Moon and Sun

"The moon sheds its shadow as a serpent sheds its skin, and so the serpent plays the role also as a symbol of this same principle of life that is reborn from its own death. The sun is all light. The moon carries darkness within it, but wherever the sun goes, there is no darkness; there are only the shadows of those forces that do not open to its light."

Yin and yang, as to origins, refer to the sunny and shady side of a stream.  Yang is of course the sunny side while yin is the shady side.

Earth and Sun are also associated with the feminine and masculine principles as well as passive and active principles.

The way of nature is the interplay of light and dark. They combine in various modulations that constitute the world and its way. 

The light and dark speak to the opposites such as heavy and light, good and bad, seeing and not seeing, hearing and not hearing, touching and not touching, sun and moon, heaven and earth, and so forth.

None are considered better or worse but rather as two balancing principles on which the world, Earth, rests: light and dark.

The sun and moon were the celestial bodies that first influenced such thinking in ancient China and let to the I Ching - Book of Changes.

Bibliography:
Campbell, Joseph. "Myths of Light: Eastern Metaphors of the Eternal." New World Library. Novato, California. 2003.

The Duad

Duad is in reference to the couple; two items of the same kind; often thought of as yin-yang, the couple or two items of the same kind or that which is nature. The way of nature is the interplay of the light and dark as represented in the symbol of yin-yang. The two principles that combine in various stages or modulations of light and dark which is that we call the world and its way, the principles of the yin and the yang.

In ancient Chinese thought the yang and yin in their origins refer to the sunny and shady side of the stream; the yang being the sunny side, and the yin being the shady side.

As stated in the ken-po goku-i as well as other more in depth ancient Chinese classics, Earth and Sun are associated respectively with the feminine and the masculine "principles" and with the passive and the active principles.

Light is not better than dark nor dark is not better than light; just two principles on which the world rests: the light and the dark. The great Tai Chi or the great Duad, yang and yin.

Bibliography:
Campbell, Joseph. "Myths of Light: Eastern Metaphors of the Eternal." New World Library. Novato, California. 2003.

eBook on Ken-po Goku-i Status

Well, I have reached a certain point where not only do I need to edit it one more time but I also need someone who has editing experience to go through it and point out those things I have missed or messed up. I am pleased with about seventy percent of the book where the remaining thirty percent is dependent on good editing.

I hope that I will have this ready by the end of this year at the very latest. Wish me luck.

To Join or Not to Join

When someone decides to join a blog site, etc. as a reader/follower that is most appreciated and it leaves me, as I am sure most of you all, honored. Honored that you all find what is written here of value. I am glad, happy and excited when someone joins the site by their own volition. This is important since so many others feel that they can assume one is in want of their stuff.

I am also honored when someone adds a link to my blogs and web sites so others can find their way to my blogger, etc. This is something special to me and I thank everyone who does this. If you link you are not asked to gain my permission. Since it is an honor I feel asking me is not necessary.

Yet, if you add me to your space, site or blog to include such social networks that push with out my approval notifications, etc. to my spaces then I would ask kindly that you remove me from those areas until I can visit and make the decision for myself.

I just want to make the choice myself and find it a bit inconvenient and maybe even rude for someone to assume that I would want this to occur. You may find that if I do visit your spaces that I will find it convenient for me to join and receive notifications. If you want me to view your spaces before I look at them on my own simply send me an email with the link, I will happily stop by and see for myself - and join if I find it to my liking.

Please do me the courtesy to allow me to decide on my own. If not, don't be surprised to find your account blocked until I can vet the situation out for myself. I am approaching my winter years and am a bit old fashioned in this so thanks for your kindness and thanks for joining the spaces I run.

Kindest Regards,

Charles James
Martial Philosopher, etc.

I Chin Ching

The precursor classic tome to the Okinawan practice of "chinkuchi" may have come from the I Chin Ching. This is not in reference to the I Ching or Book of Changes. The I Chin Ching is an ancient classic on the physical training used, it is theorized, to train the Shaolin monks so they could endure the strict Buddhist practices Bodhidharma brought to China from India.

The original I Chin Ching explained the 18 lohan or forms or techniques of exercise that just so happened to be the forms/techniques of fighting now referred to as "gung fu."

The definition of the term used, i.e. "Ekkin-kyo," is "muscle/tendon change classic." Chinkuchi means "muscle, bond and energy." The word and characters relate to the ekkin-kyo or Siji kaishin koten [筋改心古典] in Japanese, speak to the same method and it can be theorized that since the ekkin-kyo were techniques/exercises that were combative then it could relate historically and classically to chinkuchi as the interpretations of the Okinawans where the form of "Ti or Toudi," later called China-hand then Empty-hand, were the exercises and techniques used to create the same health and ability to fight.

Read also "Ekkin-kyo"

Five Animals and Karate (or all martial arts)

Yesterday while reading the latest from Rory Miller he presented some definitions to the five animals as he quotes from a gentleman named "Darren Yee." You can read the entire post here: "Paraphrased and From Memory" by Chiron

I wanted to present the particulars of that quote here:

"The Dragon is structure and breathing, all of the stuff that is really subtle but has a big effect.  The Crane is about flow and continuous movement.  The Snake is about speed and flexibility.  The Leopard is stealth and cunning.  The Tiger is power. ... You need all five of these to fight.  At some level you need cunning and power, speed and flow and the subtle things.  Every workable system has them all."

It is redacted a tad so go read the entire post. I just thought this was cool information. I particularly liked the dragon since much of my understanding of the Asian culture and beliefs that drove/drive martial arts is subtle in nature under the heading of harmony and the effects of both structure and breathing have far reaching benefits for all martial artists.

It also, to my view, provides a link to the Chinese ancestry to martial arts, i.e. all of it such as Okinawan karate and Japanese Budo.

Haiken [拝見]; Choryoku [聴力]; Kagu [嗅ぐ]; Tezawari [手触り]

Haiken [拝見]

The characters/ideograms mean "seeing; look at." The first character means, "worship; adore; pray to," the second character means, "see; hopes; chances; idea; opinion; look at; visible."

This word is one sense used in martial arts written about through the ken-po goku-i. The eyes must see all sides is not just a literal meaning but metaphorical as well, i.e. what you see in your heart or what you perceive is in the heart of your adversary is just as important. Then there is the "third eye" often written about in more mystical terms through disciplines like yoga, etc.

Then there is the senses as to dominant sense modes that allow communications to be greater understood. This is a great teaching tool for the sensei tool box.

Choryoku [聴力]

The characters/ideograms mean "hearing; hearing ability." The first character means, "listen; headstrong; naughty; careful inquiry," the second character means, "power; strength; strong; strain; bear up; exert."

This word is one used in martial arts written about through the ken-po goku-i. Much like haiken or seeing this sense also speaks to a metaphysical aspect such as well, i.e. what you hear from your heart or what you perceive as a moral sound coming from the heart and spirit. Hearing goes much deeper than merely interpretation of the sounds that surround you but the sounds that speak to you from within or what you perceive your adversary is actually saying or doing vs. what he or she wants you to hear.

Then there is the senses as to dominant sense modes that allow communications to be greater understood. This is a great teaching tool for the sensei tool box.

Kagu [嗅ぐ]

The character/ideogram means "to smell; to sniff." The first character alone means, "smell; sniff; scent." This word is one used in martial arts not written into the ken-po goku-i but is just as important as the seeing and hearing. Smell can tell you things you may miss by sight or sound. Smell can give warning of a person approaching silently from the rear.

What you smell when up close and personal with an adversary can speak to what type of an opponent you are dealing with and provide insight into how you can and should handle them.

Smell is often a forgotten tool in the marital arts tool box. It is worth taking time to figure out how to use smell to defend. Then there is the senses as to dominant sense modes that allow communications to be greater understood. This is a great teaching tool for the sensei tool box.

Tezawari [手触り]

The characters/ideograms mean "feel; touch." The first character means, "hand," the second character means, "contact; touch; feel; hit; proclaim; announce; conflict."

Touch is almost as critical a sense that should be openly addressed in martial arts training and practice. In the early years it was mostly glossed over except in simple grappling methods of karate but today with all the ground work and jujitsu type disciplines touch has gained momentum in training and practice. A good instructor will help a practitioner understand through actual hands on instruction letting them tactually feel how the body moves, etc.

Tezawari or touch also comes into play in many other facets including the touch felt when someone first reaches out to touch you either in a non-confrontational way or one that is meant to be violent - the touch and what you feel matters in how a touch is perceived.

Then there is the senses as to dominant sense modes that allow communications to be greater understood. This is a great teaching tool for the sensei tool box.