Circular Reasoning

In the Japanese culture there is the front and the rear. They are not one or the other but complementing one another in a circular fashion. They rotate in and out so they tend to be understood as supporting to one another. The front is something like the "face" you see while the other is that which resides behind that public face.

When Westerners hear a statement that begins like, "Yes, but ...... ," the immediate cultural sense is everything the precedes the word "but" is to be discarded for the truth and meaning are about to be forthcoming after the word, "but."

In circular meaning, sense, the word but is kind of saying that the word yes is significant "and" the rest that follows the "but" is also significant thereby complementing the "yes" word with more meaning which is either stated outright or in most cases "assumed" to be perceived through a more metaphysical manner, i.e. body language, etc. that is culturally insinuated.  This is how we might start to understand "haragei." This is what it takes to perform haragei, the rear of the rear should be the front as it comes full circle, circular thinking, feeling and understanding - fundamentally speaking.

Blood circulating (circular) is similar to the sun and moon. Did you consider the circular nature of the sun and moon. The sun is the center, much like Sensei is the center of the dojo while the moon circles the Earth where humans live while the Earth circles the sun but the moon is also "playing the sun." This is evident simply as the sun's light, like the light of knowledge within the Sensei, shines on the surface of the moon reflecting knowledge on all on earth, the dojo. Circular, supporting one another and not working against one another.

The dojo, Earth, holds the light of the Sun, the Sensei, and reflects the knowledge of the system back unto the karate-ka, the moon. Simplistic but enough to convey the idea of circular logic, reasoning and thought.

The moon takes on other significance in Japanese culture as another aspect to nature. The Japanese have a predilection for softness and suggestiveness as symbolized by the moon, the moon partially obscured by clouds is most appealing as the light is gentle and subtle, leaving objects in a dim obscured appearance, i.e. seen through a dim obscurity.

The sun being the source of light leaves nothing to obscurity, all is clarity but the moon leaves a gentle and subtle appearance that is more aesthetically pleasing and fits nicely into the culture that is also "haragei." The Japanese are not obvious as are Westerners but rather somewhat obscure in their lives thus giving the impression to Westerners that of Inscrutability.

You could say that the moon symbolizes the obscurity of life situations. There is never a right or wrong, good or bad or a yes or no but simply "differences" that expose the obscurity of life itself which is of a human condition. As the moment changes so does the situation which is tantamount to the earth partially obscuring the light of the sun creating changes as each continues on its circular path. The moon exposes the possible space or interval that resides between the Sun and Earth as it travels the same path as the heart and the blood, that which is the energy we call "ki."

Bibliography:
Matsumoto, Michihiro. "The Unspoken Way, Haragei: Silence in Japanese Business and Society." Kodansha. New York. 1988.