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.

Lessons From The Kihon Kata #3 - Movement Pathways.

Maybe this is an ‘aside’ or a ‘backtrack’ and ‘correction,’ but still very much part of this deep dive adventure beginning with the Kihon Kata.
I have to remember that the Kihon Kata were made specifically for school children and had a lot of the ‘higher force’ techniques omitted and a lot of what was taught with them, as far as two person drills, were created towards those same ends and, often, later.

So the Education given was specifically starting with Kata, not with Application (and it is doubtful that application itself was ever incorporated, judging from the state of sport Karate).
No real skills were taught beyond punching, kicking, and blocking, all done at unrealistic ranges in unrealistic ways.

Does that mean they are useless or useful? Just because something was not explained or highlighted does not mean it is not present.
How do we fix this? First, the opponent, forget the idea of ‘opponent’ and start thinking more of an ‘assailant’ and forget about doing a specific technique against a specific attack, the ABC method is out the window because it sucks and does nothing to prepare people to face assailants when or if they should have that displeasure.

How does the assailant move? They are certainly not going to assume a position akin to Zenkutsu Dachi in a Gedan Uke ready position with their attacking hand in chamber so that you know where it is coming from and what they are going to attack with so that you can apply your cookie cutter response.
Karate does not begin with Kata, it ends with Kata. Training should not be based on training, it should be based on creating competency, skill, and strategic thinking ON THE SPOT!

Taking this into account, you are slammed into a wall violently, maybe even jerked back up with one or two hands on the scruff of your shirt or jacket. What skills do you employ?
Me? I would likely move with it and head but the guy, assuming he is taller it would hit the nose region or just under with the combined momentum of his jerking me up and my push into it. Shoot my hands up center and out to slam his arm or arms away, pop him a few times in the abdominal section then sweep his arm through while he is still disoriented so that I gain the flank and he is either hitting the wall or passing to one side giving me the position of advantage.

See that? I aggressively stepped forward to close the distance while using it to assault his face then bring both arms up to get his hands off me (Morote Kamai from Gekesai Dai San, Gekesai, Kakuha).
Gaining the flank and allowing him to pass through maybe be further bolstered if I just help him along the way by adding momentum with a weight drop while grabbing the back of his neck to pull him down either face first into said wall or follow up with an interesting arm crank or a takedown. Same type of sequence as shown in Gekesai Dai San, but same movement as the previous post? Maybe? What skills is this teaching as opposed to the previous?

We have taken into account the ways in which an assailant will move or assault you in one instance, what they do is not as important as how they do what they do or, in other words, the feel of it.
They are going to jerk you around, grab and tear at clothing and skin, they are going to be bigger (possibly, at least in my case), and they are not going to leave their arms out for you to apply anything, they are going to do everything they can to stop you from applying anything.
What skills are useful with this? Sensitivity and blending, using what the opponent gives you is not just in or on their bodies, but in the movements themselves, the jerking and thrashing, the momentum, the back and forth.
What YOU do may not be what I do and what WE do will not looking like Kata, nor should we strive for that.

What else? Striking to disrupt and disrupting to strike and closest weapon closest target, head butt with a punch combination follow-up while on the inside, what this also tells us is that the inside is dangerous because all of their weapons can still reach us, so keep moving and causing damage vying for a dominant position.
This segment also teaches us entering aggressively, closing the distance and throwing off their timing by taking their initiative away from them.
Next it teaches us to clear their arms and allow them to pass through with whatever defense they muster so that we gain the better position by flanking them, taking at least half their weapons away by means of positioning.

We then continue the motion with a weight drop and forceful pull using the hand on the neck (Koken Uke) as a delivery system for the downward and backward force of the whole body.
With this we can use the wall to hit them, in this scenario it shows us that the environment is a weapon too, but this is not specifically called out in Kata, thus, this illustrates what one limitation that is seldom addressed.
It shows us using our whole body with momentum of the assailant and the importance of mobility with stability and elevation within footwork.
(Pretty sure I can word that better)

The main points, as you can hopefully see, are not in the techniques, but what they are meant to illustrate and to work those principles rather than perfecting and getting attached to technique.

More to come. Thank you.

Lessons From The Kihon Kata #2- Sensitivity, Flowing, Locking, and Striking.

How often does the sequence ‘stepping forward into Sanchin Dachi while performing Chudan Uke’ appear throughout Goju Ryu? It does not matter the lineage, the answer is A LOT.
It is in every Kata, whether it be open handed, closed fisted, it does not matter save the context, which means it is a primary principle of the system, indeed, it seems to be a primary principle in just about every incarnation of Karate in one form or another (an interesting aside is that Jodan Uke is not particularly prevalent in Goju Ryu as a whole and is seemingly a secondary principle that utilized similar mechanics to Chudan Uke - in my view the Kihon Kata are primarily for teaching, not for application, as such this seems to be a way of telling the student to be mindful of different elevation zones).

After the initial movement (in Toguchi Goju Ryu) there is a half step at a forty five degree angle with a pivot to the right whilst performing a Jodan Uke.
In Kata performance this seems choppy and broken, but if we take that out it would show a seamless flow from one to the other with a ‘spinning top’ principle at play.
What does this say? What is the context here? In my view it is to train sensitivity to a changing situation, as is prevalent throughout Goju Ryu also as a primary principle, while also training clearing, striking, and lock/flow in response to how the opponent might react after the student has put them on the defensive.

Clearing the initial attack the student gains the flank on the opponents’ right side while moving in and taking the center.
While footwork they also assault the legs and lock; the opponent may freak out and step back, pushing or attempting a strike or guard with the other arm.
In clinch or near clinch range contact is maintained in order to feel these responses as the ‘feeling’ sense is faster than what the eyes can capture, at least at close range.

The main point is to feel the shift and respond, basic infighting; as the arm is presented the student shifts, clears it through overhead (Jodan Uke), grabs and rolls their ‘punching’ arm through into an arm at.
Yes, this all seems rather formulaic, but again, the underlying principles are the important point of focus here.

Sensitivity.
Clearing.
Flowing and Locking.

Wait. Where are is the striking? In a previous post I pointed out that the mechanics for what we often call Punching in Karate are not really conducive to good Punching. Yes, one can punch if they choose or if a punch is called for, but generally the striking occurs in transition (at least what I have found).
This is something else the Kata calls our attention to. In the ‘clearing’ sections of Chudan Uke and the transitional ‘clearing’ to Jodan Uke one can find many strikes moving towards the centerline targeting the softness that is the general area of the throat or beneath the jaw line (striking hard to soft and employing closest weapon to closest target).
There are also forearm strikes to the assailing and pushing arms (attacking the weapon) with a sweet spot halfway between the elbow and the hand on the outside of the opponents’ forearm (think Kotekite).

These things can, and should, all be trained in isolation THEN re-deployed in conjunction within free-form ‘play’ (a Rory Miller term).

More to come. Maybe going to take all the opening sequences from each of the Kihon Kata and see how context changes from Kamai to Morote Kamai and dictates either Jodan Uke Principles or Koken Uke Principles, both from a Nissan Dachi and Shiko Dachi weighted principle and how these work.

Thank you for tuning in with me on this journey. It will take some time, a lot of training and visualization, a lot of back tracking, a lot of correcting, and a lot of Coffee.
Hopefully I can add some pictures soon to show more of what I am talking about from a visual medium, but I hate drawing on digital programs, so maybe not and this forces us all to use our imaginations.

Thank you.

Lessons From The Kihon Kata #1 - Opening Movement Analysis (Single Kamai).

The notion is to get beyond thinking about the shape our bodies take at the end of a movement, which we now call ‘technique,’ but to get at how those principles can function strategically towards an end goal.
The first movement in the Kihongata series is a step into what is called ‘Kamai’ (probably not spelling that correctly) and what many take as a ‘ready position,’ but we have to examine this deeply in order to get at the essence of it without getting too hung up on it.

I would NOT guard my head with only one hand up at chest level and one hand in chamber, so what is going on here?
First, when practicing solo we tend to do things against our own imagination which assumes our own approximate height and weight, so the chest level movement against a larger opponent might adjust to a higher level or even a wider level, within reason as there is a point beyond which the movement loses its’ applicability.
The solo form or the training form is an ideal to teach the principles, not necessarily something to expect. Rather like Tsuburi Training in Kendo.

The movement itself is not just a movement of the arms, but of the whole body in a specific way that encompasses each ‘zone’ as part of the whole.
Stepping out into a crescent shape with the feet while moving the left arm to meet the right in the center, then completing with right arm out in what we call a Chudan Uke. The body itself DOES perform a slight weight drop then rises up into the ‘final’ shape of the first position.

What is the opponent doing? Perhaps an attempted grab or shove? Perhaps an attempted sucker punch? A general idea leads to insight regarding the strategy, but it is not dependent on one specific act of the opponent other than the opponent is moving on you from the front somehow.

Taking this into account we move to implementation:
Closest Weapon/Closest Target coupled with Aggressive Forward Pressure and Clearing.
Attacking the Posture by rotating via leverage or attack on the arm while assuming a flank on the outside by the very rotation implemented.
Couple this with the footwork, stances are NOT static positions, they have a purpose. With aggressive forward motion we, at the same time, lock-up the leg of the opponent as a point of leverage in the overall attack.
Chamber hand is part of the overall movement as well, taking place and near Clinch or Clinch range, it is generally a grab and pull coupled with the motion of the opposite hand - the application of Yin and Yang as complimentary forces.

The success of the first motion is not guaranteed but also not ruled out which is why the Kata continues, the main point is to steal the initiative/steal the opponent’s mind and put them on the defensive, at the very least, but to END the altercation first and foremost.
There are other aspects in the motion that include striking the arm of the opponent with the offhand as it meets the right hand in the middle, which then catches and rotated the opponent, plus a small kick implied in the step for Sanchin Dachi before catching, trapping, and locking... The kick would be the set-up to get the necessary leg, otherwise a legitimate attack as feinting is not an option.

This movement can be examined in even greater depth from various angles that can fill volumes upon volumes of books and that is just one movement.
The movements themselves are only few, and the principles employed are even fewer, as we waddle things down we can see that Martial Arts are really only a few principles applied in varying ways with differing goals.

Take away for me here is;
1) Aggressively Close Distance.
2) Closest Weapon/Closest Target. All Zones.
3) Get to Flank.
4) Disrupt with pain to gain leverage or rotation points.
5) Attack posture.

The main point. Get the other person to defend.

More to come, possibly on this, maybe on the next movement, maybe both with some corrections for myself.

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. 

Blunt Force Trauma.

If one does not begin their training until later in life can they make a claim that someone is their lifelong Teacher? If they had spent their time speaking very unflatteringly of their Teacher and others within their lineage, in private, would they be able to claim themselves as true to a teaching they claim someone else is also not following?
If some central tenants of a Teaching are to 'keep a disciplined mind' would it be considered a breach of that teaching for someone to freak out over something trivial and to behave in a manner unbecoming someone within a school that touts Courtesy and Manners as part of its' school name and central teaching?


There have been many unflattering things said in private, while presenting a different face in public, although most seem aware of a certain loss of trust and a certain pencheant for the dramatic on the part of the other party.
Certainly aware of the artful embellishments of this party when they write out what they have to say.
A person that can, like a chameleon, move from circle to circle and insinuate themselves into things with skilful use of words, charisma, a skill for making connections with people, sometimes at the expense of other people.
It is a wonder they ever had the trust of their Teacher at all, for the face they present in public is different for each circle and FAR different than the face that is presented in private.


I suppose that is par for the course, however, it is best to be wary of people like these, for they are only out for their own gain and will stop at nothing to gain at the expense of those around them.
They will place themselves in positions of high esteem with a lot of pull and use that pull to do whatever is best for them, they will make threats, they will also follow through with some of those threats if it benefits them to do so, sometimes it doesn't and they will switch strategies.


One person I know if likes to talk a big game, they sometimes put down the skill of others, even though they barely had any skill of their own when they COULD actually train.
They are great with words, and therein lay the possible reason they did not have the full trust of their Teacher and the reason they barely spoke. This person was only continuing with their partnership because it was an investment, not because they actually cared or acted in the same spirit as a man who would often place the wellfare of others above everything else.
Some within the Dojo could not afford dues and were feeling that they could no longer train because, unlike their Teacher, this person was more business minded and less compassionate.


A lot of talk and zero follow-through in regards to ANY of the central Teachings, with even less skill in ANY of the aspects of training on the floor.
It is a shame that these types are even able to make it through the door, but again, anyone can step on the floor, not everyone can actually walk the path laid out before them.


That is all.

Common Sense.

There are cults in the Martial Arts; personality cults around which small followings grow in which worship is in the form of someone presenting themselves as having something others do not... The one true way.
This tends to appeal to that part of the psyche that needs to feel special, privy to information no one else has, part of something greater than the self, and this is normal human behavior, but it is a huge flaw, a weakness upon which these sorts of people prey.


Certainly they may not make any money at these things, but it does make them feel greater than they actually are, charimsatic attention seekers that they are, they really cannot help themselves and, more often than not, will never recognize that there is a problem (believing their own stories so whole heartedly that, even when they are shown the truth, they have justifications ready to reinforce the story when it is shattered).


There is NO one true way. A correct and original way are not the same thing and what is correct for one person is not necessarily correct for another.
There is NO pure way, each walks the path in their own way, this is why variations pop up, sometimes from the Teacher, sometimes from insight, but no one EVER does things EXACTLY as their Teachers have done, it is simply not possible.


One can usually tell when someone else is a part of something like this, they make claims, they argue against someone else's claims with their own claims, but they seldom actually back up those claims, simply saying things like, 'If only you knew who I knew.'
Basically a cop-out, but they reinforce their own story in their heads this way and do not elaborate further.


My advice? Stay away from groups like this and, if your curiosity gets the better of you, keep a reasonable mind about your shoulders, remain a true skeptic, take what is useful and remain honest about the rest, do NOT give your mind and heart over to these people.
Often they speak very well, they have stories they share, most of which are embellished, but in the end, none of them really have any idea what they are talking about and, when one looks more closely at the information they provide they will find gaping holes... Heed these red flags.


Stay safe in your practice. The best self defense is simply having common sense.

False Harmony.

I am a blunt person, but I am an honest person.
I will tell it exactly how I see it, and yes, sometimes I am a bit of an asshole, but the truth is that I am this way because I care too deeply to just let things go by with any amount of sugar coating.

To cut through all the nonsense is simply a way of remaining true, keeping things simple, and keeping things practical.
Nothing needs to be so overly complex or convoluted and complaining only means that our energy, our focus, is not directed where it should be.
Budo training shows us exactly how to cut through all the nonsense in our day to day lives; how to zero in on the solutions within ourselves and start implimenting what needs to be implimented.

False harmony and paying lip service have no place here, just as half-assed focus and technique have no place on the Dojo Floor.
The answers cannot be found on the floor if one is not fully present on the floor, just the same with life.

Do we complain over and over when we are not quite getting something? A new Kata? A new technique? Or do we simply question and work at it until we start to get it?
If people were to tell you what you want to hear in the Dojo then no progress could be made, again, just the same with life.

Conflict and difficulty, viewed from the correct context, are our true Teachers; they are the road to true harmony, to true strength of spirit.

This is NOT just philosophy. This is the sort of thing that shapes great people who, in turn, shape the world.

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.

Legacies in New Moments.

Class this last Friday was focused solely on breaking down Jodan Uke and applying it in a more functional manner, with focus specifically on the 'off' hand as it moved through the center line.
This was done partially in the vein of a recent visit I made, in June, to the Lincoln Martial Arts Center for the Sho Rei Shobu Kan's Convention put on by my Teacher's Teacher, Shihan John Roseberry.
He took a Kata he created, Gakusei No Kata, and broke it down into sparring drills that we worked for eight hours, from beginning, to end, which really shed some light onto not only the applications there-in, but approaching application of Kata in general.

I had worked a twelve hour shift off of Graves, from Midnight to Noon, and had stuff to do throughout the day, so I had finally laid down for bed when my phone went off asking what time Karate Class was, since it was Friday.
My body said, 'No class today,' but a voice in my head said, 'You have to get up and work with these kids,' so I told the person that Class would be around six o'clock and took about an hour nap, then went to teach.

Class started off with a grueling warm-up, myself and my students performed what I call 'frog sprints' and a quickened 'lizard walk' both of which contain elements of various other exercises meant to work multiple muscle groups at the same time, with a focus specifically on the core.
Some kids were having a hard time with it, some were getting it, but still missing elements, so we took some time to go over proper form and the reason for proper form in all things, which lead to the next focus of class, Jodan Uke.
We started off just standing in Sanchin Dachi performing Jodan Uke, then moved into partner work with specific focus on Ude Uke to the center line as one partner quickly reached out with open hands to tag the defender in the center of the chest, or the head, targeting was random.
Again, the focus was on the reason for proper form and how it feeds the functionality of the technique and, in turn, shows that the target does not matter, the function of the movement is the same.

We ended with the last portion of Jodan Uke turning into a strike after the initial Ude Uke, with a pull in to Chamber and a forearm strike/hammerfist follow-through to the head.
After this more about form and function were stressed as we moved in to closing. The classes are not specifically formal, I simply have them sit and focus on a spot on the ground, then we have a Q and A session and class is over.

I went home and crashed hard, slept for a few hours, then woke up feeling rested, but a different kind of rested, something had changed.
I went back to sleep again after spending some time with my kids, then woke up to the news that Shihan John Roseberry had passed.
It was not really a surprise, I somehow knew, but regardless, it hit many, including myself, pretty hard.

The above is to illustrate the legacy that Shihan left behind, this is how we honor his memory, this is how we continue his legacy.
Who is senior? Who is his successor? These things really don't matter because we are all successors to aspects of what he taught and THIS is how we move forward, by not getting caught up in our own sadness, by continuing as we always have.
Ultimately death is a natural part of life and is not something to be viewed in a negative light, it is something to be celebrated and welcomed, to be accepted for what it is.
Shihan is not gone, he has just entered the next phase of his journey.

Keep finding answers on the floor. Until we all meet again. 

Closed Door Traditions vs Mainstream Karate.

Over the years I have found myself wondering about the true history, form, and nature of Karate as a whole.
We have the mainstream history that most schools espouse, unique to their own respective 'lineages,' but often these histories are called into question and there remains quite a bit that has been left out (like all the Political nonsense, the bickering, the backstabbing for personal gain that has gone on behind the scenes that many like to pretend never happened and still does not happen).

I was recently introduced to a term I had never heard before in a Group discussing Ryukyu Martial Arts; it was termed as Tijiichakaya or Tigaya, something that does not show up on Google Searches or anywhere else, which automatically calls it into question, but the person who used the term referred to it as a group of people who 'shaped the history of Ryukyu Martial Arts in a very specific and purposeful way.'
Yeah, it seems a bit on the side of conspiracy theory, like a small group of people who have a hand in developing mainstream things as they see fit while keeping the truth/real stuff hidden within the confines of a small group of people.
The person that used the term stated they are a group of four people on Okinawa and, while they do teach a number of people, they only pass on the complete teaching to one successor each, per their tradition.

It was an interesting topic of discussion, but coming from only one source I still have not been able to verify it beyond that, which I find interesting because NO ONE seems to have shared anything on it that is showing up ANYWHERE other than from this one individual.
I am not going to dismiss it outright, if it can be verified, great, if not, then it is no big deal, but the mere fact that SOMEONE has stated something like this just goes to show how much of history can be called into question; history is subjective, often written by the victors... What he have is hardly the whole story.

In the same topic of discussion I had called into question the very idea of Karate as originally Ryukyuan.
My reasoning for this was simple; by the time Karate, as we know it today, was developed it was already the 20th Century and the former Ryukyu Kingdom  was now Okinawa Prefecture, a part of Japan, it was in the process of assimilating to Japanese society and culture, with the majority of Okinawan Martial Arts Teachers onboard.
Miyagi himself went to great lengths to solidify his brand of Karate with the Japanese Governing Body of Martial Arts, even going so far as to expressing his piety towards the Japanese Emperor by saying only the Emperor could award a Black Belt or Dan Ranking to anyone.
(Which calls into question where his own students actually got their Black Belts and authority to award Black Belts to anyone since they did not receive this from their own Teacher).

The underlying point was that Karate, once Ti, or Tou Di, was an Uchinaaguchi expression for 'China Hand' or something akin to that, and became 'Empty Hand' with a predominantly Japanese pronunciation.
We learn Karate using Japanese terminology, whether you are on Mainland Japan, Okinawa, or anywhere else in the world, it is primarily Japanese in its' expression, from the terminology, to the uniforms, to the ranking system, to the very structure of the classes (albeit classes in some schools on Okinawa are less structured).

This point lead me to question whether or not the practice of Kata was actually originally part of the Ryukyuan Martial Arts at all and not just a more modern addition to it using a Japanese concept.
Forms were, and are, certainly part of Chinese Martial Arts, and they were, perhaps, a part of Ryukyuan Martial Arts (we will possibly never know), but not really to the point of having them as anything more than a training aid.
The very word 'Kata' is Japanese, and I have yet to find anything similar in Uchinaaguchi that expresses the same concept, in point of fact what I have discovered about Ryukyuan Culture is that it is not as formal as Japanese Culture... There is an expression I once heard that 'nothing in Okinawa ever starts on time,' which is the exact opposite of Japanese Culture, where everything is about etiquette, timing, propriety... Everything in Japanese Culture seems to be one long ritual pattern, or Kata.

There was a story of Miyagi and two Students visiting a Master of Ti, they asked him to show them his secret of fighting and he obliged by dancing, to which Miyagi's Senior Student attacked the old man and ended up being thrown on his ass.
I am obviously not telling it exactly as it has been told time and again, but the story demonstrates a separate Ryukyuan Martial Art that is outside the mainstream and that is not considered a part of what we now call 'Karate,' something a bit more deeply rooted in the Ryukyuan Culture itself.
The story ends with the trio leaving the old man in disappointment because they did not understand what had just happened, they could not comprehend the secret of the old man's school (which further illustrates a disconnect between their generation and the older generation that was more deeply rooted in the old ways of the culture which their generation was forsaking in the name of assimilation).

This is not to disrespect those that came before, but to look at things with a more critical eye.

One might feel they should dismiss all this outright as nothing, but there are many examples of 'closed door' traditions throughout many cultures of the world, especially in China, Japan, and India.
Even here in the United States, where we have people from many different cultures, there are examples of cultural ties through 'closed door' traditions that only members of said culture, or those with extremely close ties, are privy to.
Good luck ever getting in with these groups, they are extremely guarded and tend only to pass on their ways to their own people.

Just food for thought. I found the following description of 'Kata' in a search I was doing as I was attempting to find an Uchinaaguchi equivalent to 'Kata' as a word and concept;

'Kata (型, 形, or 方 literally: “form”) is a Japanese word describing a form or a way of doing something, and is completely generic in usage. …  Kata, in the Western parlance, is a detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. Kata are used in many traditional Japanese arts such as theater forms like kabuki and schools of tea ceremony (chadō), but are most commonly known for the presence in the martial arts. Kata are used by most traditional Japanese and Okinawan martial arts, such as aikidō, iaidō, jōdō, jūdō, jūjutsu, kenjutsu, kendō and karate.'

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.