"The Author, it must be remembered, writes from his own standpoint!"
My personal "Interpretive" Lens!

"One thing has always been true: That book ... or ... that person who can give me an idea or a new slant on an old idea is my friend." - Louis L'Amour


"Providing a first step on a path to self-reflection." - C. E. James

"Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider..." - Francis Bacon

"What is true today may be reevaluated as false not long after. Judgements are frequently based upon a set of "temporary" circumstances surrounding them. Conflicting ideologies can exist simultaneously. Antagonistic dualities are complementary aspects of a unified whole: are seen as mutually dependent mirror images of each other." - Nahum Stiskin

Warning, Caveat and Note: The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.

Kenpo Gokui

The lines of the ken-po goku-i are set from an atomistic aspect simply because it is the manner in which the brain learns. Its nature is completely holistic and like the I Ching must be in a form that promotes learning and understanding so a person can see, hear and grasp the nature of a holistic system. The gokui is a method to teach us how to be holistic. Its terseness is the best that can be done to convey its holistic meaning.

A person's heart is the same as Heaven and Earth while the blood circulating is similar to the Sun and Moon yet the manner of drinking and spitting is either soft or hard while a person's unbalance is the same as a weight and the body should be able to change direction at any time as the time to strike is when the opportunity presents itself and both the eyes must see all sides as the ears must listen in all directions while the mind must grasp all the tactile, olfactory and gustation data not seen on all sides and not heard in any direction


Master Zeng said, "Am I preaching what I have not practiced myself?"

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Choju [長寿]


The characters/ideograms mean "longevity." The first character means, "long; leader," the second character means, "longevity; congratulations; one's natural life." 

In martial philosophy choju or longevity is attained by acquiring the traits as follows: one should sit like a turtle, walk like a pigeon, and sleep like a dog. It is a means achieved by development of an inner quiet. Quieting the mind with the goal of remaining still in each moment with no thoughts of distraction and allow any fleeting thoughts to simply enter and leave in the moment with no conscious effort to remain with the thoughts. 

"To regard the fundamental as the essence, to regard things as course, to regard accumulation as deficiency, and to swell quietly alone with the spiritual and the intelligent." - Herein lies the techniques of the ancients. 

Wu Wei [無為]


The characters/ideograms mean "idleness; inactivity." The first character means, "nothingness, none; ain't; nothing; nil; not," the second character means, "do; change; make; benefit; welfare; be of use; reach to; try; practice; cost; serve as; good; advantage; as a result of." 

The mind of wu wei provides a means by which martial systems train the mind. The training results in a mind, wu wei, that "flows like water," "reflects like a mirror," and "responds like an echo." The Japanese term for these characters/ideograms is "mui," meaning idleness; inactivity. 

Wu wei means "without action," "without effort," or "without control." The full phrase in martial systems is wei wu wei or action without action or effortless doing. We would be best served in martial systems by observing ourselves and our behaviors with full acceptance  of ourselves for who we are and therefore release any conscious control over our lives. In martial systems this means, to me, practicing and training to where one's instincts control actions in all beliefs taking the process of thinking and removing it from the actions taken in martial arts, etc. It is making the training and applications as natural to human action as can be achieved. It is the ability achieved to take appropriate actions in any situation with natural action. This makes it even more important that martial systems training be such that it either matches or relates closely to natural action or movement. 

Yin (In) [陰] Yang (Yo) [陽]


Yin is a force of nature - receptive. Yang is a force of nature - creative. Fundamentally the book of changes is about balance through opposites and acceptance of change. 

The tai-chi is preceded by the wuji (mukyoku in jp.) [無極]. Wuji separates into tai-chi or yin and yang. These two symbols become four, the four become bagua and bagua describe all things of creation. 

The limitless (wu-chi/wuji/mukyoku) produces the delimited, and htis is the absolute (tai chi). The Tai-chi produces two forms, named yin and yang. The two forms produce the four phenomena, named lesser yang, great yang, lesser yin, great yin. The four phenomena act on the eight trigrams (bagua), eight eights are sixty-four hexagrams. 

The two spheres refer to heaven and earth, or yin and yang. The four elements are metal, wood, water and fire, which are omnipresent. The eight diagrams symbolize the eight natural phenomena: sky, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and lake. The picture represented the ancient Chinese early knowledge of the Universe. 

The basic idea of the yin-n-yang consists of two natural, complementary and contradictory forces of any phenomena in the universe, the principle of opposite polarity and duality. 

Summer is old-yang; autumn is young-yang; winter is old-yin; sprint is young yin. Full moon is old yang; moon's decline first quarter is yong-yang; when the moon is full, it is old-yin; moon in last quarter is young-yin. 

In divination as pertains to the I Ching, the inner aspect (a person) is combined with the outer aspect (a situation). Each hexagram represents a process, a change happening at the present moment. 

Man


Hito [] The character/ideogram means "man; person; human being; mankind; people; human; humans as a species; character; personality; man of talent; true man; another person; other people; others; adult." 

What is a Man? First, we can all accept that a male is easily spotted by the physical attributes of the male species. Being a male in our culture does not necessarily mean being a man. How do you or any person determine what makes a man a man? 

Lets begin by saying a variety of factors determine what a man is that make a man a man. A man is determined first by the time, culture and ethnic groups of which he is a member. Then as a male grows and ages the various power relationships they encounter in life along with that persons perceptions, the sensory input mode that dominates, and the perceptions of perceptions as to truth and accurate facts get involved. 

Then you have to consider both the internal and external environments this person experiences every single moment of life. Then take into consideration the influences and constraints self-imposed by their own knowledge, experience, imagination, and attitudes which also are derived by the connections they encounter throughout the moments in life. 

Each culture and tribe will have an accepted societal survival model that dictates to those males within that tribe as to what makes a man a man. We have to then create living patterns that are based on culture and the influence of environments and other factors and then cover both spiritual and physical aspects of life. It is this culturally defined values and rules that determine the attitudes and actions, most which are learned, applied and transmitted unconsciously and consciously by members of the individuals tribe or society. 

Determining what makes a man a man is then convoluted and prone to misinterpretations that also lead to conflicts and so on. It then comes down to the individual taking the time to self-perceive, self-analyze and the self-transmutate to achieve the model of a man. 

Various methods are derived within a tribe to achieve the goal of making a man a man and in one of the greatest cultures is it most apparent, the Asian cultures with concepts such as warrior, defender or simply the hunter-gatherer. 

Bushido, the Japanese Code of the Warrior, speaks to the eight virtues of the samurai. Rectitude or justice; courage; benevolence or mercy; politeness; honesty and sincerity; honor; loyalty; character and self-control. All of these can be attributed toward manliness or being a man. Certainly they are all traits a good person would want to develop but often this is not what a person will go to the mat for when it comes down to dissing a man.

Some believe a man, a real man, can defend themselves. This speaks to the instincts derived from when man was the hunter-warrior. Defending the tribe from beasts of the plains and other human's they may encounter. Defending when hunting along with the hunter instinct. 

A man is supposed to be strong. This is not just physical strength but strength of spirit, conviction and heart to bear the burdens of life. He is also meant to be focused having the ability to separate the chaff from the wheat of life. Then the most important aspect of being a man is to accept that family is most important then the tribe is next. 

A man understands that his word is his bond. It is better than a legal contract and in our history carried heavy weight when given to others. A man is a role model for his family and the tribe. How he acts and the way he lives his life shall be of the highest standards and morals possible and acceptable to the tribe and beneficial to his family. 

A man is of character and not just the personality that impresses but carries no weight as mentioned in the above traits. His character goes hand in hand with is word, his strength, etc. A man knows the difference between humility vs. arrogance and pride. 

Then you add in the virtues of bushido adjusted for current times and current cultural influences then you begin to understand what it means to be a man. Manliness also means acceptance, acceptance of all the flaws, failures and behaviors that may fall short of being a man's man but understanding that this is the means by which a man grows to become a true man's man or as the Okinawan's use the term, true bushi. 

A man can be relied on for anything. A man is educated. Not just academic but in life. A man embraces life completely and wholeheartedly. Being a man takes discipline, diligence and heart. 

What a man is not is one who lacks a level of esteem that any perceived slight as to his manliness results in conflict. A true man cannot be influenced by the words or deeds of others causing perceptions that one has lessened that man in some way. A true man cannot be influenced to such a negative. To allow such influences demeans and deludes what a man is allowing for conflict. 

Many fights are the result of some perceived slight toward that persons perception of his man-hood. It actually displays the weakness of that man as a true man will simply ignore such false things and remain calm and with moral steadfastness a sense of humility and confidence that can actually result in avoidance and deescalation. 

A true man has the confidence of his convictions that are impervious to any outside influences. Manliness or man-hood is the armor created that makes conflict of any nature impossible to the man. Real men understand this and when two men meet they acknowledge one another with a slight nod of the head and then they continue on with life. 

Silence


The power of silence. When silence prevails we tend to turn our thoughts inward and gain mind recharge time, i.e. a means to quit the mind so that one can truly see, hear and feel the world. 

In arguments or conflict using the tactic of silence can rein in your ego and hold tight to pride driven reactions. Silence allows the mind to switch over to active listening. It also allows for reflection that often results in inspiration and relaxation. Silence is also noise pollution abatement. 

Silence allows us to remain in the present moment. It provides quality to our talking and it allows us to digest what is being said and to discover appropriate responses. Silence fills in the spaces between words giving an underlying meaning along with body language, tone of voice, inflections and word meaning. 

Silence allows the other person to self-reflect on what they are saying or what was said and often answer their own discussion. Silence is also inaction, i.e. being silent and still allows others to perceive a calm that can affect the person presented with silence. 

Silence is also a means of respect toward a social environment. It can be a means of talking among family members and linked to credibility. It is a way to avoid conflict and embarrassment. Silence results in self-realization, truth, wisdom, peace, and bliss as achieved in a state of meditation and introspection as a person communicates with his or her self in silence. 

Silence conveys interest and consideration. It is considered a sign of a remarkable person. It shows that the person has respect, proper etiquette, maturity, good manners, and good character toward others. 

Silence is a component to understanding context of verbal communications. What is not said through silence is as important as what is said. In some cases it implies "no" in a conversation. 

Silence can avoid open conflict in a conversation. It promote harmony and graciousness.  

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"silence is a part of the spiritual discipline of a votary of truth." - Gandhi
"All this talking can hardly be said to be of any benefit to the world." - Gandhi

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