Farewell.

Studying greater minds than my own, I know that I do not know much and, while my study into these lessons that I began with explorations in previous posts will continue, I do not feel that I know enough to keep writing about them, at least not publicly.
I will maintain these things in personal journals and share with whomever is interested, although I am certain they will bring more to the table than I will and it would be a humbling honor to learn from them, whomever they may be.

I am going to cease contributing to this blog as I am not really certain it does anything, other than give me a platform for my own ideas and ideas are meant to be worked.
Writing may be a form of working them, but it feels as though a public exercise such as this only serves to prop one up and cry out ‘over here! Notice what I have to offer!’
It IS all within, but I have nothing to offer for others that they often do not already know and I know there is a great deal which I do not know, I would rather spend my time there, it is more of a challenge to learn than it is for me to write.

Thank you for reading and if you got something out of it, great! I hope you find what you do not know from someone great and keep discovering, keep working, keep sweating and toiling away.
What I have offered here is meager and ultimately self-centric from my own experiences about which I am only beginning to understand.
I am no one and will one day be forgotten. So this is all just trivial.

Arigato.

Musings on Principles Based Deep Dive.

Deep diving into the notion of Principles Based Training has really brought some new angles to light and raised some really great questions.
These questions may not be appreciated by everyone, but ultimately that cannot be helped and, regarding reactions, may give rise to more questions within each that reacts, questions like 'why do I feel this way about what he just said?' or 'Why is this causing such a reaction within myself?'

To start... We tend to focus on the end result, or shape, of each principle and label that as the primary thing, like Jodan Uke, rather than taking what the whole body is doing into account, or even what our opponent is doing.
'Jodan Uke' is a label given to classify something that was not previously isolated and classified, isolation of an end shape may be the ideal shape we wish to achieve, but it is not important in the grand scheme of things.
Does it work? How? If not, then why? In what context did it work and in what context did it not work? What is the 'it' to which I am referring? Is it the end shape or the total movement as it is happening?

In conflict there are no 'end shapes' other than the end goal, which is to end the conflict and/or escape the situation altogether.
If something works to that end then it is correct, if it does not, then it is not correct. Whether it LOOKS the way it is supposed to look is not the point.
Are standards imposed from the outside important? Maybe to a certain extent, but more as guideposts, not as the immutable rule, mainly because everyone is different and the lessons learned for each person, even from the same principles, will be different.

Preservation of a system for the sake of preservation is not really doing the system justice, and maybe we need to stop thinking in terms of systems in the first place because such a thing implies 'programming' or 'programmable' responses, which are counter-productive to effective application.
Going along with the answers being within, there is nothing to teach, but lessons to learn, and this begins with learning the lessons, not with how someone else learned the lessons.
What would the role of a Teacher be in this instance? As a guide, to pose the questions and get the student to think, to question, to understand what it is the moment has to Teach them about particular principles being worked.

I tend to agree with Patrick McCarthy Sensei and many others in that Kata are a culmination of principles, first learn the principles, learn what those principles mean to YOU, then check out the Kata, but don't get hung up on it.
What do Kata include? The lessons can be isolated insofar as one focuses on principles rather than 'snapshots' or 'end shapes,' because these really miss the point. Mabuni Kenwa Sensei even stated that there are no 'static positions in Karate,' so this idea MUST be thrown out because it was never an original part of it.
Karate is NOT a system, it may contain schools with different approaches, some having different Kata representing different lessons learned, and this is fine, but these are not the main focus, nor, even, necessarily of any real importance beyond being tools to lead towards one's inner way and manifesting THAT into the world.
What good is preserving a System or Tradition if it is not used to Educate (to draw out) what is within?

Belts are an artificial method of measuring progress and, more often than not, just a commercialized device to gain more revenue for the school or the Organization.
Tests, as they are practiced in Karate today, require the memorization of rote forms, single and two person, great if you are just training to test, not so good if you are training for practicality, functionality, and even personal health, it is not really a good approach.
BJJ, Judo, and similar arts have a system that basically requires students to perform principles in matches against resisting opponents, albeit there is some memorization of 'techniques,' the shape of the technique has little to do with the successful application of the technique, at least when it comes to looking EXACTLY like the technique.
Something different needs to give in Karate overall. Performance and function need to determine good form, form should be functional and effectiveness coupled with experience and understanding should be the measure upon which we recognize an individual's growth... Perhaps belts should be thrown out altogether, at least for adults, the kids like them.

This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as my deep diving into this stuff, more to come, next article I will focus more on my discoveries in the principles of Kata, starting with Hookiyu Dai Ichi and Dai Ni (Toguchi lineage).

Good day.

What Is Already Present.

There is a point where one really has to look at what they are doing, what they have been taught, and really ask themselves why?

When we break things down to their base principles three hundred things become two, maybe three things and that is really all one needs in order to be safe, to defend and get away, even to take it to a level of putting someone down if necessary.

It is not complicated and, deep down inside, we all know this as we are the product of many generations whom have effectively applied this in order to stay alive long enough to pass on their genes.

None of this is new, it is already there within, maybe a jumbled unfortunates mess and atrophy if we have not been forced into situations that require these things (and many haven’t), but they are there nonetheless.

Striking. Grappling. Throwing/Takedowns.

Awareness. Assessment. Engagement.

My own take is that we train to hone skills already present on a barely conscious level and these are not just physical skills.

Most approaches are as though they are ingraining something not yet ingrained, rather than waking something up they are building something up.

Perhaps both approaches may be valid? Maybe. What I am most concerned with is cutting through to the core that can be readily used.

Training three hundred responses to one thing might be fun, but is it useful? For me it would be more useful to bring out what is already there, to get to know the principles, and not really care what the assailant does other than getting the assailant down and getting away.

For this I only need to know maybe two or three things and maybe I do not even really need to know them on a conscious level because thinking is often too slow and stands to get you maimed or murdered out there.

In contrast I am also a Kata guy; I find great value in analyzing those principles, maybe I find the exercise to be a lot of fun, but fun is how humans internalize things. Very similar to how baby animals play fight.

They do not learn a specific way of doing things, no techniques, they just learn to flow and the principles tend to come naturally.

These two things seem mutually exclusive unless you START with free play, move to examine the principles of Kata, then go back to free play and really start to see some amazing things happen.

Break it down and focus on specific things, I do not just do rote Kata for the sake of performing a pattern to perfection as I am not a tournament player.

Focus on locking principles one week, focus on striking another, muchimidi another, practice against a wall, around tables and chairs, with stuff strewn all about the floor, sucker punched or attacked from behind, ambushed rounding a corner, practice escape and running.

All very important stuff, shift back to Kata with new eyes, then shift back to play.

Some might prefer a more technical or technique based approach, which is fine, some might prefer something else.

I once heard a story of an Okinawan Karate Sensei that would teach simply by saying ‘do this’ in whatever language it was and then demonstrate, straight to the point.

Drills and routines serve as tools to hone our understanding of principles, which are nothing more than physics in action. 

Some train to fight, some train to compete, but when you remove both from the equation what is left? A predator is not looking for a fight, they are looking for an opportunity. We are not Samurai, we are not Kung Fu Killers, most of us are just people looking to survive and navigate a world that can be very treacherous, although not always.

So while I do train Traditional Drills and Kata, interspersed with some other things I pick up and notice to fill in the holes, I do not train to preserve a Tradition. I train to put things to use and, I feel, this is how the Old Dogs would have wanted it.

Shihan Roseberry preserves his Teacher’s Teachings and built upon them, even creating new Kata based on what he had come to understand.

His Teacher, Seikichi Toguchi, had done the same prior to him. Roseberry Shihan’s last great lesson that I took away from his last International Convention, besides spirit and endurance through extreme fatigue, was ‘If it makes your Karate better then use it.’

Words to live by. It is and always has been MY Karate. Dascenzo Sensei, Roseberry Shihan, Todd Sensei, Iller Sensei, and Wilder Sensei only guided me to what was already present.

Gassho.

Distinctions.

The last article generated some great feedback, but not regarding the main point of the article itself. No, it was regarding my use of the words Teacher and Instructor.
An individual suggested that, to argue a difference between two words that mean, essentially, the same thing makes no sense.

For me that is like saying there is no difference between what it means to be a ‘Dad’ as opposed to what it means to be a ‘Father,’ or what it means to be a ‘Mom’ as opposed to what it means to being a ‘Mother.’
For me it makes perfect sense and getting caught up on semantics is missing the point entirely. The point is that one is all about themselves; making a name, a reputation, everything they do is about self promotion, and a little bit of self promotion is okay, but if it is not coming from a standpoint of putting the student first and getting out of your own way then all the student is there for is to serve as a promotional tool for oneself and their business.

The second part of this is operating from a standpoint of responsibility where one thinks of what would best help the student to grow; knowing that what they have could possibly be something that the student depends on for survival.
It is not about the person at the top at that point, it is about the student and their families, their livelihood, it is also about their attitude, their spirit, drawing out what is within (the word Education comes from the root Educari, to draw out).
There is so much more to being a good Teacher than even that, but ultimately it boils down to a calling in which self gain is not a focus. Can one earn money and be a good Teacher? Sure. Run a business? Absolutely, and it would likely promote itself aside from advertising costs. Word of mouth is a great thing.

For me the word ‘Instruct’ implies placing something within, it is also a bit too clinical for me, rather like Father and Mother, cold and formal.
Many people can Instruct, not everyone can Educate, so if there was a word I would seek to replace from the last article it would likely be Teacher to Educator, although that feels too formal as well. When the individual took offense to the light in which I painted the term Instructor it seemed they took it as almost a personal affront, possibly even on behalf of others that use the term to describe their profession.
I cannot speak for them, but the argument is ultimately purely semantic and pointless as it had nothing to do with the underlying message.
Why is there such an offense? Why place so much importance on words and descriptions? Sometimes they can be useful, other times people confuse the Forrest for the trees.

Titles do not mean much to me. So when they suggested I should change my title I was confused. I am not an Instructor, I do not even like to be called Sensei, often just Dave, David, or Hey You is fine so long as I am helping.
If the attitude of the person is one of service and speaks for itself from a place of responsibility and sincerity then what is the issue? Call yourself whatever you want. Do you identify more with a word or do you identify more with the actual thing? Are you Instructing or sharing? Training or playing? Again, words can be useful, but ultimately titles are not so important.

Humans like to have things illustrated for them, that is human nature, but even then we can only approach things from our own personal angle, complete with bias and judgments, even this post and the last one.
So long as people are thinking more critically then I really don’t care, I did what I set out to do and those seeds will grow.

I am not changing the article. I am leaving it as is. If something struck a nerve and you do not want to face the root cause for that within yourself then so be it. Blame me if you like, I don’t know you, but I do hope you have a great day and continue to be successful.
If something I say is not to your liking, sorry, it is not my job to please you, simply don’t read what I write... Others do.

The Difference between an Instructor and a Teacher.

There was a story I read once in a book called 'Steal My Art' written by Tai Chi Teacher T.T. Liang in which he talks about a student who constantly pushed to receive an Instructor's Certificate.
T.T. Liang gave him the Certificate and wished him luck, but he did this just to make the guy go away, not because the guy actually knew anything as he was more interested in making a name for himself than he was in learning what T.T. Liang had to teach.

This is a sad state of affairs in the Martial Arts and Self Defense Community throughout the world today, although in my view it is nothing new.
You get the guy that trains a couple months in one thing, moves on to another thing, trains maybe a month, then decides they know enough to formulate their own system, not because they actually have any understanding of what they have studied, but because they want what they perceive as recognition, they are drawn to the power and position that go with it... Or at least what they perceive as power and position... They want to stroke their own ego.

The more I train, the more I realize I need more training. The more I discover, the more I realize I don't know anything at all.
Maybe I have no business teaching, but people do ask, and my Teacher had always told me to pass on what I know, not because I wanted to, but because I had the responsibility to do so; being a Teacher is so much more than standing around telling people what to do while counting.
I distinguish between a Teacher and an Instructor, or a Coach. I am not an Instructor or a Coach. I am not going to be standing on the sidelines coaching my Students on how to take another point, those days are gone and, while there is some benefit there, there is far more benefit in being an actual Teacher.

A Teacher is not someone that chooses to be in that position, a Teacher is recognized naturally and sought out, or not, and a Teacher has enough sense to know what they do not know along with enough humility to help their student seek out those answers they do not know elsewhere.
This is not a good business model, indeed, it was never meant to be.
Making money is fine, but helping a person discover and manifest their own inner power and truly transform themselves, those around them, and their lives is far greater a calling. Sometimes the two can go hand-in-hand, and it is a good thing to Teach a business mindset because that is the world we live in, but when it comes to Teaching, even Teaching this mindset, there is a line. You have Clients and you have Students, sometimes a Client may become a Student, but that is their choice.

My Teacher was never a big fan of the business side of things, he would always lament on how much more than a business this was, for him it was a calling, because we kept calling and kept coming around, despite how much effort he expended in trying to make us go away.
I cleaned a wall, then cleaned it again, cleaned the Dojo in order to Train, and I was expected to be at each of the classes, so I would do my Homework at the Dojo; for a long time I basically lived there, besides sleeping, although sometimes we even slept there.

My Teacher's Teacher, John Roseberry Shihan, had refused to Teach him for a while, and when he finally did he would devise some really extreme workouts to completely exhaust my Teacher, both mind and body, in order to make him go away, but my Teacher kept coming back.
Because of my Teacher's persistence, and the persistence of two other Students, John Roseberry Shihan created an International Organization that has outlived him, that continues to carry on his legacy and produce Teachers rather than Instructors, many have only ever heard of it by word of mouth, and that is the way he would have wanted it.

As Teachers we have a responsibility to set our egos aside, sometimes Students stay, sometimes Students go, but my Teacher always said it is not the Teacher who leaves the Student, but the Student who leaves the Teacher, like a bird leaving the nest.
They may continue in the path of Budo, they may end up taking those lessons and manifesting them in other ways, but they will always remember the core of what they are doing, and the core, ultimately, has nothing to do with you or me, as Teachers, it has to do with their manifestation of that inner power... You only showed them the way, you did not give them anything, you did not take anything, you were a stepping stone, nothing more, but that is good enough.

Ego should never enter the picture... If you enter a school and are met by a plethora of self-inflating statements and displays, you can bet you have only encountered a Professional Instructor, not a Teacher.
If they have a cult following surrounding their personality and do not EVER question, then you can bet you have joined a cult, you have NOT found a Teacher... Run.
These are Ego factories that serve to stroke the Ego of the person at the top... Buyer beware.

The Strategic and Savage Mind.

One thing that comes up when studying the works of people like Myamoto Musashi or Yagyu Munenori is that their focus was not on proper technique, but on what would give them the upper hand in achieving their goals...Victory.
It always started with strategy, the circumstances would determine the proper tactics, the goal being to control the circumstances in order to remain several steps ahead of their opponents.

They understood, via experience, what it took and, quite often it was a messy ordeal that required more of a savage, yet strategic, sort of mindset rather than perfect technique.
One would be hard pressed to find this sort of person in a modern Dojo prancing around in clean white go working requirements for their next colored piece of cloth... These sort of things carry little meaning for someone that has been in situations where they actually have to fight, tooth and nail, for their next breath.
There are exceptions, of course, but generally arts like Karate have become nothing more than a peculiar pastime where students march up and down a floor in neatly pressed Gi punching and kicking air or playing games of tag with one another calling it Kumite.

Most times, if one were to ask about the strategy of a given Karate School, no practitioner would be able to give a straight answer, let alone how tactics within each Kata outline specific strategy of said Kata not how these outline the school’s overall strategy.
There are some out there who can, but overall there is very little written on it as far as Karate is concerned and most get their strategic education from Japanese Swordsmen, which is not necessarily the same thing (although these can yield some insight into how one should think strategically).

Some study Judo in order to better understand, some study Kendo, some study Jujitsu, all of which are great additions to a core art, but one has to remember that Karate is Karate and all of these have different approaches to achieve different strategic ends, albeit with SOME overlap.
Yes one can say that the end is victory, but in a strategic mindset the way to victory is dependent on the moment, this is true, but understanding tactics provides a clear picture of what one needs to do should a situation change in a certain way.
Ultimately none of these matter when all is said and done, one has to abandon the idea of schools and styles in the heat of the moment otherwise become bogged down and overloaded.

The point of understanding tactics and strategy is not to be mired in the mess of Tradition, but to know something so deep that it no longer requires conscious thinking, it is part of you and you know how and when to deviate from one method to another without having to think or assess.
Shu is where we start, Ha is where we learn, Ri is where we get savage and break away from all of it and apply.

In Karate we are not following this and most methods are actually counter productive when it comes to fostering this mindset - we have lost our way in the name of preserving Tradition, becoming even more lost when our minds are more set in an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ attitude.
Do we really even know why something is done a specific way when we say ‘this is how WE do that?’ Doubtful.
It is nothing more than a story we tell ourselves in order to defend our own position because it makes us feel great to be part of a Tradition.
Ego stroking aside, when we have to defend ourselves or our families our assailants are not going to care.

What does each Kata bring to the table? What are they each trying to tell us? Which Kata show us how to enter? Which show us how to respond if a person does a specific thing to counter? Where does Kata lack in vital information and where do we find that information in order to make up for what is lacking?
Karateka of old were not static in their approach and they did not name techniques the way they are named now.
They had descriptions like ‘man carries water’ to describe specific principles and there was no one proper way to employ these principles because everyone is different and plans never survive their implementation when the rubber hits the road.

One has to continuously analyze (Bunkai) in order to apply (Oyo) while being prepared to vary (Henka) when an opponent does something not necessarily expected.
The overall strategy remains the same, the tactics employed are not altogether changed, in essence, but in application and there will be NOTHING pretty or stylized about any of it.

What are the strategies of Goju Ryu? Does it matter? Strategic thinking does, strategic awareness does, but the school does not.
If you are primarily a thrower then you are going to employ tactics to that end and any striking you utilize will support that, this is where it ends.

Karate is, primarily, about striking, any other aspect is in support of that or secondary to it.
However, such a statement is too much of a blanket statement and does not account for the individual, whom will ultimately come to their own understanding through training and experience.

This should be encouraged. To show the strategy and use this as a point of departure down the path of true self discovery and actualization, where strategic thinking permeates all aspects of life.

Context, Concept, and Mechanics.

When we finally get beyond ways of thinking and training that are set in concrete standards of classification and can get beyond any sort of stylistic notions we may truly begin to find what is useful within what we are doing.
Approaching from a conceptual standpoint, with an open mind, yet grounded in context with respect to basic laws of motion nd the focus/intent behind each within said context will do FAR more for understanding than approaching from a technique oriented mindset for the sake of technique and style preservation alone.

Because 'Sensei says' is far too often a mantra in Dojo that purport to teach self -defense and this really does a disservice to students who leave thinking they have any understanding at all when no real explanation has been given... No real instruction has been rendered.

Going through mindless repetitions of choreographed drills only does so much and really only shows that one can memorize choreographed drills.
When these drills become more important than actual skill you can rest assured that you are no longer studying a self-defense oriented system.

Are we thinking about the mechanics behind what we are told is a punch or are we just accepting this at face value?
Look at a punch in context, what does an effective punch look like? We would be drawn more towards boxing style punches as effective and start to realize what we are doing is not necessarily inclusive of effective punching mechanics.
This is true of we are only taking certain aspects into account, forgetting the chamber hand, body alignment, and footwork, nevermind the formation of the fist, which can also seem like a grip.

Context, concept, and mechanics are more important than rote memorization of technique names and choreographed drills.
As Karateka we need to get out of this trap and start growing in order to make Karate what it once was.

Building Bridges between Chaos and Order.

I have been absent from writing here for a while as I took some time to think, learn, and grow in the wake of Shihan Roseberry's death.
My practice has continued, my teaching has continued; these last few weeks have been full of insights as far as Karate is concerned as well as life in general.

To start off I would like to just dive right in...

Life is seldom neat, life is seldom orderly or categorized. Each person walks their own way, at their own pace, with their own attitude.
Why should there EVER be a one size fits all approach to anything? What does it mean to do something correct? Why is THAT way correct and THIS way incorrect? Yes, there are universal principles across the board because we all have two arms, two legs, one head, a neck, and a torso, but it gets complicated after that.
Do we seek to be defined by what we do or do we seek to define what we do by who we actually are? Who are you? Do you even know?

When training, do we think of Jodan Uke as a block or as something else? Why? Is it because we are told this is how it is based on what we have come to call it? How did this come about?
In a time, not long ago, there were no names, no techniques, just principles, and they had variations from person to person based on things like body type, taking into account injuries or other sort of mobility limitations.
In short, things were not so neatly packaged in a commercially branded box for consumption by all with the actual meaning of things completely lost, but not forgotten.

Yes, the path does have to begin somewhere. Yes, there IS a proper way to do things and YES learning at the feet of a Teacher IS REQUIRED (you cannot just pick this stuff up on Youtube or via Video at any given time and actually think you are following the way).
HOWEVER, that being said, do we continue to walk a rigid cobble-stone path or do we take what we learn and dive deep within ourselves to learn what is there? Do we even know how to do this? There are some that do and, giving respect where it is due, we can learn A LOT from people who spend their time focusing on principles in ROLLING practice utilized in Brazilian Jujitsu, among other arts.

Keep it simple. Keep it practical. These are the words of Shihan Roseberry. Do we simply mouth the words as a Mantra we do not fully understand or even practice or do we put those words into practice as actual principles to live by?

The idea is to actually forge ahead, to grow, to meet yourself at every turn, to overcome that and become better, to incorporate what is there, to brave the chaos inside in order to bring out the best of ALL aspects of yourself.
Not simply to carry on a cookie-cutter Tradition, a dead Tradition is not a Tradition at all. It is simply going through the motions.

A couple things to impliment...

1) Forget the names of techniques or stances and zero in on the principles behind them, not just looking at one single aspect (ie; the arm), but taking the WHOLE BODY into account and really digging deep into those mechanics (Taisabaki).

2) Implement a practice that forces you to move without thinking, see how you respond and start to put things together in a Kata that is YOUR Kata. Utilize other Kata as Teaching aids, guides for proper movement and function. Gage your progress by how you respond spontaneously and whether or not it is in-line with what Kata and your Teacher have been teaching you.

3) Utilize your heart and mind as one. Practice bag work, utilize your heart and mind in each strike so that each strike can be a knock-out strike. Each movement can be devastating.

This is nothing new. This is nothing special. It is just getting back to the roots of what we actually do, at least in my own opinion, based on my own observations in regards to the state of things both within myself and in others.

Take it for what it is or leave it. The choice is yours. 

The Answers Are On The Floor.

Shihan John Roseberry is someone I, personally, will never forget, indeed, whom has been in my thoughts even before the news of his passing yesterday.
I am truly grateful to have known this man and even further grateful to have had the opportunity to share the floor with him one last time this passed June at the Sho Rei Shobu Kan National Convention in Lincoln Nebraska, at the Dojo he founded, the original Hombu Dojo of the Organization prior to his moving it to Virginia.
New faces, old faces, a long time coming home, and we were all there for one reason, to see Shihan, even though he practically put us through torture while sitting down, his voice barely above a whisper as he gave directions.

Many would say that Shihan was less concerned with the business side of running an Organization and more concerned with simply Teaching and helping people.
One student at the LMAC had been showing up to class every single day, all classes offered, for many many years, the direct result of Shihan Roseberry's influence.
Shihan had brought this guy in off the street, an older gentleman with a developmental disability, and invited him to train, the man loved it so much that he continued to just show up, even though he would not be able to learn a lot of the aspects, he is now a Brown Belt in the Organization, having been promoted this last summer during Convention, much to his own surprise.

Shihan began his training in Karate under Seikichi Toguchi in 1955 while stationed in Okinawa during his time in the United States Marine Corpse.
A friend of Masanobu Shinjo, Dojo Brother of Yoshio Kuba Sensei, and Teacher of many many other people, one of the first to bring Karate to America at a time when Karate itself was not so well known.
A Champion Boxer, Alternate of the 1964 US Olympic Judo Team, Student of the Blues Guitar, Motorcycle Enthusiast, among many other things, one could not possibly box this guy into a single category, but it all goes back to simply being who he was and helping others to become, more fully, who they were meant to be.

A man of such influence, one would expect to find him plastered all over the internet, but that is the beauty of it.
While many out there have their faces all over the internet in promotion of their various Organizations, Seminars, Videos, ect., one would be hard pressed to find anything on Shihan, other than a few blurbs here and there, but if you ask people like Yoshio Kuba Sensei, or Kris Wilder Sensei, you will clearly see just how far reaching the influence of this man was.
You will not find his Kata on Youtube, you will not find videos extolling his ideas or theories, he had nothing to prove to anyone and did not really care who accepted his ideas, because he knew their value and he knew they would get to the right people at the right time to help those people.

I was one of those people. I first met Shihan Roseberry when I was eleven years old at the Dojo of my Teacher, Michael Dascenzo, the original Senior Student of Shihan Roseberry, and participated in a seminar put on by Shihan Roseberry during that visit.
Another occasion I was traveling with the Olympic Martial Arts Center's Tournament Team to AAU Nationals in Chicago, I was twelve, and we stopped off in Lincoln where Shihan put us through the ringers at his Research Center before we all broke from training to go swim at a Pool where he worked as a lifeguard.
That night we all stayed at Shihan's house before breaking back on the road the next day toward Chicago.

Shihan had come up to Washington again and, this time, we were training out of Olympia where I also acted as his Otomo and Uke on the floor.
He threw me from strange positions, twisted me into a pretzel many times over, picked apart each of my Kata, really pushed me on so many different levels, I came out of it with a better understanding of myself, especially considering I was extremely physically ill through the whole ordeal.
That seminar was more wide ranging, considering we also had Aikidoka in attendance. One would think he would focus on Karate and Aikido, nope, he went into some old school Japanese Jujitsu training.

The man was full of surprises, yet very humble in his approach to everything. I do not feel that one could do him justice by simply classifying him as a Karateka, a Judoka, an Aikidoka, or anything of the like.
He practiced EVERYTHING with the same fervor he had for Budo as a whole, absolutely everything, it was all to be done with full attention, it was all important, every single moment of life was worth living, from the trivial to the important, as nothing was trivial and nothing was more important than anything else.

This is what I have taken away from my encounter with this man, directly, and through his Student Michael Dascenzo.
In coming months it will be interesting to see where things go, I hope that people can hold it together and others can leave their egos aside or keep their mouths shut, but ultimately that has nothing to do with me or my own training, I will simply follow Shihan's constant advice and find the answers on the floor.

Fleeting Shadows in Candlelight.

Remembering back to the days at the Evergreen Learning Center, remembering the many talks with my Sensei over cups of coffee in his Kitchen after hours of 'training' when he would teach me everything from Karate to Cooking to Cleaning properly, things seem so different now.
Waking up at 4:00 in the Morning during Zen Intensives, before the sun came up, to go sit and do nothing but count breaths in the Zendo while facing a wall, but really just watching the candle-light flicker about in a dance of shadows in various shapes and ghastly forms, knowing all too well the reality was there was no reality to any of it, but there was an observer.

Insights came and went, honestly not sure these were even the point of anything, as insights go, they are fleeting and they change, nothing really permanent there, just various judgments of a mind that, like the candle, flickers all about, but again, there is an observer.
What does the observer see now, in light of the memories of these various talks and practices? That, perhaps, the candle-light has been mistaken for the observer, that opinion has become fact, and change is seen as the only constant... The observer, in others, has been missed entirely and the more time goes on, the more are carried away in an almost trance-like state, issuing various mantras fed to them from all around, but nothing ever from within, drowning out that true voice with garbled garbage.

Sensei used to say that he hated Politics, that it was not the essence of what we were doing, that this was missing the point, which was to find the True Self within the spirit of what was passed on, to make it your own you had to know who you really were, otherwise you were just blindly falling about a darkened corridor groping for the walls... At least that is what I took away from it.
Shortly thereafter my Sensei retired from Teaching, saying he was moving to the next level of his practice, getting rid of all his Karate stuff, ceasing to Teach, yet maintaining that the Teacher never truly leaves the Student, quitting the Organization was one thing I could understand, but quitting the path entirely? Certainly I did understand moving to the next level or phase of Practice, seeking to focus on Art or whatever else one was pursuing, but as time went on this did not seem to be the case.

Now? A voice is lent to an endless sea of voices shouting from the streets to the rooftops a single mantra of Politics, Cognitive Dissonance, in a Collective Mindset, completely and totally giving way to the Political thoughts of the day... The candle-light flickers to and fro, but everyone thinks the shadows are real, that they hold weight when everything is blown to dust.
Not even Karate or any other pursuit holds that kind of weight... When it all turns to dust, what remains? There is an observer.

Do we allow the world to dictate who we are? What we think? How we feel? Or do we utilize out Practice to rediscover this for ourselves? The spirit of Martial Arts, indeed, of anything meaningful, is in this.
One cannot even begin to develop true Martial Power without first discovering their True Self. Even still, one must remain Mindful, vigilant, lest they, again, forget who they really are and start to fall for what the world tells them to be, what the world tells them to say, what the world tells them to think.

The answers may be found on the Floor, but was was the original question? Do you remember?

Courtesy and Manners.

I know I have not posted here in a long time, but a lot has been changing around here. I have new Students in the Tri Cities area of Washington State and have been named as Assistant to Charles Todd Sensei, the Director for the Northwest Region of the Sho Rei Shobu Kan Budo Organization.

In that capacity I must now keep in mind how I present myself as I represent something larger than myself or even a single school.

The Sho Rei Shobu Kan is the School of Courtesy and Manners in the Martial Way founded by Shihan John Roseberry whom is a direct Student of Seikichi Toguchi Sensei.
The notion of Courtesy and Manners is the staple of the Organization, how one acts, how one presents oneself is equally as important a part of training as to how one performs in the physical aspects of training.
Etiquette is important, respect, being courteous, but also being truthful in word and action.

Recently there was a video presented as the original 'pre-war' version of a specific portion of a specific Kata and, me being me, I noticed something was off, so I did more than point it out, I wanted to know where it was from and why no one else did it this way... Why I had never seen this myself from any school or organization, the person that presented it is a close cousin in Karate as far as lineage is concerned, so it struck me as a little more than odd.
People shared pictures of the founder doing drills with his students using similar posture stating that this is what was being depicted, but a general photo of a kicking drill just did not do it for me, considering the context behind the photo is really up in the air and anyone can read into it what they like.

The real lesson does not lay in the exchange and what I thought and felt was not as important as how I approached it.
My approach could have been WAY more in keeping with my Organization's ideals of being courteous, respectful, observing proper manners and etiquette, but I fell short, quite a bit short. Regardless of whether or not the other party had chosen to observe the same sort of behavior to which the Sho Rei Shobu Kan strives, it was my duty to be the bigger person and to observe these ideals within myself, to be better in mind, body, AND spirit.

That night I had a dream that I was in a city of Temples from various different spiritual paths and faiths.
I was seeking a Golden Dragon that did not exist and, upon realizing I was never going to find this Golden Dragon I entered a Temple akin to a Japanese Zen Monastery and found two basins of water in which I washed my hands and my face, stood in Gassho for a long period of time, observed by the Monks in quiet Satori, after which I turned and left... I woke up at this point.

When I woke up I found that the messages had continued into the new day in private messaging on Facebook and had involved someone from my own Organization and they had pointed out my behavior, the embarrassing nature of it, how poorly I had represented his Teacher and the Organization.
I had already planned on issuing a Public Apology, and this drove it home. Not the weight of his words, but the dream the night before... There was no Golden Dragon to be found outside myself because I was that Dragon, it was up to me to hold to the gold standard, despite how anyone else behaved or thought and despite my past actions, in acknowledgment of them, to let them go, to move on, and to grow in the way I knew I had to.
This required an apology, a truly sincere apology for anyone that was disrespected, offended, or just plain put off, I had to wash my hands and my face in the waters of the situation that was created in order to rise above it and to learn everything it had to offer.

Everyone has their own bias, everyone has something they hold to, and it is my feeling that the path we are on requires us to let that all go, to really open up to something deeper within ourselves to that we can let it through to the world.
Their actions, words, and views do not define me, I can only define myself and myself is a fluid and elusive thing, but the real trick is in maintaining that gold standard in everything, from practice, from behavior, from life itself.

Does that mean not pointing out something that one feels needs to be pointed out and questioned? Not at all, but it means finding a skillful means of doing so.
Maybe certain times require a blunt object, other times a finely tuned means, razor sharp, but one has to be mindful enough to know when this is required and have the courtesy in all cases to be respectful of the other when doing so.
It is a razor's edge because courtesy and kindness can sometimes lead one to ignoring the obvious and allowing it to go unquestioned when questions are required or when something needs to be pointed out or called out, be courteous and respectful, sure, but be truthful and diligent.

The Devil is in the Details.

Karate is a life long journey in which the destination is unimportant, goals may be made, but they are only there to provide direction and people tend to focus on these so much that they forget to focus on each step of the journey.
Some people chase rank and collect all sorts of things under their 'belt' as a sign of authority, really it is just to puff up the ego, some people have taken the time to really study and these people can truly perform, they do not get caught up in things and everything seems to fall in place naturally, whether they are of high rank or low rank.

There is so much to be gained from even a single movement if a Karateka has the patience to really pay attention.
It is never about quick learning, it is always about the journey, and even in a single movement is a lifetime of study.

Tonight I was focusing on the Morote Chudan Kamae, a position that so many of our Goju Ryu Kata take as a starting, the first movement after the bow and Yoei.
One person with whom I am acquainted is a long time student of Kayo Ong Sensei who states that Kata are a Mandala and they begin with Prayer, as expressed in the intention behind this movement, which does have some validity, depending on one's reasons for training, but I feel this is something that can be applied regardless of reason.

In my own practice, today, I was working on the mechanics of pulling back, punching, and returning to Kamae, fairly simple stuff, at least on the surface, but the mechanics are profound in the fact that these must be done in a way that is harmonious with the way the body is built.
Pulling back into Chamber, leading the motion with the breath, followed by the elbow, the forearm, the fist, then extending outward leading with intent, breath, fist, elbow, and the shoulder rotating slightly forward.
Returning to Kamae, rotating the shoulder back slightly, pulling the elbow into position, the hand following and slightly rotating back into position.

Adding to this the rest of the body, from the ground up, pushing with the heel and pulling with the ball of the opposite foot, shifting from pulling with the front foot and pushing with the back foot to pulling with the back foot and pushing with the front, depending on whether you are pulling to chamber, moving into a punch, or returning to Kamae, all the while rooted with the foot as if they are clay mashed into the ground.
Moving upward from there you have the knees, thighs, and hips adding to the motion, the spine straight as a current to the arms that carries the intent/energy in a flow that executes technique in such a way so as to expel the most power without losing energy and maintaining stability of the entire frame.

This has to be understood for each and every movement before one can move on to the quicker performances in Kata such as Seisan, Kakuha, Gekiha, Gekisai Dai San, Suparempei, or in anything that utilizes mechanics, which is to say ALL of Karate as a whole.
My own Sensei used to have us perform certain things at a Tai Chi like pace and another of his Students, a Sempai to me, Kris Wilder Sensei, always says to go slow in order to learn fast.
These days people tend to go straight to the quick and explosive stuff without truly thinking about, let alone focusing on, what it is they are actually doing, and this is true of any art.

This is why it took so long to learn even a single Kata in Okinawa Te before the onset of modernized and Japanized Karate, which is fairly modern and mostly seen as a sport.

Empty of Definition, Filled with Everything.

Karate is a very subtle art with focus more on aspects that cannot readily be discerned; this effectively removes it from the realm of combat as most who wish to learn would expect to learn something they can use right away.
Certainly one can gain this from Karate, but as a whole Karate is the long way, there are other things out there a person could study that do not take near as long to understand in order to apply and many of them are able to be directly applied.
That is not the point of Karate, the point is much deeper... Will Karate work? Yes. Again, is that the point? No.

Karate is a core focus that can and should be applied to everything, from cooking and cleaning, to sports, to the way one behaves and, finally, to combat.
If that is the main focus why would a person look at the mechanics of a single punch, or posture, in Sanchin Kata, or the rotational aspects of Seipai??
These things are training tools and meant to focus on different things that can carry over to combat.

The focus many have on Karate is strictly as a Martial Art, or a Civil Defense Art, the latter certainly applies, but they get stuck here, they begin to identify as what they are doing rather than looking at it as something they do to improve themselves, to ground themselves.
The idea is not to limit oneself to a certain thing or a certain identity or to limit what one is doing to a specific focus, but to allow it to exist as it is and allow it to do the work it is meant to do.

At the same time a deeper aspect is to unify with it, to become the center, the dancer and the dance, while at the same time not identifying AS the thing or as SEPARATE from the thing.
Internalizing what you are doing will come out when thought ceases, when expectations cease, when everything is allowed to fall into place rather than forcing something to do a specific thing you think it should be doing... That is like trying to pound a square block into a round hole.

These days Brazilian Jujitsu and Muay Thai are very popular through MMA Training, trends come and go because people have these expectations and these are not wrong, but they do show a lack of depth as one thing comes and another goes.
Enrollment in Karate is at a low in some areas, a high in others... At what used to be our Hombu Dojo Karate is no longer the main attraction, most go for Judo, Jujitsu, and MMA type stuff, these things pay the bills while Karate exists as an aside, which is a much better way for it to exist because it is allowed to be what it is meant to be rather than a means of keeping Students walking in the door in order to pay the Dojo bills.

Karate is a path of peace and self cultivation... You study the kick and punch in order to understand the hug and handshake, to shut conflict down before it even starts while at the same time you have the tools to deal with things should confrontation be the only possible option.
This is not just Physical Conflict, this is all aspects of Conflict, and this is certainly lacking in many Dojo these days, but it takes more than just physical conditioning and skill, it is mostly a mental thing.

Focus.

The Power of Mindset.

Mindset has a direct effect on performance, some people believe that things like I.Q. are genetically inherited, ingrained, other people believe that, with a little bit of effort, anyone can achieve anything they set their mind to.
I am of the latter view although it is hard to resist the trap of fixed mindsets. A great source of information on this is the following video;

At the present stage of my journey through life all the things I once thought were fixed have come to unravel, all the foundations have crumbled, all the rugs have been pulled and safety nets burned.
I no longer know exactly who I am or what I am doing and it is a very frightening thing to face; it would absolutely devastate someone who does not believe in a Growth or Fluid mindset in which anyone is capable of accomplishing whatever they desire simply by believing they can and following through.

What does this have to do with Martial Arts? First off, if we allow the process to take place, training can highlight points of our fixed mindsets and provide some insight into them.
We can see them for what they are and use them, turn them to the development of the mind and free ourselves from them.
There is no limit to the things a person can accomplish if they simply have the courage to step outside of that box, to allow those foundations to crumble, to entertain the thought that they know nothing, least of all themselves... There is always something to discover, always.

Who am I? What am I capable of doing? What am I actually interested in? How can I use my previous experience to push myself farther?
Lots of people talk a lot about fighting when it comes to Martial Arts, but they seldom have anything to say about the mind or spirit, those that do either dismiss it or what they have to say is complete Bullshit and puts people off of the subject entirely.

You have to delve deep into yourself in order to improve upon yourself, even if you are a practically minded Martial Artist, you have to delve deep into those recesses that most do not have the courage to explore... It can be very dangerous, yes, but also very fulfilling... You WILL lose yourself more than once, but in the end you find out who you really are and what you are capable of.

Truth in the Center.

In the center one must find all aspects of the self and merge them before they can proceed.
To sink into the body with mind and spirit, an opening and offering of oneself to that which is greater still,  yet deep within all things...  All else drops away.

This zero point is the beginning and end of all Budo which cannot be ignored or brushed aside.
This IS Kata, this IS Karate, anything less is watered down,  spiritless,  empty.

Those who go on and on about hating Kata or that Kata are useless or boring have missed the point of Kata and their many layers.
It makes sense now when people like Kayo OMG and Roy Kamen speak of Bunkai being only the tip of the iceberg as Karate is much deeper than that.

I once witnessed a Haka Dance performed by,  of all people, a Mormon Missionary and it seemed to me to be nothing more than a jumble of shouting, moving,  and stomping around... Nothing to write home about,  right?
True,  until you witness it performed by someone who throws everything into it,  then it becomes frightening...  At that point I realized what was missing from the first performance.
That was not a Haka Dance,  it was missing the spirit and,  thus,  was missing the desired effect resulting from a proper Haka Dance.

It does not matter how mean you make your face look,  how rigid or built your body,  or how loud you Kiai... Without the spirit,  found in the center before all else,  and forged through fire properly,  all you have is a jumbled mess of moving,  stomping,  and shouting..

Good Day.

Moment to Moment.

It has been some time since my last posting on here as things had become a bit hectic with family issues, still are, but feel things have calmed down enough to start posting again. 

I had wanted to post some things on Youtube for my Children to follow due to the distance that now lay between us so as to remain ever more active in their lives and ensure something is passed to them, but it would seem that is not allowed in the present mode of thinking in the Organization through which I have membership.

That is okay, there are a number of different alternatives that can be explored in that regard to ensure they are able to access what I have to offer them, from Karate to Artwork to Practical Living, whatever the case may be, the Internet is a VERY big place and, what is more, the world is even bigger, so notes and drawings could also serve as a medium. 

In the old days the catch phrase used to be, 'focus on the now,' which is a great catch phrase for its' practicality because you cannot practice Martial Arts of any kind and be successful unless past, future, and all manner of other distractions falls away and you bring your mind to one point in the present moment. 

People often use various Japanese, Chinese, or other Asian Language words to describe various aspects of this as though they were some mystical type of experience... Perhaps they are, but they do not really need to be. 

For me, it is enough to realize full awareness within the moment and to be able to direct intent... Qi/Ki is nothing more than an experience of directed intent and full awareness, not some mystical energy that can knock someone out from across the room... It is synonymous with Pneuma and Rhuak, both of which refer to Breath in a Divine sense. 

This is lost on most people and they may still put it off as some sort of Mystical Mumbo Jumbo, but does not matter because everyone has their own insights into the experience and that is fine, it adds richness to the phenomena as a whole. 

Getting back to the present moment thing... While it is necessary, it is also necessary to be mindful of each step and to be mindful of the future while being aware of lessons learned in the past, all of which come into play within the present moment as well.

This is not just a Martial Arts perspective, this is a perspective to maintain in all aspects of life... Do you know what you REALLY want to do? Do you know the REAL reason behind your training??

What about posterity?? What if you were to die tomorrow? What would you be leaving behind that could serve to better future generations?

The present moment is a tool to ensure all of this is taken into account to the highest degree and completely accomplished... The key?? Live each moment as if it were your last... It sounds like a cliche, but it is very true.

Working each individual aspect of technique helps to focus and hone the mind, body, and spirit so that it can be effectively employed in this manner, as one unit, in all aspects of life... 

Changing Tides.

Each day I pass old empty buildings where Karate Schools once operated, empty, vacant, with signs in them that read 'Nai Black - For Lease.'
There is even an old Jujitsu school that once taught Brazillian Jujitsu up on Francis that is closed, the paint still in the window, chipped and worn, but not faded.

Maybe it is a sign of the time, but this is supposed to be a time of economic growth, or maybe that is just a symptom of commercialism, who can say?
It just seems as though the community is becoming smaller and smaller, while some schools are adapting, moving into smaller spaces or into places off the beaten path, away from main roads, some even closing their doors due to the death of famous Teachers and no one taking up the torch within the area that an entire Organization once called home.

This leaves only some of the most hard core people left standing and, with time working the way it works and age setting in, it makes one wonder where these places will be after their respective Teachers pass on or retire, whether a Senior of theirs will pick things up or whether their Students will scatter to the wind?
Some of the best training is not found in fancy Dojo or commercial settings, some of the best training might be found in s School Cafeteria or a Rec area set up in a Church practically in the middle of nowhere and they do not really advertise other than word of mouth and do not make profit from what they do.
These people are sometimes the first people hit when things go south, but, more often than not, they are usually the ones able to keep going because they can adapt, they do not have to worry about what others worry about, but these types of Programs and Schools are very rare and often hard to find if you do not know people who know people.

One such School is actually facing the fact that they are no longer going to have a place to train come May, but they are pushing on through the summer months by training in parks, as I do, although they face a hardship of possibly losing Students over the Winter Months if they do not find an indoor place to train.
They host a wide variety of Programs from Tae Kwon Do, Krav Maga, to European Broad Sword, and their Chief Instructor is also a Student of Jujitsu at Newborn Cascao Jujitsu up on Monroe under James Weed.
They cater to youth, primarily, and host a program for Home School Children and this is one of the Classes that faces shut down as they transition.

I remember when the Dojo on Callow shut down, it was a sad day even though many of the Students continued, for a time, at a local Fire Department under Jeff Iller Sensei, but the Program did not last long and Iller Sensei went on to other things.
The Dojo had been my childhood, my home, for a very long time, even when I was away, it was still my home and, even though it is now a Tattoo Parlor, that building still holds a special meaning for me as an adult.
I know that buildings are buildings and things change, all things end, but it if there is something good offered by something and a Child, or anyone for that matter, gains something from it then it should continue for as long as possible.

Check out Mount Spokane Martial Arts on Facebook and if you know of a place in the Spokane area that they might be able to call home let them know, it would be a shame for these people to have to call it quits, especially with the dedication their Chief Instructor has shown, not only in Teaching, but in continued learning... A true example of Sho Shin, or Beginner's Mind.

Thank you.

Foot Work.

Lately I have been thinking about Footwork versus Stances after going over some basic Aikido footwork in the eight directional diagram.
There is a basic 'Guard' called Hanmi one takes up and moves through at various points, but really no stances, just Footwork.

This is where Karate is confused, I feel, because there was the imposition of standardization from outside which inhibited the natural way of doing things, thus, things became more rigid and we ended up with various names for things in order to accommodate standardized syllabus.
The Japanese love their Standards and the Okinawan Karateka were very keen to be seen as fully assimilated to Japanese Culture rather than be shunned, some of them even receiving payment for their loyalty and efforts to promote assimilation into Japanese Culture and Customs.

This is not meant to be an Anti-Japanese rant, that is there to light the way back in order that we may understand just what it is we are doing as, obviously, the way of Aikido is a Japanese way based on Japanese Standards and is NOT as rigid as Karate had become, thus leading one to feel that the Okinawans were a bit over zealous in their efforts.

What happens when we remove the word 'Dachi' and replace it with something like 'Ashi' similar to the way Aikido utilizes terms like 'Ayumi Ashi' to describe a principle of motion, like stepping, or Tenkan for turning, or Irimi for stepping inside, or Irimi-Tenkan for stepping inside with immediate turn??
What happens when Sanchin Dachi is no longer seem as a 'thing' but a 'process??' Does this take away from Karate or add a deeper level of understanding?? Most would cry foul because it is 'not a traditional way of looking at it,' to which I argue it is a deeper level of understanding a VERY traditional concept.

What happens when Zenkutsu Dachi becomes just a long forward shift and you look at it more in terms of, say, Irimi??
Saifa, for example, has an example of where it is utilitzed as Irimi with partial Tenkan into what we, presently, call Musubi Dachi before dropping into Shiko Dachi.
Drop the 'Dachi' and find another way to describe these movements as less static and rigid, more dynamic and alive, more to do with the movement of the Center, or Hara, and not so much as 'fixed positions.'

Sensei once said someone about the 'formless form' and had pointed me towards a book called 'Kodo: Ancient Ways' written by Reverend Kensho Furuya, a Zen Priest and Aikido Sensei.
This was my first introduction to the idea of Shu, Ha, and Ri... One learns to emulate, one learns to variate/deviate, then one breaks free and is no longer bound by outward forms, but internal Principles that have become their own.
In this way ALL ways become one way and there is no differentiation because they all apply to one another to varying degrees based upon the manner in which they are applied by each individual.

Coil/Uncoil.

Looking closely at the coiling/uncoiling principle within Kata, namely Gekesai Dai Ichi and Seipai, after going through some Aikido Footwork both Irimi and Tenkan aspects and feeling that 'coil/uncoil' there as well. 

The coiling aspect, for me, comes from Sanchin and is meant to work with Posture for Power Transfer (Atifa) and proper mechanical application, ie Tension, at the very end for just a split second (Chinkuchi) drawn from the ground up through the hips and the core first (Gamaku).

Having gone through this slow a few times just to feel the timing and the nature of each within these two very different Kata it is like a bow-string pulled taut then released and snapping back (taut again for just a split second on the opposite end).

The stances in Karate are too emphasized and should really be de-emphasized in favor of looking more at the actual movements themselves rather than some cool looking position that really has no meaning at the 'end' other than where you should end up. 

Gekesai Kata was meant to be a training Kata, very basic, but also very brutal if understood correctly, the name gives you exactly what principles and characteristics the Kata focuses on... To Attack and Smash or Destroy. 

As Such the Kata is full of various attacks that are straight forward Punches with tension applied for proper effect, with smashing attacks like Elbow Strikes (which also double as entering head guards), upward smashing attacks (Jodan Uke) and downward dislocations/breaks (Gedan Barai), Mid-level manipulations (Chudan Uke) in set up for a nicely placed Heel-kick to the knee (or there-abouts) of the lead (or rear) leg of the opponent BEFORE delivering the Elbow. 

At the beginning is that coil/uncoil, the delivery is very different depending on the blow. Punches are meant to act upon the water aspect of the body, causing Hydrostatic Shock and recoil in the opponent, thus the slight and quick tension on the end, Elbow Strikes are meant to Smash... I am sure you get the idea. 

Seipai is a very different Kata in its' characteristics, its' Nature is not quite so direct and aggressive, although no less effective. 

It plays more on the coil/uncoil element throughout with A LOT of circular movements and linear movements that play off the circular (similar to Gekesai in that respect, but quite different at the same time).

The beginning coils up and drops down with a caption and strike/lock on the arm/neck area following through with a Shihonage-like/Aikido-like techniqe that leads into a break (when I say Shihonage-like I mean to say it can be applied as such, but can also be applied to the head and would make a lot more sense considering it ends with a drop into Shiko-position).

Lots of coil/uncoil in that movement, then it leads into an interesting sweep-attack with the foot into a weird back-leaning position, one arm up, the other sweeping down, both open-handed. 

It can be a redundancy follow-through from the previous movement as almost an Ashi-Barai where the foot does not leave the ground, one hand pulls back as an anchor while the other sweeps through to take down. 

In all this, the main point I always come back to is the Hara.... My Sensei used to say to pretend I had no arms and that all movements are connected directy to the Hara.

These things are far less effective without a thorough understand of how the Hara is applied in each, how it moves, raises, sinks, spins around the axis, ect. 

I once watched a video of a Karteka against an Aikidoka and they used some sort of computer program to trace the movements of their center through Shihonage. 

The Karateka tended to rely more on his strength and his Hara stayed on a straight line, almost unused, while the Aikidoka did not have brute strength to rely on and utilized a linear movement combined with a well-timed drop of his Hara to apply the technique. 

There was a HUGE difference in the movement and it says a lot about the state of Karate today... Many need to go back to the floor and REALLY look at what they are doing with their Hara, take some lessons from Aikido and Judo. 

In the end there are really only a couple of things to master... A few techniques and how to move from your Center... 

You do not need style to do this, you do not really need anything but a few movements and you can go from there. 

Seipai and Gekesai are just fancy ways to go about it... Really my goal is to simplify and shorten so that the focus is only on a couple of things. 

Listening to Seipai.

This morning was spent on some basics... Jodan, Chudan, and Gedan Uke with an emphasis on exploding from the core with proper alignment, coordination, and mechanics.
The point is not in the technique utilized, but what underlies the technique that cannot necessarily be seen or easily explained.
Technique, for me, refers to these underlying principles as stated in previous posts, what looks to be a Chudan Uke is only meant to draw attention to something happening at the mid level, some kind of reception of energy and the proper muscle groups/alignment principles to train for that specific kind of reception of energy.
Take the above and change the word to Jodan, or even Gedan, or change it entirely and apply Uchi or Tsuki, which often seems to confuse and limit the possibilities and potentials actually inherent in those specific flows.

My basics work tends to be drawn directly from Kata so there is more going on than just standing in place counting in Japanese with endless reps of Jodan, Chudan, or Gedan, nor am I simply marching up and down a floor doing Oi Tsuki or Gyaku Tsuki... Granted I do practice these things, but not as often.
The rest of the time was spent breaking down Seipai and really looking at the whole body... Breaking down, starting with the feet I directed my attention to the motion rather than static stances and postures, moving from the center and checking out the principles of timing in shifting of the weight and utilization of hands, ect.
Moving from the center first with emphasis on this, especially, as the primary aspect of each movement with proper application of Gamaku, or core muscles (rather than just Koshi/Hara) with culmination in Chinkuchi, or suddenly/brief tension, before moving to the next flow.

Not really sure how to word any of this that interests the reader or gives a proper mental illustration of the principles in action, for myself, and it will likely be different for everyone due to small nuances in each Karateka, but it is always good to have a starting point.
My Sensei used to point out the angles of the Kata as important, and we would train these a lot, but it was not until later than I began to think that maybe it was not the angle itself he was drawing my attention to, but training proper weight shifting technique and really keeping mind in the center for good 'weight under side' in the movement, or what the Okinawans called Muchimi.
He did not really over explain a lot and left quite a bit for me to figure out on my own, but I do believe that was the point...

Working on portion of Kata got me thinking more about the foot sliding in as an attack, a throw or takedown similar to what people might call a 'Russian Leg Sweep,' which gives an idea on what portions of the body are playing a role there-in.
The Leg Sweep idea is not as important as the mechanics to which it points, it could be a Leg Sweep, it could be something else entirely, depending on the imagination and inclination of the Karateka, which is how it should be.
Yes, I do believe there are proper applications, but these are only to be found in the mechanics, which allude to the proper application by way of Physics, you can only do so many things along certain lines... So naturally the applications ARE finite and are NOT only limited by the imagination, but there are possibilities.

It was a very good workout that yielded a lot of insight. Next Sunday Katasse Sensei and I are supposed to start training Aikido on a regular basis again, so this should add even more insight to everything else.