he has brought from the depths; he must work upon it and polish it in order to find the right shape for what he has to do or say."

[It was Tatsuo's diligent and constant practice and study of the arts that lead to his creation. His image coming into being was also foretold to him here and resulted in the image of the Me-gami which as you will see in the following also placed the dragon in the heavens flying above but underneath the "one" or the "three masters" that inspired his creation. He then took those many years to work on Isshinryu and to work until it left its rough state and was thoroughly polished into what we practice today. He did find the right shape and it is Isshinryu.]

"Treading upon the tail of the tiger (tiger is represented in the Me-gami). It does not bite the man. Success."

[I would want to assume that this particular statement in the I Ching is what told Tatsuo Sensei that he should move forward diligently as his treading on the tiger's tail or not as represented in the Me-gami of the tigers headdress on the goddess was his way of saying he was a success since his efforts were a success, etc.]

"The word 'metamorphosis' means a revolution, a transformation that makes something new out of something old [Tatsuo Sensei who created something new, Isshinryu, out of something old, Goju and Shorin]. Such a transformation is the first principle of all creation, cultural as well as artistic. The concept of artistic creation is very broadly understood here, almost all realms of life being thought of as ordered by art - not only those that we call art in a narrower sense, but the entire conduct of living, including such things as the art of taking a walk and the art of taking an afternoon nap."

"Every art, through insight, effects a transformation in the product that is created, and such a transformation is demanded here. One has a choice as to how the thing that has to be represented shall be formed."

[Another one that may have influenced Tatsuo Sensei in his creation...]

"Sincere points to the inner truth (hexagram 61) through which a man does justice to his own essence and remains true to his own vocation."

[Tatsuo Sensei may have read this one and it influenced his life to the extent that he remained true to himself, to the Okinawan Fighting Arts, and all his vocations be they sumachi or teaching karate-do.]

"The fifth line is the ruling of the sign of the Creative: Flying dragons in the heavens. It furthers one to see the great man."

[Ahhh, the dragon flying over the goddess as a representation of Tatsuo Sensei being the great man he was in life and in spirit now that he is passed. His flying dragon in the skies of the Me-gami, did he mean this to incite the continuance of creativity in his style? Did he mean to transmit his experiences through the symbolism of the Me-gami? Did he also mean for us to understand that we must continue our search for a "great man" within ourselves?]

"Here the dragon has raised himself to his own element, he wavers no longer, the decision is taken, he is in heaven and can now be effective. He stands in the place of Heavenly power."

[Tatsuo Sensei, may he remain in peaceful tranquility in the Heavens, he attained the ultimate of the gokui and the I Ching by his heavenly power transmitted through us hers on Earth practicing and carrying on his traditions of Isshinryu.]

"When the dragon is there he represents the divine, hence the success of the creations is assured. There are no more inhibitions, no further warnings. Here the creation comes to perfection."

[Is this another meaning of the Me-gami dragon in the Heavens above?]

"A flying dragon in the heavens is a powerful picture."

[Another reason for the dragon in the Me-gami?]

"A superior man obeys the benevolent will of heaven (that is, he follows it or is in harmony with it). Every development leads to its necessary consequence."

[The final word on the success of Tatsuo Sensei!]

Bibliography:
Wilhelm, Hellmut. "Heaven, Earth, and Man in the Book of Changes." University of Washington Press, Seattle and London. 1997