Parts of a Whole

This blog, like other blogs, is a message in a bottle. I know who I am and what I understand, but I can only guess who you are and what you understand - the people who are going to pop the cork on the bottle and read the message. (redacted from the similar quote in the book by Damon Knight.

My desire to write both the blogs and (future) short fictional stories is to express things from the self in a way that folks can see, hear or touch in some direct or esoteric way.

I can't pump determination into a student, and would not if I could. What I can do is try to tell folks what they are in for, and help them acquire the knowledge that makes the difference between an amateur and a professional.

A successful martial artists, like any other professional endeavor, is all one wholehearted thing, not just the collection of the parts. Everything in the martial arts, its parts, fits together, flows together, and harmonizes with a unique personal rhythm. When we talk, teach and write about the components of the whole, when we try to teach you to achieve proficiency of a new skill, you need to know what the components are and how they work.

You try to improve one piece or component at at time - work on form, function and application, for instance, until you make progress; then turn to another aspect and work on that. If you try to learn all of it all at once, you will stifle growth, your progress, ability and proficiency will be stagnated, frozen and paralyzed.

Remember that the sum of all the parts, components, dealt with in practice and training are all interrelated. It is up to you to bring them together into the one whole of the system - and make it work.

You must learn the system your own way, or you won't be able to truly learn it at all. I am not trying to say that a karate-ka can do whatever they please; the karate-ka still has to learn along with the rest of the dojo. I am trying to convey that although the Sensei can tell, show and direct what is necessary to a karate-ka you have to learn the rules, follow them, and the bend (break some) them to fit your uniqueness.

We all have different bodies, minds and spirits - we are unique human beings. Remember that the brain, each human brain is more unique and individual than fingerprints, has a lot of variability. The number and kinds of cells in a given area are different inside every brain. You follow the rules until you get proficient enough to then start to blend the parts into a whole that will be a bit outside the rules and sometimes outside the entire box to best encode the practice and application into mind, body and soul.

Karate or any martial art is not just "one thing." It is a cluster of many things and abilities that are merged in a unique way each and every time they are applied. The components or parts learned are where you find your strengths and weaknesses and that uniqueness in your blending into a wholehearted "one whole system" is where the rubber meets the road. The system your being taught is designed to help you do this and it behooves the practitioner to learn to get the most out of what you have.

The unconscious works better if you don't watch it too closely. Follow the rules, learn them and apply them - then let them go, somewhat by bending and sometimes breaking. Remember, The unconscious works better if you don't watch it too closely.

Rules to Understanding the Way

Long, long ago; far, far away I posted this set of rules. I wanted to re-post since topics of late point toward the way, the path, the road we travel in the martial arts.

1. You must be deadly serious in practice.


2. Practice with both your heart and soul with out worrying about theory. True practice is done with the entire body. What you learn with your whole body you will remember for the rest of your life.


3. Avoid self-conceit and dogmatism.


4. See yourself as you truly are and try to adapt what is meritorious in the work of others.
5. Abide by the rules of ethics in your daily life, whether public or private.
                                     

One's initiative and attitude determines the degree of skill, knowledge, spirit, and how they are integrated within the self, within Karate-do.

The spiritual use of karate-do waza and their integration with the spirit are all important.

The way of the empty hand is intended to lead or guide the practitioner to the attainment of perfection through self-realization, enlightenment, and maturity.

Practitioners develop a sound mind through the development of virtuous character and a sound body through rigorous training. They train the body for health and strength while developing the character accordingly.

I cannot remember if this was mine or a quote from another source. If you recognize it and know the source let me know.

Symbols and Metaphors - the stories ....

In China the past and history was not passed in a narrative form but only stories.

The rulers of the China Shang Dynasty pondered cracks in turtle shells. They actually believed they could hear their ancestors voices as the shells cracked. To our minds the cracks mean nothing but to the creative thinking those cracks/cracking gave the interpreter a place to stand outside the rigors of  logic, to dream, to allow their minds to associate freely and make new connections. The turtle shells cracks were referred to as the Oracle's Bones and the oracle bones comprised a regular practice of a stable society, a dynasty, that lasted hundreds of years. - Peter Hessler, Oracle Bones

The ability to stand outside the box. The box that is considered the logical view of the world. Leaving the box allows us to dream beyond mere logic and allows us to stretch our minds and spirits so the mind can associate freely in the Universe and make new connections. Connections not present, connections that seem to come spontaneously from a mystical source and connections that create new and exciting ways or "paths."

Is it possible that Tatsuo Sensei, as a academic of ancient classics and of the spiritual aspects of fortune telling, etc., passed on to us the ken-po goku-i much like the ancient Chinese study of the oracle bones to free our minds so we can see and hear new connections?

As I study these esoteric  forms of the way of the empty hand I find more and more "connections" that come freely in my mind seemingly from a source that feels like some mystical source, could it be this ability to freely associate all the knowledge I have acquired to make new theories that once vetted become facts?

If it improves my practice. If it improves my ability. If it improves my way of life. It has to be a good thing. It becomes a new connection that builds my values and beliefs in a positive way and in my singular practice of karate-jutsu-do I am freely and spontaneously (mostly) building on this.

Metaphors and Symbols tell us a story. The talk to us in a way that allows our minds to leave the logic of the material world so we may dream of the possibilities and make new beliefs, customs, metaphors and symbols for the next generation. Is this why the second and third level of application is meant to also leave behind the box of basic strict adherence for a freer form that is derived from dreams that become reality?

If not for the dream of new lands we might have missed all the excitement of the journey that makes our society what it is today. We might still be in the dark ages. Passing from the dark to the light came about from the dreams and connections that were born outside the box and grew into reality, yes?

New Line for Ken-po Goku-i

It just came to me last night. When I added my view or additional line to the gokui for touch sense I didn't catch that I now had "nine" (9) lines vs. the previous eight (8).

I realized this has some significance to me. Nine lines can be divided into three sets. The question I am researching is, do those three sets relate to the three primary pillars of the I Ching, i.e. Heaven, Man, and Earth? Much like hexagrams where the three sets of two lines, i.e. the sets of trigrams, also represent or are symbolic of Heaven-Man-Earth.

I can also now look at those three lines each of the gokui to see if they too will relate to the I Ching in this fashion.

Eyes

The Ken-po Goku-i, or gokui for short, talks about the senses both directly and indirectly. When the gokui states that a person must see all directions, the directions in question can be literally the multi-directions the eye perceives of the environment and all that resides within "as far as the eyes can see." What it does not do is provide us with explanations and training on how we utilize this most important tool for the mind. The following two quotes from Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D. books on the gentle art of verbal self-defense tell us more about how the mind uses our perceptive filtering through the sense of "seeing in all directions."

"It is not your eyes that are doing the learning, but your whole body. And it's not what you see that teaches you. Seeing is only the tool that you use for obtaining the information. What you learn from is feedback you get from your own body as you try to match the body language being demonstrated. ... No set of detailed written instructions will replace the feedback you get from your body as you try to follow someone's instruction - right before your eyes - to "hold your hand like this."

AND

"If your preferred mode is eye or ear, you may find this more difficult that the person who strongly prefers the sensory mode of touch will. But you can do it. It will just take you longer." Quote in reference in learning how to use your body language in communications as to the three sense modes of people - in general.

This and other information written by Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D., provides us the knowledge that learning, thus teaching, relies not on any one thing but a combination of things. The eyes are assumed to be the learning tool for people and now I discover that they are merely a tool by which the mind along with other factors perceives and interprets the entirety of communications to achieve understanding.

The entirety of communications can be understood as what the eyes process, what the ears process, what the body process through touch and in a small way what the nose processes as to smell and the tongue processes as to the taste. In MA instruction the most command and most advantageous are eye, ear and touch sense teaching. You may need to adjust the primary tool to process to eye, ear and sometimes touch depending on the preferred sense mode of the student.

Just remember one thing as a Sensei, it is not just what you say in words. It is what you say in words along with the tone and more importantly your body language as processed by the eyes, ears and in some cases by touch - direct touch and touch sense by distance.

Just remember one thing as a student, it is not just what you hear in words. It is what you hear in words with their tone and body language as processed by your eyes, ears and in some cases by touch - direct touch and touch sense by distance.

The idea is to reach a syntonic state of instruction-to-learning by building a bridge between the two of understanding, knowledge and awareness. Sometimes just being aware of what it all takes and encompasses is adequate to maximize teaching and learning.

In addition the learning we achieve through our senses, especially the eyes and ears, is hugely influenced by our perceptive filters. Another aspect of the gokui and our training is to achieve the ability to adjust the filters allowing for the possibilities to enter. If we cloud ourselves in a veil of dogmatic doctrine the unexpected will have nothing to draw on from the mind to overcome it. There are so many possibilities that are presented directly and indirectly through the study of the martial arts with emphasis on the gokui.

Moment of Stillness

"Moment of Stillness"

There is the moment when things become absolutely still. That moment in nature where everything aligns perfectly, where the sun, moon and earth align resulting in something special, something unique and something extraordinary.

This stillness much like the still lake allows for a reflection. The reflection in that moment of stillness opens a door to another dimension, a dimension of the mind.

When I am practicing kata I tend to reflect through imagery many things. I often come to a still place where without conscious awareness achieve a still mind with no thought and then much like a rain drop striking a still, mirror like, lake sends a small ripple across the stillness. You see that which was not seen, you experience that which is not experienced and you reach the unreachable.

The epiphany, the enlightened state, the moment oh so present. The inspirational moment that many artist refer to when they see the image in the stone and chip away all the exterior garbage.

I am lucky. I experience "moment of stillness" in these present moments that occur without awareness and this is where I achieve shifts in a paradigm called life through those shifts in a paradigm I call martial systems.

I can in those moments suddenly like a spark that shocks new ways of doing things, new ways of seeing things and new ways of experiencing things. This works well in my practice as it has taken me beyond the basics, beyond the fundamentals and beyond any dogmatic adherence to some stunted belief derived as a vilification of a creator of a martial system.

Do you practice and train to achieve a "moment of stillness?" I have had those moments in applying my expertise and it is inexplicable. I am reminded of the unexplainable explanation of the Tao Te Ching.

"Remember to pay attention when you realize you're in a moment of stillness for it is in the next moment when a slight breeze, a puff of wind or a falling leaf will disturb the stillness." - Charles James

Gotta Believe

I am beginning to understand a bit better that humans, generally, need "something" to believe in or they can feel life is not worth much. I also believe, see, that folks want to have something to take up the lulls in life so we have things like vacations, etc. This seems ok to me if it fills a need and makes a difference, a positive one, in life.

This seems to fill a belief and need for people when they take up martial systems. I can say that it is because of "my belief" in these systems and the ability of them to fill my need for substance the have been an important part of my life - good, right?

Where I want to allow flexibility is in my belief system. People can be stubborn to the ninth degree if their belief system is questioned. I see this as a hinderance to both belief and personal growth. I believe, yes believe, that our ability to adjust our beliefs, for the betterment of us and our interactions in society, is critical and allows for a more moderate response when questioned.

I believe we all should stop at a four way stop sign in our automobiles. I would then believe this as a good thing. I would then believe it not so good if all we did was stop and then no further progress. If I allow my belief that stopping is good and that allowing an adjustment/change in that belief it might benefit all. I can allow my belief to change and then create a new belief that if we all arrived at the same time the person on the left allows the person on their right to proceed through the intersection. I can allow my belief to change that if one of the four arrived a moment before the others that the person may proceed first followed by others in an orderly manner.

So, why do we find dogmatic adherence to specific group dogma simply because we allow a belief to influence us to remain stagnant vs. continued growth and prosperity. Hmm, must study and contemplate this a lot.

Tatchi-goku-i (接触 - contact or touch)

Touch law of the fist can be further explained in the new ken-po goku-i where the tendency of the mind to "go to" the area of the body under assault. This means when you feel pressure, pain, rubbing, pinching, grabbing, and with intensity that screams "danger will robinson" then your mind will lock on to that location to the detriment of all else.

This is a fundamental principle of the OODA loop explained by Rory Miller and Marc MacYoung on their blogs and web sites, i.e. no nonsense self defense and conflict communications, etc.

A couple of idea's in this is to train so that when you feel some intensely applied pressure, etc. you either ignore it with some action that is not associated with that area or you act on that area with some counter move. This is not the forum to explain exactly and would be better served when explained and taught in a person-with-person on the floor training/practice session.

Another aspect for application is to apply the pressures, pain, etc. to a threat and keep moving that around so the mind keeps moving with your movements-pain applications thus locking the mind in an infinite loop with no ability to act or react. This may be the principle to the Chinese principle of a lot of strikes to overcome the threat vs. karate's so-called one strike - one kill principle (this is a whole post all on its own - don't agree with this one).

Once again as a reminder the ken-po goku-i is meant as a teaching tool that transcends any one techniques or philosophy. It encompasses all aspects of training and practice.

Grasping the Martial Arts

Again, an attempt to gain a good hand on the new tactual data  when supplementing both seeing and hearing for training and practice of martial systems. In the world of tactual encounters we once again connect to such things as hard, soft, seeing, hearing, the cycles of ebb and flow within and without the body along with the cycles of breathing in and out.

Rory Miller once spoke of, or better to way wrote about, tactile in self-defense. He alluded to the "feel" of the opponents body where the tactile or tactual information one feels from another can send signals to the mind on a response or action that would best nullify or deflect or allow a movement to better your position, etc. That speaks of two things regarding this new ninth goku-i line.

One is an understanding of the tactile symbols; duration-location-action-intensity-frequency-sensation. As an example the "sensation" a threat might feel triggers the tendency for the mind to lock on to that location and feeling where the mind, if not trained in this, tries to discover what is occurring and gain a tactical response and advantage. This is where the interruption of a person OODA loop occurs where continuing to change the sensation, location. intensity and duration keeps triggering the mind to lock on to the now new sensation reducing the minds ability to achieve a response.

By allowing my new line validity in the ken-po goku-i it might bring to the for of our minds the conscious attention and awareness of touch to achieve a greater understanding of the martial arts and our applications of its principles and techniques.

Two is an awareness of the tactual sense elements and how they function adding to the application of techniques to achieve additional advantage. These elements include, pressure; pain; pleasure; temperature; muscle movement of the skin; rubbing; pinching, etc. In a grappling art pressure, pain, rubbing, pinching and the movement of muscle under the skin apply. Just give it a moment and consider this, have you in your training, practice and teaching of martial systems.

Tactual data retrieval to train and practice can be seen and grasped literally as a function of the arts - martial arts. I can now realize that not taking touch to this level of thought may have contributed to a lack of full understanding on principles, intent and applications. Worth taking down and out of the attic and placing it in front of us so we can examine it with our eyes, analyze it with our ears to hear how it impacts practitioners, and touching on the value of its implications in teaching and learning.

My Postings

As you can see my posts are a mixture of my thoughts, my thoughts that are inspired by my reading of books, and my thoughts as inspired by other blog postings such as Rory Miller's Chiron, Sensei Kane and Wilder's blog, and many others like SueC's and Vesia Sensei's blogs.

If ever I utilize a topic from your sources, i.e. your books or blogs, etc., and you are not pleased for any reason please comment. I want to make sure all the material I use is acceptable to the person, their work, and their philosophies as to their intent. I am not trying to steal, borrow, abscond, hijack your material.

I want to write, as a touch dominant person this is really the best self-teaching tool, and I want to learn from that writing so I tend to read others material and then try to morph it into my own thoughts and by that method encode it and by that method learn and apply it in my practice, training and life.

If you feel I trespass on your efforts comment or send me an email directly to let me know and I will either stop using your stuff or with your ok send you the post for approval before posting to the blog. If I don't hear from you then I cannot take your feelings and such into consideration, If I do hear from you I will accord you the respect you deserve.

This also goes for giving credit. I attempt to do so as is proper by either adding name and source to the end of a quote or by bibliography at the end. If I miss it please remind me and I will correct it quickly.

Thanks!

Possibilities through Knowledge, Understanding, and Acceptance

I am so excited at this moment in time. I know my knowledge and ability in karate-jutsu-do is good. I have come to realize in my practice over the last hour that I will begin to improve by leaps and bounds. I feel this deep in my gut.

I have discovered my sense mode. The dominant one that has hindered my life for these past 54 years. My gaining knowledge of touch sense, my growing understanding of touch sense and my acceptance that I have a dominant sense of touch has allowed me to "see" my training from a whole different perspective. A perspective from a touch sense mode.

I have trained, taught, practiced karate these past thirty plus years from a sight and sound sense mode with a smattering of touch. I now understand why my form of teaching met with some initial resistance. It was a bit of sight, sound and a lot of touch orientation.

I practiced today with a new sense of touch mode where I imagined threats and attacks with more touch orientation. I imagined actually connecting. I imagined how it would feel when I moved, parried, and connected with a technique. I used it to enhance my visualization, my imagery, my tactual means of feeling the event and it felt natural, normal, and very good. This is positive.

I am anxious to check my progress as I move along the path to "see" if results gain momentum vs. current sight/hearing oriented momentum. Understand that I am pleased with my level of proficiency. I wish I had understood sooner. It is never to late and this is something that excites, pleases, and motivates me beyond  my normal somewhat obsession of martial arts.

The Human Brain and Imagery

This is quoted directly from the book by Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D. It involves a bit of trivia for the brain, an important piece of trivia. Our brains, as she states from research, cannot not distinguish sense perceptions that are real world perceptions from those we might visualize or use imagery to "see it in our minds."

If the imagery is "vivid" enough, i.e. the details of the imagery is really descriptive, then it is as if you really experienced the event. The brain cannot tell the difference between a real one and the imagined one. It will send out the same signals and chemicals in both cases, i.e. reality vs. imagined.

She has a term she coins for this type of visualization/imagery, "Creative Visualization." A very important point to place forward here is this title is "sight-biased." Touch dominant persons tend to lose out with this since they often cannot relate to this sight mode title and those mostly sight mode sense instructions. I often express that it was hard to learn and this is why.

In your teachings you may want to be aware when a student states they cannot do visualization they are merely expressing that instructions are convoluted simply because they are transmitted in a sense mode that is not adequate for touch dominant persons ability to assimilate. There is a way for the touch person to create or convert instructions to a form that will be tuned to their learning mode and then can achieve greater results and benefits from "creative visualization."

As a touch dominant person I use imagery. I have been fortunate that I was able to work out how I could do it. It comes mostly from sensing through my body movement when presenting technique I can see the body movement of an imagined opponent moving in such a way that the technique averts the attack and presents an appropriate response.

Dr. Elgin presents, shows, and makes audible several examples of touch techniques to learn imagery or visualization techniques geared to overcome the sight dominance in visual/image training.

Now, this is really a cool thing to know that when we have vivid imaginations in such techniques it is as if the brain actually experienced it. The only thing we have to grab onto is how to experience the actual feel of it, i.e. pain, fear, anger, frustrations, etc.

Touch Dominant

I am pretty sure I am one of these persons. I am touch dominant. As I study the material provided in Dr. Elgin's book, "ry To Feel It My Way: New Help for Touch Dominant People and Those Who Care About Them," I am becoming aware of those road marks that indicate I am touch sense dominant.

As this self-discovery become glaringly more apparent to me I realize many of the difficulties I have experienced and become are related to this sense mode and the response, unconscious and unaware and unknowingly, received molded me into a person who tends to be "brash," "loud/forceful," and "a naysayer." It fits and makes me feel a bit sad.

It is a product of the time which I was raised where such knowledge was not known and not studied. It was not taught in the schools simply because no one was aware at those times. As I am able to grasp the implications and effects of such a mode that is strongly a part of communications I can now see why I have felt specific emotional responses.

The most important lesson is it is no ones fault, not mine and not others. It is simply a lack of knowledge and understanding and self-realization. I now am growing in my awareness and I am now growing in my knowledge and I am now growing more aware of what it is I must do to build a bridge across the reality gap of touch vs. sight and hearing sense modes. My only regret is it would be improper for me to pass this along to those I communicate with - they have to come to this realization completely on their own. I can hope!

As to those who will and are reading my posts. I am expressing to you all that if something I write does not seem to fit, to connect, to have clarity please take a moment and consider that it may be in touch mode for sense communication - take a moment and re-word it where words that are sight or hearting sense related and it may make it clearer.

My goal is to translate my touch dominant writing mode to a more sight and hearing mode for better clarity for all with smatterings of touch mode to cover the whole spectrum hopefully to have clarity with all who read my stuff.

Thanks for reading, thanks for hearing what I am trying to say, and thanks for trying to grasp the idea of sense mode in communications. I can express to you that as I get "in touch" with my apparent touch sense side and language I am feeling a lot more comfortable. Pardon me if my writing goes more touch but that is my way of learning - touch :-)

Hard and Soft

As I study the tactual idea of the goku-i I discovered that the words used in the third line also are used when expressing both a hard or soft feeling. These are touch dominant words.

A soft feeling id described by feathery, fuzzy, limp, silky, soft, and so on while the hard feeling is firm, solid, hard, crispy and tough using just these few words to describe this view.

When we speak of unbalance same as a weight, the touch description is one of a heavy feeling where that same feeling comes just before the fall - so to speak. When we use karate or practice a martial art we are required to touch something. We brush up against an opponent. We feel them move and respond accordingly. We strike, we tap, we pinch a vital point to gain control. We grasp and grab to apply the tactile method - grappling, aikido, judo, etc.

All of these relate to the goku-i as to heart, hard/soft aspects, balance/weight, strikes, directions, sides, seeing, hearing and grasping tactual or tactile - feeling the body movement. When Chinese system practice sticky hands techniques they are applying those tactual/kinesthetic principles that involve touch with balance and body connections.

In the martial arts we respond to stimuli, i.e. another tactile driven explanation of applying martial arts. This is why touch dominant persons tend to do well in sports or sport like physical activities. Martial Arts are about training us to be responsive to the touch/intent of others - yes?

New Ken-po Goku-i for Karate-do

The new goku-i provides an additional line of text that provides for the third sense mode that was previously two, sight and sound - eyes and ears. The last line promotes a touch mode. The first eight lines also become more apparent to touch mode since we now have "tactual" mode or touch mode. This being both tactual meaning to handling and touching along side kinesthetic which is used to refer to the position and balance of the body.

This new line may not readily come to be accepted by those who have lived with the original eight lines provided by Tatsuo Sensei or those who received their version from reference to the Bubushi. This would be a normal reaction and in time it is hoped that the last new line would become apparent in the first eight and make sense showing its importance in making a full connection the the three that make the one.

"A person's heart is the same as heaven and earth; the blood circulating is similar to the sun and moon; the manner of drinking-inhaling and spitting-exhaling is either soft or hard; a person's unbalance is the same as a weight; the body should be able to change direction at any time; the time to strike is when the opportunity presents itself; the eyes must see all sides; the ears must listen in all direction; AND the mind must grasp all the tactual data not seen on all sides and not heard in any direction." - Shimabuku Tatsuo Ken-po Goku-i  + "one"

It becomes very easy to miss this important aspect of training and practice in the jutsu and do of any martial art. The senses of sight and hearing are primary to all humans. Even the touch sense dominant person switches between those two. It becomes critical for the tactual person when stress and its chemical effects kick in for the human being uses the dominant sense much like the freeze and the flight or fight response of survival. Look at it like the adrenaline dump experienced in a threat stress induced situation. There are particular aspects that take over like narrowing of vision and dysfunctional perceptions all to provide survival instincts.

Look at it as a way to see the view from this perspective, to hear the value of it for all the senses and to grasp it firmly in our hands and minds to provide a triangle of completeness - sight + hearing + tactual/tactile/kinesthetic.

How the Ken-po Goku-i refers to sight, sound and tactual senses.

An article on teaching to young adults for all three major senses brought about this epiphany toward additional meaning of the goku-i (shortened for brevity purposes, i.e. full ken-po goku-i). In that article they teach the teachers to used all three senses to make sure "the material reaches the student rather than why isn't the student grasping the material?"

They trained them to determine if a student is a visual, audio or kinesthetic learner - sight, sound, touch. Once they determined a student was touch dominant they went a step further by finding out if they were "tactile or tactual" which refers to the handling and touching vs. Kinesthetic which refers to position and balance of the body.

Take a look at Kinesthetic, the balance and position of the body. This touches on the goku-i's lines on the body changing direction at any time, a person' balance same as a weight. Both are in reference to the body and balance with falls into a touch dominant sense mode.

The now nine references within the entire goku-i provide the full spectrum of using the "three" major senses fully and completely in practicing and teaching the martial arts. These three provide a fullness to the goku-i interpretation that aligns with the I Ching where the three is heaven, man, and earth where in the trigrams and hexagrams it is further dividend to these three components that make us whole or "one."

The manner of drinking or inhaling vs. spitting or exhaling is also using a touch sense mode inference for they both infer a type of balance within the body much like the heart and heaven and earth along with blood similar to moon and sun.

This warrants further study and contemplation as it will open more doors to a large audience that may be missing out on a martial art path simply because they lack an awareness that it also provides for the much aligned touch dominant sense.

The Eyes, The Ears, and The Touch Modes

Open up your eyes, perk up those ears and let your mind touch your heart because what I am posting today is critical to the art of avoidance. This warrants my changing my copy of the ken-po goku-i by adding an ninth line to the overall paragraph so that it includes touch sensing.

"The mind must grasp all the warm and fuzzy data not seen or heard in all directions and on all sides."

This involves communications because although we are predominantly influenced by the accepted normalcy in society of first sight and secondary hearing we have removed the sense of touch almost completely. I have been informed that this is a recent phenomena. We included all three as major sense modes long before the last century - most of history has all three.

If this is true then we might hypothesize that at least a few fights might have been avoidable if we could be aware when a person drops down into a primary sense mode of touch. Since the majority are classified in sight and hearing when a touch person gets agitated/stressed then when they fall into a strict touch sense mode while all the rest remain in sight sense mode the reality gap is strong and wide. This gap then can only be spanned if one or the other are able to determine the touch sense mode and then assume it as well for all avoidance/deescalation processes.

If this is true how do you know when you are facing a sense mode, especially a touch sense mode? Good question. Since touch has become a taboo topic today you will have to first become aware that a lot of folks are touch sense dominant even if we function in a normal sight/hearing sense world. Once you are aware they exist then learn about it. "Try to Feel It My Way" by Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D.

This also applies to Sensei for mentoring practitioners. Discover their primary sense mode and try to gear your instruction and guidance toward that mode of communications. Recently a blogger posted on that very subject where no matter what they did the Sempai could not adequately convey to that person what it was they were trying to teach. The person got very frustrated while the sempai just kept in that sense loop that was not the persons primary sense mode. A reality gap where the person walked away with out that new knowledge.

If the sempai has been aware of and sensitive to sense mode of the person they might have devised a means to convey the knowledge where that person would learn and not become frustrated, etc.

As for the taste and smell, these tend to be non-existent regarding a communications primary sense mode.

All Bottles Are Good - They All Serve A Purpose

Today John Vesia Sensei of the Martial Views Blog made a statement that reminded me of the term Occam's Razor. In summary Occam's Razor means, "the simplest explanation is most likely the correct one." In that light John said simply, "... Who knows, maybe he (tatsuo sensei) was just talking about various types of booze."

The story goes simply as, a group of practitioners (Marines mostly) were drinking a variety of booze and had an assortment of bottles on the table when Tatsuo Sensei asked them which was the best. Several answers followed and then he stated, "All bottles are good, they all server a purpose," or something similar to this quote attributed to him.

Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei taught Marine and other military on Okinawa so we talk about our service members. Shimabuku Tatsuo said, "All bottles are good. They all served a purpose." This story came from me but it was his quote. - Advincula A. J. Sensei Isshinkai post #27618

"All Bottles are Good. They all served a purpose." - Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei Post #19411 dtd Mon Jul 18, 2005 at 11:26hours - this post quote comes from the Isshinkai Yahoo group run by A. J. Advincula Sensei.

The story, redacted for brevity, is as follows:

On many an occasion after a dojo workout we would have a drink or two with Shimabuku Sensei. On one occasion, several American students at the Honbu Agena Dojo we were drinking. Some were drinking beer while others were drinking Awamori a potent alcoholic beverage indigenous to and unique to Okinawa.

Awamori is made from high quality rice from Thailand and is distilled and not brewed as is traditional Japanese sake. A black yeast that is unique to Okinawa is used to make Awamori. In Okinawa, the word saki is used instead of sake and some brands of awamori are listed at 43 percent alcohol. Awamori is also drank with ice and water or sometimes mixed with citrus juice or other types of sodas. Most Okinawan mix awamori with ice and water but many Americans may use some kind of juice.

Shimabuku preferred awamori and at this event, some Americans were mixing awamori with pine juice (Pineapple soda). Shimabuku asked us which bottle was best. Some picked up beer bottles while others awamori bottles and one or two who did not drink alcohol picked up the pine juice or other soda bottles.

Shimabuku stated, "All bottles are good. They all served a purpose." While he never said why he asked the question about the bottles, I thought he was relating it to karate styles, that all styles of karate were good.

Years later Ciso said that even while taking breaks, or drinking after hours, his father was trying to teach. I don't think too many Americans understood this, if they did, we would have more stories to tell. It is interesting that many of the Shimabuku's Okinawan students, relate stories of Shimabuku. I have written and told this story over and over again at seminars, after hours and at parties, yet some still do not know or remember the story. Kind of like on Okinawa, where many Americans just didn't get it.

Now, as the "naysayer" of this blog I have to say that I take all inferences to what Tatsuo "meant" when teaching with a grain of salt. That grain involves the disparities naturally created through the individual's perceptive filtering. Even when hearing testimony attributed directly from Cisco Shimabuku, the teacher of Marines Isshinryu, both his and the recipient's perceptive filtering change the meaning and as it passes along to others each filter makes subtle changes and the only way to refute any interpretation you would need Tatsuo's exact explanation as documented by him directly - never occurred, never happened so the entire system is open to any interpretations.

The question then becomes, "Is any and all interpretations acceptable, true, and relevant to the practice of the Isshinryu system?" In my view, yes. All interpretations that are beneficial and provide for positive growth of the individual and any of those who may listen to his/her communications on this particular subject are good - all bottles are good, they all serve a purpose.

Ergo, all interpretations are good if they all serve a purpose with the hopes that those purposes are beneficial, good, and enlightening. It must be remembered that styles, style names, and systems are merely individualized views and application of the same thing, fundamental principles of all martial systems. All principles are good, they all serve a purpose, the provide the fundamental foundation of martial arts.

Goku-i and Bottles

It came to mind today for me the question, is the bottles quote implied through references to the ken-po goku-i. If we take each goku-i (used for brevity for ken-po goku-i) and view it from a point that is a belief that all things are good, they all serve a purpose then we can extrapolate:

1. Humans are all inherently good and they all serve a purpose on the Earth as it resides under Heaven.
2. The blood that circulates much like the cycles of both the Sun and Moon are the same but different where the differences still promote all humans and all of nature as good and purposeful to life.
3, 4, 5, and 6 fall under both the above statements with differences indicated so that particulars of the person or human can connect to the fundamental principles of that inference to show the differences and sameness that is beneficial or good to each uniqueness without regard to any type of prejudices.
7 & 8 seem to provide an indication that we look and hear all the myriad things of the Universe, i.e. Humans on Earth residing under all the Heavens, in a manner that indicates difference yet complete understanding that all of it is good and all of it serves a purpose.

Tatsuo Sensei, as indicted by Vesia Sensei blog post, may have meant to promote the different bottles of booze but may also have wanted to express more to his system, his reference to the ken-po goku-i and to this particular quote to get us to think and conclude that all of us under the heavens here on Earth are more alike than our outward appearances, beliefs, and customs might indicate and that we all serve a purpose both as individuals and as a unit, a tribe, or society.

If we remove all inferences to order and numbering of the goku-i then both it and the quote will better connect as one whole or wholehearted effort to perceive, learn, and understand.

Click graphic for larger view.

The Mind of Wu Wei

Flows like water.
Reflects like a mirror.
Responds like an echo.

Longevity:
Sit like a turtle.
Walk like a pidgeon.
Sleep like a dog.
Develop inner quiet.

Words Hurt

I have been hit. I have been on the receiving end of a horizontal butt stroke from a M-14 rifle. I was beaten over the  head with a 2x4. My bunk was set on fire one night after a night of imbibing a bit to much alcohol. Never in my life have I felt the pain I feel when I get hit by words. This is especially so when it comes from someone close to you.

No amount of softening. No amount of dears, friends, loves, etc. added to those words diminish their effects. Like using the word "but" it cancels out any niceties you add when the hurtful words hit.

I can truly say that the words do hurt. I can truly say I don't feel the guilt and anxieties that go with that - mostly - words still hurt and now that I know why I don't feel guilt that is not appropriate.

The more I learn the more I understand and the more I realize just how important communications are and that our own awareness of what is said, how it is said and presuppositions can achieve greatness and hurtfulness - our choice, my choice.

The question now is, do I allow it to continue - enable it - or what? The second question is this, if they don't really realize that they are doing what they are doing how do you make them aware of it without creating a larger rift of anger, resentment, and such?

There is just one pain that exceeds what I describe, the self-realization that I too used words to hurt, bully, cajole, intimidate and that is just wrong. Words can heal - or - hurt. You have to ask yourself, "What did yours do today?" Wise Sufism: Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? Consider this sufism when you consider saying something to someone - remember, the answers are there's if asked, not yours.

Seeing the Practitioner

I am having a great deal of thoughts and idea's regarding how a Sensei provides knowledge, experience, and ability to practitioners. It occurs to me that observation, seeing and hearing, the practitioner as they practice becomes a critical trait of a Sensei.

Sensei can have all the requisite stuff to impart their wisdom. They can do so ad-hoc or they can see and hear the practitioner to determine what is understood and what needs clarification. It is also something necessary to perceive the needs of the next iteration of wisdom.

Ever see a face of confusion when you provide training? It may be how you are perceiving the practitioner where you are not getting what it takes to allow them to learn at a maximum capacity.

Another aspect of the goku-i, to see all sides. You as Sensei must achieve the trait and ability to see all sides of your practitioners. See them as they are and as they can be - their potential. This means seeing the teaching potential that resides in each one - individually, uniquely, and completely.

Provide you dojo the light and guide them along the path. To achieve this open the eyes and see everything - obvious and hidden. Do you truly "see" your students?

The Eight Ken-po Goku-i of Martial Systems

On the surface the tendency to take each of the eight on its own seems logical. In actuality the eight are separate and distinct for teaching purposes. Like the fundamental principles (fundamental principles of martial systems by Steven J. Pearlman, i.e. the Book of Martial Power) are written distinctly in a separate manner to promote teaching, learning, and understanding.

The eight goku-i (Ken-po Goku-i for short/brevity) are separated and numbered only for this purpose. What is not been made clear to those who study the system and the goku-i is once you learn the fundamentals of the eight you remove the separateness of them and merge, meld, morph them into "one."

The "wholehearted way" of Isshinryu is the "one way" or "one heart way" of Tatsuo Sensei's system. One being the key feature of the entire system. Wholehearted brings the heart of the practitioner, the spirit if you will, into the system separately and with distinct parts that must be assembled into "one whole" system - the one heart system.

The eight into one may indicated that it speaks of the mind, heart, and body. Those three spoken separately. Those three merged, melded, and morphed into the one complete and whole person.

Learn the goku-i - separate and distinct. Learn the goku-i - meld, mold, and morph. Learn the goku-i - the one and wholehearted way of Isshinryu. Remove the child references - numbers, orders, and separateness. The great tai chi is the one which then separates into the two - Yang-n-Yin. The two separate into the four into the eight trigrams. The trigrams continue to separate into the hexagrams - the sixty-four.

The separation into the sixty-four are to teach man how the Universe relates to the Earth. How the Earth relates to humans. The three, Heaven-Human-Earth then learn from the separation of the great Tai Chi how to meld, morph, and merge the separate back into the "one." The way of Humans is to see, hear and thus perceive how all the myriad things of the Universe are connected and return back to the great, the one.

This is the method and purpose of following the way in martial arts. This is the method and way - wholehearted - of Tatsuo Shimabuku Sensei in his teachings through the physical of Isshinryu and the Spiritual of Ken-po Goku-i. Physical training is the yang of the great tai chi while the ken-po goku-i is the yin of the great tai chi - the one, wholehearted way.

The ken-po goku-i is the fundamental principles of the spiritual wholehearted way of all martial systems.

Ken-po Goku-i tome seven and eight - seeing and hearing

To give another idea as to why we see these to particular "sensory modes" used in this philosophical reference you need to read the following quote:

"In America today there is an overwhelming emphasis on ear and eye sensory modes. All educational and mass media mechanisms are limited to those two modes, so that those who preference is eye or ear (and especially eye) have an advantage truly impossible to overcome. Except for a smaller number of people all language processing in our culture is done through the sensory mechanisms of eye and ear." - Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D Author of "More on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense."

This is to my mind a profound quote/statement. It rings many bells as to why these two senses dominate the martial arts. I believe wholeheartedly that this goes farther back than modern communications. The first moment of communications be they the grunts and gestures of ancient humans to today's ability to communicate in one form or another where eyes and ears dominate.

Consider teaching or instructing practitioners of martial arts. If a practitioner has a dominant sensory mode of seeing they can have an advantage over hearing and without exception touch. Since martial arts like karate involve moving the body the sense of touch, with restrictions, can aid a person who is identified as touch dominant to learn quickly. I can extrapolate from this that Sensei who have not identified this aspect of teaching can find their participants being less that could be. Imagine you know this tidbit of information and use it to ensure that all your practitioners get the most out of your guidance, knowledge and experience.

In most the left brain processes information that comes in patterned chunks of information one after the other. This is like numbering and the letters of the alphabet. The left side attends to those parts and pieces while the right side "wholes" not formed in logical patterns. The left is mostly in favor of the eye and ear senses while the right side touch. The other senses beyond sight, sound and touch are nonexistent for this lesson, i.e. taste, etc.

I quote, "The effect of our concentration on training the left brain and letting the right founder about without help means that we educate and foster a dominant sense mode of eye and ear, neglecting the other touch dominant sense mode. If you have a practitioner who suddenly becomes frustrated with your efforts you might try to discover if their sense mode is touch vs. the dominant seeing and hearing.

When discovering methods to pass along all that knowledge, skill and enthusiasm for your system remember that although the eye and ear dominant in communications, i.e. teaching, you may discover that touch can benefit your efforts. In the greatest of all scenario's a Sensei who can incorporate seeing, hearing and touching to train and practice may benefit the participants greatly and thus the dojo. The skill then can be to determine the dominant sense and emphasize instruction individually to achieve greater results - skill, knowledge, and proficiency.

Once again give attention, thought and discovery to the meaning of, "The eyes must see all sides. The ears must listen in all directions."

Bibliography:
Elgin, Suzette Haden, Ph.D. "More on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense." Prentice Hall. New Jersey. 1983.

Letting Go

We receive instruction. We have no reasoning to believe what we are taught is real, accurate, and truthful. When we establish a relationship in the dojo, Sensei and Deshi, Sempai and Kohai and fellow dojo participants it builds a bond, tribal oriented bond. We become a family that tends to stick together - group protection.

Our associations create a bond, a culture, dojo customs. We come to have certain beliefs about the system, the dojo and the Sensei. This is all a good thing. It is instinctive and natural. We gravitate toward like minds and like activities. Much like the natural survival instincts of history we collect together and form a group that bonds and protects and socializes. We survive together even if we no longer fear lions and tigers and bears.

We, the group, must be careful that our customs, traditions and beliefs don't become mired in dogmatic doctrine with a rigidity that removes any chance of flexibility and change. We must be mindful that all things change and that change is a good thing. If it were not then we would not have the great Tai Chi, the I Ching and the Tao Te Ching - among others.

If we allow our group to become so rigid then we lose site of balance as taught by the Ancients - Nature. It is like the sky above, the earth below and all of the living things - in the moment, present, and moving through time.

That which nature and the ancients teach is nothing is made of stone. All things are headed somewhere. We live in the moment and the moment is a continuous changing moving moment - moment by moment. To achieve balance we accept the moment, the movement, the change. Change means allowing that what we know and knew are not permanent. We must allow our customs, traditions and beliefs to live, breath, and grow - change.

Accept the changes, gain balance and believe - believe in change. Sometimes you just have to let go!

Red-Blue | Yang-Yin | In-Yo | Heat-Cold

The great tai chi symbol originally was red and white. It occurred to me that there may be more interpretations to the symbol not covered in my previous postings. We see in today's symbol the colors black and white. I discovered that long ago when first created there were no dye's for black and of course white is usually a byproduct of creating paper or bamboo where no color could be interpreted later as white. I would suggest that if dye's were available for blue it might have been the opposite to the red.

I can only speculate that we see the common black-white as an interpretation of dark and light or the night sky vs. the sun's daylight. All of these to my mind work and have a sense of truth.

I have come to understand that if the red and blue has been used we could then use the forging of a Japanese sword, the Katana, as representative of the forging we as martial artist must endure to create a balance enlightened person.

The color red represents fire and heat. Fire and heat are used to heat the metals of the soon to be blade of the katana. If we were to allow that to occur and then stop with out consideration for the entire process the sword would actually be brittle. If we heat it then simply dip it once in the cool blue water then it will cool rapidly and once again if not considered as a whole process leave a brittle blade. It is a repetitive process of hot/red and cool/blue to work the metal until it reaches that stage where it adheres to a strength that allows it to endure battle yet flexibility that prevents it from breaking. It allows just enough of a combination in forging to create one of the finest blades known to man.

Red is also representative of anger. Anger if not cooled and tempered will create a brittle mind and body easily defeated in all crises. Using a cool mind represented by blue which is related to cool, peaceful and a comfort we can temper the minds anger from red to blue until we reach a mind and body that remain present and balanced.

Is this a viable hypothesis?

Customs, Traditions, Cultures and Beliefs

Customs: accepted or habitual practice; a specific practice of long standing; Frequent repetition of the same act; way of acting common to many; ordinary manner; habitual practice; usage; method of doing or living; a specific practice of long standing, etc.

Traditions: A long-established custom or belief that has been passed on in this way; An artistic or literary method or style established by an artist, writer, or movement, and subsequently followed by others; an inherited pattern of thought or action; a specific practice of long standing, etc.

Culture: The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively; The attitudes and behavior characteristic of a particular social group; The customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group; the tastes in art and manners that are favored by a social group; acculturation: all the knowledge and values shared by a society, etc.

Beliefs: An acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists; Something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion or conviction; Trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something; impression: a vague idea in which some confidence is placed; any cognitive content held as true, etc.

I have been informed that Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei spoke to a few American's who seemed to have an interest in continuing his system of practice of the intent to learn more about the Okinawan customs, traditions and beliefs. We know that he spoke of these things as he presented those first few the silk certificates that included a rank/level pronouncement and the ken-po goku-i. Some attempted to get a greater explanation of his intentions - alas, none were forthcoming so reliance on second and third had testimonials are used.

I have no way to know for sure if this was intentional on Tatsuo Sensei's part of just a huge chasm between the cultures of Okinawa and America. It is known that humans create a world through the perceptive filters created by environment, culture, customs, traditions and beliefs of family and the society to which the family is a member. Experience as we travel through life adds, supplements, modifies our perceptive filters thus changing the world we create by our mind. Those filters provide us the knowledge and experience to either take the red pill or the blue pill.

Our own customs, traditions, culture and beliefs drive us and it can be difficult to observe and learn of other customs, traditions, cultures and beliefs if any of the data causes stress as it may or may not relate to our own - cognizant dissonance occurs and creates cause and affect to the perceptive filters of our mind.

The greatest challenge to the transmission of a system such as Okinawa Karate, i.e. Tatsuo's interpretation of karate in Isshinryu, is that our preceptive filters tend to cause changes thus changing the traditional beliefs of the original system into something unique to the individual, the individuals family and the individuals tribe/society where they reside. Classical training takes precedence when a practitioner works diligently to remain as true as humans can to the original intent, training, customs, traditions, culture and beliefs of the creator - such as Tatsuo Sensei and Okinawan Isshinryu.

This becomes a conundrum to the practitioner of the systems of karate or other martial systems.  It is believed that once a human intervenes in an experiment that experiment is thus tainted unintentionally. That unintentional intrusion that causes a distinct effect to the experiment taints any chance of an unbiased result.

As today's practitioners take on the mantel of Isshinryu and martial arts generally they influence that practice intentionally and unintentionally. I believe that a true practitioner of a martial art cannot avoid this shift due to the personal perceptive filters created over our life time.

The most difficult aspect of my practice of a martial system is learning to see past some of my filters with a mind that this also is tainted by those same filters. This is a truth that colors our world where clarity over rose colored shadows can lead and mislead. This is my belief in the disparities encountered between various Isshinryu houses. They all have a distinct blueprint that manufactured that home or dojo. Changes are not impossible, merely difficult if approached from a path foreign to the belief system of that dojo.

It is my hope that I can inspire a very small view that transcends the view currently held in each dojo of Isshinryu. To inspire a change. A change that benefits the system and promotes the core belief of its founder to learn of his customs, traditions, culture and beliefs which will promote a better understanding of all customs, traditions, cultures, and beliefs - all of them.

Let me close this post by saying that I understand a bit more why Tatsuo Sensei asked his American practitioners to embrace this study. It does seem to enrich the practice and the system itself overall. It also promotes my personal belief that taking this intent places its importance within those fundamental principles of all martial systems. It fits to how we interact with other tribes, other societies, and other nations.

Buddhism and Martial Arts

Historically speaking and to give due regard to the practice of all martial arts one should study the history of the arts. In my case that means Okinawan origins with extensive influences by China and later Japan pre-1900's and early 1900's.

When a person speaks about Buddhism they tend to direct thoughts of Japanese origins. This is true to a small extent. The martial artists must realize that the Buddhist influences originate from China and China's Buddhism originates from India. It can be a bit daunting when you study the traditions of a system such as martial arts with specifics for me in karate of Okinawa.

To better understand what was in the minds of those who created the systems we practice today it is important to study their traditions, beliefs and customs. A huge custom and belief for all is Buddhism - in one form or another.

I wish to take a look at some fundamentals of Buddhism to see how they connect to my practice of Okinawan Karate-jutsu-do and to understand what Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei meant by asking his American practitioners to study Okinawan's and their customs, courtesies and beliefs.

For me there is a bit of groundwork I want to express to set the stage for this post. I try to understand that humans fashion narratives/stories to express our self-understanding and to contribute to a structure of meaning for life. When we fashion/create these narratives/stories I understand them to be a form that provides me information of varying degrees as to the way I see the world and interpret my experience within the world.

I will often utilize various mythological symbols or narrative motifs from any surrounding data and then adjust-change-transform the meaning in some new and creative way - this is normal for any human mind to my current understanding.

I also make a note as to karma, karma being that "action" which is a moral belief of cause and effect which is then bases solely upon my actions.

Buddhism has what is referred to in some sects as the four noble truths. When you actually see the context of those truths they do relate to other beliefs and customs used in classical traditions of martial practice. They are:

1 - the truth of suffering.
2 - the truth of the arising of suffering.
3 - the truth of cessation of suffering.
4 - the truth of the path that leads to the cessation of suffering.

Taking the systems within the Ancient Chinese Classics, which are influential in both Okinawa and Japan systems, there is the great Tai Chi which fundamentally are the reference to Yang-Yin. Life is suffering. Take a moment to understand that our greatest lessons usually come from those things that cause suffering - look at it as stress from anger, fear, etc.

To begin to practice karate-jutsu-do you must know the "truth" of what is is and what it provides. To take just a small part of it results in incomplete knowledge, understanding and proficiency in use of its applicable principles and resulting techniques. In a nutshell to not understand the truth behind the practice will result in "suffering." Think personal damage, legal ramifications, and those medical resulting for use of karate-jutsu without the moral compass of such teachings.

Truth arises in karate practice if you fail to assimilate, study and apply the principles, etc. The goal is to stop the suffering by learning to apply karate-jutsu-do and avoid violent encounters, etc. that always result is suffering.

When we fully understand the truth of suffering and what causes it then we can truly take the path, or way, that results in our ability to stop that suffering. Take it to mean knowing the truth of fighting and violence whereby your practice achieves a level of proficiency where you can avoid it. On those rare occasions when confronted by crises you then apply the practices and principles that allow you to not use physical means to resolve the crises. Avoidance, deescalation, etc.

Lets say all the worst occurs then if you apply karate-jutsu properly you are able to keep the damage to the absolute minimum for you and your threat. Even now we can apply the third truth.

As spoken of in many martial arts narratives/stories the true master achieves enlightenment which is the truth of the path that leads to cessation of suffering. His or her mere presence defects threats and crises where they no longer need to apply the arts.

The four truths as to Buddhism provide a means for humans to become "Buddha Like" where there efforts within achieve ability to spread the truths and the learnings to others as society service. This sometimes referred to as a living "nirvana."

As we continue to view the fundamentals of Buddhism the four truths are expanded by the study and achievement of the eight-fold path. When you see how the break down of that path unfolds to Buddhist practices you will see a correlation to such things as Bushido.

The eight-fold path:

Right Understanding; Right Thought which equates to "Wisdom."
Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood which equates to "Morality."
Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration which equates to "Mental Discipline."

Can you start to see how it connects and cause-effects the practices of both Okinawan and Japanese martial arts?

It is understood that study of each is necessary to learn. It is understood that they are all developed and applied simultaneously. This is similar to the study of the fundamental principles of marital systems, you do them separately and apply them simultaneously. These eight-fold dimensions of practice are broken down into the "threefold learning." Once again numerology appears with the number "3."

In Buddhist practice of the truths and paths one must also develop proper morality through regulation of your speech (verbal, written, etc. communications - gentle art of verbal self-defense), your behavior, and your work. This means controlling your words or actions that may cause suffering for others. It is believed you also avoid occupations that cause harm to others such as arms dealing, etc.

Buddhism, like martial arts, asserts that there is a mental challenge required to achieve the various levels. A mental discipline that transforms the mind and thus the body.

Buddhism uses "meditation" a a means to transform your mind so that when dealing with the world you are able to act, think, and respond wisely and compassionately. This is promoted in those practices of avoidance, deescalation and so forth.

Buddhism is a philosophy of the mind. It is a guide to the layperson to allow them to select a path for life. It provides us the ability to see and hear that the world is not just a battleground between good and evil. It is a means for a person to transform the consciousness and follow a way so you can truly possess reality of the world.

It provides guidance, as we find in martial systems, to understand and control - somewhat - our intent: both conscious and unconscious intent. This then controls the actions that result not allowing the actions to simply act. It promotes, like in marital training, a moral behavior, think etiquette, etc., that creates a dependence to both mind and action - a mind-body connection.

The world we live in is a product of our minds. Everything in our world is altered  by our mind - our conscious perceptions. Everything we sense is filtered through our consciousness and that can either distort it or recognize the truth in it by the experience.

Buddhist meditation, the moving meditation of martial practice, techniques were created and developed to teach humans to "see" the world and to wake us up to the interdependent and non-dualistic nature of reality.

An important principle of Buddhist practices, martial practices that result in a dogmatic adherence to that practice, teaches us that this conditioned "attachment" is a delusional reality that prevents us from breaking away from it. Meditation, martial practice, must therefor promote breaking away from the attachment to allow true understanding and the ability to see and hear reality and truth.

Buddhism is practiced within the realm of discipline and practice. Karate-jutsu-do is practiced within the realm of discipline and practice, practice, practice. In marital arts a  person learns discipline and control of the mind. It can result in removal of the filters that distort our perceptions and reprogram the mind so that perceptions of reality are real and reflect the way the world is and not necessarily those of our narrative/story.

Buddhism increases the power of perception and the mind. Martial arts increases the power of perception and the mind. Since our only access to reality is by way of our minds the martial practice trains the mind to see and hear and sense truth of reality. Buddhism and Martial Arts both achieve this.

To understand the classical traditions, beliefs and customs that made the martial arts what they are you would need to understand those traditions  that influenced their creation. To understand such as Buddhism and its cousins Zen, etc. you would seek out the knowledge then understanding from their studies. This provides the balance needed to truly learn, practice and teach authentic classical traditions of the martial arts world.

Something to Consider?

Falling Down the Rabbit Hole

If we as martial artist take that leap into the rabbit hole we are acknowledging failurs, loss of power and control or a failure toward casutiousness. As we fall we get a feeling of flying providing a real sense of independence. It denotes we are regaining real control by the process of falling into the rabbit hole. We also sense a feeling of freedome and release that relate to attaining a transcendant state.

The hole itself represents a start of a change or transformation. It also represents our deepest most transcendent wisdom or information about our unconscious. It is seeing into our depths, what does this reveal.

We could also accept the well to represent our deep seated unconscious information about our wisdom. It can mean our effort to look deep down into the depth of ourselves to see what we can reveal.

In the Matrix trilogy they used another symbol that is merely a vertical shaft vs. a horizontal one, i..e cave vs. well, where the cave is about our inner most or hidden issues. Those we covered up unconsciously to feel good about ourselves and to alleviate pain and suffering. We enter the rabbit hole or cave to see just what we can find, what we keep hidden and to find out where discovery leads.

Wells, rabbit holes, caves, etc. are all under ground. Underground symbolizes that hidden side of self. It is that shadow that lies in the depths of experience. It is that otherworld, that matrix, - the mystical world beyond the veil of reality. It is our soul where reside our spirits. It represents who we are and where that comes from as to our past.

The rabbit hole symbolizes a hallway as well. Another vertical well or tunnel. Entering into and following the path of a tunnel that our unconscious creates can open our innermost memories and feelings. This is especially important to those that we bury deep to hide away and from. It can also symbolize a re-birth or resurrection. It also shows you the doorways leading off the hallway that can be various apsects of you and inform you that they connect to one another. That connection is important so you realize that those connections that are hidden still affect those that are not dragging one or the other back into the depths of the unconscious reflecting stresses and their effects.

The corridor is no mans land, a place between conscious and unconscious where being stuck/trapped is unsatisfactory to life and health and well-being. It leads to some end and that ending is determinant on your awareness of this corridor, this well, the cave, the rabbit hole. Just how deep, long or wide remains within your control.

It is apparent that the opposite of this is the rabbit hole can also mean a regression, tuning inward, to escape from threats, problems, boredom and those stories that hurt, cause pain, and create effects that are not good for the mind and body.

The opposite also shows the symbols of the rabbit hole, etc. as a pit or void. It means a place of emptiness. A place where feelings are trapped. We face the void only to understand that means falling into it. We fall into the nothing, but with the potential to increase awareness with a effect of transformation beyond our imaginations. This is the power of change. The power of self-liberation.

Often in martial arts we refer to becoming a state of awareness like a mirror that reflects truth and understanding. It represents our looking inward to seek enlightenment. It can symbolize self-image. It can represent our identity - both good and bad. It means looking, seeing, into the unconscious to see exactly who we are and to reveal all that we hide from ourselves. The confusion can be informing. It can still provide information to show you you.

The opening to the well, corridor, cave, etc. can be an entrance, opening, or a door. It can be a symbol to new experiences as well as a passing from one state of self to another. The new self being a new realization of self. Doors are something you can or not open. It can open you to other people and ideas. This is an entrance to a new life. The walking through a door is a transit into another space - a transition. How we transit to another space is like walking, crawling, falling, riding, running, flying or jumping. Walking can symbolize/signify a confident entrance to the unconscious; falling can mean out-of-control or accidental or a chaotic quality to the transit. You need to ask yourself as this stage: where, how, or what are you transitioning toward?

This is what we do when we take on a martial practice. This is what must be accomplished to balance out the body and mind. This singular endeavor can insert the key into the door that lets you see just how far the corridor goes, how deep the well, the rabbit hole and just how deep and wide the cave.

Thank You

A few years ago I began seeking more. I felt a need to know about SD and fighting beyond my then current level. It provided me many discoveries. Discoveries about my training, practice and me. The me part has recently become more discovery than I intended. It is something I needed and did not know I needed.

I have discovered some not very nice traits. If not for the teachings of many I would not have discovered those things  and that would be depressing and most unfortunate.

I want to say thank you to a few folks. I won't provide names. I don't wish to forget or overlook any one person - not nice of me. I want to say thank you to those folks for putting themselves out there. Those efforts provided me the awareness that will result in my growth as a person. I want to say thank you to the authors, web sites, blog posters, article authors, teachers/mentors/instructors and those references they provided that led to this recent epiphany. I would not and could not have discovered the needs and traits without that effort - thank you.

The road before me is going to be the most difficult road I have ever encountered in my life of fifty-seven years. The only regret, I was not aware or astute enough to see what was needed at a much younger age. It is truly never to late.

So, with out more I say to all of you, "thank you."

GAVSD (Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defence)

I have posted recently on this particular self-defense written by Dr. Elgin, PhD. and want to clarify something. It may seem as if I am promoting this a the ultimate art of self-defense. I am simply excited by the possibilities this type of knowledge can achieve in crises handling. It is relevant and a tool like any other tool that provides benefits when used properly. I just happen to feel it is a fundamental tool in avoiding conflicts.

I have all the GAVSD books. I have read almost all of them first time around. I know I will read them again and again. I also will actively follow her recommendations to improve my communications. That improvement will also provide me more knowledge to improve my self-protection method of avoidance. It has already in my personal and professional life.

My enthusiastic postings are my efforts to inspire readers to read her books. To decide on the value for themselves. If you enjoy my posts that is frosting on the cake for me.

Ego Driven Blog?

Sometimes when I write and post I consider the reasons. I ask myself if I am doing this to feed my ego. It is difficult to really tell. I tell myself it is a good model to learn and pass along thoughts and idea's on my practice and training. I tell myself that I write in a manner that leaves ego and pride out of it - I ask, "Am I successful?"

My efforts to see what is down the rabbit hole sometimes seems truthful. Sometimes it seems not. I discovered using the word seem can be deceptive. Can this mean I am just discovering its true meaning therefore provides the opportunity to reflect once again and discover the truth vs. a self-deception?

Can I be honest with myself now and say, "My efforts to see what is down the rabbit hole is truthful. Sometimes it is not."? At this particular moment I can say, yes. I can also say that this requires self-honest evaluation on a consistent basis. It is easy to fall back into those habits that developed digging the rabbit hole deeper.

Something to consider ... what we say and do and write ... is it filled with presuppositions that provide hidden self-talk that the unconscious mind recognizes with out more conscious awareness resulting in a deeper and darker rabbit hole?

In an honest effort I will say I believe that my blog(s) are a teaching tool for me and a means to express to others my ideas and thoughts for comment and feedback of a beneficial way - to learn and create light in my rabbit hole. Is there a presupposition  that is within this statement nullifying it?

My wife uses a Sufism, "Is it kind, is it true, is it necessary?" Can this be used for posting as well? All three or two or one of them? How would you accomplish this?

The Rabbit Hole

To achieve awareness first recognize that the rabbit hole is yours and your standing over it. Look down the rabbit hole and you may see nothing but darkness that runs deep. This is a good thing - self-awareness of the rabbit hole.

To know just how deep the rabbit hole goes you must get some light to see past the darkness. This is an internal event. It is a self-crises that must be overcome to light the rabbit hole.

To send light down the rabbit hole to see just how far it goes is to become aware of those things within us that are not allowing the truth to be present and in our consciousness. To see just how far the rabbit hole goes you must choose to take the red pill or the blue pill. As always, your choice.

To become aware, take the red pill to open the mind and become aware of the rabbit hole. Many tend to take the blue pill. It is a painful process to light up the rabbit hole, look into it - like looking into your soul - and then taking that first step into the rabbit hole.

I have taken the red pill. It is a hard path and I still am not sure where the rabbit hole will take me. I have discovered that the hole although dark and deep still provides growth and serenity to my life as I encounter each thing and change it to a more positive thing - a most difficult task.

The practice of karate-jutsu-do in tandem with the ken-po goku-i was my red pill. During my journey down the rabbit hole each level in my training, practice and studies has created a greater light intensity showing me the way. The rabbit hole is deep. The light removes doubt and fear and frustrations so I can truly see beyond the many stories covering my self.

I don't say this to express that this is the way. It is just my way and my philosophy. I have taken the red pill, I remain in wonderland and I am finding out just how deep the rabbit hole is. If I had taken the blue pill I would still be blissfully living in the matrix believing everything the matrix wanted me to believe regardless and in direct opposition to truth.

Unlike Cypher, I would not desire to return to the matrix and be plugged back in for the benefits I have experienced next the pain of discovery and change is far greater.

Jutsu-Do

Recently I read the article, "Jutsu vs. Do," by Iain Abernethy Sensei. Outstanding article read here first if you so wish.

Abernethy Sensei does an excellent job explaining his perceptions and understanding of the two terms as applied to the practice of martial systems. I agree with his assessments. I also believe it explains an aspect taught in Chinese Classics that all life deals with a duality of Yang-Yin.

To me, karate is both jutsu and do, much like Sensei articulates in his post. To me, it is the duality of karate training and practice. To practice and maintain the traditions of Okinawan karate both sides of that coin must balance to achieve a level of proficiency leading to enlightenment - both physical and psychological.

The ken-po goku-i, the bubishi, the I Ching, and the Tao Te Ching bring many lessons with a theme of duality in balance. To meld jutsu and do, dojo and society, internal self and external person, etc. Everything connects and this is one lesson of many in karate-jutsu-do.

The naming of a system should exemplify the systems principles. To provide a limiting title creates confusion and misunderstandings. Take the title/name "karate." Depending on who is hearing the term, title, name you get many differing explanations/interpretations of just what that means. Until you clear that air you cannot truly understand its true meaning in practice and training.

So much in training is missing due to misunderstandings through ambiguities such as this. It may seem frivolous yet it does have an affect. You may ask, "Why bother?" Use verbal self-defense skills as the example. If you cannot determine meaning and then articulate a response how can you deescalate and/or avoid the common crisis/conflict that results when things go bad. Verbal communications are known to be the impetus of most conflicts.

Read his article. Consider what it means to you and then decide. It is your practice and training. It is your goals and accomplishments in this that matter. If it provides balance then it is good.

One

The great Tai Chi. The one that became Yang-Yin. Then became the trigrams then hexagrams. The one. The one of karate. The one in life, that one thing that brings meaning to all things. Isshinryu or "one" heart method/way/technique, etc.

Neo, the one, the one who will free the mind. Through our practice of the one heart we can learn to free our mind. Neo is an anagram for one, just look for it.

To grow in spirit practice with one in mind, the one being you, yourself, you within your mind and body. Learn to break the one into the two and find them in balance through your practice and training.

Use the full and complete training of kata. Not many but just one kata.

One kata, not many. Many is fine once you learn the one. Learning one kata has come to mean learning the movement. The movement must be clean, crisp, and most of all pretty. I mean pretty like the performance in floor exercises in gymnastics or up on the rings or even the horse or beam. This takes great skill. In kata it means something is missing.

Learn one kata means to truly learn it to its fullest depth and breadth. Often I have posted that to learn one kata means you learn all kata. To spend time and effort on one will teach you what you need to then learn other kata in a shorter time period. Why? Because you know the depth and breadth of one kata. That one kata encompasses those principles that transcend kata versions as well as systems and styles be they hard, soft or a combination thereof.

Often the idea of many kata as many black belts for many systems or styles has become the goal, the marker of a master. Too bad, so much is missed because of this misconception of proficiency and ability. To score 9.8's and 9.7's for kata performance has taken precedence over kata to self protection, combat, fighting, or what ever is required for the moments scenario. Too bad ...

Spending all your time on many kata leaves no time to learn karate. Yes, you can do the form in its most rudimentary level - can you apply it randomly yet with direct application to the appropriate threat? Too bad ...

To learn one kata with all the fundamental principals of martial systems then learning what violence is and achieving the ability to recognize it and act accordingly overcoming all its adversities is a real challenge, does your kata do that? Too bad ...

If I had to lay claim to just one thing in all my years of practice it would be with pride I would say I learned one kata completely, thoroughly, deeply and to its greatest breadth much like gazing at the heavens and seeing no end or limitations. I would say I learned one kata this way and made it work.

When you have learned your first kata moves and your Sensei says your ready to begin the next, STOP, respectfully ask to learn all there is to learn on that one kata first - you have all the time in the world to add to your kata with meaning and purpose toward karate's meaning and purpose. Wouldn't that be great?

If your the offspring of the traditional, post 1900's implementation to schools on Okinawa and Japan, form of learning it is not too late. Stop, choose the one kata that speaks to you as the unique individual you are and then seek the knowledge to learn and practice "just one kata" to completion. You will enrich your training and practice and thus achieve greater understanding of all those other rudimentary kata. Sounds good to me ...

Seeing, Hearing, and Feeling

The ken-po goku-i speaks directly to the two terse references to seeing and hearing. We can go on-n-on on those two. It appears another very important sense to use and understand for karate-do through this reference is "feeling."

Iain Abernethy Sensei speaks about the use of two hands in kata bunkai. The use of the hands where while one strikes the other is feeling the body movement as well as deflecting, etc. to supplement the striking hand. Note: there is more to this. Recommend viewing his video's for more.

The ability to feel the movement of the threat gives you additional sensing information to properly act. It tells you they are moving, in what direction, and then by its message provides you the actions necessary to exploit that movement.

In addition a karate-ka must not rely only on seeing or hearing or feeling. It should be a combination of all of them. Sometimes hearing a noise, looking to identify and classify may not be enough. A lot of times when attacked from the rear or blind side all you get is the ability to feel an aggressive touch. Once you feel it you have to act, to move, and to apply actions that will keep you from damage.

Feeling may be implied in the ken-po goku-i. It is not directly referenced, obvious to the reader. You can get an inference to feeling if you know to recognize the ken-po goku-i though symbolism and the Isshinryu-no-Megami. The time to strike is symbolized by the open and closed hands of the goddess so you can kind of extrapolate that this includes feeling with the hands. Going outside the box would add that feeling the others hands, i.e. open being representative of non-aggressive touch vs. closed hand representative of an aggressive touch or strike or joint manipulation and so on.

You can also use symbolism of the darkness represented in the goddess to mean one must use touch and thus how that touch feels something with interpretation as to that objects intent be it aggressive or not. We must use our hands and touch and feeling through the touch sense to determine obstacles and threats in darkness of all kinds.

Symbolism and its teachings, something to consider.

Thanks to Iain Sensei for this lesson on two hands and feel/touch, etc. Sometimes the obvious remains hidden until someone turns on a light. Light on! I also must mention that Rory Miller expresses the importance of touch or feeling to fighting, etc. in his book Facing Violence. Mr. Miller also speaks of smell as well which is unusual - how many teaching SD speak of touch and smell?

The Matrix is Real

We live in a matrix of our own doing every single day. Recent viewing of the matrix with story notes stimulated this thought. It can seem real yet some distant instinctual ghost of a thought says this is something more or different although seemingly real. This can be the stories we tell ourselves to make life comfortable - our comfort matrix of our mind.

We each experience life. Each of us will interpret those particular experiences and assume it represents reality. This is true to each individual due to their particular believe system which when compared to other systems becomes a divergent belief system that each of us possesses - The Matrix. Our belief system can be wrong and therefore our reality is not what we think it is - our matrix, the matrix.

If true then our reality is to be questioned in order to discover what exists behind our self induced illusions - our stories of comfort.

To be free from the matrix of our own design we shall have to accept the truth of the world which is the only path to true enlightenment. We have to achieve an ability to get past the matrix or the true nature of the human mind and karate-do is a means to develop a mind-body ability to reach enlightenment - unplugging from our matrix.

No where else can I determine such direct confrontation of the matrix than by the mind-body practice of karate-do. No where else can I determine such rapid emphasis on the reality than when a technique or mind fails to perceive the reality of such endeavors, i.e. protection in fighting and/or combat, speaks by way of pain. Pain is a good teacher.

To achieve the "way" one must come to some state where the uneasy peace karate-do presents achieves a balance of both Yin-n-Yang, i.e. the rational and irrational of the matrix. Understanding first and foremost that our minds are a matrix - of a sort - that produces both reality and stories is paramount to escaping the matrix. Accepting that we can control our mind thus the matrix is to build and strengthen our will and creativity. It is our natural ability of free will utilization and our innate creativity that allows is to unplug. Sometimes the comfort of the matrix keeps us chained to such things as rigidity and dogmatic doctrine that limits our enlightenment.

Don't' allow the matrix to dictate to you what enlightenment is ... allow your mind to be free, freeing the mind from the matrix of our own making. After all, the matrix we deal with although influenced externally is still ours and we can change it - free will, creativity, due diligence, and believing in oneself are the key to following any path where the way of the empty hand is the first gate to open allowing access to the second and third gates.

Free your mind; free your body; achieve free will; build on creativity and all through the singular, the one, practice of karate-do [any do will do the same].

Bibliography:
Young, Mark. An Interpretation of the Philosophy of the Matrix Trilogy. 2003 - 2011. The Matrix 101. Date of Access: 2 Aug 2011 http://www.thematrix101.com/contrib/myoung_aitptm.php