Ken-po Goku-i: Symbolism of Three Stars

Kenpo Gokui

The lines of the ken-po goku-i are set from an atomistic aspect simply because it is the manner in which the brain learns. Its nature is completely holistic and like the I Ching must be in a form that promotes learning and understanding so a person can see, hear and grasp the nature of a holistic system. The gokui is a method to teach us how to be holistic. Its terseness is the best that can be done to convey its holistic meaning.
A person's heart is the same as Heaven and Earth while the blood circulating is similar to the Sun and Moon yet the manner of drinking and spitting is either soft or hard while a person's unbalance is the same as a weight and the body should be able to change direction at any time as the time to strike is when the opportunity presents itself and both the eyes must see all sides as the ears must listen in all directions while the mind must grasp all the tactile, olfactory and gustation data not seen on all sides and not heard in any direction

Master Zeng said, "Am I preaching what I have not practiced myself?"

In the Isshinryu-no-megami there are three stars. Their meaning apparent is attributed directly to Tatsuo Sensei and his system as derived from three Masters. It is these three that comprise his innovative system of karate-do.

Enter the ken-po goku-i, the key to the ancient practices assimilated into Okinawan culture and customs where three also signifies the three pairs of starts in the Norther Bushel which resides over men's heads recording their acts and passing judgment as to which is detected, i.e. goodness or wickedness. Then there is the three spirits of the recumbent body residing in man, the spirit, the mind, and the body.

Lastly we see the three poisons of human heart, greed, anger, and stupidity. The very essence of understanding as to the Tao is its three things of Heaven, Earth and Man which is symbolized in the I Ching symbols that transcend all the classics in one form or the other. These three are considered the coordinate powers.

"Ken-po Goku-i Three"

person's ... heaven ... earth.

blood ... sun ... moon.

manner ... soft ... hard.

person ... balance ... weight.

body ... change ... time.

time ... strike ... time.

eyes ... see ... sides.

ears ... listen ... directions.