Change, Its inevitability ....

We cannot avoid change. Its inevitability is as the sun rises every day. Change is predictable. The change itself is not always easily determined but that change will occur is. It happens and nothing we can do will stop change from its course, like the "borg in star trek" resistance is futile.

We in Isshinryu circles, some - not all, tend to be dogmatic in our practice resisting the natural inherent trait of all humans and all of the Universe, change the way we train, practice and teach our system. My current teachings now include a well thought out book titled, "Fringe-ology." The author, in the introduction, speaks of the how and why of the human brain in this regard - interestingly enlightening.

I can now speak with authority that this dogmatic resistance to change will result in the inevitable result that Isshinryu and our system of martial arts will stagnate and die. Maybe not today or tomorrow but it will die sometime in the future - unless - we open our minds to the "fact" that through out the history of Okinawan Karate practice change was embraced, encouraged and critical to its growth.

In the three pillars or levels of application we will find that American Isshinryu is stuck in level one - a beginner level. It is like Neo being stuck in the matrix and refusing to take the red pill. To many Isshinryu tribes took the blue pill and cannot see for the fog that blocks out truth.

Why do I continue to visit, revisit and revisit this topic over and over again. Repetition, the kind that may find the "one" way that will inspire the change necessary to achieve continued growth. Even the sport dominant versions of the martial arts will die out as well being replaced by the flavor of the month ultimate fighting system.

Just a matter of time.