The four virtues of Confucius are benevolence [仁], righteousness [正義], propriety [妥当性] or etiquette [礼儀], and wisdom [知恵]. Invariably and unrealistically living these four virtues for all humanity is just impossible but to achieve high levels with family and the group/tribe/clan is possible and most desirable.
This is also a matter of "survival" where the hierarchy ends with the clan/tribe/group. As far as an entire society it takes a group oriented set of virtues that allows for harmonious cohesion which is a more difficult endeavor often leading to "war." Again, survival is imperative for the group/clan/tribe therefor the importance of the four virtues is critical.
In today's wold we have gravitated toward a more singular, me, model where the need to adhere to the four virtues is perceived as unnecessary and that in my opinion is a mistake leading to the downfall of a society, clan, tribe or group.
These four virtues are familiar with martial artists, at least those who look at MA as a traditional/classical form of Asian practice, as part of the virtues of the samurai. Where the rubber meets the road is the ability to practice them vs. just knowing of them.
It is a characteristic of all martial systems yet often overlooked for the often self-gratifying aspects especially regarding the more sportive aspects of today's practices. It is the more esoteric aspects glossed over for the more easily practiced physical. I believe this to be the reasoning behind awarding students the ken-po goku-i silk certificates in those early years of western involvement, i.e around the 1950's and 60's. The koan of the martial arts is how I describe the goku-i.
Benevolence [仁]: the characters/ideograms mean "benevolence (esp. as a virtue of Confucianism); consideration; compassion; humanity; charity. It is in the dojo clan that through proper guidance and mentoring one can foster an atmosphere of compassion and consideration for one another, i.e. the Sensei-deshi, Senpai-kohai models. Humanity and charity are the products that foster a camaraderie between practitioners that complete this circle.
Righteousness [正義]: the characters/ideograms mean "justice; right; righteousness; correct meaning along with the first character meaning, "correct; justice; righteous," and the second character meaning, "righteousness; justice; morality; honor; loyalty; meaning."
With out honor you have brutality. With out meaning you have an empty shell. With out loyalty you have chaos. With out morality you have cruelty. With out justice you have criminality. The true dojo, the true classical form of training and practice, and the true traditional meaning of the way cannot reach its greatest heights or enlightenment with out this virtue.
Propriety [妥当性]: the characters/ideograms mean "propriety; verification; validity with the first character meaning, "gentle; peace; depravity," the second character meaning, "hit; right; appropriate; himself," and the third character meaning, "sex; gender; nature," or étiquette [礼儀]: the characters/ideograms mean "manners; courtesy; etiquette," and the first character meaning, "salute; bow; ceremony; thanks; remuneration," and the second character meaning, "ceremony; rule; affair; case; a matter."
It is through courtesy, the manners we extol to others of the clan that foster the virtues. The rhythm and customs of ritual are the means of creating a connection that fosters the virtues of martial arts. The symbolism brings about understanding and teaching of intuitions that transcend the spoken word and fosters a non-verbal communication of respect and honor toward others.
Wisdom [知恵]: the characters/ideograms mean "wisdom; wit; sagacity; sense; intelligence," the first character meaning, "know; wisdom," and the second character meaning, "favor; blessing; grace; kindness."
The dojo leads to the understanding and discriminations between relations. Relations of man or humans is the most volatile and chaotic one often leading to conflicts. The education and understanding from the learning reaches beyond any relational reality gap bridging a path to one another. It is the ability to create a attitude and belief that is founded on showing keen discernment, sound judgement and farsightedness that allows is to reach out to one another and build the group/clan/tribe in to "one wholehearted" cohesive holistic "one."
All Bottles are Truly Good
Spit/Drink:Hard/Soft:Yin/Yang:In/Yo
Shintoism gives us the yin-n-yang or in-n-yo and that is often symbolized by both an open mouth and a closed mouth on the Korean Lion-dogs on each side of the gate, Torii gate, upon entering a Shinto shrine. The mouth is in a closed position when spitting but in an open position when drinking. Spitting is a hard technique, yang, and the act of drinking is a soft technique, yin.
When you connect the significance of In-Yo to karate then to the driving culture of Shintoism it helps understand and explain the natural order of things being body-mind, heart-spirit, etc. that is referenced in the goku-i koan or terse tome of karate-jutsu-do.
It is said by Shintoism concepts that infinity, which, after splitting into yin and yang, give rise to the spiral of materialization. The spiral helix is everywhere in nature and the cosmos. The circulation of the Sun, moon, and Earth in the heavens is a path, a way, that is spiral in nature forming a spiral helix path through the heavens, space. Space, of course, is the void, the Tao as it infers by wu-wei.
The spiral motion forming a helix can be seen in practicing martial systems that utilize the centripetal and centrifugal fundamental principle of marital systems. As a demonstration displays it appears the participants are following a spiral path that is both centripetal and centrifugal or yin-and-yang in nature or natural flow producing and using energy through body-mind participation.
When you connect the significance of In-Yo to karate then to the driving culture of Shintoism it helps understand and explain the natural order of things being body-mind, heart-spirit, etc. that is referenced in the goku-i koan or terse tome of karate-jutsu-do.
It is said by Shintoism concepts that infinity, which, after splitting into yin and yang, give rise to the spiral of materialization. The spiral helix is everywhere in nature and the cosmos. The circulation of the Sun, moon, and Earth in the heavens is a path, a way, that is spiral in nature forming a spiral helix path through the heavens, space. Space, of course, is the void, the Tao as it infers by wu-wei.
The spiral motion forming a helix can be seen in practicing martial systems that utilize the centripetal and centrifugal fundamental principle of marital systems. As a demonstration displays it appears the participants are following a spiral path that is both centripetal and centrifugal or yin-and-yang in nature or natural flow producing and using energy through body-mind participation.
eBook: Ken-po Goku-i Progressing Nicely
Ahhh, the first edit of the book is done. Now it is time for the second run through with additions such as table of contents and bibliography. Then links in the book from the contents table to the actual heading for the chapters and sub-chapters. The second read through is to try and catch grammar, spelling and run on sentences and the like along with making sure what I write/wrote actually makes sense and flows, etc.
I hope to be done in another month or so and then comes my asking for external editorial assistance to see how it comes across to others. Cool process but time-consuming - as it should be.
I hope to be done in another month or so and then comes my asking for external editorial assistance to see how it comes across to others. Cool process but time-consuming - as it should be.
Man -n- Cosmos
I have discovered more information that may shed light on the meaning of the terse Koan called the ken-po goku-i, i.e. the parts that reference human's or "person" references. It seems to me important we discover those meanings as they may stand toward the author's as to culture, perceptions of the time, environment of the times and beliefs of the person.
In human's the "cranium" is considered the equivalent when referring to the "great tortoise shell," which was used for the divination's of the I Ching.
The ears are seen as symbolic to the "chambered nautiluses," which in turn are spiral helix oriented further making connections to the great Tai Chi, i.e. yin-yang, etc.
Finally, the digestive tract of humans is considered the equivalent when referring to the "great serpent," which is used in astrological inferences connected to the I Ching, etc.
Interesting, don't you think?
In human's the "cranium" is considered the equivalent when referring to the "great tortoise shell," which was used for the divination's of the I Ching.
The ears are seen as symbolic to the "chambered nautiluses," which in turn are spiral helix oriented further making connections to the great Tai Chi, i.e. yin-yang, etc.
Finally, the digestive tract of humans is considered the equivalent when referring to the "great serpent," which is used in astrological inferences connected to the I Ching, etc.
Interesting, don't you think?
The Third Jewel: The Mirror
Symbolic of calmness, serenity, and the essence of receptivity. It symbolizes: silence and claims no credit for the image it produces; formless, yet with out it no form would exist; a tool for creation; the universe is a mirror reflection of infinity (universe=finite; infinity=infinite); in Asian cultures man and cosmos are considered reflections of each other.
It should be contemplated and considered as reflective to martial attitude. It is another view into the koan of the ken-po goku-i. The goku-i explains the connectivity of man to the cosmos, i.e. heaven and earth; sun and moon; blood (energy:ki) and circulation (Ki flow). All that governs is here and the rest is the mind-body connectivity.
Self-reflection, Sense(i), and a holistically wholehearted way of living life and practicing. Mirror mirror on the wall, who is master of his own destiny after all? Mirror tells us that the master of the universe is man, self, the individual.
It should be contemplated and considered as reflective to martial attitude. It is another view into the koan of the ken-po goku-i. The goku-i explains the connectivity of man to the cosmos, i.e. heaven and earth; sun and moon; blood (energy:ki) and circulation (Ki flow). All that governs is here and the rest is the mind-body connectivity.
Self-reflection, Sense(i), and a holistically wholehearted way of living life and practicing. Mirror mirror on the wall, who is master of his own destiny after all? Mirror tells us that the master of the universe is man, self, the individual.
Tao Symbolism
The Tao symbol symbolizes nature's law and the structure of the universe: two spirals or two magatama make up the symbol, the universe represented by either side may exist, uniform cosmic asymmetry withing space-time itself, and asymmetric polarity exists.
This thought brings about a belief that the west and east, who are finally after thousands of years, are realizing the benefits to both becoming a more cohesive whole, i.e. the West with its analytical prowess and the East with its intuitive heritage.
Both East and West can achieve greater humanity by allowing for both the analytical and the intuitive. A kind of blending of both the left and right brain hemispheres balancing things out from neither too much analytical or too much intuitive.
Yin is considered in dualistic monism as the mirror image of yang; yang is considered in dualistic monism as the mirror image of yin.
Yin-yang (analytical-intuitive), makes sense to me.
This thought brings about a belief that the west and east, who are finally after thousands of years, are realizing the benefits to both becoming a more cohesive whole, i.e. the West with its analytical prowess and the East with its intuitive heritage.
Both East and West can achieve greater humanity by allowing for both the analytical and the intuitive. A kind of blending of both the left and right brain hemispheres balancing things out from neither too much analytical or too much intuitive.
Yin is considered in dualistic monism as the mirror image of yang; yang is considered in dualistic monism as the mirror image of yin.
Yin-yang (analytical-intuitive), makes sense to me.
Earth: Kun (I Ching)
"Reading the Chinese Classics leaves one with the powerful thought that China's sages recognized practically all if not all of the conditions of mankind - negative, neutral and positive - and said about all that could be said about them. In fact, in the accumulated wisdom of China there seems to be an answer to every question, and precise guidelines for overcoming every problem." - Boye LaFayette DeMente
"Kun [因]: teaches that natural phenomenon should be looked upon not as good or bad luck (adversity) but as nature's way of tempering itself and all things in it, and to take advantage of it to develop man's character and spur themselves onward to greater efforts." - Boye LaFayette DeMente
In the I Ching "Kun" is symbolized by a hexagram for Earth. All six lines are open. The image of the two trigrams are also representative of Earth. Earth is one of the five elements. It is the second entry or symbol in the I Ching: "It is of pure femininity, which is opposite but symbiotic to masculinity. Earth submits to heaven and accommodates the world as Qian (perseverance, heaven) originates the world and Kun nourishes the world. Kun follows Qian in sequence, which symbolizes the inferiority of Kun and the superiority of Qian."
"Kun [因]: teaches that natural phenomenon should be looked upon not as good or bad luck (adversity) but as nature's way of tempering itself and all things in it, and to take advantage of it to develop man's character and spur themselves onward to greater efforts." - Boye LaFayette DeMente
In the I Ching "Kun" is symbolized by a hexagram for Earth. All six lines are open. The image of the two trigrams are also representative of Earth. Earth is one of the five elements. It is the second entry or symbol in the I Ching: "It is of pure femininity, which is opposite but symbiotic to masculinity. Earth submits to heaven and accommodates the world as Qian (perseverance, heaven) originates the world and Kun nourishes the world. Kun follows Qian in sequence, which symbolizes the inferiority of Kun and the superiority of Qian."
The Great Tai Chi - "One" Theory
In my pursuit toward knowledge and understanding I have come to a conclusion, for the time being, that the great tai chi that is the singular, the one unitary energy of all things can be explained as splitting into the yin-yang as follows:
The point of the splitting of the unitary energy (great tai chi) of life (into yin-yang) is as follows: first, they remain continuous and intertwined, the two energies (yin-yang) preserver their endless harmony and are always one in their dialectical interaction, yet distinctly two.
Judgement is the structure of movement. Judgement comes from knowledge and understanding to the dialectic nature of the universe. Understand that the physical/mechanical/inanimate is yang while instinctive/mental-spiritual/animate instincts are yin. To know this and to understand is to achieve the ability to provide judgement in the nature of the universe.
All things began as one and became two while the effort to reach enlightenment of humans is to achieve the ability to bring the two back to the one, a holistic meaning of life for the yin is the yang is the yin is the yang in a separate yet unitary movement which is judgement and creates the structure of life, the universe, man, and heaven and earth.
Why is man's blood red then blue then red again, the unitary function of a dualistic monism action called life. Blood circulates like the heaves of both Sun and Moon. Where the sun is blood red and the moon is a cool blue the blood with it life giving oxygen travels like the sun and moon giving life to the person and then in the extreme changes to yang or blue with the bodies poisonous wastes returns to the heart to exchange the waste into oxygen, the extreme that is yin.
The lungs through our inhalation/exhalation exchanges poisons into life feeding oxygen to the blood that circulates like the sun and moon. The inhalation is like drinking while the exhalation is similar to spitting so it is also hard or soft with changes that reflect the way of the universe.
To understand the complexities of the ken-po goku-i is to understand the universe, the great tai chi and the yin-yang so that life and all its things can be balanced with equilibrium so as to not disrupt the cycle like a heave weight to one side or the other to fall heavily.
For the eyes and ears to differentiate between good and bad to the exclusivity of one or the other is to unbalance the mind causing it to fall is if pulled down to earth by a great weight. To feel the heat or cold to the exclusivity of one or the other is to also cause an unbalancing of those things that require the dualistic relations of yin-yang.
The point of the splitting of the unitary energy (great tai chi) of life (into yin-yang) is as follows: first, they remain continuous and intertwined, the two energies (yin-yang) preserver their endless harmony and are always one in their dialectical interaction, yet distinctly two.
Judgement is the structure of movement. Judgement comes from knowledge and understanding to the dialectic nature of the universe. Understand that the physical/mechanical/inanimate is yang while instinctive/mental-spiritual/animate instincts are yin. To know this and to understand is to achieve the ability to provide judgement in the nature of the universe.
All things began as one and became two while the effort to reach enlightenment of humans is to achieve the ability to bring the two back to the one, a holistic meaning of life for the yin is the yang is the yin is the yang in a separate yet unitary movement which is judgement and creates the structure of life, the universe, man, and heaven and earth.
Why is man's blood red then blue then red again, the unitary function of a dualistic monism action called life. Blood circulates like the heaves of both Sun and Moon. Where the sun is blood red and the moon is a cool blue the blood with it life giving oxygen travels like the sun and moon giving life to the person and then in the extreme changes to yang or blue with the bodies poisonous wastes returns to the heart to exchange the waste into oxygen, the extreme that is yin.
The lungs through our inhalation/exhalation exchanges poisons into life feeding oxygen to the blood that circulates like the sun and moon. The inhalation is like drinking while the exhalation is similar to spitting so it is also hard or soft with changes that reflect the way of the universe.
To understand the complexities of the ken-po goku-i is to understand the universe, the great tai chi and the yin-yang so that life and all its things can be balanced with equilibrium so as to not disrupt the cycle like a heave weight to one side or the other to fall heavily.
For the eyes and ears to differentiate between good and bad to the exclusivity of one or the other is to unbalance the mind causing it to fall is if pulled down to earth by a great weight. To feel the heat or cold to the exclusivity of one or the other is to also cause an unbalancing of those things that require the dualistic relations of yin-yang.
Satori [大悟]
The two characters mean, "enlightenment; great wisdom," while the first character means, "large; big," and the second character means, "enlightenment; perceive; discern; realize; understand." The word and character are used to explain a concept that we seek in our practice of the way of the empty hand, i.e. the way of martial arts. It is the yin aspect that goes hand-in-hand with the mental/mind training and practice where the ken-po goku-i is that koan used to enlighten the individual while they practice the physical aspects of martial systems.
Enlightenment is not just one thing but many where the study of the koan of the goku-i (short for ken-po goku-i) which in of itself is directed toward the law of the fist so that it may set a foundation for the extended study of the mind-body that is indicative of all martial systems of Asian cultures.
This aspect of the Buddhist doctrine along side its companions, i.e. Zenism and Shintoism, creates a whole person or wholehearted person with a heart and soul the promotes a moral ground on which to practice the art of martial systems.
It is a discovery one must make as a person of heart that the body is not a lone machine but a partner with the spiritual or mind of the whole person. It is the effort of the physical-mental that brings a holistic aspect to the system.
Enlightenment is not just one thing but many where the study of the koan of the goku-i (short for ken-po goku-i) which in of itself is directed toward the law of the fist so that it may set a foundation for the extended study of the mind-body that is indicative of all martial systems of Asian cultures.
This aspect of the Buddhist doctrine along side its companions, i.e. Zenism and Shintoism, creates a whole person or wholehearted person with a heart and soul the promotes a moral ground on which to practice the art of martial systems.
It is a discovery one must make as a person of heart that the body is not a lone machine but a partner with the spiritual or mind of the whole person. It is the effort of the physical-mental that brings a holistic aspect to the system.
Haragei (The Art of Hara)
There is a special yin-yang relationship between the lungs and the hara. It is why haragei masters learn to read and act on another's breathing. The breathe contributes and controls the hara. It is important for the haragei practitioner to harmonize their own breathe to the hara. The hara is considered the origins of the blood while the lungs are the oxygenator of the blood.
Hara and Breathe provide life giving oxygen that sets the blood on fire which is very yang. The combination of hara and lungs/breathe are just one of the mutual antagonistic complementary pairs of the body per Chinese medicine, i.e. heart-small intestine; liver-gall bladder; spleen-n-pancreas-to-stomach; kidneys-bladder; lungs-large intestines.
Hara and Breathe provide life giving oxygen that sets the blood on fire which is very yang. The combination of hara and lungs/breathe are just one of the mutual antagonistic complementary pairs of the body per Chinese medicine, i.e. heart-small intestine; liver-gall bladder; spleen-n-pancreas-to-stomach; kidneys-bladder; lungs-large intestines.
Matter-Energy [物-勢]
The two realms of nature according to Shinto belief systems which in turn had great influence on Japanese culture and beliefs which we find in all martial systems of Japan, Okinawa and China.
I look to "matter" as "yang" and the physical training we endeavor to master while "energy" is "yin" and the metaphysical training of the mind, heart and spirit through the study and applying of understanding of the ken-po goku-i.
It is said as to Shinto belief, "Nature is divided into two realms, matter and energy. All things are in reality nothing but movement in its various states. Sensations enter the body-mind, i.e. body as matter on Earth and mind as energy or vibrations and frequencies, etc., through the appropriate organs, i.e. the eyes, ears and skin (tactile) and the third eye of the spirit, and are digested and organized in the brain.
The body is what contains energy and energy is what fuels the body. This energy comes in various forms. A form that is generated from the Earth, i.e. the food and vegetable world, and the energy that comes from the vibrations or frequencies as driven by the state of mind of each individual and as to what that mind is fed as nourishment, i.e. beliefs, cultures, morals, etc.
The nourishment of Earths matter and the nourishment of the ken-po goku-i's energies, vibrations and frequencies all feed the whole of man to connect the mind, heart and hara. It is this unison and cohesion that brings about mastery and enlightenment where one cannot truly exist without the other, i.e. mastery is the matter while enlightenment is the energy driving and supporting the mastery while mastery in and of itself nourishes the enlightened state of the mind.
These are some of the things that should remain foremost in the minds of martial system practitioners where the application of technique is the matter or yang while the application of force is he energy generated by adherence to the fundamental principle of martial systems.
And the story goes on .....
I look to "matter" as "yang" and the physical training we endeavor to master while "energy" is "yin" and the metaphysical training of the mind, heart and spirit through the study and applying of understanding of the ken-po goku-i.
It is said as to Shinto belief, "Nature is divided into two realms, matter and energy. All things are in reality nothing but movement in its various states. Sensations enter the body-mind, i.e. body as matter on Earth and mind as energy or vibrations and frequencies, etc., through the appropriate organs, i.e. the eyes, ears and skin (tactile) and the third eye of the spirit, and are digested and organized in the brain.
The body is what contains energy and energy is what fuels the body. This energy comes in various forms. A form that is generated from the Earth, i.e. the food and vegetable world, and the energy that comes from the vibrations or frequencies as driven by the state of mind of each individual and as to what that mind is fed as nourishment, i.e. beliefs, cultures, morals, etc.
The nourishment of Earths matter and the nourishment of the ken-po goku-i's energies, vibrations and frequencies all feed the whole of man to connect the mind, heart and hara. It is this unison and cohesion that brings about mastery and enlightenment where one cannot truly exist without the other, i.e. mastery is the matter while enlightenment is the energy driving and supporting the mastery while mastery in and of itself nourishes the enlightened state of the mind.
These are some of the things that should remain foremost in the minds of martial system practitioners where the application of technique is the matter or yang while the application of force is he energy generated by adherence to the fundamental principle of martial systems.
And the story goes on .....
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