Kengaku [見学]

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

The characters/ideograms mean, “Inspection; study by observation; field trip.” The first character means, “see; hopes; chances; idea; opinion; look at; visible,” the second character means, “study; learning; science.”

‘kengaku’ literally meaning to ‘look (見) and learn (学)’ or perhaps better translated as ‘study through observation’.

Other meanings according to the characters used:

[建学] foundation of a school

[研学] Study

[兼学] Concurrently studying the teachings of two or more different schools or sects. 

In a martial discipline we study fundamental principles even in a philosophical sense such as the sub-principle of yin-yang. Yin is the softer side while yang is a harder side so that one trains, practices and studies both physically and mentally. In simpler terms one actually studies and learns from “Doing,” while on the more yin side one actually studies and learns from “Observation.” When you begin you will be provided a, “Dojo Kun,” and one of the precepts is about seeing all things in all directions. 

Kengaku from the ken-po goku-i is about seeing all things in all ways to include our studies of others while practicing and training martial arts. It is especially and critically important for the new student who first comes to observe then joins but then continues that observation “Seeing” so they continue to learn and grow, to improve.

One of the more cultural aspects of martial arts in Asia is the acceptance and understanding that in all dojo one is, “Expected,” to come to practice and observe even when unable to actually participate on the dojo floor. The concept in the Asian culture of, “Shi-kata,” is based upon such observations so that harmony may be maintained by avoiding such disturbances that can come from questioning things. 

Kengaku is about the observation of your dojo-mates be they senpai or kohai or sensei so that one may improve from understanding those perceptions and perspectives displayed through a physical manifestation in things like basics, kata, drills and even kumite. 

Kengaku is considered one of those mental disciplines that provides the practitioner a discipline uniqueness toward learning that involves or encompasses one sitting in a meditative state of mind alert and aware of what is transpiring during training even when not actually participating, an observer. This provides the practitioner with a study that is challenging and used to enhance and supplement hands-on tactile and visual study and practice. 

It is not about perfection but about improvement and this presents the practitioner the opportunity to also participate not just physically but through such observations of others while they practice. This is just one meaning from the goku-i when, “seeing all directions, etc.”

When I tell folks about Kengaku I instill in them that this concept is at the heart of practice, training and most important of all the actual applications. It is an attitude and mind-set/state toward constant improvement through observation: observation of self through media and mirrors; observation of others both senior and junior; observation of the actions and deeds as modeled in the dojo; observation of individual interpretations; observation of the application of the fundamental principles that are the foundation of all martial disciplines, etc.

Kengaku is another more esoteric terminology meant to convey a sense or essence toward study, practice and application of martial disciplines regardless of symbolism, system or style designations or even personal interpretations for to master a martial art is to make it your own from a diligent, disciplined and philosophical means. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Read Also: "Kengaku"

All Bottles Are “Truly” Good

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

They are all good provided they all utilize all principles to achieve each bottles goals. Look at systems and/or styles as the different bottles as can be seen represented or symbolized in the graphic created and shown herein. Systems and styles are simply unique human signatures toward a unique perspective and perception of application of principles toward a goal of defense, i.e., fighting, combatives and self-defense, etc.

In truth there are not real systems or styles that create separate applications but simply principles applied in a completely and human unique way, a way that allows distinctions to make each creator seem unique and special. A complete and total human distinction unrelated toward the physics of human bodies in application of power and force to achieve a fighting, combative and defense goal of conflict and violence. 

Every single one of the so-called systems or styles is a slight variation of human application of principles that has only one requirement in that the principles cannot be compromised in application or it lessons the system or style in its applied efficiency in power and force to attain one’s goals. The actual principle of physiokinetics that drive such unique signatures is, “Breathing, posture, triangle guard, centerline, primary gate, spinal alignment, axis, minor axis, structure, heaviness, relaxation, wave energy, convergence, centeredness, triangulation point, the dynamic sphere, body-mind, void, centripetal force, centrifugal force, sequential locking and sequential relaxation, peripheral vision, tactile sensitivity, rooting, attack hubs, attack posture, possibly the chemical cocktail, Multiple Methodologies [actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression, etc.”

To further express how all bottles are good you remove the distinction of each bottle representing a different system or style and you represent it as six unique bottles to represent the principles of, “Theory” and “Physiokinetic” and “Technique” and “Philosophy” and “Self-defense” and finally “Chemical Cocktail.” Each of these bottles transcends any and all human perceptions and distinctions that make for systems and styles over principle based combative systems and the best part of principle based distinctions is it covers a complete system rather than just a focus on techniques based training with just enough physiokinetics to make it look good in the performance of the competitive dance of kata competition, etc.

All bottles are good transcends the original distinction of the obvious and book cover representation of systems or styles such as, “Goju-ryu, Uechi-ryu or Isshin-ryu, etc.” This is not meant to degrade or denigrate or dismiss such distinctions but to stretch the mind to consider the deepest meaning and the very essence of such practices and disciplines, going past symbolic representations of descriptive ego based naming conventions. 

All those systems and styles have great value in distinquishing the effort and achievements of the men who created them into long standing models to be shared in a unique tribe like group dynamic driven way. The very fact that such men of distinciton could create is awesome but to allow that to overshadow the core of such disciplines, the principle based discipline, toward an ego boosting way would not be true to the men who created them and to those who would practice and pass down to others those systems and styles.

Passing it down becomes critically important to the system or style history and meaning because to remove such foundational supportive aspects of those same systems tends to degrade the system or style over time as passed form hand to hand. To truly pass down the complete and holistic system or style of a founder is to embrace it from the very seed of its birth to the full spread of its entire roots, base, branches down to each and every leaf on the tree we would name and label as, “Isshinryu, Gojuryu and Uechiryu and so on ad infinitum.” 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Click for large view.

All Bottles

“All Bottles are Good” is a maxim used in Isshinryu as quoted from a group socializing with the Isshinryu founder, Shimabuku Tatsuo. When I saw the following photo from the group, “Steampunk Tendencies,” I said, “All bottles are Truly Good. ;-) “

See my graphic above and fill in the names to the appropriate bottle
as you would see that person-bottle ;-)

Finding Balance in Martial Practices

Caveat: Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.

This article is mine and mine alone. I the author of this article assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and/or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this article. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding. Oh, and just because I wrote it and just because it sounds reasonable and just because it makes sense, does not mean it is true.

I practice both “Chi Gong,” and “Tai Chi Chuan.” Both have contributed heavily toward my martial practice. It comes down to “How you practice kata.” There is no one way to use kata. Like the softer practice of shorin kata vs. the harder sanchin like practice of goju kata. It all depends.

You mention kata as a balance exercise, that too depends on what you mean by balance. In a literal sense not but two short years ago I was struck down with a “Vertigo” attack. Man, that vertigo was really bad and it took me another two years to get my balance back (very close to back to the way it was but not totally back). I can tell you that my kata, my tai chi and my chi gong exercise/practice are the only reason I got 99.9% of my balance back.

You see, when such things happen it changes your brain so I had to reboot and reprogram my brain and body to reacquire my physical balance. 

Now, if you are talking about a balance of mind, body and spirit then that discussion needs about a book or two to just get out the fundamentals. When I think of balance I think of how I balance out many different things especially in martial disciplines such as balance out my attitude with the encountering of conflict, violence and violent conflict. You see, in those areas if my balance is heavy toward the pure physical I might prevail while failing, i.e., win the fight but end up in jail and all that entails. 

If you do a little more research you will find that the traditional masters tended to use kata along with the tools of hojo-undo, etc. to build heath, strength and well-being (all balanced). So the answer is “Yes and No” because they all used other disciplines to maintain strong and capable bodies, mind, and spirits. 

Another balance I can think of is the implementation and execution of martial techniques through a balanced, as in proper proportions as dictated by each unique situation in self-defense, application of physiokinetics. Take that a bit further in the striking arts of karate where we tend to train ourselves out of balance for defense with the focus on the strikes, i.e., the use of the fist to hit or be hit. We tend to lean heavily on our fists because that is what we are and were taught. After all, karate is about the empty hand. The balance is skewed even with the empty-handed reference where we forget that the open-hand strikes are actually superior to the closed fist and so on. 

Balance is one of those things where overall if we don’t achieve balance in martial theory, physiokinetic, techniques and philosophy then we skew our application of it in defense and thus in life. In the last forty years or so I have come to believe that the true nature of our existence is to find “Balance.” You know, a bit like “Yin-n-Yang or better Yin-Yang.” 

Kanreki [還暦]

Caveat: This article is mine and mine alone. I the author of this article assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and/or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this article. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding. Oh, and just because I wrote it and just because it sounds reasonable and just because it makes sense, does not mean it is true.) 

Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.

The characters/ideograms mean, “60th birthday.” The first character means, “send back; return,” the second character means, “calendar; almanac.” 

The completion of the twelve-year cycle of the zodiac no less than five times. It is that threshold to indicate entering what I call the “Winter Years” or rather a signal of the approach of old age. It is not an excuse mind you but simply a notification of the many changes that have occurred and will continue to occur to your mind, body and spirit. 

From the Encyclopedia of Shinto: “When a person lives to see their sixty-first calendar year, they have lived through the entire sixty-year cycle of the traditional eto (ten stems and twelve branches) calendar and returned to the same "year" and horoscope sign in which they were born.”

In shintoism one who manages to achieve this feat celebrates by receipt of a red cap, a seat cushion, and a vest called the “Chanchanko,” similar to the one they received as a newborn. It is about renewal, a rebirth to one’s birth year sign. 

Note that there are also signs/symbols of greater ages such as, “longevity celebrations for turning "seventy" (koki [古希]), "seventy-seven" (kiju [喜寿]), "eighty" (sanju [傘寿]), "eighty-one" (hanju), "eighty-eight" (beiju [米寿]), "ninety" (sotsuju [卒寿]), "ninety-nine" (hakuju [白寿]), "one-hundred" (jōju), "one hundred and eight" (chaju [茶寿]), and "one hundred and eleven" (kōju).”

Bibliography:

Nobutaka, Inoue. “Kanreki.” 24 February 2007. http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/entry.php?entryID=1040

Clarke, Michael. “Kanreki … time to start over.” 19 May 2015 at 22:55hrs written Saturday, 16 May 2015. http://shinseidokandojo.blogspot.com/2015/05/kanrekitime-to-start-over.html

The Small and The Large

Caveat: This article is mine and mine alone. I the author of this article assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and/or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this article. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding. Oh, and just because I wrote it and just because it sounds reasonable and just because it makes sense, does not mean it is true.) 

Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.

“Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things. As if it were a straight road mapped out on the ground, the first book is called the ground book.” - Miyamoto Musashi

The ground holds the foundation, the foundation those things that make for a complete structure capable of standing the test of time. Only in this way can one achieve master over any discipline. The discipline that is mastered leads to the understanding of many disciplines regardless of content. It allows us to see, feel and hear all the myriad things due to the inter-connectedness of Earh, the ground, the support of the foundation of all disciplines. All rely on how the foundation is laid, it must be laid by knowing, understanding and mastering the smallest of things, the biggest of things, the shallowest of things and the depth of things. All things are built on the foundation and the foundation is built on the ground, the Earth. 

Heaven and Earth denote: Heaven signifies night and day, cold and head, times and seasons, hard and soft, waxing and waning and other phenomena.  Earth comprises of distances (maai, etc), danger, security, open ground and narrow passes, the chance of life and death where man stands on the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness. 

Man is the fulcrum of Heave and Earth where heart relates to the ebb and flow of both. Man, humans, are a microcosm of Heaven and Earth, i.e., heart, blood, hardness and softness, balance and unbalance, directions, when and when not to take the opportunity, seeing all things, hearing all things and the ability to adjust and change accordingly. 

Heave and Earth direct and drive all of nature as to balance and equilibrium and by symbiosis govern that of humans internally and externally according the the yin-yang that is the one wholehearted myriad things of the Universe that was born of the singularity called, “The One.” The One is the Way, the Way is the map of life as laid out in the singularity mono-path that is time, time being the straight road that maps out on the ground of time, the path that one follows that is both small and large.

Alls things are driven this way such as the method and discipline that governs martial prowess and mastery. It is in this “Way” that one achieves success, morality, contentment, peace and tranquility in all the myriad things that comprise life’s roads paved in conflict and violence as in nature from pleasant weather to that which lifts the waves of the ocean to such stature of tidal and tsunami proportions. 

The smallest and largest of man: humanity or benevolence; uprightness of mind; self-respect; self-control; proper feelings; wisdom; sincerity or good faith. 

Yin-Yang; Peace-War

Caveat: This article is mine and mine alone. I the author of this article assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and/or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this article. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding. Oh, and just because I wrote it and just because it sounds reasonable and just because it makes sense, does not mean it is true.) 

Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.

It has been said as a means to introduce the Art of War by Sun Tzu, “He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated; he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish.” - Ts’ao Ts’ao

This, I believe, is a statement toward the human need to take one side or the other to extremes whereby those who do are doomed to eventual failure. I liken this statement is a simplistic form for the fighting humans experience on a small scale where one-on-one tend to dominate. We as humans tend to lean toward conflict and violence in every aspect of life, from the mundane and simple to the chaotic and complex. The complex being that which spurs on the need for physical violence of the socially driven status seeking ego building form up to the predatory process and resource extreme damage form.

The quote also speaks to the balance one must achieve to survive whether surviving the every day conflicts and violences of the work world to surviving the infrequent, modern times driven, conflict and violence that takes us all the way up to great bodily harm and even death - accident or deliberate. 

This quotes is to be seen like many other quotes as a Zen Koan like story or statement that one ponders and meditates on to achieve a greater understanding of life’s trials and tribulations. A means in seeking a level of enlightenment that evolves man and mans mind toward a more peaceful way where war, fighting and combatives remains available but is not used except in extremes of necessity. 

In the warrior mind-state this also speaks to those who succumb to the mysteries and gratifications found in violent physical disciplines of action without tempering that with the more peaceful nonviolent counter weights of peaceful thoughts and actions. Relying on the strictly physical manifestation of violence toward “others” leads toward a sickness of the mind that will lead toward extermination. Relying on the strictly non-physical manifestations of non-violence toward “others” leads toward a sickness of the mind that leaves us open to extermination as well. No one way is the only way, all ways are comprised of a balance between its symbiotic parts that make it a whole, its hardness as it blends into softness, yin-yang.

When self-defense martial arts of our modern era are discussed they are thought of as merely sport. As such they leave out those principles necessary to make them a combative form of self-defense, i.e., they focus solely on the peaceful self-improvements toward enlightenment. This form discards human nature in conflict and violence necessary for survival even when not at war. It tries to hide that aspect so that we tend to assume and feel conflict and violence are to be removed like a cancer of the body leaving us to rely solely on peaceful measures for survival - that too results in extermination. 

To achieve a true balance of human existence we must embrace our nature, our nature being violent with levels from mere disagreement to out right violence taking life. This requires a blending of both our natural inclination toward a war like acceptance, belief and proficiency of combatives from the lowest level of verbal to the highest of war like combat resulting in great bodily harm and death all the way to those peaceful like acceptance of our nature, belief in the counter weight of peaceful actions and our proficiency to hold peace dear and foremost in our hearts with the reserve of our warlike nature in extreme necessary circumstances and situations. This gives birth to those principles that create appropriate weights that balance out the scales of life such as the principle of “Theory.” 

Theory, as an open minded way where our experiences, practices and training lead to ideas or systems of ideas that explain life’s experiences so that one can explain, understand and develop ways that make it productive and thereby justifies our actions toward a more socially acceptable way insuring survival. 

This gives birth toward a principle called, “Physiokinetics.” The teaching, training and application of those physical needs regarding human survival. These are about human physical health, well-being (also a contributor toward balance between war and peace like actions and deeds) and fitness so when necessary our minds and bodies can act in survival. 

The next principle that couples with the first two creates an ability that can both avoid and deal with (get-r-done) conflict and violence, “Techniques.” Often thought of as those particular physical manifestations of combat, fighting and defense. In truth they are a combination of both war and peaceful actions be they the awareness to detect potential obstacles and support models up to avoidance when conflict and violence are detected to the extreme of violent defense in the name of survival, peace and the social survivability of the tribe. 

The final principle born of this is “Philosophy.” If we as humans fail to create a form knowledge, experience and reality toward the fundamental of our nature toward survival and existence then we fall prey to one side or the other, war over peace over war with no balance to stabilize such things. 

Equilibrium, the balance that creates and sustains both life and the social tribal existence. All this to keep us within the means of survival, i.e., our natural warlike inclination for survival as well as our need for balance with our need for a peaceful resolution to life’s obstacles both natural and manmade required to survive, evolve and reach enlightenment. 

The Way of the Empty Hand

Caveat: This article is mine and mine alone. I the author of this article assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and/or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this article. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding. Oh, and just because I wrote it and just because it sounds reasonable and just because it makes sense, does not mean it is true.)

The “Way.” The way is not easily defined simply because of the many perspectives and perceptions as to what the way is and what it means to a martial artist. It is still an important distinction when defining the practice and training of a martial system. If you fail to train and practice with a mind-set/mind-state as to the actual goals of that effort it could result in unpleasant repercussions, i.e., say you practice toward this more philosophical way while thinking that since karate is also considered a fighting and self-defense system that what you train and practice will actually work in a physical situation, it won’t. 

Some look to ancient classics to determine what it is that makes a discipline such as karate as “A Way.” The Way, from my perspective and understanding, is about using this extremely physical discipline as a means to derive a philosophical moving meditative oriented effort toward combating personal and spiritual daily life struggles. It is taking a formally combative ancient model and using it to achieve more internal growth. This is where such studies as those applied to understanding the terse karate Zen-koan-like ken-po goku-i where it goes beyond the literal and into a more metaphysical understanding through the difficult and disciplined practice of things like basics, kata and types of kumite/drills. 

It is a combination of a diligent physical practice coupled with a Zen like Buddhist oriented contemplative meditative process where our thoughts toward life experiences create an atmosphere where one can “see, hear and touch” truths toward self-improvement, etc. This is how the gokui is to be supplemented by the spiritual-like study of such classics as the I Ching, the Tao Te Ching and the Analects, etc. 

Through the physical leaning and manifestation of fundamental principles such as those listed as physiokinetic principles promote a physical balance, health and well-being allowing the mind to calm and create present moment type of mental processes where one learns to control the ego, the monkey brain emotional roller coaster ride brain, and reduce actions, thoughts and deeds from a pride stance to a morally, honest and humble perspective. It’s goals are to reach a state of living where one lets go of ego or vanity; becomes more open, balanced, peaceful, receptive. 

The uniqueness of the way of the empty hand, as with other martial endeavors, the structure within a dojo where the teacher, student, leader, follower and other useful roles provide optimum learning and teaching processes. Acceptance of such roles inter-connects with the human need and instinct to gather into groups for survival. It allows the sharing of knowledge and creates a personal and group wisdom that also enhances the Way for the individual. It promotes mutual respect, honor and integrity that often becomes a part of those fundamental principles of martial systems should that system also be used toward defense in conflict and violence. 

The Way works to allow the use of win-lose paradigms as a novice level training tool but the gaol is to reach a level where one achieves a win-win group dynamic where all parties leave with growth, maturity and enlightenment. It helps us achieve a way to penetrate the gossamer covers that allow us to see past those illusory barriers of life and to realize our potential as individual toward our potential in the group dynamic seeing opportunity and to have clear unimpeded vision in all the “myriad things of the Universe.” 

The ability through such endeavors contributes in a mental, visual and tactile sense model a means to focus on the now, the present moment, while discarding or ignoring of the past of regret and the fear of the future. It teaches us to remain in the present moment, the now, so we can achieve actions and deeds that are not hindered by fear, anger, or paralysis (the freeze) regardless of whether it is in normal conflict or the battles of physical attacks.

The repetitive practice of things like kata promote a meditative state induced by the many repetitions of basic movements until they are encoded into what some call, “muscle memory,” or to be at the instinctual levels allowing our lizard brain access in states of need and emergency. Balance in motion promotes a mind-set where balance of mind and spirit contribute toward greater contributions to self, the group and society as a whole. 

The suffix often attached to martial systems, i.e., as karate becomes karate-do, that suffix denotes a way of being, being human person who is in balance with others and the group or tribe. The building blocks used is such classical ways, i.e., kata, hojo undo, drills, etcsl are technical methods that open the path, the way, toward strategic and tactical goals to achieve artistic expressions and when properly applied also lead to combative expressions leading toward a more combative application such as civil self-defense (remember this requires distinctions in practice and training).

The way also through this first level of martial arts, i.e., traditional or classical forms, are the foundation, the blueprints, used to achieve a more personal style and creative ability that is applied to self or toward defense in conflict and violence. 

The health and well-being that is a corner stone of a practice in the Way also achieve such things as flexibility, pliability, gentleness, and harmony necessary for mental health and well-being also necessary for group mental cohesive health and well-being. 

The Way also, outside the actual physical applications toward self-defense, provides a direct physical model that creates an environment of struggle, opposition and challenges of positive stresses of the mind and body that provide positive growth and personal resiliency. 

One through the Way of the Martial Arts when properly applied leads to a personal integrity and harmony that promotes personal growth, peace, and a philosophical basis for living a good and full life. It clears the mind for learning and insight, it creates a social learning contract that has mutual respect and integrity as its foundation. It is this focal spirit that allows the individual to break through life’s obstacles and our internally created barriers to create an open minded socially acceptable human being. 

When one takes up the mantle of practicing toward a “Way” they are, in my personal view, trying to achieve what is described herein. The distinction between this and a combative Way or Warrior Way is the translation of these goals from a primary role to that of an inter-connected wholehearted Way as described in the principles that underly all martial combative fighting system, i.e., principle of theory, physiokinetic, technique and philosophy. When that distinction is consciously implemented in training and practice along with the complete realistic way of self-defense then you have that system. 

This is the Way, the Way of the Empty Hand!

Fair Use

Caveat: This article is mine and mine alone. I the author of this article assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and/or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this article. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding.)

Wow, like self-defense I never realized what I thought I knew along with that, “I don’t know what I don’t know” thing I am discovering fast just how much I don’t know in martial arts, self-defense and writing. This post is on writing. Writers already have a good idea on the subject simply because of the title, “Fair Use.”

I made assumptions about how I use materials from the sources I am studying. As I got closer to completing my effort to write a book on martial arts I started to research writing and publishing. Since I do use quotes, etc., from my sources books I realized that at a “minimum” I needed to give them credit but just found out that “may not” be enough. 

Like the self-defense world, the world of writing is chock full of stuff that effects how you write especially when you publish. Note that publishing includes blogging and even FaceBool Wall posts. I will use one quote here for what I perceive is nonprofit educational purposes, i.e., mine and the readers who may want to write themselves. The quote is, “Fair Use is an “affirmative defense — the defendant copier has the burden of proof to show that Fair Use applies. Essentially he says, ‘Yes, I copied the work—but I am allowed to because my copying is Fair Use.’” - Excerpted/quoted from “What Every Writer Ought to Know about Fair Use and Copyright by JOEL FRIEDLANDER on FEBRUARY 8, 2010”

When I read the quote, it reminded me of all the quotes in all the books on self-defense where it is painfully and comprehensively explained that self-defense is an “affirmative defense.” Then upon considering all the ways one can find themselves outside the “Self-defense Square” I then realized that this is the same in the “Fair Use” arena. Granted, there is more and I have not researched it enough yet but it does make for a cautious approach to my writing especially if my book is going to be published for money.  

What I am saying is that my book is going to take a great deal more time in the editing stage. I have used my references to learn and to pass along that learning in an attempt to educate other like minded folks but I NEED to make sure that I am well within the “Fair Use Square (to borrow a bit from Marc MacYoung’s version of SD Square).

My ultimate goal in writing the book may have been altruistic in nature but the fact that it might infringe on my reference/source authors does not sit well with me. I respect and admire their work and do not want to even hint at some infringement even if they don’t really care because all my efforts are toward “getting it right.” It is a slow learning process but that is what I intend. 

The last thing I want to do is break copyright of these most excellent authors but that would include the fair use aspects in writing. I need to study about copyright and fair use then develop a check list to guide me toward creating a book that will, hopefully, provide some guidance to those martial artists out there who, like me, went so long training, practicing and teaching under a cloud of ignorance and misinformation with a strong emphasis toward the self-defense domain. 

Stupid is as stupid does says Forrest Gump and like him, I need to not be stupid and not do stupid. In closing I would like to express the following, “If I have written anything that misuse your materials let me know the post/article with your concerns. I will do one of two things, first I will correct the mistake or, second I will remove the post/article completely. 

Lessons learned: If you have a desire to write regardless of the venue, i.e., magazine articles, blogging, FB entries, books, etc., you really need to learn about writing completely, fully and as comprehensively as possible, i.e., start with copyright law along with fair use law and requirements so you don’t misuse and misrepresent what you write and what your sources “worked so damn hard and diligently to produce.” My mistake here comes under that misquote I use, “You need to learn what it is you don’t know you don’t know and DON’T MAKE ASSumptions!”

Thanks and have a great day!

Note: I immediately went to the Google images page to find a cool looking graphic to associate with this post then I stopped and asked, "Am I using this under a fair use thing? Is it copyright infringement? Do I need to ask permission? Does the use pass the four rules of fair use? Questions, questions, and more questions. I will use avoidance this instance until I acquire more knowledge on this fluid subject. 

Zen-like Quote Koan

“ … I yearn for a world in which competing ideologies are kept in balance, systems of accountability keep us all from getting away with too much, and fewer people believe that righteous ends justify violent means.” - Jonathan Haidt, The Righteous Mind

As I have stated previously I tend to think of quotes as Zen-like koans. The quote alone holds no weight but the contemplation of that quote is of possible considerable weight. It should lead you somewhere, the where being individualize and a destination unique to that individual. Its ongoing contemplation should bring about different meanings that change as the individual changes. It is not a matter of deliberate and unchanged meaning but a way to inspire and achieve greater thoughts leading to a better understanding. 

I came across this particular quote koan while reading the book by Jonathan Haidt, “The Righteous Mind.” My initial impression is that it provides us a different way of thinking about mankind and the differences that are mankind, human diversity. It may not be better or best but it does, for me, leave the windows and doors open to any breeze blowing. 

OR

Maybe it is just bullshit to keep humanity mired in ignorance and stupidity so we can remain dependent on our need for conflict and violence. It allows the nature of humanity to be stuck rather than free with wings to take to the sky in freedom, learning and enlightenment. Then again, maybe not. 

OR

Maybe it does not have meaning outside of the obvious and therefore exists only to enable the stupid and ignorant to keep on doing the stupid and ignorant crap humanity seems to do over and over and over again, never learning and never growing and never changing except in the most rudimentary and simplistic ways that disguise us from truth and reality. Then again, maybe not. 

Regardless, think of this quote as a Zen-like koan and see where it leads. The destination may be a good place, then again, maybe not. 

The Mental; The Physical; The Spiritual

Let me skip the mental and the physical. These are great subjects all unto themselves involving many things but when it comes to spiritual we tend to “fall into the comfortable groove” of our culture and belief systems. What our ancestors, martial ancestors that is, believed in regard to the spiritual is the question here and the answers are not as clear or definitive as one might expect.

First, there is not much in the historical sources, especially in English as translated more often than not by non-Asians scholars, that actually define this spiritual aspect to martial arts. Often it comes down to interconnecting that non-physical aspect to those spiritual studies, if you will, of non-religious cultural studies and belief systems like Zen, Zen Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and so on. All not truly of a religious nature as we westerners would associate religious toward, i.e., a supreme being and so on.

We westerners tend to slide into our own cultural quasi-religious connections as can be seen readily when the following tend to lean heavily toward references as to “faith” in training, movements, beliefs and so on. Personally, this is not exactly what I would take as the “spiritual” results of training and practice of martial arts. 

the Spirit required for training

believe in your movements

lack of believing in the movement, a lack of faith

the instructor has to do is work to instill their faith in the movement

they have not developed the Spirit, or Faith in their technique.

a question of Faith in his method

The Spiritual of Martial Disciplines: First, lets take a look a the fundamental principles that underline all martial disciplines. The closest term I find to spiritual is Mukei [無形] meaning abstract; immaterial; moral; intangible; spiritual with the first character meaning, “nothingness; none; ain’t; nothing; nil; not,” and the second meaning, “shape; form; style.” Often the characters/ideograms are associated with other characters to describe things like “intangible cultural assets” and so on. Yet, this does not do justice to what this author associates with spiritual aspects of martial disciplines.

 When I begin to contemplate the spirituality of martial discipline I tend to start with the two principles of theory and philosophy. They are, “Universality, Control, Efficiency, Lengthen Our Line, Percentage Principle, Std of Infinite Measure, Power Paradox, Ratio, Simplicity, Natural Action, Michelangelo Principle, Reciprocity, Opponents as Illusions, Reflexive Action, Training Truth, Imperception and Deception AND Mind, mushin, kime, non-intention, yin-yang, oneness, zanshin and being, non-action, character, the empty cup.”

The western concepts tend to lean heavily toward the declared “spirit of bushido.” This means a concept of a spiritual shield that allows the samurai to fight to the end. This spiritual soul of Japan was then considered the spirit that bound firmly and with unity the entire nation especially with war in mind. It was about the acceptance of death, its acceptance as a part of the samurai belief toward a morally driven hierarchal observation toward their leaders in the application of warrior spirit in death through application of martial prowess in war. 

In reality, in martial spiritual theory and philosophy as possibly passed down from martial ancestors it is the acquisition and development of qualties such as character of the practitioner in thought and attitudes of a non-physical nature involving the seat of emotions and character, the soul if you will (without assuming the soul as the intrinsic seat of humans under a religious belief in supreme beings, etc. as taught in European and Western religious cultures.) It is that essence, ethos and motivating force that drove the samurai, the warriors of Japan with similarities to the Okinawans as well as the ethos of influences from other Asian sources like the Chinese. 

Look at it also as a temperment or disposition of mind and outlook toward life especially as it pertains to conflict and violence. It is that activating or essential principle that influences a person especially in the study, practice and most important application of martial arts. It is that dominating attitude that contributes to a spirit toward moral accepted behavior. It is the development of personal beliefs leading toward the inclination, impulse, or tendency of the kind that is culturally morally accepted by the whole that is society. 

It is and can be the mental state or mind set of character expressed in action and word derived from a firm and assertive nature that presents an attitude of reflection, change and actions in every day life with special emphasis toward conflict and violence, the just, correct and moral application of martial arts in conflict and violence. 

It is best described in a very basic way through the general intent and meaning as presented by such ancient classics as the I Ching, the Tao Te Ching, the Analects and in martial arts ken-po goku-i, the spirit of the law of the fist. 

As you can see even in this attempt to describe a very personal belief of spirituality in martial arts the actual end results can only be determined through the studies of the individual martial artists. It helps us discover the spiritual of martial arts through the physical and mental efforts of study, practice and training that are the hallmarks of all martial disciplines. 

The Ken-po Goku-i Convolution

Caveat: This post is mine and mine alone. I the author of this blog assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this post.

The kenpo gokui is one of those considered important gifts presented to graduates of the Honbu Dojo for Isshinryu Karate as created and named by Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei. The convolution involved here is how it translates into English, or any other foreign language for that matter. Translations are always tuff simply because of the influences from the translator, i.e., their interpretations as governed by their personal perceptions as also derived from that persons culture and belief systems. Our minds, for each human who takes on such a Herculean task of translation of characters/ideograms, tend to lean heavily toward our experiences and interpretations that effect those encoded experiences as well as our human mind tendency to shift retrieved thoughts, etc., according to the moment and to circumstances - all that effect translations. Regardless, it is a worthy effort and kudos’ should be extended to those professionals who go the distance to provide us, foreigners outside Asian culture and belief systems, the means of greater understanding and accumulation of knowledge.

This post is another of many attempts to understand what it was that Tatsuo-san hoped we would gain from its study along side the physical/physiokinetic study of his creation - Isshinryu Karate. When Tatsuo-san awarded a grade or level at the end of a tour of duty or training he would also present that person with a copy of the gokui (shortened for brevity) along with instructions that fundamentally urged continued practice, training and study with emphasis on attempting to learn and study the Okinawan culture. A culture that permeates the very essence of Isshinryu.

Here are the characters/ideograms of the gokui silk certificates presented:

人心同天地

血脈似日月

法剛柔呑吐

碼進退離逢

身随時應變

手逢空則入

目要視四面

耳能聽八方

The accepted original translation as it may have appeared on those early silk presentations.

Now, the most common translation of the gokui is the one used and distributed by the first generation graduates of Tatsuo-san’s Isshinryu karate late 1950’s and early 1960’s. This translation is as follows with a graphic of the characters/ideograms and English translations. 

1. A person's heart if the same as heaven and earth.

2. The blood circulating is similar to the sun and moon.

3. The manner drinking (inhaling) and spitting (exhaling is either hard or soft.

4. A person's unbalance is the same as a weight.

5. The body should be able to change directions at any time.

6. The time to strike is when the opportunity presents itself.

7. The eyes must see all sides.

8. The ears must listen in all directions.

Anyone who has read my postings on Isshinryu will know that I question a lot of things passed down from those same first generation students. I have found that everyone easily and readily accepts the above translation without question. I also feel strongly that the English translation is actually heavily influenced by those same first generation graduates for the following reasons:

First, the mere fact that the lines in English are numbered when there are no numbers presented in the characters/ideograms/kanji. As a Marine (inactive) I always added numbering or at least bulleting to my list of things similar to the above gokui listing. The Marines in question are heavily influenced by such formatting due to the military itself that lives and breathes such things. In the end I removed my interpretation of the gokui numbers as a distraction and influence on study and interpretations.

Second, when the Japanese characters/ideograms translators came out and available through technology, i.e., the Internet, I found that the translation of those individual characters and the grouping of each line did not translate to the above English renderings. The words for each character/group of characters did not really provide a complete and understandable meaning, at least for English, that would connect the English above with the characters/ideograms above. 

Third, even when western students or graduates talked to Okinawan’s about a translation the language barriers left a lot to be desired. Add in various cultural and belief issues it may be that to keep harmony among the group they deferred to the translation above. Of course, as with all thinks Okinawan and Karate from Okinawa, there are no real documented facts other than what is written, influenced and provided by Westerners. 

Example (first line for brevity):

As a group on the Tangorin translator, 人心同天地 you get no actual translation of all the grouped characters but you do get individual character/ideogram meanings that will come next. In google translate you get, “Jinshin do tenchi, human nature the same heaven and earth.” 

Individually the characters/ideograms mean, “人心同天地, first character means, person, second character means, heart; mind; spirit, third character means, same; agree; equal, fourth character means, heavens; sky; imperial, fifth character means, ground; earth.”

If Tatsuo-san’s English were good (I understood that it was not ergo why he needed a translator when teaching Americans or when something important were to be discussed and that translator falls prey to the same foibles any translator has per the above) and if the gokui were as important as it has been presented then I question who actually wrote out the English as rendered in the above references?

If I were to take “person, heart, means/same, heavens, earth” I would end up with a sentence like, “Person heart same heaven earth.” In my language along with my education and read gives no real meaning to this sentence and it does not actually mean we must assume a person’s heart is the same as heave and earth, especially without the modifiers that indicate such words, important words for translation and meaning for English, as “A,” “is,” “the,” “as,” and “and.” As we all know well, those modifiers, etc., add or remove a great deal of meaning from a sentence. 

Add in that because of the numbering it presents a meaning of singularity for each set so that one might assume that each was meant to be separate and distinct from each other that actually takes away a holistic view of the gokui for meaning as it interconnects with a more holistic practice, training, understanding and application of Isshinryu, i.e., the presumed wholehearted one that is the essence of the system or style. 

As one translate the group/individual characters of the other groupings/sets you find, as is normal in that character/ideogram usage, many different translated words or phrases as appropriate to is use in a given discussion/situation and so on. Even when you take from one group and associate them accordingly you get different meanings and translations, i.e., example: “Jinshin [人心]” means, “Human nature; human heart; human spirit; kindness; sympathy.” Who is to say that spirit or kindness or sympathy was a meaning in lieu of heart or human?

As an example, Andy Sloane Sensei of Isshinryu has provided a different translation of those same characters. They all are found in the translators via Internet sources and they all make sense, to me anyway. As personal preferences go I would agree with and tend to convert to his meanings or translations. Here is the English he provides:

Jinshin wa tenchi ni onaji – A person’s heart is the same as Heaven and Earth.

Ketsumyaku wa nichigetsu ni nitari – The circulatory system is similar to the cycles of the moon and sun.

Ho wa goju don to su – Breathing methods are either hard or soft.

Shintai wa hakarite riho su – One’s posture should allow one to advance, retreat, engage, and disengage the opponent.

Mi wa toki ni shitaga hen ni ozu – The body should be able to act in accordance with time and change.

Te wa ku ni ai sunawachi hairu – In combat, one must enter a state of emptiness.

Me wa shiho wo miru wa yo su – The eyes must see all sides.

Mimi wa yoku happo wo kiku – The ears should listen in all directions.

Now, his actual translations of just the characters/ideograms are (dashes added for clarity of reading the words; words are considered separate translations of the separate characters/ideograms):

人心同天地: PERSON-HEART-SAME-HEAVEN-EARTH

血脈似日月 : BLOOD-PULSE-RESEMBLES-SUN-MOON

法剛柔呑吐 : LAW-HARD-SOFT-DRINK-DISGORGE

碼進退離逢 : WEIGHT-ADVANCE-RETREAT-DISENGAGE-MEET

身随時應變 : BODY-FOLLOW-TIME-SHOULD-CHANGE

手逢空則入 : HANDS-MEET-EMPTINESS-RULE / MODEL-ENTER

目要視四面 : EYES-VITAL-WATCH-FOUR-SIDES

耳能聽八方 : EARS-CAN-LISTEN-EIGHT-DIRECTIONS

Anyone not well versed in the belief systems that Tatsuo-san was exposed to and lived might not really understand those terse words or phrases - assuming we are supposed to connect or inter-connect those characters/ideograms/words. Take “weight advance retreat disengage meet.” One, depending on their perceptions and perspectives might make assumptions that are diverse/different from any other person even if they are exposed to the same type of circumstances as to perceptions and perspectives driven by individuality as exposed to circumstances driven by that persons past experiences, learnings and understandings, etc.

I think at this stage of my post everyone is beginning to get a feel for the complexities of this seemingly easy and terse rendering of the gokui. Add in that actually, from my perceptions and perspective and studies, I feel strongly that the entire gokui is a single wholehearted holistic Zen Koan like symbolic form that should look like:

人心同天地 血脈似日月 法剛柔呑吐 碼進退離逢 身随時應變 手逢空則入 目要視四面 耳能聽八方 (note: spaces added only for readability/clarity/seeing, etc.)

And

PERSON-HEART-SAME-HEAVEN-EARTH-BLOOD-PULSE-RESEMBLES-SUN-MOON-LAW-HARD-SOFT-DRINK-DISGORGE-WEIGHT-ADVANCE-RETREAT-DISENGAGE-MEET-BODY-FOLLOW-TIME-SHOULD-CHANGE-HANDS-MEET-EMPTINESS-RULE / MODEL-ENTER-EYES-VITAL-WATCH-FOUR-SIDES-EARS-CAN-LISTEN-EIGHT-DIRECTIONS (note: again all dashes added for readability, it was just easier to add a few dashes then remove and add spaces between words.)

Another indication I feel is missing in the original way of rendering and translation is when presented as a single entity of study, even with the extra modifying words, it leaves a lot of room to infer meaning that often will be unique to just the one individual who studies the gokui. This is how I came up with my version, a version that as I write this post will result in more changes. Changes are what karate, martial arts and the more esoteric principles underlying all martial systems give that study and practice its essence and its growth over lifetimes of practitioners. 

It also helps, as it should in my book, the practitioner take literal translations toward a more expansive understanding that goes beyond the mere physical into the full spectrum of fundamental principles of martial systems. In other words it takes us beyond mere physiokinetics and techniques into theory, philosophy, chemical and defensive sub-principles often left out and forgotten in modern practice and training, etc.

In the end, I feel strongly that such studies as the gokui, such contemplative study of the gokui as a Zen like martial “koan” leads us out of our comforts and into a realm of growth and potential. In addition that study should connect us with stronger ties to the origins of our martial systems, the culture and beliefs of the Okinawans and by historic connectivity those of the Japanese and Chinese and so on.

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 tactual data not seen on all sides and not heard in any direction.

Andy Sloane Sensei's translation of the characters/ideogram, click for larger view.

My sincerest appreciation and thanks to Sloane Sensei for his permission to use this translation in my posting of "The Ken-po Goku-i convolution."