Symbolism

Symbolism: Representation of a concept through symbols or underlying meanings of objects or qualities; emblematic: serving as a visible symbol for something abstract; typify: express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol, etc.

The ken-po goku-i has a meaning that is supposedly determined by its symbolism. The Isshinryu-no-megami also is supposed to have a bunch of symbols that promote meaning to the practice of this style. There was a great movie that was based on the meaning of symbols, mostly obscure or hidden, that indicated something important.

Prove it! Yes, we can say this appears in some picture of characters but in reality is the translation accurate? Rob Redmond's book on kata, eBook is free thanks you Rob, he shows us the gokui characters and various definitions that are NOT EXACT or CORRECT. So, how do we actually know?

In Isshinryu it is alluded to that Tatsuo Sensei wanted us to learn and understand about Okinawa and its people, their customs and courtesies, etc. but in promoting that ideology he only provided a silk certificate and a few curt words to his new black belts before leaving the island. Now this may have been adequate for other Okinawan's but for Americans it was and is lost to them. A few actually stayed and returned but of those not many actually sought out understanding of the gokui and even it that were ignored they didn't try to find out about the Okinawan's or Okinawa.

Now the few who did take time to find out "some answers" found few because of either the pension of Tatsuo Sensei to be cryptic or because of the language differences, etc. didn't provide much information regarding the symbolism in the gokui and/or the megami patch, etc. so we were left to our own devices.

So what happened? I can only "guess" that because it was known that Tatsuo Sensei studied the ancient Chinese classics and believed in occult/spiritual type systems, i.e. he was a fortune teller, etc., that if we studied the classics and tried to make the connections we might come to understand that intent Tatsuo Sensei intended.

The inherent trouble with this method is it is extremely subjective. We will then individually make personally influenced judgement based solely on our individual personal impressions and feeling and opinion rather than external facts. The problem is compounded by the lack of external facts as well as the clarity of today's teachers of Isshinryu.

Here is where I will add in the D-K effect. Many of today's "masters of Isshinryu" because of this effect feel they are fully vetted in the system and tend to act accordingly. In regards to the symbolism of the gokui and megrim they assume incorrectly that they are skilled and fully knowledgable about such things resulting is falsely written documents and books on the subject that end up being a venue for personal ego gratification. In turn they are ignorant to the intent of the gokui and megami. The illusion of superiority also leads others who look up to them for guidance in the tribe/group, in the belief of the systems taught by them, tend to fall prey to the same effect.

There are a few who seek the knowledge and remain skeptical because of the challenges of Chinese/Japanese/Okinawa vs. English/American differences they will continue to seek out information and views regarding all with skepticism and accepting those things that provide them, only them, with factually based truth as far as that is possible.

It is a lot like the quote that Rory Miller of the Chiron Blog site stated in regards to other things but applies to more, i.e. my redaction: "Know your strengths; know your limitations; PAY ATTENTION to our instincts!" [I modified it a bit he actually said, "Knowing your strengths and limitations, and PAYING ATTENTION to your instincts."] He also said and it applies here as well, "People with a perceived need to increase competence will continuously improve. People with a perceived sufficiency of competence will cease to improve."

His content was different and you can read his post here but I feel it applies to my post as well.