Bunkai is a process, not a specific response to anything. The process of analysis, breaking things down to analyze their base elements or principles.
There is no real ‘Bunkai’ for ‘this’ or for ‘that’ in response to some specific thing. No X,Y,Z formula for dealing with anything.
In his letters to Yagyu Munenori the Zen Priest, Takuan Soho, said that the mind that stops and thinks only of responding to a specific thing comes to be stuck on that specific thing and ends up getting cut by it whereas the mind that does NOT stop on any specific thing is free and those who try to cut such a person down will end up being cut by their own sword.
There are no specific stopping points outside of learning, and no specific interpretations, there is only endless movement of principles so ingrained they no longer require a mind to guide them... The guiding mind and the principles are inseparable to the point that mind and principle cease to exist as specific points to which one can point and discern.
If a beginner is attacked they simply react, once they start to learn effectively their minds tend to get caught up on specific points, it is from this they should be guided in a manner leading towards an end that is the same as the beginning, thus coming full circle.
Breaking a student out of a point by point mindset by leading them THROUGH points so that understanding may be so internalized as to be consciously forgotten entirely.
In the beginning there are no techniques or principles, quite literally, in the process techniques and principles serve as the cart and horse through a vast array of things meant to show more efficient ways of responding until, ultimately, these are discarded and, in the end, there are no longer techniques or principles.
There is no such thing as Kata, no such thing as Kihon, nothing to Bunkai, just endless infinite movement backed by an immovable mind and spirit that does not get caught up or focus on any specific thing.
No response yielding infinite responses. There is no us versus them, our way or their way, there is just the way, which is found by abandoning the way and yielding to nothing at all.
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Monday, February 3, 2020
Everything In Its' Place.
There is a purpose to everything. Some may not believe this, but others feel it deep in their bones; I am among the latter.
What purpose is there? What is the reason for anything? This may seem off topic for a Martial Arts Blog, but it is my view (and I am joined in this by the likes of Marcus Aurelius, Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, and many others) that the Universe itself is reasoning and rational.
All of those mentioned above were also Martial Artists in their own right, and this was an extension of their practices in Philosophy.
My quest has never been for belts or titles; it has never been about gaining prestige or recognition within any given Community or Organization... It has never been my goal to go down in history books along side the greats, the Masters.
I maintain this run-of-the-mill blog on my corner of the Internet, most don't even know it is here unless I choose to share my views with a larger audience and I write irregularly, whenever something strikes me to write.
No. My quest has always been the truth, getting to the core, to the root, to the reality behind all the bullshit peddled about in one form or another and this has taken me to many interesting places where some very interesting things were shared... Some can be shared openly, some cannot, in the case of the latter it is because I gave my word in exchange for what was being imparted.
Holding true to my previous posts, no one claiming to hold the 'secret sauce' should be taken at face value, ever.
That being said, some of these claims have turned out to be quite enlightening, some have not. That is not why I am writing now.
The things I know are definitely outside the norm for most, definitely not mainstream, and definitely puts me at odds with most in any Mainstream Organization... This is nothing new to me, it has been this way for many years.
My Teacher used to say 'I give you three corners of the puzzle, I expect you to go out and find the fourth on your own,' which is something I have always taken to heart.
Certainly one can conform to the standards of an Organization, have them tell you how to do things the right way (read their way) which rarely translates to anything useful beyond the realm of the Organization itself.
This is not meant to be disparaging of Organizations themselves, there are fine people and very knowledgeable people within Organizations, and even here, there is a reason, a rationality behind these things, a starting point, a springboard. The first three pieces of the puzzle, maybe they lead to the fourth, maybe not, ultimately it is up to each individual to step outside their comfort zone and tread off the beaten path... This is NOT for the feint of heart, however, and certainly NOT for anyone wanting to make a name for themselves or any sort of position within an Organization because it requires one to question everything, most do not appreciate this.
In my life the rank of Godan, Yondan, or even Sandan may never be achieved. Off the beaten path these things don't matter in the slightest because rank is a piece of paper.
There is a reason for this as well and I feel it is along the lines of what T.T. Liang said in the book 'Steal My Art' when he gave a Teaching Certificate to an Individual that ended up leaving to form his own group off the reputation of the great Tai Chi Master, that individual only wanted prestige, not the actual Art itself, so T.T. Liang wrote him that certificate to make him go away so that he could focus his efforts on people who actually wanted to learn.
In most cases this may not be true, but the notion of Rank and all that seems to promote a spirit of conformity that is not conducive to actual learning beyond surface level stuff... The trivial stuff.
Do I feel that this is bad? No, not in the slightest, and as I previously stated, this is not meant to be disparaging as there are some fine individuals within Organizations and, indeed, VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE individuals with high rank. I have deep respect for these people and am always honored to train with them.
It is the people who seem to avoid the front of the class, who seem to stay off to the side simply working on what they are working on, that draw my attention the most and it is from these individuals, whom have been training for years and years on a single thing, from whom I have learned the most.
What is the purpose of all this? I am told I should teach, that I should open a school and share what I have learned, constantly told.
Truth be told I do have a school, but it is not the conventional school with wood floors, a Shomen, weapons, or even walls, per se, no, it consists of time, effort, and applying knowledge to whatever task one happens to be doing at the time.
There are no rank requirements, the only standards to follow are body mechanics and principles, sometimes there are parks involved, sometimes it consists of sweeping the kitchen or doing dishes, or doing a job to the best of one's ability.
If I had a school I doubt I would even include rank. My students would call me by my name or simply call me 'Mister so-and-so' and may not even include Traditional Uniforms.
My purpose for training is not to conform, it is to grow, it is to step outside of that box in which many willingly place themselves and look around, see what is there, maybe communicate that back to others, maybe not, depending on who is asking and whether or not there is interest.
The purpose of a school would not be in having people who simply conform to 'What Sensei says' but to help them explore themselves and learn from their own perspectives.
There would, naturally, be a bit of that as one cannot come to a Teacher and expect not to work for what they are asking, but ultimately what they are asking for comes from within, the outer stuff, the Kata, the drills, all of it, those are just tools... Tools serve a purpose... Once that purpose has been completed what is the point of keeping those tools? One is using the tools to fine tune oneself, once that has been accomplished the self outgrows the tools and begins to function as it should along the principles outlined by the use of said tools.
Ultimately one may never get to this point within their lifetime, but this idea that the tool is the main point of focus has permeated nearly every aspect of training and, I feel, the true purpose has been completely missed.
The meaning of the word 'Karate' is 'Empty Hand,' it is not meant to be a 'Style' in the usual sense of the term, it is a system of fine tuning oneself, a system that has not been utilized properly for a long, long time.
Some will say it is bullshit itself, and with this I tend to agree, given what I now know and what I had suspected previously... Then again, most things can be said to be bullshit, but this is not because they are bogus, it is because they are not being properly utilized... Like trying to unscrew something using a tack-hammer, it simply won't work.
Do I have all the answers? Hell no. Not even close. I have what I have and I know what I know, there is always more to learn and learning more will undoubtedly change my perspective as I go, but the root of this has remained the same, utilizing things properly for what they were meant to do.
The true meaning of the Empty Hand is the Hand that holds everything, this is not simply philosophical rhetoric, it is a teaching tool... It points to exactly the perspective one needs in order to start down the path properly... Do not become overly attached to things as they 'appear,' for one, appearances are deceiving and often outright wrong, especially if the appearance of something is the sole focus rather than that to which the PROPER appearance alludes... Function should determine form, not the other way around... Once this is understood then the actual method doesn't really matter because the function and principle are present.
Whether one knows One Kata or Twenty Seven, it does not matter in the slightest. The purpose is what matters, the Kata is not a relic to behold, it is something to be used and tools used often change over time.
There is no standard or 'right' way to do something beyond whether or not it is imparting solid principles, functionality, and applicability.
Ultimately Karate is about growing beyond Karate. Maybe this is not a very 'Karate' view on my part, but there it is... Take it or leave it, I really don't care.
What purpose is there? What is the reason for anything? This may seem off topic for a Martial Arts Blog, but it is my view (and I am joined in this by the likes of Marcus Aurelius, Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, and many others) that the Universe itself is reasoning and rational.
All of those mentioned above were also Martial Artists in their own right, and this was an extension of their practices in Philosophy.
My quest has never been for belts or titles; it has never been about gaining prestige or recognition within any given Community or Organization... It has never been my goal to go down in history books along side the greats, the Masters.
I maintain this run-of-the-mill blog on my corner of the Internet, most don't even know it is here unless I choose to share my views with a larger audience and I write irregularly, whenever something strikes me to write.
No. My quest has always been the truth, getting to the core, to the root, to the reality behind all the bullshit peddled about in one form or another and this has taken me to many interesting places where some very interesting things were shared... Some can be shared openly, some cannot, in the case of the latter it is because I gave my word in exchange for what was being imparted.
Holding true to my previous posts, no one claiming to hold the 'secret sauce' should be taken at face value, ever.
That being said, some of these claims have turned out to be quite enlightening, some have not. That is not why I am writing now.
The things I know are definitely outside the norm for most, definitely not mainstream, and definitely puts me at odds with most in any Mainstream Organization... This is nothing new to me, it has been this way for many years.
My Teacher used to say 'I give you three corners of the puzzle, I expect you to go out and find the fourth on your own,' which is something I have always taken to heart.
Certainly one can conform to the standards of an Organization, have them tell you how to do things the right way (read their way) which rarely translates to anything useful beyond the realm of the Organization itself.
This is not meant to be disparaging of Organizations themselves, there are fine people and very knowledgeable people within Organizations, and even here, there is a reason, a rationality behind these things, a starting point, a springboard. The first three pieces of the puzzle, maybe they lead to the fourth, maybe not, ultimately it is up to each individual to step outside their comfort zone and tread off the beaten path... This is NOT for the feint of heart, however, and certainly NOT for anyone wanting to make a name for themselves or any sort of position within an Organization because it requires one to question everything, most do not appreciate this.
In my life the rank of Godan, Yondan, or even Sandan may never be achieved. Off the beaten path these things don't matter in the slightest because rank is a piece of paper.
There is a reason for this as well and I feel it is along the lines of what T.T. Liang said in the book 'Steal My Art' when he gave a Teaching Certificate to an Individual that ended up leaving to form his own group off the reputation of the great Tai Chi Master, that individual only wanted prestige, not the actual Art itself, so T.T. Liang wrote him that certificate to make him go away so that he could focus his efforts on people who actually wanted to learn.
In most cases this may not be true, but the notion of Rank and all that seems to promote a spirit of conformity that is not conducive to actual learning beyond surface level stuff... The trivial stuff.
Do I feel that this is bad? No, not in the slightest, and as I previously stated, this is not meant to be disparaging as there are some fine individuals within Organizations and, indeed, VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE individuals with high rank. I have deep respect for these people and am always honored to train with them.
It is the people who seem to avoid the front of the class, who seem to stay off to the side simply working on what they are working on, that draw my attention the most and it is from these individuals, whom have been training for years and years on a single thing, from whom I have learned the most.
What is the purpose of all this? I am told I should teach, that I should open a school and share what I have learned, constantly told.
Truth be told I do have a school, but it is not the conventional school with wood floors, a Shomen, weapons, or even walls, per se, no, it consists of time, effort, and applying knowledge to whatever task one happens to be doing at the time.
There are no rank requirements, the only standards to follow are body mechanics and principles, sometimes there are parks involved, sometimes it consists of sweeping the kitchen or doing dishes, or doing a job to the best of one's ability.
If I had a school I doubt I would even include rank. My students would call me by my name or simply call me 'Mister so-and-so' and may not even include Traditional Uniforms.
My purpose for training is not to conform, it is to grow, it is to step outside of that box in which many willingly place themselves and look around, see what is there, maybe communicate that back to others, maybe not, depending on who is asking and whether or not there is interest.
The purpose of a school would not be in having people who simply conform to 'What Sensei says' but to help them explore themselves and learn from their own perspectives.
There would, naturally, be a bit of that as one cannot come to a Teacher and expect not to work for what they are asking, but ultimately what they are asking for comes from within, the outer stuff, the Kata, the drills, all of it, those are just tools... Tools serve a purpose... Once that purpose has been completed what is the point of keeping those tools? One is using the tools to fine tune oneself, once that has been accomplished the self outgrows the tools and begins to function as it should along the principles outlined by the use of said tools.
Ultimately one may never get to this point within their lifetime, but this idea that the tool is the main point of focus has permeated nearly every aspect of training and, I feel, the true purpose has been completely missed.
The meaning of the word 'Karate' is 'Empty Hand,' it is not meant to be a 'Style' in the usual sense of the term, it is a system of fine tuning oneself, a system that has not been utilized properly for a long, long time.
Some will say it is bullshit itself, and with this I tend to agree, given what I now know and what I had suspected previously... Then again, most things can be said to be bullshit, but this is not because they are bogus, it is because they are not being properly utilized... Like trying to unscrew something using a tack-hammer, it simply won't work.
Do I have all the answers? Hell no. Not even close. I have what I have and I know what I know, there is always more to learn and learning more will undoubtedly change my perspective as I go, but the root of this has remained the same, utilizing things properly for what they were meant to do.
The true meaning of the Empty Hand is the Hand that holds everything, this is not simply philosophical rhetoric, it is a teaching tool... It points to exactly the perspective one needs in order to start down the path properly... Do not become overly attached to things as they 'appear,' for one, appearances are deceiving and often outright wrong, especially if the appearance of something is the sole focus rather than that to which the PROPER appearance alludes... Function should determine form, not the other way around... Once this is understood then the actual method doesn't really matter because the function and principle are present.
Whether one knows One Kata or Twenty Seven, it does not matter in the slightest. The purpose is what matters, the Kata is not a relic to behold, it is something to be used and tools used often change over time.
There is no standard or 'right' way to do something beyond whether or not it is imparting solid principles, functionality, and applicability.
Ultimately Karate is about growing beyond Karate. Maybe this is not a very 'Karate' view on my part, but there it is... Take it or leave it, I really don't care.
Friday, January 31, 2020
A Peek Beyond the Program.
Respect is honoring what you have agreed to, regardless of anything else. Honor is having the integrity to do what is best whilst being humble enough to admit faults and shortcomings, areas of improvement need not be viewed in a negative light as we are all works in progress.
This is a constant walk, it never ends, one step forward can be two steps back, sometimes even three, four, or five, which may be necessary to refocus and gain perspective in light of some new insight or some outdated mode of being/thinking.
Loosen the reigns a little, forget the unnecessary stuff, most of all, take in what your Teachers/Guides have to say, but most of all trust yourself; it is never about them and even less about you, in some cases, but more about you in others.
Does something feel right, or is it causing injury? Be wary of those who do not really practice what they preach as they are only spouting rhetoric with no real understanding and zero practical knowledge. Maybe they have a little, by way of Self Defense and Combat? Does it apply to you? Through you? Does it even still apply to them?
Real respect begins in understanding and culminates in applying... Most do not have a grasp of what it means to truly apply as they continue to repeat rote training, as nauseam, without breaking any sort of mold into natural free flow.
Yes, honor teachings and traditions, but also honor your health and maintain your own integrity by questioning, constantly, even to the point of annoyance. If no answers are given and you are made to shut up then, it is likely, the one purporting to have those answers really has no answers at all.
This is not only misleading, but egotistical, and also harmful in the long run. Especially where the Arts of Mars or Martial Arts are involved.
People can get hurt or even killed with incorrect information and improper training and expectations.
There is no disrespect intended by asking questions and, if answers are found wanting, there is no shame in calling someone out on this.
If what they talk about is contradictory to the teachings purported by someone higher up the food chain there is also no shame in pointing this out either... Again, we are all works in progress and areas that need improvement are facts of life and should never be viewed negatively. Those with more experience that purport to be your Teacher/Guide should also maintain strict humility. It is a mutual path.
This may not be the case in some Eastern Countries and we should certainly respect our Elders who clearly have walked the Earth longer than we have, but true respect is never blind and true wisdom is open to learning, no matter where the lesson may come from.
Organizations tend to stagnate, styles tend to solidify, creating automatons is often a sure way to creating helpless people who will not understand what has happened when reality breaks them down and they find they are alone on that field with weapons that do nothing for them.
We can continue to maintain our histories and lineages, our obedience to Tradition and Etiquette, maybe these things deserve such devotion, maybe not, but do we truly act out of respect or do we merely act in a programmed fashion?
What does this truly say about our integrity, let alone are own power and spirit?
To begin, Training is automatically flawed, no amount of training is reality and no system holds the master key to success, no Teacher holds any ounce of the Secret Sauce... Save for reality and experience, the greatest and harshest of Teachers.
It is, true, however, that we do respond from our training and if said training is not adequate we may just find ourselves in a VERY bad spot.
What is missing? What is the point? What are hundreds of choreographed drills meant to teach you? Do they even have a reason to justify their existence? Is that lesson to move and flow naturally at varying distances whilst applying the principles you are learning? If so, is it your own natural way of moving or someone else’s?
Are they meant to teach you recovery from a blindside? How about escapes and counters? Are these even taught right away or are they saved as more ‘advanced?’
(There is no such thing and most techniques do not even exist beyond their utility as teaching and learning aids).
What is the history of a style? Is it mystical or badass? Meant to draw you in based on your expectations and pre-conceived notions formed from popular culture? Does it encourage this mindset or seek to break it? Hint, breaking it would not be a great marketing strategy in this line of work.
Karate itself is a Modern system... All of what we have are modern systems, takes on older things, and many of them have failed to remain true to the spirit they purport to possess by way of lineage and Tradition.
None of them were battlefield tested and none of them are truly ‘Warrior’ Arts in that sense of the term.
Would you require your soldiers to train in something that takes years to grasp, let alone apply? No. You would want your Soldiers battle ready from the start... Let Mastery come later for those that survive.
It is not hard to train in that way and there are really very few things a person needs to know in order to become battle ready... The rest is just mental and physical conditioning to ensure that a person has the necessary stamina and fortitude to handle combat.
Looking at your Teacher. Can this be said about them? Do they maintain such a discipline in themselves? If not, how can they instill this in you? How can they provide you with the tools necessary to maintain said discipline?
If it is an enriched and fulfilling life path they are offering rather than a combative approach (The Way, or ‘Do’) then what does their own life look like? Are they successful of their own accord or do they count on the income provided by their student base to keep them afloat whilst living a life in shambles, maintaining unhealthy habits, and a character that speaks volumes to this whilst speaking words that seem wise, yet merely dressed in silk for consumption?
Everyone is flawed, but there should always be some sign that a person is trying to live the way they are claiming they can help you live or, at least, are able to handle themselves in the way they claim to be able to help you handle yourself.
This is not meant to be disrespectful, just real, because we have very little of that in this day and age of branding for a marketing niche... Nothing wrong with that, until there IS something wrong with it and people get hurt, lives get destroyed.
This is a constant walk, it never ends, one step forward can be two steps back, sometimes even three, four, or five, which may be necessary to refocus and gain perspective in light of some new insight or some outdated mode of being/thinking.
Loosen the reigns a little, forget the unnecessary stuff, most of all, take in what your Teachers/Guides have to say, but most of all trust yourself; it is never about them and even less about you, in some cases, but more about you in others.
Does something feel right, or is it causing injury? Be wary of those who do not really practice what they preach as they are only spouting rhetoric with no real understanding and zero practical knowledge. Maybe they have a little, by way of Self Defense and Combat? Does it apply to you? Through you? Does it even still apply to them?
Real respect begins in understanding and culminates in applying... Most do not have a grasp of what it means to truly apply as they continue to repeat rote training, as nauseam, without breaking any sort of mold into natural free flow.
Yes, honor teachings and traditions, but also honor your health and maintain your own integrity by questioning, constantly, even to the point of annoyance. If no answers are given and you are made to shut up then, it is likely, the one purporting to have those answers really has no answers at all.
This is not only misleading, but egotistical, and also harmful in the long run. Especially where the Arts of Mars or Martial Arts are involved.
People can get hurt or even killed with incorrect information and improper training and expectations.
There is no disrespect intended by asking questions and, if answers are found wanting, there is no shame in calling someone out on this.
If what they talk about is contradictory to the teachings purported by someone higher up the food chain there is also no shame in pointing this out either... Again, we are all works in progress and areas that need improvement are facts of life and should never be viewed negatively. Those with more experience that purport to be your Teacher/Guide should also maintain strict humility. It is a mutual path.
This may not be the case in some Eastern Countries and we should certainly respect our Elders who clearly have walked the Earth longer than we have, but true respect is never blind and true wisdom is open to learning, no matter where the lesson may come from.
Organizations tend to stagnate, styles tend to solidify, creating automatons is often a sure way to creating helpless people who will not understand what has happened when reality breaks them down and they find they are alone on that field with weapons that do nothing for them.
We can continue to maintain our histories and lineages, our obedience to Tradition and Etiquette, maybe these things deserve such devotion, maybe not, but do we truly act out of respect or do we merely act in a programmed fashion?
What does this truly say about our integrity, let alone are own power and spirit?
To begin, Training is automatically flawed, no amount of training is reality and no system holds the master key to success, no Teacher holds any ounce of the Secret Sauce... Save for reality and experience, the greatest and harshest of Teachers.
It is, true, however, that we do respond from our training and if said training is not adequate we may just find ourselves in a VERY bad spot.
What is missing? What is the point? What are hundreds of choreographed drills meant to teach you? Do they even have a reason to justify their existence? Is that lesson to move and flow naturally at varying distances whilst applying the principles you are learning? If so, is it your own natural way of moving or someone else’s?
Are they meant to teach you recovery from a blindside? How about escapes and counters? Are these even taught right away or are they saved as more ‘advanced?’
(There is no such thing and most techniques do not even exist beyond their utility as teaching and learning aids).
What is the history of a style? Is it mystical or badass? Meant to draw you in based on your expectations and pre-conceived notions formed from popular culture? Does it encourage this mindset or seek to break it? Hint, breaking it would not be a great marketing strategy in this line of work.
Karate itself is a Modern system... All of what we have are modern systems, takes on older things, and many of them have failed to remain true to the spirit they purport to possess by way of lineage and Tradition.
None of them were battlefield tested and none of them are truly ‘Warrior’ Arts in that sense of the term.
Would you require your soldiers to train in something that takes years to grasp, let alone apply? No. You would want your Soldiers battle ready from the start... Let Mastery come later for those that survive.
It is not hard to train in that way and there are really very few things a person needs to know in order to become battle ready... The rest is just mental and physical conditioning to ensure that a person has the necessary stamina and fortitude to handle combat.
Looking at your Teacher. Can this be said about them? Do they maintain such a discipline in themselves? If not, how can they instill this in you? How can they provide you with the tools necessary to maintain said discipline?
If it is an enriched and fulfilling life path they are offering rather than a combative approach (The Way, or ‘Do’) then what does their own life look like? Are they successful of their own accord or do they count on the income provided by their student base to keep them afloat whilst living a life in shambles, maintaining unhealthy habits, and a character that speaks volumes to this whilst speaking words that seem wise, yet merely dressed in silk for consumption?
Everyone is flawed, but there should always be some sign that a person is trying to live the way they are claiming they can help you live or, at least, are able to handle themselves in the way they claim to be able to help you handle yourself.
This is not meant to be disrespectful, just real, because we have very little of that in this day and age of branding for a marketing niche... Nothing wrong with that, until there IS something wrong with it and people get hurt, lives get destroyed.
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
A Word On The Way.
What does it mean to walk the road less traveled? I know, in some instances, in others I have no clue and on those things I do not speak, I cannot speak, I do not have the understanding, experience, or wisdom to speak... The correct questions have not been properly formulated.
Most people look at Karate from a surface perspective, they see punching, kicking, blocking, belts, Gi, bowing, Japanese terminology, and most view it disparagingly as something not particularly practical and more suitable for training Children for character building, with the Children rarely getting beyond certain points toward any real understanding.
It has been told to me that Karate does not include certain things... Why have I previously written on, and touched upon those things it was not supposed to include then?
Certain perspectives, to me, simply do not add up, thus I question those perspectives, it is in my nature to do so and I am seldom shy about doing such things.
I have been down many rabbit holes in my day seeking deeper understanding of the Art I have come to love, the Art that has helped me so much, with so much (not all of those being life situations, but actual combative situations).
I have met and trained with many great people with deep knowledge and many people with VERY big egos and only superficial knowledge who seem to hate and look down upon anyone else outside their circle.
Much of this has caused me to question the whole thing, much has been cast into doubt, wrestling through all this I find my own way forward and learn quite a bit about myself in the process.
Anymore I call people out on their crap because it is blatant and, sure, I come across as an asshole in quite a few instances, but when it comes to the Art and actual experience, there are very few people I have come to trust.
I am not all about Organizations or Hierarchy, those are artificial, rank, too, is artificial. Real experience shines through in the training, in the way a person moves, in what and how they apply as far as principles are concerned, these aspects do not lie.
When I am in a formal setting I will respect the niceties that are in place and observe etiquette, even deferring to those with less experience and higher rank, which is, in most instances, the norm.
The obvious never lies though, the truth is blatant in the training, in the moment, reality speaks volumes about people and people tend not to see this.... Or they do not WANT to see this.
Stuck on the proper way to move at a specific angle with no real reason as to WHY backing up what they are saying... The two inch Sensei, moving your hand two inches with no explanation, yet maintaining this is correct, that is something I could never get behind.
What is the purpose? Alignment usually tends to be the case, but this is seldom explained and, when it is, seldom to any real satisfying degree.
To date, in my nearly thirty years experience with all this, I have met THREE people who could offer satisfying explanations for corrections like this... Three people. There are likely more out there, sure, but I have not met them thus far.
I have been working my Karate from a Nafuadi perspective since around 2005, when I met one of those people who provided very deep explanations, introducing me to concepts like Chinkuchi, Atifa, Muchimidi, proper Shime testing, and proper use of the Makiwara in training.
Stacking according to their teaching of Sanchin Kata as the primary Kata, this changed my Karate and really provided some perspective that made it much deeper.
Furthermore, this really opened me up to a different perspective; namely Strategy and Tactics, backed by Principles rather than 'technique' based training or, as others would call it, 'lines rather than points.'
Simple things like 'Crossing the T' for escapes, which consisted of simply moving a shoulder across the opponent's centerline to break the hold... Which worked every time in every instance I had found.
Other aspects, like 'taking the center,' and 'disrupting the spine,' and 'Kuzushi.'
All of these are extremely effective and have very specific functions, but infinite ways through which they can each be applied, so it is important not to get caught up in various points along the way, save for deeper study on the mechanical principles backing them.
I have not seen this level of Strategic thinking in any other form or school of Karate. I have seen it in Jujitsu and Judo, as well as a specific approach to Aikido that is almost along the lines of Aiki-jutsu, but not in Karate itself... Even in my own Organization this seems to be missing in many respects, save for a few who Teach from this type of perspective, and they happen to have been exposed to the same person and the same principles of which I speak AND had explored these much deeper for much longer than I had.
It is easy to see why many would not view Karate in a very positive light, considering most end up feeling a lot is missing, and there are many people out there who purport to have those aspects, yet few actually do.
This is in relation to Karate. In other instances, regarding Okinawan Arts, I have met a person who DOES have knowledge akin to that which has been outlined above, from a different perspective and with much deeper experience, it is incredible to behold, honestly, and there is A LOT there to study that could take two lifetimes to understand, even getting a particularly late start in life on that as I have.
As tends to happen, though, hierarchy gets in the way. People whom serve in administrative capacity tend to over reach and block the way to deeper understanding for people not particularly interested in positions or rank at all.
I could care less about rank, I hate the concept as a whole, I hate the concept of titles and positions, it drives me insane that THESE are the things upon which people tend to focus rather than what is REALLY important.
I had remained outside of the Karate Organization to which I originally belonged for a long time. I had not tested for rank in twenty years and the last time I tested was because I was told I had to. My original question to testing was 'what if I don't test,' to which I was told 'then there is the door.'
At that time I had been a Brown Belt for three years and I was perfectly content just studying what I had because there was so much there to explore.
I returned to the Karate Organization a couple summers ago and attended National Convention, at which time I tested for the first time in twenty years, to the rank of Nidan, while others with maybe ten or eleven years experience were testing for much higher ranks. I did this out of respect for my Teacher's Teacher, not because it was something I wanted to do.
The rank is a piece of paper, it has sentimental value because of the individual that granted it, that is all, it does not mean I have any sort of knowledge or understanding, just that I showed up and performed to standard... In most cases I was called out for not doing things the standard way, I just grinned and nodded, tried it the way they showed, then, kept doing what I was doing because that is the understanding I had come to based on my own in depth studies of what I was doing... What I knew worked, and avoiding what didn't.
In my humble opinion there should not BE such a things as rank. There should only be experience and understanding, those who have it based on their honest to goodness efforts in study and practice, and those who do not, but are hungry to explore.
In my view one should only study one or two Kata in addition to Sanchin and Tensho, or even just Naihanchin Kata.... There should be no push to memorize choreographed drills unless there is a specific reason for doing so, one should explore the principles within the Kata which they are studying and look to applying the principles the Kata is imparting on a personal level. A Teacher can never give a person a skill, they have to discover this for themselves, the Teacher can guide through principles, but ultimately the Student will not be exactly like the Teacher and cannot apply in exactly the same way as the Teacher. This was never meant to be the way things were done.
In the end it does not matter who has memorized what; what matters is their level of understanding from a principles based perspective.
They can know twenty Kata and hundreds of drills, but do they really know anything at all? Sure, respect rank and position when you have to, but also offer up something to deepen that understanding and have the courage to call things out when they are contradictory to reality and make absolutely no sense.
Most people look at Karate from a surface perspective, they see punching, kicking, blocking, belts, Gi, bowing, Japanese terminology, and most view it disparagingly as something not particularly practical and more suitable for training Children for character building, with the Children rarely getting beyond certain points toward any real understanding.
It has been told to me that Karate does not include certain things... Why have I previously written on, and touched upon those things it was not supposed to include then?
Certain perspectives, to me, simply do not add up, thus I question those perspectives, it is in my nature to do so and I am seldom shy about doing such things.
I have been down many rabbit holes in my day seeking deeper understanding of the Art I have come to love, the Art that has helped me so much, with so much (not all of those being life situations, but actual combative situations).
I have met and trained with many great people with deep knowledge and many people with VERY big egos and only superficial knowledge who seem to hate and look down upon anyone else outside their circle.
Much of this has caused me to question the whole thing, much has been cast into doubt, wrestling through all this I find my own way forward and learn quite a bit about myself in the process.
Anymore I call people out on their crap because it is blatant and, sure, I come across as an asshole in quite a few instances, but when it comes to the Art and actual experience, there are very few people I have come to trust.
I am not all about Organizations or Hierarchy, those are artificial, rank, too, is artificial. Real experience shines through in the training, in the way a person moves, in what and how they apply as far as principles are concerned, these aspects do not lie.
When I am in a formal setting I will respect the niceties that are in place and observe etiquette, even deferring to those with less experience and higher rank, which is, in most instances, the norm.
The obvious never lies though, the truth is blatant in the training, in the moment, reality speaks volumes about people and people tend not to see this.... Or they do not WANT to see this.
Stuck on the proper way to move at a specific angle with no real reason as to WHY backing up what they are saying... The two inch Sensei, moving your hand two inches with no explanation, yet maintaining this is correct, that is something I could never get behind.
What is the purpose? Alignment usually tends to be the case, but this is seldom explained and, when it is, seldom to any real satisfying degree.
To date, in my nearly thirty years experience with all this, I have met THREE people who could offer satisfying explanations for corrections like this... Three people. There are likely more out there, sure, but I have not met them thus far.
I have been working my Karate from a Nafuadi perspective since around 2005, when I met one of those people who provided very deep explanations, introducing me to concepts like Chinkuchi, Atifa, Muchimidi, proper Shime testing, and proper use of the Makiwara in training.
Stacking according to their teaching of Sanchin Kata as the primary Kata, this changed my Karate and really provided some perspective that made it much deeper.
Furthermore, this really opened me up to a different perspective; namely Strategy and Tactics, backed by Principles rather than 'technique' based training or, as others would call it, 'lines rather than points.'
Simple things like 'Crossing the T' for escapes, which consisted of simply moving a shoulder across the opponent's centerline to break the hold... Which worked every time in every instance I had found.
Other aspects, like 'taking the center,' and 'disrupting the spine,' and 'Kuzushi.'
All of these are extremely effective and have very specific functions, but infinite ways through which they can each be applied, so it is important not to get caught up in various points along the way, save for deeper study on the mechanical principles backing them.
I have not seen this level of Strategic thinking in any other form or school of Karate. I have seen it in Jujitsu and Judo, as well as a specific approach to Aikido that is almost along the lines of Aiki-jutsu, but not in Karate itself... Even in my own Organization this seems to be missing in many respects, save for a few who Teach from this type of perspective, and they happen to have been exposed to the same person and the same principles of which I speak AND had explored these much deeper for much longer than I had.
It is easy to see why many would not view Karate in a very positive light, considering most end up feeling a lot is missing, and there are many people out there who purport to have those aspects, yet few actually do.
This is in relation to Karate. In other instances, regarding Okinawan Arts, I have met a person who DOES have knowledge akin to that which has been outlined above, from a different perspective and with much deeper experience, it is incredible to behold, honestly, and there is A LOT there to study that could take two lifetimes to understand, even getting a particularly late start in life on that as I have.
As tends to happen, though, hierarchy gets in the way. People whom serve in administrative capacity tend to over reach and block the way to deeper understanding for people not particularly interested in positions or rank at all.
I could care less about rank, I hate the concept as a whole, I hate the concept of titles and positions, it drives me insane that THESE are the things upon which people tend to focus rather than what is REALLY important.
I had remained outside of the Karate Organization to which I originally belonged for a long time. I had not tested for rank in twenty years and the last time I tested was because I was told I had to. My original question to testing was 'what if I don't test,' to which I was told 'then there is the door.'
At that time I had been a Brown Belt for three years and I was perfectly content just studying what I had because there was so much there to explore.
I returned to the Karate Organization a couple summers ago and attended National Convention, at which time I tested for the first time in twenty years, to the rank of Nidan, while others with maybe ten or eleven years experience were testing for much higher ranks. I did this out of respect for my Teacher's Teacher, not because it was something I wanted to do.
The rank is a piece of paper, it has sentimental value because of the individual that granted it, that is all, it does not mean I have any sort of knowledge or understanding, just that I showed up and performed to standard... In most cases I was called out for not doing things the standard way, I just grinned and nodded, tried it the way they showed, then, kept doing what I was doing because that is the understanding I had come to based on my own in depth studies of what I was doing... What I knew worked, and avoiding what didn't.
In my humble opinion there should not BE such a things as rank. There should only be experience and understanding, those who have it based on their honest to goodness efforts in study and practice, and those who do not, but are hungry to explore.
In my view one should only study one or two Kata in addition to Sanchin and Tensho, or even just Naihanchin Kata.... There should be no push to memorize choreographed drills unless there is a specific reason for doing so, one should explore the principles within the Kata which they are studying and look to applying the principles the Kata is imparting on a personal level. A Teacher can never give a person a skill, they have to discover this for themselves, the Teacher can guide through principles, but ultimately the Student will not be exactly like the Teacher and cannot apply in exactly the same way as the Teacher. This was never meant to be the way things were done.
In the end it does not matter who has memorized what; what matters is their level of understanding from a principles based perspective.
They can know twenty Kata and hundreds of drills, but do they really know anything at all? Sure, respect rank and position when you have to, but also offer up something to deepen that understanding and have the courage to call things out when they are contradictory to reality and make absolutely no sense.
Monday, November 18, 2019
Disrespect and Dishonesty.
There is something to be said about honesty. The more honest you are, the more nerves it will strike, the more people will want to distance themselves from said honesty.
They speak of not correcting Seniors within given Organizations, but when that same person tries to challenge someone and that person is, themselves, Senior to the Challenger it seems the same does not apply.
None of that really matters, anyone can be challenged, especially if they are wrong, but when one says ‘don’t challenge or correct a Senior’ in one breath, then proceeds to challenge a Senior in another it is just plain two faced at its’ very core. THAT is the part that bugs me, not the challenge. Instead of defending their view further, as would be commendable, they choose to back down and pretend the exchange did not happen. Cowardice and disrespect. These are not what I remember being the tenants of our school.
Furthermore, I feel anyone can overcome anything if they really push themselves, failures will come, but failures are our greatest Teachers... This line of thinking is what the individual took issue with and challenged.
Yes, everyone is individual, with their own gifts, traits, quirks, strengths, and weaknesses. This means that a good Teacher, or Guide, has their work cut out for them in their role of guiding people down a path towards their true selves.
The Individual disagreed outright saying that they felt this was untrue, that not everyone can succeed and not everyone is cut out to succeed whilst stating that our Founder never taught that everyone could succeed... This is NOT what I remember and NOT what I have taught or learned in my nearly three decades of training in this Art.
In my view this person is very young in their practice and even younger in their role as a Teacher. They admitted they would not share these sentiments with their students and would rather have them believe they could succeed and have them believe that their Teacher believes they can succeed as well, which is outright dishonest! Outright disrespectful to the floor on which our mutual Teacher had taught.
To me, this Teacher, while they may know their technique to the letter (I have not had the pleasure of seeing this myself) and knowing what is required for each rank, has a lot more to learn and, if dishonesty is the example they choose to set should likely not be teaching at all.
A good Teacher will find the individual strengths and weaknesses of their students, teach to both to improve upon both, it IS possible with time to learn this skill.
Teaching promotion requirements should NOT be the focus of a class, these things are trivial without an underlying understanding of the spirit and principles on multiple levels.
This person was coming primarily from a Self Defense standpoint, but they are not really teaching self defense and do not truly understand the term.
Most Yudansha today have never had to defend themselves, so how could they judge whether or not someone else can?
Most Students enter classes not for Self Defense, but for Self Improvement, or because their parents are making them.
These are things of which one should be mindful in their approach AND if they want to teach self defense they should become familiar with the subject as it is, a legal term, not a set of techniques taught in a manner more in accord with mutual combat.
I have great respect for my Teachers and the Organization itself, I have been training in this Art NON STOP since 1991.
I can do the primary Kata with my eyes closed and come up with drills for each on the spot with variations tailored to students with different body types and temperaments. This is not to boast. This took A LOT of FAILURE and HUMBLING moments.
What I know is what I know and it is not even a tenth of the Art. After so many years I finally know that I don’t know much.
There are Teachers I respect and Teachers I do not. One thing that puts me off is dishonesty and an inflated Ego because someone was granted a black belt and a beginning Teaching position thinking they know it all.
I was THAT person once too, so I feel the pain they are about to go through in their journey. It never ends.
Monday, October 28, 2019
Etiquette, Rank, and Titles.
A recent conversation with some fellow Yudansha from the Organization to which I belong sparked me to write this entry.
What I would like to focus on here is the idea of Rank, Questioning, and Etiquette. These were touched on, albeit the conversation began about something else entirely.
It is not beyond me that there are many Teachers out there whom adhere to the notion that a Student should not question anything, and some whom hold that questioning should be done in private. The latter has my respect, the fore, not so much.
I am not a subscriber to the idea that things are the way they are because ‘Sensei said so,’ but I do respect my Teachers and what they are Teaching, what they have taught, one of those things was to keep an open mind, to question, to be mindful.
The Teacher does not have all the answers and the Teacher is not going to be there when you have to face harsh reality or even violence, whatever the case may be, you are on your own to face those things.... I know, because when I faced whatever was thrown at me I looked at an empty corner, but my Teacher’s voice was always present, so in some ways this is not entirely accurate.
I welcome questions from my students, I expect them to challenge what I am teaching, otherwise they are not learning... That is basic Education 101, if they are engaged then they are going to have questions.
It is not my job to give them all the answers, nor can I, but it is my job to engage them, to push them, and at least give pieces to set them on the right course so that they can figure things out for themselves and become self sufficient.
I teach them how to respect the ways of other schools should they decide to explore them, the importance of etiquette and respect, but I am not teaching them to be my underlings and to bow and kow tow to my every whim... I am a grown man, I should be able to take care of myself... I am teaching them to be better than me so that we can one day meet as equals.
Many place great importance on Rank, Title, and Position, which is basic human nature as we ARE pack animals.
However, Rank is not all it is cracked up to be and is by no means the sole determining factor as to whether or not someone has something to offer. It is also not something to flaunt around, nor hide behind when the baseline of skill is lacking, and those that have it generally do not need to state what rank they are as their skill and knowledge speak for itself.
Wearing such things on your sleeve is bad form in my opinion, and also not very good Self Defense when one thinks more practically.
Most do not even know I train in Karate unless I tell them, I am very private about most of the stuff I am into, so I do not generally offer that information up, nor do so advertise.
The bottom line, there are many unskilled Yudansha and many Kyu ranks with tremendous knowledge because many have trained so deeply on what they have and have just not tested, nor felt the need to.
If rank keeps a Yudansha from learning what such a person has to offer then that has more to do with ego than etiquette. Karate did not originally have ranks and the old school masters awarded none.
Etiquette is important as it promotes humility and respect, it promotes propriety, manners, courtesy, but more important than all this is Shoshin, Beginner’s Mind, you can learn something from anyone and rank, ultimately, does not contain your skill... You do.
What I would like to focus on here is the idea of Rank, Questioning, and Etiquette. These were touched on, albeit the conversation began about something else entirely.
It is not beyond me that there are many Teachers out there whom adhere to the notion that a Student should not question anything, and some whom hold that questioning should be done in private. The latter has my respect, the fore, not so much.
I am not a subscriber to the idea that things are the way they are because ‘Sensei said so,’ but I do respect my Teachers and what they are Teaching, what they have taught, one of those things was to keep an open mind, to question, to be mindful.
The Teacher does not have all the answers and the Teacher is not going to be there when you have to face harsh reality or even violence, whatever the case may be, you are on your own to face those things.... I know, because when I faced whatever was thrown at me I looked at an empty corner, but my Teacher’s voice was always present, so in some ways this is not entirely accurate.
I welcome questions from my students, I expect them to challenge what I am teaching, otherwise they are not learning... That is basic Education 101, if they are engaged then they are going to have questions.
It is not my job to give them all the answers, nor can I, but it is my job to engage them, to push them, and at least give pieces to set them on the right course so that they can figure things out for themselves and become self sufficient.
I teach them how to respect the ways of other schools should they decide to explore them, the importance of etiquette and respect, but I am not teaching them to be my underlings and to bow and kow tow to my every whim... I am a grown man, I should be able to take care of myself... I am teaching them to be better than me so that we can one day meet as equals.
Many place great importance on Rank, Title, and Position, which is basic human nature as we ARE pack animals.
However, Rank is not all it is cracked up to be and is by no means the sole determining factor as to whether or not someone has something to offer. It is also not something to flaunt around, nor hide behind when the baseline of skill is lacking, and those that have it generally do not need to state what rank they are as their skill and knowledge speak for itself.
Wearing such things on your sleeve is bad form in my opinion, and also not very good Self Defense when one thinks more practically.
Most do not even know I train in Karate unless I tell them, I am very private about most of the stuff I am into, so I do not generally offer that information up, nor do so advertise.
The bottom line, there are many unskilled Yudansha and many Kyu ranks with tremendous knowledge because many have trained so deeply on what they have and have just not tested, nor felt the need to.
If rank keeps a Yudansha from learning what such a person has to offer then that has more to do with ego than etiquette. Karate did not originally have ranks and the old school masters awarded none.
Etiquette is important as it promotes humility and respect, it promotes propriety, manners, courtesy, but more important than all this is Shoshin, Beginner’s Mind, you can learn something from anyone and rank, ultimately, does not contain your skill... You do.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Concepts and Principles.
Conceptually Karate is very straight forward, but we have over complicated things beyond the point of making any sense at all.
There was a saying, ‘Kata are like a box of Legos,’ always liked that saying because it rings true in every way for me.
If things are broken down and stylized responses abandoned then things begin to make sense. What does a basic ‘punch’ tell us? These are not like boxing punches, the punch goes on a long trajectory and one hand comes back to chamber... Pushing and Pulling seems to be the underlying lesson, not necessarily a ‘punch.’
Forget what it looks like or presents itself as or what we are told it is supposed to be, look at the underlying principle itself.
Morote Kamae, what does that say? Put up your dukes? Create a Guard and boundary? A method of creating a boundary for things to go around without landing? Again, forget what it looks like and start focusing on what it is actually saying.
‘Stances’ are just methods of positioning via weight shifting, dropping, rising, forward, back, etc., depending on context... What is the possible context?
Identifying with a style or Organization is fine, but when we say ‘this is how we do this,’ what do we actually mean? Why are things done that way as opposed to another and is there really any difference? Is it just superficial?
The Human Body only moves in so many ways, so there really can be no difference, only in the mind of the practitioner and for no real reason other than an attachment to appearances which yields no real underlying understanding.
If understanding were present then the rest would not matter.
Kendo utilizes a training method known as Tsuburi in which a movement is exaggerated specifically for training and conditioning.
The stylization behind Karate is similar to Tsuburi, simply an exaggeration for training, emphasis, to draw attention to something specific, not the be all and end all of everything.
The question in the mind of a Karateka going through Kata or drills should be ‘what principle is this trying to show me and how does it meet the strategy in this context?’
Does this make sense? If not, what other way does it make sense? Get a partner and work it through, try it out in a pre-arranged drill, move to free sparring, apply it there, then move to specific scenarios if you are able to do that with any skill in experience.
Books can, and have, been written on this stuff so I will leave it at that. Good luck and happy hunting.
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