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.