The Ken-po Goku-i, or gokui for short, talks about the senses both directly and indirectly. When the gokui states that a person must see all directions, the directions in question can be literally the multi-directions the eye perceives of the environment and all that resides within "as far as the eyes can see." What it does not do is provide us with explanations and training on how we utilize this most important tool for the mind. The following two quotes from Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D. books on the gentle art of verbal self-defense tell us more about how the mind uses our perceptive filtering through the sense of "seeing in all directions."
"It is not your eyes that are doing the learning, but your whole body. And it's not what you see that teaches you. Seeing is only the tool that you use for obtaining the information. What you learn from is feedback you get from your own body as you try to match the body language being demonstrated. ... No set of detailed written instructions will replace the feedback you get from your body as you try to follow someone's instruction - right before your eyes - to "hold your hand like this."
AND
"If your preferred mode is eye or ear, you may find this more difficult that the person who strongly prefers the sensory mode of touch will. But you can do it. It will just take you longer." Quote in reference in learning how to use your body language in communications as to the three sense modes of people - in general.
This and other information written by Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D., provides us the knowledge that learning, thus teaching, relies not on any one thing but a combination of things. The eyes are assumed to be the learning tool for people and now I discover that they are merely a tool by which the mind along with other factors perceives and interprets the entirety of communications to achieve understanding.
The entirety of communications can be understood as what the eyes process, what the ears process, what the body process through touch and in a small way what the nose processes as to smell and the tongue processes as to the taste. In MA instruction the most command and most advantageous are eye, ear and touch sense teaching. You may need to adjust the primary tool to process to eye, ear and sometimes touch depending on the preferred sense mode of the student.
Just remember one thing as a Sensei, it is not just what you say in words. It is what you say in words along with the tone and more importantly your body language as processed by the eyes, ears and in some cases by touch - direct touch and touch sense by distance.
Just remember one thing as a student, it is not just what you hear in words. It is what you hear in words with their tone and body language as processed by your eyes, ears and in some cases by touch - direct touch and touch sense by distance.
The idea is to reach a syntonic state of instruction-to-learning by building a bridge between the two of understanding, knowledge and awareness. Sometimes just being aware of what it all takes and encompasses is adequate to maximize teaching and learning.
In addition the learning we achieve through our senses, especially the eyes and ears, is hugely influenced by our perceptive filters. Another aspect of the gokui and our training is to achieve the ability to adjust the filters allowing for the possibilities to enter. If we cloud ourselves in a veil of dogmatic doctrine the unexpected will have nothing to draw on from the mind to overcome it. There are so many possibilities that are presented directly and indirectly through the study of the martial arts with emphasis on the gokui.
All Bottles are Truly Good
Moment of Stillness
 |
| "Moment of Stillness" |
This stillness much like the still lake allows for a reflection. The reflection in that moment of stillness opens a door to another dimension, a dimension of the mind.
When I am practicing kata I tend to reflect through imagery many things. I often come to a still place where without conscious awareness achieve a still mind with no thought and then much like a rain drop striking a still, mirror like, lake sends a small ripple across the stillness. You see that which was not seen, you experience that which is not experienced and you reach the unreachable.
The epiphany, the enlightened state, the moment oh so present. The inspirational moment that many artist refer to when they see the image in the stone and chip away all the exterior garbage.
I am lucky. I experience "moment of stillness" in these present moments that occur without awareness and this is where I achieve shifts in a paradigm called life through those shifts in a paradigm I call martial systems.
I can in those moments suddenly like a spark that shocks new ways of doing things, new ways of seeing things and new ways of experiencing things. This works well in my practice as it has taken me beyond the basics, beyond the fundamentals and beyond any dogmatic adherence to some stunted belief derived as a vilification of a creator of a martial system.
Do you practice and train to achieve a "moment of stillness?" I have had those moments in applying my expertise and it is inexplicable. I am reminded of the unexplainable explanation of the Tao Te Ching.
"Remember to pay attention when you realize you're in a moment of stillness for it is in the next moment when a slight breeze, a puff of wind or a falling leaf will disturb the stillness." - Charles James
Gotta Believe
I am beginning to understand a bit better that humans, generally, need "something" to believe in or they can feel life is not worth much. I also believe, see, that folks want to have something to take up the lulls in life so we have things like vacations, etc. This seems ok to me if it fills a need and makes a difference, a positive one, in life.
This seems to fill a belief and need for people when they take up martial systems. I can say that it is because of "my belief" in these systems and the ability of them to fill my need for substance the have been an important part of my life - good, right?
Where I want to allow flexibility is in my belief system. People can be stubborn to the ninth degree if their belief system is questioned. I see this as a hinderance to both belief and personal growth. I believe, yes believe, that our ability to adjust our beliefs, for the betterment of us and our interactions in society, is critical and allows for a more moderate response when questioned.
I believe we all should stop at a four way stop sign in our automobiles. I would then believe this as a good thing. I would then believe it not so good if all we did was stop and then no further progress. If I allow my belief that stopping is good and that allowing an adjustment/change in that belief it might benefit all. I can allow my belief to change and then create a new belief that if we all arrived at the same time the person on the left allows the person on their right to proceed through the intersection. I can allow my belief to change that if one of the four arrived a moment before the others that the person may proceed first followed by others in an orderly manner.
So, why do we find dogmatic adherence to specific group dogma simply because we allow a belief to influence us to remain stagnant vs. continued growth and prosperity. Hmm, must study and contemplate this a lot.
This seems to fill a belief and need for people when they take up martial systems. I can say that it is because of "my belief" in these systems and the ability of them to fill my need for substance the have been an important part of my life - good, right?
Where I want to allow flexibility is in my belief system. People can be stubborn to the ninth degree if their belief system is questioned. I see this as a hinderance to both belief and personal growth. I believe, yes believe, that our ability to adjust our beliefs, for the betterment of us and our interactions in society, is critical and allows for a more moderate response when questioned.
I believe we all should stop at a four way stop sign in our automobiles. I would then believe this as a good thing. I would then believe it not so good if all we did was stop and then no further progress. If I allow my belief that stopping is good and that allowing an adjustment/change in that belief it might benefit all. I can allow my belief to change and then create a new belief that if we all arrived at the same time the person on the left allows the person on their right to proceed through the intersection. I can allow my belief to change that if one of the four arrived a moment before the others that the person may proceed first followed by others in an orderly manner.
So, why do we find dogmatic adherence to specific group dogma simply because we allow a belief to influence us to remain stagnant vs. continued growth and prosperity. Hmm, must study and contemplate this a lot.
Tatchi-goku-i (接触 - contact or touch)
Touch law of the fist can be further explained in the new ken-po goku-i where the tendency of the mind to "go to" the area of the body under assault. This means when you feel pressure, pain, rubbing, pinching, grabbing, and with intensity that screams "danger will robinson" then your mind will lock on to that location to the detriment of all else.
This is a fundamental principle of the OODA loop explained by Rory Miller and Marc MacYoung on their blogs and web sites, i.e. no nonsense self defense and conflict communications, etc.
A couple of idea's in this is to train so that when you feel some intensely applied pressure, etc. you either ignore it with some action that is not associated with that area or you act on that area with some counter move. This is not the forum to explain exactly and would be better served when explained and taught in a person-with-person on the floor training/practice session.
Another aspect for application is to apply the pressures, pain, etc. to a threat and keep moving that around so the mind keeps moving with your movements-pain applications thus locking the mind in an infinite loop with no ability to act or react. This may be the principle to the Chinese principle of a lot of strikes to overcome the threat vs. karate's so-called one strike - one kill principle (this is a whole post all on its own - don't agree with this one).
Once again as a reminder the ken-po goku-i is meant as a teaching tool that transcends any one techniques or philosophy. It encompasses all aspects of training and practice.
This is a fundamental principle of the OODA loop explained by Rory Miller and Marc MacYoung on their blogs and web sites, i.e. no nonsense self defense and conflict communications, etc.
A couple of idea's in this is to train so that when you feel some intensely applied pressure, etc. you either ignore it with some action that is not associated with that area or you act on that area with some counter move. This is not the forum to explain exactly and would be better served when explained and taught in a person-with-person on the floor training/practice session.
Another aspect for application is to apply the pressures, pain, etc. to a threat and keep moving that around so the mind keeps moving with your movements-pain applications thus locking the mind in an infinite loop with no ability to act or react. This may be the principle to the Chinese principle of a lot of strikes to overcome the threat vs. karate's so-called one strike - one kill principle (this is a whole post all on its own - don't agree with this one).
Once again as a reminder the ken-po goku-i is meant as a teaching tool that transcends any one techniques or philosophy. It encompasses all aspects of training and practice.
Grasping the Martial Arts
Again, an attempt to gain a good hand on the new tactual data when supplementing both seeing and hearing for training and practice of martial systems. In the world of tactual encounters we once again connect to such things as hard, soft, seeing, hearing, the cycles of ebb and flow within and without the body along with the cycles of breathing in and out.
Rory Miller once spoke of, or better to way wrote about, tactile in self-defense. He alluded to the "feel" of the opponents body where the tactile or tactual information one feels from another can send signals to the mind on a response or action that would best nullify or deflect or allow a movement to better your position, etc. That speaks of two things regarding this new ninth goku-i line.
One is an understanding of the tactile symbols; duration-location-action-intensity-frequency-sensation. As an example the "sensation" a threat might feel triggers the tendency for the mind to lock on to that location and feeling where the mind, if not trained in this, tries to discover what is occurring and gain a tactical response and advantage. This is where the interruption of a person OODA loop occurs where continuing to change the sensation, location. intensity and duration keeps triggering the mind to lock on to the now new sensation reducing the minds ability to achieve a response.
By allowing my new line validity in the ken-po goku-i it might bring to the for of our minds the conscious attention and awareness of touch to achieve a greater understanding of the martial arts and our applications of its principles and techniques.
Two is an awareness of the tactual sense elements and how they function adding to the application of techniques to achieve additional advantage. These elements include, pressure; pain; pleasure; temperature; muscle movement of the skin; rubbing; pinching, etc. In a grappling art pressure, pain, rubbing, pinching and the movement of muscle under the skin apply. Just give it a moment and consider this, have you in your training, practice and teaching of martial systems.
Tactual data retrieval to train and practice can be seen and grasped literally as a function of the arts - martial arts. I can now realize that not taking touch to this level of thought may have contributed to a lack of full understanding on principles, intent and applications. Worth taking down and out of the attic and placing it in front of us so we can examine it with our eyes, analyze it with our ears to hear how it impacts practitioners, and touching on the value of its implications in teaching and learning.
Rory Miller once spoke of, or better to way wrote about, tactile in self-defense. He alluded to the "feel" of the opponents body where the tactile or tactual information one feels from another can send signals to the mind on a response or action that would best nullify or deflect or allow a movement to better your position, etc. That speaks of two things regarding this new ninth goku-i line.
One is an understanding of the tactile symbols; duration-location-action-intensity-frequency-sensation. As an example the "sensation" a threat might feel triggers the tendency for the mind to lock on to that location and feeling where the mind, if not trained in this, tries to discover what is occurring and gain a tactical response and advantage. This is where the interruption of a person OODA loop occurs where continuing to change the sensation, location. intensity and duration keeps triggering the mind to lock on to the now new sensation reducing the minds ability to achieve a response.
By allowing my new line validity in the ken-po goku-i it might bring to the for of our minds the conscious attention and awareness of touch to achieve a greater understanding of the martial arts and our applications of its principles and techniques.
Two is an awareness of the tactual sense elements and how they function adding to the application of techniques to achieve additional advantage. These elements include, pressure; pain; pleasure; temperature; muscle movement of the skin; rubbing; pinching, etc. In a grappling art pressure, pain, rubbing, pinching and the movement of muscle under the skin apply. Just give it a moment and consider this, have you in your training, practice and teaching of martial systems.
Tactual data retrieval to train and practice can be seen and grasped literally as a function of the arts - martial arts. I can now realize that not taking touch to this level of thought may have contributed to a lack of full understanding on principles, intent and applications. Worth taking down and out of the attic and placing it in front of us so we can examine it with our eyes, analyze it with our ears to hear how it impacts practitioners, and touching on the value of its implications in teaching and learning.
My Postings
As you can see my posts are a mixture of my thoughts, my thoughts that are inspired by my reading of books, and my thoughts as inspired by other blog postings such as Rory Miller's Chiron, Sensei Kane and Wilder's blog, and many others like SueC's and Vesia Sensei's blogs.
If ever I utilize a topic from your sources, i.e. your books or blogs, etc., and you are not pleased for any reason please comment. I want to make sure all the material I use is acceptable to the person, their work, and their philosophies as to their intent. I am not trying to steal, borrow, abscond, hijack your material.
I want to write, as a touch dominant person this is really the best self-teaching tool, and I want to learn from that writing so I tend to read others material and then try to morph it into my own thoughts and by that method encode it and by that method learn and apply it in my practice, training and life.
If you feel I trespass on your efforts comment or send me an email directly to let me know and I will either stop using your stuff or with your ok send you the post for approval before posting to the blog. If I don't hear from you then I cannot take your feelings and such into consideration, If I do hear from you I will accord you the respect you deserve.
This also goes for giving credit. I attempt to do so as is proper by either adding name and source to the end of a quote or by bibliography at the end. If I miss it please remind me and I will correct it quickly.
Thanks!
If ever I utilize a topic from your sources, i.e. your books or blogs, etc., and you are not pleased for any reason please comment. I want to make sure all the material I use is acceptable to the person, their work, and their philosophies as to their intent. I am not trying to steal, borrow, abscond, hijack your material.
I want to write, as a touch dominant person this is really the best self-teaching tool, and I want to learn from that writing so I tend to read others material and then try to morph it into my own thoughts and by that method encode it and by that method learn and apply it in my practice, training and life.
If you feel I trespass on your efforts comment or send me an email directly to let me know and I will either stop using your stuff or with your ok send you the post for approval before posting to the blog. If I don't hear from you then I cannot take your feelings and such into consideration, If I do hear from you I will accord you the respect you deserve.
This also goes for giving credit. I attempt to do so as is proper by either adding name and source to the end of a quote or by bibliography at the end. If I miss it please remind me and I will correct it quickly.
Thanks!
Possibilities through Knowledge, Understanding, and Acceptance
I am so excited at this moment in time. I know my knowledge and ability in karate-jutsu-do is good. I have come to realize in my practice over the last hour that I will begin to improve by leaps and bounds. I feel this deep in my gut.
I have discovered my sense mode. The dominant one that has hindered my life for these past 54 years. My gaining knowledge of touch sense, my growing understanding of touch sense and my acceptance that I have a dominant sense of touch has allowed me to "see" my training from a whole different perspective. A perspective from a touch sense mode.
I have trained, taught, practiced karate these past thirty plus years from a sight and sound sense mode with a smattering of touch. I now understand why my form of teaching met with some initial resistance. It was a bit of sight, sound and a lot of touch orientation.
I practiced today with a new sense of touch mode where I imagined threats and attacks with more touch orientation. I imagined actually connecting. I imagined how it would feel when I moved, parried, and connected with a technique. I used it to enhance my visualization, my imagery, my tactual means of feeling the event and it felt natural, normal, and very good. This is positive.
I am anxious to check my progress as I move along the path to "see" if results gain momentum vs. current sight/hearing oriented momentum. Understand that I am pleased with my level of proficiency. I wish I had understood sooner. It is never to late and this is something that excites, pleases, and motivates me beyond my normal somewhat obsession of martial arts.
I have discovered my sense mode. The dominant one that has hindered my life for these past 54 years. My gaining knowledge of touch sense, my growing understanding of touch sense and my acceptance that I have a dominant sense of touch has allowed me to "see" my training from a whole different perspective. A perspective from a touch sense mode.
I have trained, taught, practiced karate these past thirty plus years from a sight and sound sense mode with a smattering of touch. I now understand why my form of teaching met with some initial resistance. It was a bit of sight, sound and a lot of touch orientation.
I practiced today with a new sense of touch mode where I imagined threats and attacks with more touch orientation. I imagined actually connecting. I imagined how it would feel when I moved, parried, and connected with a technique. I used it to enhance my visualization, my imagery, my tactual means of feeling the event and it felt natural, normal, and very good. This is positive.
I am anxious to check my progress as I move along the path to "see" if results gain momentum vs. current sight/hearing oriented momentum. Understand that I am pleased with my level of proficiency. I wish I had understood sooner. It is never to late and this is something that excites, pleases, and motivates me beyond my normal somewhat obsession of martial arts.
The Human Brain and Imagery
This is quoted directly from the book by Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D. It involves a bit of trivia for the brain, an important piece of trivia. Our brains, as she states from research, cannot not distinguish sense perceptions that are real world perceptions from those we might visualize or use imagery to "see it in our minds."
If the imagery is "vivid" enough, i.e. the details of the imagery is really descriptive, then it is as if you really experienced the event. The brain cannot tell the difference between a real one and the imagined one. It will send out the same signals and chemicals in both cases, i.e. reality vs. imagined.
She has a term she coins for this type of visualization/imagery, "Creative Visualization." A very important point to place forward here is this title is "sight-biased." Touch dominant persons tend to lose out with this since they often cannot relate to this sight mode title and those mostly sight mode sense instructions. I often express that it was hard to learn and this is why.
In your teachings you may want to be aware when a student states they cannot do visualization they are merely expressing that instructions are convoluted simply because they are transmitted in a sense mode that is not adequate for touch dominant persons ability to assimilate. There is a way for the touch person to create or convert instructions to a form that will be tuned to their learning mode and then can achieve greater results and benefits from "creative visualization."
As a touch dominant person I use imagery. I have been fortunate that I was able to work out how I could do it. It comes mostly from sensing through my body movement when presenting technique I can see the body movement of an imagined opponent moving in such a way that the technique averts the attack and presents an appropriate response.
Dr. Elgin presents, shows, and makes audible several examples of touch techniques to learn imagery or visualization techniques geared to overcome the sight dominance in visual/image training.
Now, this is really a cool thing to know that when we have vivid imaginations in such techniques it is as if the brain actually experienced it. The only thing we have to grab onto is how to experience the actual feel of it, i.e. pain, fear, anger, frustrations, etc.
If the imagery is "vivid" enough, i.e. the details of the imagery is really descriptive, then it is as if you really experienced the event. The brain cannot tell the difference between a real one and the imagined one. It will send out the same signals and chemicals in both cases, i.e. reality vs. imagined.
She has a term she coins for this type of visualization/imagery, "Creative Visualization." A very important point to place forward here is this title is "sight-biased." Touch dominant persons tend to lose out with this since they often cannot relate to this sight mode title and those mostly sight mode sense instructions. I often express that it was hard to learn and this is why.
In your teachings you may want to be aware when a student states they cannot do visualization they are merely expressing that instructions are convoluted simply because they are transmitted in a sense mode that is not adequate for touch dominant persons ability to assimilate. There is a way for the touch person to create or convert instructions to a form that will be tuned to their learning mode and then can achieve greater results and benefits from "creative visualization."
As a touch dominant person I use imagery. I have been fortunate that I was able to work out how I could do it. It comes mostly from sensing through my body movement when presenting technique I can see the body movement of an imagined opponent moving in such a way that the technique averts the attack and presents an appropriate response.
Dr. Elgin presents, shows, and makes audible several examples of touch techniques to learn imagery or visualization techniques geared to overcome the sight dominance in visual/image training.
Now, this is really a cool thing to know that when we have vivid imaginations in such techniques it is as if the brain actually experienced it. The only thing we have to grab onto is how to experience the actual feel of it, i.e. pain, fear, anger, frustrations, etc.
Touch Dominant
I am pretty sure I am one of these persons. I am touch dominant. As I study the material provided in Dr. Elgin's book, "ry To Feel It My Way: New Help for Touch Dominant People and Those Who Care About Them," I am becoming aware of those road marks that indicate I am touch sense dominant.
As this self-discovery become glaringly more apparent to me I realize many of the difficulties I have experienced and become are related to this sense mode and the response, unconscious and unaware and unknowingly, received molded me into a person who tends to be "brash," "loud/forceful," and "a naysayer." It fits and makes me feel a bit sad.
It is a product of the time which I was raised where such knowledge was not known and not studied. It was not taught in the schools simply because no one was aware at those times. As I am able to grasp the implications and effects of such a mode that is strongly a part of communications I can now see why I have felt specific emotional responses.
The most important lesson is it is no ones fault, not mine and not others. It is simply a lack of knowledge and understanding and self-realization. I now am growing in my awareness and I am now growing in my knowledge and I am now growing more aware of what it is I must do to build a bridge across the reality gap of touch vs. sight and hearing sense modes. My only regret is it would be improper for me to pass this along to those I communicate with - they have to come to this realization completely on their own. I can hope!
As to those who will and are reading my posts. I am expressing to you all that if something I write does not seem to fit, to connect, to have clarity please take a moment and consider that it may be in touch mode for sense communication - take a moment and re-word it where words that are sight or hearting sense related and it may make it clearer.
My goal is to translate my touch dominant writing mode to a more sight and hearing mode for better clarity for all with smatterings of touch mode to cover the whole spectrum hopefully to have clarity with all who read my stuff.
Thanks for reading, thanks for hearing what I am trying to say, and thanks for trying to grasp the idea of sense mode in communications. I can express to you that as I get "in touch" with my apparent touch sense side and language I am feeling a lot more comfortable. Pardon me if my writing goes more touch but that is my way of learning - touch :-)
As this self-discovery become glaringly more apparent to me I realize many of the difficulties I have experienced and become are related to this sense mode and the response, unconscious and unaware and unknowingly, received molded me into a person who tends to be "brash," "loud/forceful," and "a naysayer." It fits and makes me feel a bit sad.
It is a product of the time which I was raised where such knowledge was not known and not studied. It was not taught in the schools simply because no one was aware at those times. As I am able to grasp the implications and effects of such a mode that is strongly a part of communications I can now see why I have felt specific emotional responses.
The most important lesson is it is no ones fault, not mine and not others. It is simply a lack of knowledge and understanding and self-realization. I now am growing in my awareness and I am now growing in my knowledge and I am now growing more aware of what it is I must do to build a bridge across the reality gap of touch vs. sight and hearing sense modes. My only regret is it would be improper for me to pass this along to those I communicate with - they have to come to this realization completely on their own. I can hope!
As to those who will and are reading my posts. I am expressing to you all that if something I write does not seem to fit, to connect, to have clarity please take a moment and consider that it may be in touch mode for sense communication - take a moment and re-word it where words that are sight or hearting sense related and it may make it clearer.
My goal is to translate my touch dominant writing mode to a more sight and hearing mode for better clarity for all with smatterings of touch mode to cover the whole spectrum hopefully to have clarity with all who read my stuff.
Thanks for reading, thanks for hearing what I am trying to say, and thanks for trying to grasp the idea of sense mode in communications. I can express to you that as I get "in touch" with my apparent touch sense side and language I am feeling a lot more comfortable. Pardon me if my writing goes more touch but that is my way of learning - touch :-)
Hard and Soft
As I study the tactual idea of the goku-i I discovered that the words used in the third line also are used when expressing both a hard or soft feeling. These are touch dominant words.
A soft feeling id described by feathery, fuzzy, limp, silky, soft, and so on while the hard feeling is firm, solid, hard, crispy and tough using just these few words to describe this view.
When we speak of unbalance same as a weight, the touch description is one of a heavy feeling where that same feeling comes just before the fall - so to speak. When we use karate or practice a martial art we are required to touch something. We brush up against an opponent. We feel them move and respond accordingly. We strike, we tap, we pinch a vital point to gain control. We grasp and grab to apply the tactile method - grappling, aikido, judo, etc.
All of these relate to the goku-i as to heart, hard/soft aspects, balance/weight, strikes, directions, sides, seeing, hearing and grasping tactual or tactile - feeling the body movement. When Chinese system practice sticky hands techniques they are applying those tactual/kinesthetic principles that involve touch with balance and body connections.
In the martial arts we respond to stimuli, i.e. another tactile driven explanation of applying martial arts. This is why touch dominant persons tend to do well in sports or sport like physical activities. Martial Arts are about training us to be responsive to the touch/intent of others - yes?
A soft feeling id described by feathery, fuzzy, limp, silky, soft, and so on while the hard feeling is firm, solid, hard, crispy and tough using just these few words to describe this view.
When we speak of unbalance same as a weight, the touch description is one of a heavy feeling where that same feeling comes just before the fall - so to speak. When we use karate or practice a martial art we are required to touch something. We brush up against an opponent. We feel them move and respond accordingly. We strike, we tap, we pinch a vital point to gain control. We grasp and grab to apply the tactile method - grappling, aikido, judo, etc.
All of these relate to the goku-i as to heart, hard/soft aspects, balance/weight, strikes, directions, sides, seeing, hearing and grasping tactual or tactile - feeling the body movement. When Chinese system practice sticky hands techniques they are applying those tactual/kinesthetic principles that involve touch with balance and body connections.
In the martial arts we respond to stimuli, i.e. another tactile driven explanation of applying martial arts. This is why touch dominant persons tend to do well in sports or sport like physical activities. Martial Arts are about training us to be responsive to the touch/intent of others - yes?
New Ken-po Goku-i for Karate-do
The new goku-i provides an additional line of text that provides for the third sense mode that was previously two, sight and sound - eyes and ears. The last line promotes a touch mode. The first eight lines also become more apparent to touch mode since we now have "tactual" mode or touch mode. This being both tactual meaning to handling and touching along side kinesthetic which is used to refer to the position and balance of the body.
This new line may not readily come to be accepted by those who have lived with the original eight lines provided by Tatsuo Sensei or those who received their version from reference to the Bubushi. This would be a normal reaction and in time it is hoped that the last new line would become apparent in the first eight and make sense showing its importance in making a full connection the the three that make the one.
It becomes very easy to miss this important aspect of training and practice in the jutsu and do of any martial art. The senses of sight and hearing are primary to all humans. Even the touch sense dominant person switches between those two. It becomes critical for the tactual person when stress and its chemical effects kick in for the human being uses the dominant sense much like the freeze and the flight or fight response of survival. Look at it like the adrenaline dump experienced in a threat stress induced situation. There are particular aspects that take over like narrowing of vision and dysfunctional perceptions all to provide survival instincts.
Look at it as a way to see the view from this perspective, to hear the value of it for all the senses and to grasp it firmly in our hands and minds to provide a triangle of completeness - sight + hearing + tactual/tactile/kinesthetic.
This new line may not readily come to be accepted by those who have lived with the original eight lines provided by Tatsuo Sensei or those who received their version from reference to the Bubushi. This would be a normal reaction and in time it is hoped that the last new line would become apparent in the first eight and make sense showing its importance in making a full connection the the three that make the one.
"A person's heart is the same as heaven and earth; the blood circulating is similar to the sun and moon; the manner of drinking-inhaling and spitting-exhaling is either soft or hard; a person's unbalance is the same as a weight; the body should be able to change direction at any time; the time to strike is when the opportunity presents itself; the eyes must see all sides; the ears must listen in all direction; AND the mind must grasp all the tactual data not seen on all sides and not heard in any direction." - Shimabuku Tatsuo Ken-po Goku-i + "one"
It becomes very easy to miss this important aspect of training and practice in the jutsu and do of any martial art. The senses of sight and hearing are primary to all humans. Even the touch sense dominant person switches between those two. It becomes critical for the tactual person when stress and its chemical effects kick in for the human being uses the dominant sense much like the freeze and the flight or fight response of survival. Look at it like the adrenaline dump experienced in a threat stress induced situation. There are particular aspects that take over like narrowing of vision and dysfunctional perceptions all to provide survival instincts.
Look at it as a way to see the view from this perspective, to hear the value of it for all the senses and to grasp it firmly in our hands and minds to provide a triangle of completeness - sight + hearing + tactual/tactile/kinesthetic.
How the Ken-po Goku-i refers to sight, sound and tactual senses.
An article on teaching to young adults for all three major senses brought about this epiphany toward additional meaning of the goku-i (shortened for brevity purposes, i.e. full ken-po goku-i). In that article they teach the teachers to used all three senses to make sure "the material reaches the student rather than why isn't the student grasping the material?"
They trained them to determine if a student is a visual, audio or kinesthetic learner - sight, sound, touch. Once they determined a student was touch dominant they went a step further by finding out if they were "tactile or tactual" which refers to the handling and touching vs. Kinesthetic which refers to position and balance of the body.
Take a look at Kinesthetic, the balance and position of the body. This touches on the goku-i's lines on the body changing direction at any time, a person' balance same as a weight. Both are in reference to the body and balance with falls into a touch dominant sense mode.
The now nine references within the entire goku-i provide the full spectrum of using the "three" major senses fully and completely in practicing and teaching the martial arts. These three provide a fullness to the goku-i interpretation that aligns with the I Ching where the three is heaven, man, and earth where in the trigrams and hexagrams it is further dividend to these three components that make us whole or "one."
The manner of drinking or inhaling vs. spitting or exhaling is also using a touch sense mode inference for they both infer a type of balance within the body much like the heart and heaven and earth along with blood similar to moon and sun.
This warrants further study and contemplation as it will open more doors to a large audience that may be missing out on a martial art path simply because they lack an awareness that it also provides for the much aligned touch dominant sense.
They trained them to determine if a student is a visual, audio or kinesthetic learner - sight, sound, touch. Once they determined a student was touch dominant they went a step further by finding out if they were "tactile or tactual" which refers to the handling and touching vs. Kinesthetic which refers to position and balance of the body.
Take a look at Kinesthetic, the balance and position of the body. This touches on the goku-i's lines on the body changing direction at any time, a person' balance same as a weight. Both are in reference to the body and balance with falls into a touch dominant sense mode.
The now nine references within the entire goku-i provide the full spectrum of using the "three" major senses fully and completely in practicing and teaching the martial arts. These three provide a fullness to the goku-i interpretation that aligns with the I Ching where the three is heaven, man, and earth where in the trigrams and hexagrams it is further dividend to these three components that make us whole or "one."
The manner of drinking or inhaling vs. spitting or exhaling is also using a touch sense mode inference for they both infer a type of balance within the body much like the heart and heaven and earth along with blood similar to moon and sun.
This warrants further study and contemplation as it will open more doors to a large audience that may be missing out on a martial art path simply because they lack an awareness that it also provides for the much aligned touch dominant sense.
The Eyes, The Ears, and The Touch Modes
Open up your eyes, perk up those ears and let your mind touch your heart because what I am posting today is critical to the art of avoidance. This warrants my changing my copy of the ken-po goku-i by adding an ninth line to the overall paragraph so that it includes touch sensing.
This involves communications because although we are predominantly influenced by the accepted normalcy in society of first sight and secondary hearing we have removed the sense of touch almost completely. I have been informed that this is a recent phenomena. We included all three as major sense modes long before the last century - most of history has all three.
If this is true then we might hypothesize that at least a few fights might have been avoidable if we could be aware when a person drops down into a primary sense mode of touch. Since the majority are classified in sight and hearing when a touch person gets agitated/stressed then when they fall into a strict touch sense mode while all the rest remain in sight sense mode the reality gap is strong and wide. This gap then can only be spanned if one or the other are able to determine the touch sense mode and then assume it as well for all avoidance/deescalation processes.
If this is true how do you know when you are facing a sense mode, especially a touch sense mode? Good question. Since touch has become a taboo topic today you will have to first become aware that a lot of folks are touch sense dominant even if we function in a normal sight/hearing sense world. Once you are aware they exist then learn about it. "Try to Feel It My Way" by Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D.
This also applies to Sensei for mentoring practitioners. Discover their primary sense mode and try to gear your instruction and guidance toward that mode of communications. Recently a blogger posted on that very subject where no matter what they did the Sempai could not adequately convey to that person what it was they were trying to teach. The person got very frustrated while the sempai just kept in that sense loop that was not the persons primary sense mode. A reality gap where the person walked away with out that new knowledge.
If the sempai has been aware of and sensitive to sense mode of the person they might have devised a means to convey the knowledge where that person would learn and not become frustrated, etc.
As for the taste and smell, these tend to be non-existent regarding a communications primary sense mode.
"The mind must grasp all the warm and fuzzy data not seen or heard in all directions and on all sides."
This involves communications because although we are predominantly influenced by the accepted normalcy in society of first sight and secondary hearing we have removed the sense of touch almost completely. I have been informed that this is a recent phenomena. We included all three as major sense modes long before the last century - most of history has all three.
If this is true then we might hypothesize that at least a few fights might have been avoidable if we could be aware when a person drops down into a primary sense mode of touch. Since the majority are classified in sight and hearing when a touch person gets agitated/stressed then when they fall into a strict touch sense mode while all the rest remain in sight sense mode the reality gap is strong and wide. This gap then can only be spanned if one or the other are able to determine the touch sense mode and then assume it as well for all avoidance/deescalation processes.
If this is true how do you know when you are facing a sense mode, especially a touch sense mode? Good question. Since touch has become a taboo topic today you will have to first become aware that a lot of folks are touch sense dominant even if we function in a normal sight/hearing sense world. Once you are aware they exist then learn about it. "Try to Feel It My Way" by Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D.
This also applies to Sensei for mentoring practitioners. Discover their primary sense mode and try to gear your instruction and guidance toward that mode of communications. Recently a blogger posted on that very subject where no matter what they did the Sempai could not adequately convey to that person what it was they were trying to teach. The person got very frustrated while the sempai just kept in that sense loop that was not the persons primary sense mode. A reality gap where the person walked away with out that new knowledge.
If the sempai has been aware of and sensitive to sense mode of the person they might have devised a means to convey the knowledge where that person would learn and not become frustrated, etc.
As for the taste and smell, these tend to be non-existent regarding a communications primary sense mode.
All Bottles Are Good - They All Serve A Purpose
Today John Vesia Sensei of the Martial Views Blog made a statement that reminded me of the term Occam's Razor. In summary Occam's Razor means, "the simplest explanation is most likely the correct one." In that light John said simply, "... Who knows, maybe he (tatsuo sensei) was just talking about various types of booze."
The story goes simply as, a group of practitioners (Marines mostly) were drinking a variety of booze and had an assortment of bottles on the table when Tatsuo Sensei asked them which was the best. Several answers followed and then he stated, "All bottles are good, they all server a purpose," or something similar to this quote attributed to him.
Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei taught Marine and other military on Okinawa so we talk about our service members. Shimabuku Tatsuo said, "All bottles are good. They all served a purpose." This story came from me but it was his quote. - Advincula A. J. Sensei Isshinkai post #27618
"All Bottles are Good. They all served a purpose." - Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei Post #19411 dtd Mon Jul 18, 2005 at 11:26hours - this post quote comes from the Isshinkai Yahoo group run by A. J. Advincula Sensei.
The story, redacted for brevity, is as follows:
On many an occasion after a dojo workout we would have a drink or two with Shimabuku Sensei. On one occasion, several American students at the Honbu Agena Dojo we were drinking. Some were drinking beer while others were drinking Awamori a potent alcoholic beverage indigenous to and unique to Okinawa.
Awamori is made from high quality rice from Thailand and is distilled and not brewed as is traditional Japanese sake. A black yeast that is unique to Okinawa is used to make Awamori. In Okinawa, the word saki is used instead of sake and some brands of awamori are listed at 43 percent alcohol. Awamori is also drank with ice and water or sometimes mixed with citrus juice or other types of sodas. Most Okinawan mix awamori with ice and water but many Americans may use some kind of juice.
Shimabuku preferred awamori and at this event, some Americans were mixing awamori with pine juice (Pineapple soda). Shimabuku asked us which bottle was best. Some picked up beer bottles while others awamori bottles and one or two who did not drink alcohol picked up the pine juice or other soda bottles.
Shimabuku stated, "All bottles are good. They all served a purpose." While he never said why he asked the question about the bottles, I thought he was relating it to karate styles, that all styles of karate were good.
Years later Ciso said that even while taking breaks, or drinking after hours, his father was trying to teach. I don't think too many Americans understood this, if they did, we would have more stories to tell. It is interesting that many of the Shimabuku's Okinawan students, relate stories of Shimabuku. I have written and told this story over and over again at seminars, after hours and at parties, yet some still do not know or remember the story. Kind of like on Okinawa, where many Americans just didn't get it.
Now, as the "naysayer" of this blog I have to say that I take all inferences to what Tatsuo "meant" when teaching with a grain of salt. That grain involves the disparities naturally created through the individual's perceptive filtering. Even when hearing testimony attributed directly from Cisco Shimabuku, the teacher of Marines Isshinryu, both his and the recipient's perceptive filtering change the meaning and as it passes along to others each filter makes subtle changes and the only way to refute any interpretation you would need Tatsuo's exact explanation as documented by him directly - never occurred, never happened so the entire system is open to any interpretations.
The question then becomes, "Is any and all interpretations acceptable, true, and relevant to the practice of the Isshinryu system?" In my view, yes. All interpretations that are beneficial and provide for positive growth of the individual and any of those who may listen to his/her communications on this particular subject are good - all bottles are good, they all serve a purpose.
Ergo, all interpretations are good if they all serve a purpose with the hopes that those purposes are beneficial, good, and enlightening. It must be remembered that styles, style names, and systems are merely individualized views and application of the same thing, fundamental principles of all martial systems. All principles are good, they all serve a purpose, the provide the fundamental foundation of martial arts.
The story goes simply as, a group of practitioners (Marines mostly) were drinking a variety of booze and had an assortment of bottles on the table when Tatsuo Sensei asked them which was the best. Several answers followed and then he stated, "All bottles are good, they all server a purpose," or something similar to this quote attributed to him.
Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei taught Marine and other military on Okinawa so we talk about our service members. Shimabuku Tatsuo said, "All bottles are good. They all served a purpose." This story came from me but it was his quote. - Advincula A. J. Sensei Isshinkai post #27618
"All Bottles are Good. They all served a purpose." - Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei Post #19411 dtd Mon Jul 18, 2005 at 11:26hours - this post quote comes from the Isshinkai Yahoo group run by A. J. Advincula Sensei.
The story, redacted for brevity, is as follows:
On many an occasion after a dojo workout we would have a drink or two with Shimabuku Sensei. On one occasion, several American students at the Honbu Agena Dojo we were drinking. Some were drinking beer while others were drinking Awamori a potent alcoholic beverage indigenous to and unique to Okinawa.
Awamori is made from high quality rice from Thailand and is distilled and not brewed as is traditional Japanese sake. A black yeast that is unique to Okinawa is used to make Awamori. In Okinawa, the word saki is used instead of sake and some brands of awamori are listed at 43 percent alcohol. Awamori is also drank with ice and water or sometimes mixed with citrus juice or other types of sodas. Most Okinawan mix awamori with ice and water but many Americans may use some kind of juice.
Shimabuku preferred awamori and at this event, some Americans were mixing awamori with pine juice (Pineapple soda). Shimabuku asked us which bottle was best. Some picked up beer bottles while others awamori bottles and one or two who did not drink alcohol picked up the pine juice or other soda bottles.
Shimabuku stated, "All bottles are good. They all served a purpose." While he never said why he asked the question about the bottles, I thought he was relating it to karate styles, that all styles of karate were good.
Years later Ciso said that even while taking breaks, or drinking after hours, his father was trying to teach. I don't think too many Americans understood this, if they did, we would have more stories to tell. It is interesting that many of the Shimabuku's Okinawan students, relate stories of Shimabuku. I have written and told this story over and over again at seminars, after hours and at parties, yet some still do not know or remember the story. Kind of like on Okinawa, where many Americans just didn't get it.
Now, as the "naysayer" of this blog I have to say that I take all inferences to what Tatsuo "meant" when teaching with a grain of salt. That grain involves the disparities naturally created through the individual's perceptive filtering. Even when hearing testimony attributed directly from Cisco Shimabuku, the teacher of Marines Isshinryu, both his and the recipient's perceptive filtering change the meaning and as it passes along to others each filter makes subtle changes and the only way to refute any interpretation you would need Tatsuo's exact explanation as documented by him directly - never occurred, never happened so the entire system is open to any interpretations.
The question then becomes, "Is any and all interpretations acceptable, true, and relevant to the practice of the Isshinryu system?" In my view, yes. All interpretations that are beneficial and provide for positive growth of the individual and any of those who may listen to his/her communications on this particular subject are good - all bottles are good, they all serve a purpose.
Ergo, all interpretations are good if they all serve a purpose with the hopes that those purposes are beneficial, good, and enlightening. It must be remembered that styles, style names, and systems are merely individualized views and application of the same thing, fundamental principles of all martial systems. All principles are good, they all serve a purpose, the provide the fundamental foundation of martial arts.
Goku-i and Bottles
It came to mind today for me the question, is the bottles quote implied through references to the ken-po goku-i. If we take each goku-i (used for brevity for ken-po goku-i) and view it from a point that is a belief that all things are good, they all serve a purpose then we can extrapolate:
1. Humans are all inherently good and they all serve a purpose on the Earth as it resides under Heaven.
2. The blood that circulates much like the cycles of both the Sun and Moon are the same but different where the differences still promote all humans and all of nature as good and purposeful to life.
3, 4, 5, and 6 fall under both the above statements with differences indicated so that particulars of the person or human can connect to the fundamental principles of that inference to show the differences and sameness that is beneficial or good to each uniqueness without regard to any type of prejudices.
7 & 8 seem to provide an indication that we look and hear all the myriad things of the Universe, i.e. Humans on Earth residing under all the Heavens, in a manner that indicates difference yet complete understanding that all of it is good and all of it serves a purpose.
Tatsuo Sensei, as indicted by Vesia Sensei blog post, may have meant to promote the different bottles of booze but may also have wanted to express more to his system, his reference to the ken-po goku-i and to this particular quote to get us to think and conclude that all of us under the heavens here on Earth are more alike than our outward appearances, beliefs, and customs might indicate and that we all serve a purpose both as individuals and as a unit, a tribe, or society.
If we remove all inferences to order and numbering of the goku-i then both it and the quote will better connect as one whole or wholehearted effort to perceive, learn, and understand.
1. Humans are all inherently good and they all serve a purpose on the Earth as it resides under Heaven.
2. The blood that circulates much like the cycles of both the Sun and Moon are the same but different where the differences still promote all humans and all of nature as good and purposeful to life.
3, 4, 5, and 6 fall under both the above statements with differences indicated so that particulars of the person or human can connect to the fundamental principles of that inference to show the differences and sameness that is beneficial or good to each uniqueness without regard to any type of prejudices.
7 & 8 seem to provide an indication that we look and hear all the myriad things of the Universe, i.e. Humans on Earth residing under all the Heavens, in a manner that indicates difference yet complete understanding that all of it is good and all of it serves a purpose.
Tatsuo Sensei, as indicted by Vesia Sensei blog post, may have meant to promote the different bottles of booze but may also have wanted to express more to his system, his reference to the ken-po goku-i and to this particular quote to get us to think and conclude that all of us under the heavens here on Earth are more alike than our outward appearances, beliefs, and customs might indicate and that we all serve a purpose both as individuals and as a unit, a tribe, or society.
If we remove all inferences to order and numbering of the goku-i then both it and the quote will better connect as one whole or wholehearted effort to perceive, learn, and understand.
 |
| Click graphic for larger view. |
The Mind of Wu Wei
Flows like water.
Reflects like a mirror.
Responds like an echo.
Longevity:
Sit like a turtle.
Walk like a pidgeon.
Sleep like a dog.
Develop inner quiet.
Reflects like a mirror.
Responds like an echo.
Longevity:
Sit like a turtle.
Walk like a pidgeon.
Sleep like a dog.
Develop inner quiet.
Words Hurt
I have been hit. I have been on the receiving end of a horizontal butt stroke from a M-14 rifle. I was beaten over the head with a 2x4. My bunk was set on fire one night after a night of imbibing a bit to much alcohol. Never in my life have I felt the pain I feel when I get hit by words. This is especially so when it comes from someone close to you.
No amount of softening. No amount of dears, friends, loves, etc. added to those words diminish their effects. Like using the word "but" it cancels out any niceties you add when the hurtful words hit.
I can truly say that the words do hurt. I can truly say I don't feel the guilt and anxieties that go with that - mostly - words still hurt and now that I know why I don't feel guilt that is not appropriate.
The more I learn the more I understand and the more I realize just how important communications are and that our own awareness of what is said, how it is said and presuppositions can achieve greatness and hurtfulness - our choice, my choice.
The question now is, do I allow it to continue - enable it - or what? The second question is this, if they don't really realize that they are doing what they are doing how do you make them aware of it without creating a larger rift of anger, resentment, and such?
There is just one pain that exceeds what I describe, the self-realization that I too used words to hurt, bully, cajole, intimidate and that is just wrong. Words can heal - or - hurt. You have to ask yourself, "What did yours do today?" Wise Sufism: Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? Consider this sufism when you consider saying something to someone - remember, the answers are there's if asked, not yours.
No amount of softening. No amount of dears, friends, loves, etc. added to those words diminish their effects. Like using the word "but" it cancels out any niceties you add when the hurtful words hit.
I can truly say that the words do hurt. I can truly say I don't feel the guilt and anxieties that go with that - mostly - words still hurt and now that I know why I don't feel guilt that is not appropriate.
The more I learn the more I understand and the more I realize just how important communications are and that our own awareness of what is said, how it is said and presuppositions can achieve greatness and hurtfulness - our choice, my choice.
The question now is, do I allow it to continue - enable it - or what? The second question is this, if they don't really realize that they are doing what they are doing how do you make them aware of it without creating a larger rift of anger, resentment, and such?
There is just one pain that exceeds what I describe, the self-realization that I too used words to hurt, bully, cajole, intimidate and that is just wrong. Words can heal - or - hurt. You have to ask yourself, "What did yours do today?" Wise Sufism: Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? Consider this sufism when you consider saying something to someone - remember, the answers are there's if asked, not yours.
Seeing the Practitioner
I am having a great deal of thoughts and idea's regarding how a Sensei provides knowledge, experience, and ability to practitioners. It occurs to me that observation, seeing and hearing, the practitioner as they practice becomes a critical trait of a Sensei.
Sensei can have all the requisite stuff to impart their wisdom. They can do so ad-hoc or they can see and hear the practitioner to determine what is understood and what needs clarification. It is also something necessary to perceive the needs of the next iteration of wisdom.
Ever see a face of confusion when you provide training? It may be how you are perceiving the practitioner where you are not getting what it takes to allow them to learn at a maximum capacity.
Another aspect of the goku-i, to see all sides. You as Sensei must achieve the trait and ability to see all sides of your practitioners. See them as they are and as they can be - their potential. This means seeing the teaching potential that resides in each one - individually, uniquely, and completely.
Provide you dojo the light and guide them along the path. To achieve this open the eyes and see everything - obvious and hidden. Do you truly "see" your students?
Sensei can have all the requisite stuff to impart their wisdom. They can do so ad-hoc or they can see and hear the practitioner to determine what is understood and what needs clarification. It is also something necessary to perceive the needs of the next iteration of wisdom.
Ever see a face of confusion when you provide training? It may be how you are perceiving the practitioner where you are not getting what it takes to allow them to learn at a maximum capacity.
Another aspect of the goku-i, to see all sides. You as Sensei must achieve the trait and ability to see all sides of your practitioners. See them as they are and as they can be - their potential. This means seeing the teaching potential that resides in each one - individually, uniquely, and completely.
Provide you dojo the light and guide them along the path. To achieve this open the eyes and see everything - obvious and hidden. Do you truly "see" your students?
The Eight Ken-po Goku-i of Martial Systems
On the surface the tendency to take each of the eight on its own seems logical. In actuality the eight are separate and distinct for teaching purposes. Like the fundamental principles (fundamental principles of martial systems by Steven J. Pearlman, i.e. the Book of Martial Power) are written distinctly in a separate manner to promote teaching, learning, and understanding.
The eight goku-i (Ken-po Goku-i for short/brevity) are separated and numbered only for this purpose. What is not been made clear to those who study the system and the goku-i is once you learn the fundamentals of the eight you remove the separateness of them and merge, meld, morph them into "one."
The "wholehearted way" of Isshinryu is the "one way" or "one heart way" of Tatsuo Sensei's system. One being the key feature of the entire system. Wholehearted brings the heart of the practitioner, the spirit if you will, into the system separately and with distinct parts that must be assembled into "one whole" system - the one heart system.
The eight into one may indicated that it speaks of the mind, heart, and body. Those three spoken separately. Those three merged, melded, and morphed into the one complete and whole person.
Learn the goku-i - separate and distinct. Learn the goku-i - meld, mold, and morph. Learn the goku-i - the one and wholehearted way of Isshinryu. Remove the child references - numbers, orders, and separateness. The great tai chi is the one which then separates into the two - Yang-n-Yin. The two separate into the four into the eight trigrams. The trigrams continue to separate into the hexagrams - the sixty-four.
The separation into the sixty-four are to teach man how the Universe relates to the Earth. How the Earth relates to humans. The three, Heaven-Human-Earth then learn from the separation of the great Tai Chi how to meld, morph, and merge the separate back into the "one." The way of Humans is to see, hear and thus perceive how all the myriad things of the Universe are connected and return back to the great, the one.
This is the method and purpose of following the way in martial arts. This is the method and way - wholehearted - of Tatsuo Shimabuku Sensei in his teachings through the physical of Isshinryu and the Spiritual of Ken-po Goku-i. Physical training is the yang of the great tai chi while the ken-po goku-i is the yin of the great tai chi - the one, wholehearted way.
The ken-po goku-i is the fundamental principles of the spiritual wholehearted way of all martial systems.
The eight goku-i (Ken-po Goku-i for short/brevity) are separated and numbered only for this purpose. What is not been made clear to those who study the system and the goku-i is once you learn the fundamentals of the eight you remove the separateness of them and merge, meld, morph them into "one."
The "wholehearted way" of Isshinryu is the "one way" or "one heart way" of Tatsuo Sensei's system. One being the key feature of the entire system. Wholehearted brings the heart of the practitioner, the spirit if you will, into the system separately and with distinct parts that must be assembled into "one whole" system - the one heart system.
The eight into one may indicated that it speaks of the mind, heart, and body. Those three spoken separately. Those three merged, melded, and morphed into the one complete and whole person.
Learn the goku-i - separate and distinct. Learn the goku-i - meld, mold, and morph. Learn the goku-i - the one and wholehearted way of Isshinryu. Remove the child references - numbers, orders, and separateness. The great tai chi is the one which then separates into the two - Yang-n-Yin. The two separate into the four into the eight trigrams. The trigrams continue to separate into the hexagrams - the sixty-four.
The separation into the sixty-four are to teach man how the Universe relates to the Earth. How the Earth relates to humans. The three, Heaven-Human-Earth then learn from the separation of the great Tai Chi how to meld, morph, and merge the separate back into the "one." The way of Humans is to see, hear and thus perceive how all the myriad things of the Universe are connected and return back to the great, the one.
This is the method and purpose of following the way in martial arts. This is the method and way - wholehearted - of Tatsuo Shimabuku Sensei in his teachings through the physical of Isshinryu and the Spiritual of Ken-po Goku-i. Physical training is the yang of the great tai chi while the ken-po goku-i is the yin of the great tai chi - the one, wholehearted way.
The ken-po goku-i is the fundamental principles of the spiritual wholehearted way of all martial systems.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)