Tori Gates

I have seen the "tori gate" on web sites, on training halls, and on certificates of rank but wondered if anyone was knowledgeable as to what a tori gate is. I have used it on occasion simply because I find them beautiful to look at. I have one I used for a graphic that now resides on the computer at work as a desktop theme.

I was inspired to post on this today as I read a chapter in a book that explained the tori gate with information I did not know. The tori is the gate that one passes through when entering a "Shinto" shrine. It is symbolic of Japan. Its primary function as I said is to mark the boundary to the shrine.

The tori gate also speaks in silence to those who pass under it, you are entering and now inside a sacred place and you shall behave accordingly. Traditionally that means to be quiet and behave reverently at all times.

If you visit Japan and take in one of its many attractions, a shinto shrine, it behooves you to find out the etiquette and follow it. Be on guard and diligently remain aware of the unspoken rules to keep within the countries etiquette and customs - remain respectful.

Also, you will note that the tori gate also has, often, two stone statues of  Korean dogs that guard one side and the other of the entrance. They are slightly asymmetrical, one with its mouth open, and the other closed. I don't know the significance of that part.

I am not totally sure if the tori gates are used elsewhere in Japan and/or in Okinawa. I wonder if they are used at either countries dojo entrances. I can understand if they are used that it might signify that one is entering a place they consider sacred in that a serious endeavor is taken on when you enter the dojo and that it marks the boundary of the dojo. It would also fit that when entering you must be quiet and respectful at all times, etiquette being what it is in Japan and Okinawa - of varying degrees and customary traits.

I am not sure if it is appropriate if used at dojo but I suspect it is not exactly what they are meant for when added to certificates and other such stuff. I did try my best to find information as to its usage beyond the Shinto Shrine entrance with no luck, maybe one of my readers can shed light on this. It does bring to mind that in my practice I might take a moment to consider this before using one for some purpose other than Shinto related respect for Shinto shrines. What is the etiquette for tori gates or rather what is the shikata for tori gate usage?

I did find someone's statement that said, "As I understand it the Asian tori gate represent a entrance to a sacred area, leaving the outside world and entering another... very fitting for MA." In our perception of the dojo and the act of "mokuso" it is a belief that one must leave all their outside world concerns at that point and are entering into an area of concentrated effort and study which is derived from Buddhist, Shinto and Zen origins - maybe.

Tori Gate to Meji Shrine Japan, click for larger view.

Addendum: I forgot, Shimabuku Sensei (Tatsuo that is) does have a tori style gate at the entrance to his honbu dojo. I also understand that some Sensei with dojo who are strict Shinto'ist, etc. tend to have one at the entrance as well although I am unable to confirm.

Note: It is a theory that since karate training is also performed at shrines and burial places that they naturally created the same environment with the torii gates, etc.

This one is remarkable as it is the only object that remains after either the Hiroshima or Nagasaki atomic bombing that ended world war II.

Ask Questions - Double Check

I quote (because I could not do it justice otherwise),  

"If you want to be a better believer, ask lots of questions. Be curious and don't settle for superficial facts. Look closer, dig deeper, and investigate the source. Learn how to tell the difference between a personal opinion and actual data, and be open to modifying your beliefs. Then ask more questions, for questions help to expand your perceptions of the world. Approach your questioning with enthusiasm for finding truth rather than a desire to denigrate and tear down other people's beliefs. Most important - keep in mind that we can never know for certain the accuracy of any beliefs, even those we hold most strongly."

- Dr. Andrew Newberg, M.D.

Bibliography:
Newberg, Andrew MD and Waldman, Mark Robert. "Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering Our Biological Need for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth." Free Press. New York. 2006

Read Between the Lines

Often a book may slip by that has significant value toward our studies of the martial systems. I found this out by accident when I would review the bibliographies at the back of those MA books I truly enjoyed and gained much information from and that inspired me to look at the bibliographies of even those books. One thread tends to lead to another to crate a "whole" system of knowledge that benefits not only MA but life itself.

I remember when reading Sgt. Rory Miller's book, the bibliography, and noted the book "The Art of Verbal Self-defense." I said to myself, cool a book on verbal karate. Little did I realize that it would enlighten me to many troubling traits of mine that had a great effect on my personal life with my family. I mean way beyond the use of communications to avoid conflict for karate, self defense and personal protection. I was flabbergasted and very grateful.

You just never know where a thread will lead you when you take the time to "read between the lines" and actually, "see, hear and feel" things that will benefit your martial arts and your self.

If someone recommends a book, lists one in their MA book or speaks of something that does NOT have Martial Arts in its title don't toss it aside, give it a read. As with any book, give it a few chapters and who knows. After that if it does not speak to you lay it aside and move on. You never know what you might miss.

Haragei - a better understanding

Let me correct this most egregious of errors in understanding the Japanese language, words, or characters. This is or could be a term meaning exclusive to the martial arts systems but I doubt it. I believe it is an American interpretation due to the ambiguity of the term which is natural in the Japanese culture of etiquette and communications shikata.

Actually haragei is more complex as indicated by this quote, "Haragei is a highly honed emotional and intuitive ability that often cannot be expressed in words. It functions more or less like cultural telepath, and is usually incomprehensible to those who are not similarly skilled. " Haragei or the "art of the stomach" is used in the Japanese relationships both personal and in business. It is a part of the kata of ambiguity.

It is not actually some mystical ability where by a Japanese martial artists is able to either intuitively or by some mystical means determine if a person is going to attack or not but rather a means cultivated through the unique culture of Japan to "see," "hear," and "feel" through perceptions of language to include not only the words, the absence of words, the ambiguity of communications, the void or space in between and the deviation from language kata requirements of the many levels are perceived so that a fellow Japanese can obtain information beyond mere words that appears to the uninitiated as mystical ability to know what others intend, the context beyond words and so on .... it is one of those things like the tao te ching that is not readily conveyable in normal language, culture or beliefs of most persons outside the Japanese culture.

Even now it seems a bit convoluted, just beyond grasping distance or out in a void beyond my understanding. This once again speaks of the need to understand, even rudimentary, the culture that gave us the martial systems.

Infraculture

Infraculture as best I can determine means, "behavior on lower organizational levels that underlie culture. It is behavioral and rooted in man's biological past. Some quotes to give you an idea of how this may apply are as follows:

"Whenever people talk, they supply only part of the message. The rest is filled in by the listener. Much of what is "not" said is taken for granted. Cultures vary in what is left unsaid." pg 102, chapter 9.

[suppositions, body language and culture; another important reason why one should study the culture that presents or offers a discipline like or similar to a martial art, karate or other combative object. Self-defense once again comes down not to the physical but rather the mental, communications. Do we synchronistically listen, reflect and understand or do we just plaster our internal belief system toward what is communicated and respond accordingly with out consideration of the person, the person's culture and what is filled in by us. Understanding the culture, the person and the infraculture might just fill in the gaps, the reality gaps. To see, hear and feel what is left unsaid may be the key to avoidance in conflicts.]

"Fixed-feature space is one of the basic ways of organizing the activities of individuals and groups. It includes material manifestations as well as the hidden, internalized designs that govern behavior." pg 103, chapter 9.

[knowledge of culture as it deals with space or in my vocabulary "territories." Isn't some conflict a result of invading one's territory? If so, and we study their culture and infraculture then we might understand enough to either avoid territorial disputes or at least communicate effectively enough to earn a free pass through the territory.]

"The facade is one that people present to the world and the self they hide behind it. It signifies recognition of levels to be penetrated ... " ... many men have two or more distinct personalities, one for business and one for the home." pg 104, chapter 9.

[Face .... saving face ..... understanding how culture can dictate a person or groups "face." Facade is not only applied to space, territory, but also to the person and the group to which a person or person's belong.]

"Man's feelings about being properly oriented in space runs deep. Such knowledge is ultimately linked to survival and sanity. To be disoriented in space is to be psychotic. The difference between acting with reflex speed and having to stop and think  in an emergency may mean the difference between life and death - a  rule which applies equally to the driver negotiating freeway traffic and the rodent dodging predators." pg 105, chapter 9.

[space, territory and culture all drive life and death instincts even if they are not perceived by society today as reality. They still exist and our brains still respond to them so fast your emotional adrenaline driven responses tend to take over and drive the bus. A huge trait to try and train into some semblance of control and repetitive practices toward a reality based training/practice regimen is required.]

This speaks volumes as to the type and need for knowledge before training and application of such things as communications and physical application of martial arts or any combative tactic. Make your fundamental strategy to find the knowledge, encode it to your brain and then train for it both mentally and physically. Find the balance and make it influence the tactics used from this strategy.

Bibliography:
Hall, Edward T. "The Hidden Dimension." Anchor Books. New York. 1969, 1990.

Etiquette

Ever a bone of contention among martial artists who want to adhere or assume all or some of the Japanese etiquette such as bowing, use of titles, and the use of names. Americans don't necessarily need to use the Asian forms of etiquette but it would be advisable to try wholeheartedly to learn the fundamentals if you decide to take your studies to Japan and/or to Okinawa.

First, as to Okinawa and Japan, the distinctions may not be a far apart as one might imagine. After all, the Okinawans over the years and even centuries have been able to keep their core culture intact even when pushed to change by the Chinese or the Japanese - when Japan pushed into their lives around 1600, I think.

Another consideration here is that both the Okinawans and the Japanese were heavily influenced by China. So, it might bring the two closer in the etiquette department simply because they both took from and created from the Chinese their forms of etiquette and thus their unique cultures.

The use of names, use the last name and to add formality and politeness add the -san to the end. When it is added to either the last name or a title it shows respect and is perceived like our use of Mr., Mrs., or Miss. It is used when talking to both men and women. Adding "chan" to a first name is not recommended.

Using titles is still important to the way of the Japanese. It remains a key social grace even today. Titles are even more important in Japan's business world. In my humble opinion the dojo is also a business situation and is hierarchical in nature so using and adhering to "Sensei," "Senpai," and "Kohai" would be the most courteous and correct form of etiquette. Now, here in the states it is not necessary unless you are trying to learn the rudiments of Japanese etiquette to remain within a traditional form of practice and training. But important is to get it right or it may be perceived when you visit or have visiting Japanese/Okinawan Sensei. (Quick Note: I use to use "sempai" but have since determined the correct way is "senpai.")

Rei, the bow. First know that the bow is not just a formality of the martial art dojo. It is cultural and traditional method of expressing such things as a greeting, respect, when apologizing, displaying humility and when you understand and accept something. The world of the martial arts uses the term "rei" but actually the term used in a traditional Japanese is "o-jigi / oh-jee-ghee." In a nutshell as a martial artist you should use what is called the "medium bow."

Medium Bow: Arms extended downward; hands rest on the legs above the knee; body bent to about 45 degrees angle; normally held for two to three seconds except when you wish to add more meaning to it.

Light Bow: Body bent to about 20 degree angle; held for only a second or so; hands down at the sides;

Generally, use the medium bow to greet those senior to you or to whom you wish to show a special degree of respect and when expressing feelings of humility, sorrow, or an apology to someone. If you encounter, say in the dojo, the same highly place senior several times in one day you greet them with the medium bow the first time that day then a light bow thereafter.

Ok, what I am getting at is if you wish to incorporate a more traditional aspect to your training hall then at least find out what that means and at least, a minimum, stick to this simple guide to get it "right" otherwise give it a rest and leave it alone - use the American etiquette way.

Caveat: this is my personal understanding that came about today, the 21st of December 2011, due to my continued studies. i have casually related it to the martial systems with the knowledge more informed and experienced practitioners with considerable experience in Japan and/or Okinawa may state otherwise. if so, go with their interpretations as they have the experience. this is an attempt to at least pass along a form that will be looked upon as a genuine attempt to honor the Japanese way as best as a foreigner can without being seen as impolite, insincere or insulting.

Physical Foundation vs. Mental Foundation

The egg? The chicken? Physical? Mental? Which comes first? Do they need to come first vs. second? Our brains want things simplified, at least for the learning stages. Our brains can and do compile, coalesce and merge things out of the atomistic and into the holistic. The question has been on my mind these last few days and I have come to the conclusion that it is best for a novice to the martial arts to gain a solid mental foundation before even seeking out a dojo, a Sensei and by natural selections the dojo mates they will train and practice with as they follow this path of the empty hand.

The mental foundation must be poured mentally with the academia knowledge. The physical foundation is built on it along with building or reinforcing the mental through both the mental-physical-mental training/practice.

I feel strongly that a lot of research, study and encoding of data must precede the continuing mental-physical of martial systems practice and training. The brain, the mind must have source material to work with or it freezes. The goal is to let instinct and reflex drive the action by the mental-physical training to encode this in our brains.

It seems in a descriptive format like this post an easy road to follow but it is the most difficult. Maybe this is circumvented by its complexities and difficulties making it a daunting endeavor long before the also daunting physical requirements.

Something to consider when you take up the sword - metaphorically speaking, maybe!

Knowledge First

Make it your concerted effort to attain all the knowledge you can to begin your foray into the world and life of martial arts. Make it your fundamental strategy to find it out before you begin martial arts, combative skills or professions involving conflict, battles or fighting. Your mind, your brain must encode the data to find it for implementation during training and practice - it is just the way of nature.

If it does not exist then your mind can't access, retrieve and evaluate for training - it ain't there.

Research before tackling a discipline so you know what you want, what you seek and most important what you get. Know about violence, know about reality based training and know how to find efficiently proficient professionals that can get you to where you want, need or find necessary for your life. To know the path is not walking the path. To walk the path one has to have knowledge of the path. Know the path first, then walk the path - it is not difficult to know it but is to walk it. The chicken or the egg?

proof of authenticity

Who's proof? Who is going to authenticate the authenticity of the proof of authenticity? One blogger said, "But there was no proof of authenticity. It was a sham." This gets me to boil a bit because my impression is "ego" and "prideful" and "arrogant." Who says who is the authentic source to provide anyone or anything as a proof of an authentic art form be in martial or simply art?

My view of "proof" of anyones authenticity in the practice and application of any martial art is the person themselves. When they get out on the training floor, arena or environment over a period of time proof will be in the pudding, so to speak. Showing one's authentic application of a martial art will become evident soon enough and it it ain't two things will occur. One, they will in all likelihood leave long before they have to "face" the facts and two, they will not meet the current training hall standards and thus lose a bit of that perceived authenticity.

To rely on some organization or lineage or the ability to say I trained with this person or that person means nothing. If your relying solely on what a person says they did with whom, a certificate that has some chop on it or some other so called proof of authenticity toward proficiency then good luck with that as anyone can get stuff like that even from Japanese sources. I know of one now that when the check is cleared the proof comes in the mail soon thereafter.

Poppy Cock, bull hockey, get out on the floor and verify in real time the authenticity of an individual and leave the accouterments in a drawer. Better yet, make sure you know and have personally found their Sensei, give him or her a call and let them tell you just how authentic or not authentic a person is then ... still make sure you validate on the floor in real time.

p.s. the only way I see this changing is when "all" martial artists across the entire spectrum are able to attain a type of synchrony of all practitioners that can and will accept the "one" way. when that is achieved then we can actually have a body that provides "proof of authenticity." But then again if this occurs then we wouldn't need one, right?

Traditional Okinawan Dojo

First, when I say traditional I mean the more ancient teachings of the Ryukyu Island system of "Ti or Te." This means to my belief any training/practice that occurred mid to early 1800's and before. With that said, "There was no traditional dojo of Okinawa."

What we perceive and believe as dojo did not exist in that way in ancient times. Practitioners practiced and trained in a variety of places to include the home and possible in final resting locations of ancestors, etc. No rank, no karate pajamas, mostly in what we might view as undergarments consisting of short, above the knee, white loose trouser like clothing. No shirt, no shoes (not as a traditional form of practice but rather because shoes were not worn, in some cases, or of wooden variety not conducive to actual training and practice.

Papa-san, the Sensei or Master, watched and mentored until you reached a skill level then would recommend another person to go study with or you were informed in some manner to go off and practice on your own. Often it meant going off and taking on others to teach if or when your Ti or Te were noticed by local villagers, etc.

It was a normal or traditional method to learn one system and the acquire knowledge and proficiency on other systems until you developed your own unique way or system then began passing that belief, way, on to others of like mind. Even then it was all "ti or te" and not until very late 1800's or early 1900's did individuals start to name their unique way, i.e. gave birth to styles like Shorin, Goju and Isshin.

More often than not even then most would refer to their practice according to the location in which they lived ergo how they came to be not just ti or te but shuri-ti, naha-ti or tomari-ti.

What I can gather from studies on this is most masters of ancient times actually made a name for themselves in actual living and applying ti or te in life, their village or the island as a whole.

Dan-Sha Certificates - English vs. Japanese English/Kanji Mix

Example only.

In the early years of my practice I felt that a valid rank certificate should reflect the culture by it being written in Kanji/Kana + English or often just plain Kanji/Kana. It looks really cool when done with an artistic flare. I can tell you that the Japanese tend to create such things as if it were art, long ago. Of course now all of the kanji/kana can be created by machine. It still looks pretty darn cool.

I remember when I got a dan-sha certificate of grade it was all English with a nice graphic and border. It turned out to be those certificates sold in the U.S. that were bought in packages of hundred or so that you put in a typewriter or simply printed a name and grade on it. I remember taking my Sho-dan and having it laminated onto a plaque.

Anyway, I digress again. The question really is, "Is it actually worth anything and is it received/perceived as something of value?" I once again have to answer the question with a "yes and no."

It depends on you, the individual, and the value you place on it. It doesn't have to have any value with anyone else except you. All the physical stuff you get; belt, stripes, patches, certificates, etc. have no value even for the material used to construct them. The true value resides in your heart. The presentation is simply a ceremony to allow a Sensei to present you with a token of his or her faith in you as a martial artist.

The presentation of my Sensei's black belt as it passed from his hands to mine meant more than the belt itself. I have since lost it and the feeling when I remember that moment still feels the same today as it did in 1979. I can visualize it with clarity, cool.

If you allow such materialistic accouterments sway your emotions and beliefs you will one day end up disappointed or stop training and practice altogether. That would be a shame.

Yes, I did feel an attachment to such things but in the last ten years I could really care less. I went through a year of self-examination in a local dojo where I came in with one rank, moved up to another and finally another but when I got to the end of that year it really meant little - it was a fun journey but in the end, nadda.

I go every single day down to my work dojo and practice. I train as far as possible without a partner but that is ok with me cause I did all that a while back. I am adjusting to a new age for me, cool too. I go down in my street cloths, do Chi Gong/warm up stretching, kata and then shadow kumite. The process provides me a lot of contemplative time where a lot of idea's and changes occur to me - up from the subconscious mind.

English, Kanji or any mixture thereof only has the value you the individual put on it. If you join a group that says it doesn't count, that is ok too but two things, consider finding another dojo cause making a comment like that says things to my mind or just ignore it, put on whatever belt that say and get out there and learn then allow them to "see, hear and feel" your grade on the floor.

Traditional Martial Art vs. Modern Martial Art

In our efforts to understand the traditions of those masters long since passed we cannot truly see unless we attempt to understand those men of ages past, their customs, their perceptual worlds and more. Our present day perception of the art we inherited will always be incomplete and only an approximation of the originally masters interpretations and applications as well as that persons perceived philosophical perspective.

The greatest fault in our attempts to connect to the time, person and place long gone is that in our search we will end up seeing that old world with an overlay of the world of our present. Our interpretations as they grow from study will always be influenced by our current state of perception, our perceptive world.

We will have to be satisfied with our approximation of the past, its context and intent as it is molded by our dominant perception, context and intent of our now, our presence or perceptive world. We can get a feeling of what it "might have been like" but must accept that it will always be now and forever an approximation of the original. We will never truly know the past. We can come close and hope.

When we do we must assume full and complete responsibility for re-interpreting their thinking, their beliefs, and their culture, customs and intentions.

Shadow Kumite (影 戦 - shadow fight) [影の戦い Kage no tatakai]

What is it? I just gave a name to kata and the use of imagery/visualization. The only additive is that when I say kata I am talking about the individual or combination of technique taught by kata.

I believe wholeheartedly that to truly practice, train and "use" karate or any martial art for that matter that one must actually use karate. I know that many think that the boxing techniques that use kicks, kick boxing, are karate but in reality to my view it is not. The one or two simple sets of combinations used in karate tournament kumite contests may actually appear to be karate oriented techniques but are very limited and restricted by the contest and its rules.

I am not insinuating that the technique in kata has to be "exactly" that with its bunkai in shadow kumite or any other reality type training but you should be able to see the karate in it and it should not be dogmatically restricted to the bunkai - bunkai is fluid ya know.

So, shadow kumite is taking karate techniques and using the art of imagery/visualization to fight shadow opponents, threats or predators. Nothing new either because you will find this type of training spoken of in many other martial systems but just not called, "Shadow Kumite." [think shadow boxing to get you off the start line :-]

Changing, always changing .... isn't it what life is all about?

Mike Clarke Sensei of the Shinseidokan Dojo blog posted: "How Times Have Changed ...... " and I wonder what folks think of his post. I am still looking at the clip with a plan on watching it several times until I am satisfied I can see both the literal and those spaces in between before I post a comment, if I post a comment.

Take a moment and read the post, watch the clip a bit and give some feedback will you ......

Space ("ma")

Sometimes we get stuck in a literal meaning. That tends to be a normal function for us and it is one that we as martial artist who practice a more combative form or even a traditional form should work to see and hear outside of that box.

Space involves personal space and personal space is not just that space around your body, the physical, but also a emotional/psychological and values space as well. Physical, psychological, and values - three critical space concepts that apply in martial practice.

When we consider space lets include a person's possessions - your clothes, your home, your furniture or even a particular piece of furniture, and so on. Then consider that our space around us physically extends outward making an invisible boundary - a boundary that triggers emotional and physical responses as one enters into that energy space where our personal rhythms are disturbed like a stone thrown into a clear calm pool of water - ripples.

When we speak of entering a person's space we must include the emotional space as well where such things as put-downs (dissing one), nosiness, unwanted advice, manipulation and just plain manipulation through supposition, etc. tend to cause ripples in our personal space, physical and psychological.

I would feel that a first line of defense in self-protection is an understanding of one's space and then honoring those spaces and any negative intrusions would result in a interruption of their space, rhythms and energies that would affect the emotional triggers that result in fear, anger, etc. This could mean an attack to protect what essentially is their personal belief space system.

Another aspect of space for us is: flight space, flight distance, critical distance (critical space and critical situations), personal distance, and social distance. This is a bit involved so recommend reading, at a minimum, the book by Edward T. Hall, "The Hidden Dimension," chapter II, Distance Regulation in Animals to get a better view of this aspect or just read Rory Miller's books on violence and violent people cause he covers all this stuff even if not directly named by the names I provided here.

Oh, before you go there .... as to the Animals in the titles don't be fooled into thinking this does not mean the human animal either. The more you learn, the more you know and I have realized how connected all this is to aggression, nature and the human drive toward aggressive behavior, environment, social groups, etc. which Mr. Miller teaches in his seminars and books.

p.s. In the study of Shikata I am finding that a good part of the Mother of Kata comes from the development of Kanji which is kata-ized to the extent that the strokes are governed by specific kata where even the "empty space" that surrounds the strokes is exacting and why they come to create the art of "Sho-Do or the Way of the Brush."

Rhythm Permeates

All life lives on a rhythm of sorts. There is actually a web of body rhythms that tie humans together. When two people in close proximity are communicating, the two central nervous systems drive each other or they influence each other depending on the strength of one or the other energies related to body rhythms. Energy is also a part of some rhythm. Humans, persons, are also dominated by group rhythms which create and govern behavior - think survival instincts. Time is rhythm for it is built on intervals of exactness - think also repetitive. Human proximity - think aura - involves energy and rhythms that are driven sometimes by emotional rhythms. If a person enters our "space/aura" depending on factors cause a ripple in our energy creating a response. We respond in a variety of ways depending on a variety of contextual stimuli as human proximity closes.

Persons considered of higher authority such as Sensei by their status along with strong human aura's both real and perceived will govern the rhythm of the entire dojo. True and an aspect of teaching a Sensei must be aware of and govern morally for the betterment of the dojo - sound familiar?

Our rhythms and our action/reaction involving proximity, etc. come from our perceptions and knowledge and experiences as to our training as children and others that enter, get close proximity to our world of reality, our lives as we grow. Their rhythms influence our rhythms both positively and negatively.

In the American culture, generally speaking, along with our time system are conditioned - with rare exceptions - to view only singular performances. Repetition is something foreign to us where we cannot appreciate the value of repetitive practice. Rhythms are created by the repetitive aspects of life much like the movement of time is a set interval of time repeated infinitely. It becomes the lesson often overlooked in our culture as the means to achieve a rhythm that fosters the dojo and group to achieve proficiency in all we do to include life itself.

The essence of rhythm is that the intervals are repeated. Rhythm is what permeates all of life, nature and the Universe itself often proven in scientific research. Synchrony of this sort can make a difference in life or death situations or in whether or not people get hurt on the job.

In Japan, the group is more important that the individual. Japanese who are conversing will frequently monitor their own breathing in order to stay in sync with their interlocutor.

This indicates that one aspect of controlling an aggressor may be in either getting in synch with their body rhythms or being able to disrupt them to your advantage. This may be the impetus that drives the ability of masters to cause a disruption to another persons rhythms, energies or stability mentally and physically - dissonance resulting in breaking rhythms.

Now, I would like to "extend" this post topic in a manner I have not done to date for a reason I lacked the knowledge. The knowledge is a bit less than I would like but here goes anyway.

All of us persons, humans, people are sensitive to changes in our body language so that when we encounter others both tend to sense those changes according to the encounter. We respond to what is said or done. Our individual perceptual world if not bridged can and do contribute to aggression or survival instincts. Building the bridge is necessary to achieve common understanding but this becomes more difficult as more and more differing cultures and thereby different individual perceptual world get closer and closer - proximity.

I quote, "Indeed, it is now believed by ethologists such as Konrad Lorenz that aggression is a necessary ingredient of life; without it, life as we know it would probably not be possible." You may then ask, "why?" Then again you may be reading this and say, "What the .....!"

It has come to my understanding that aggression leads to spacing or we become so numerous, so crowded, so proximate rhythm interruptus that we destroy our environments and thus ourselves. The greater our numbers, the more we venture outside our cultures, the more we encounter other cultures without the knowledge and understanding of each we encounter greater stress. Interactions, dysfunctional interactions, increase so stress increases and the adrenaline driven fear/anger/frustration emotions send our monkey brains into hotter tempers that cause changes in our bodies resulting is a natural drop in births and increases in death. This seems to be the part of the survival instincts we have literally passed up in our technological endeavors - we have surpassed our humanity with technology and the results are we have not genetically, nature, evolved. It could be the world, our planet Earth or tribal instincts are not meant to be this big.

Our food supply would have naturally kept the world population at the proper level if not for our ability to add "extensions" which of course added to our ability to produce beyond nature's intent and thus create this particular situation - the planet was not meant for this and now it is time to pay the piper.

Aggression is a part of our survival instincts and with a holistic view means we are suffering the results of our own doings so that nature can restore balance. Our proximities, our perceptual worlds, our cultures clash creating aggressions so we may bring the population back to balance but the kicker here is it may not be enough and extinction may result.

Now, isn't that a wonderful thought to consider when trying to understand why we have not been able to surpass our innate aggressive tendencies? We need space, we need our clans or tribes and we need our cultures and we need to keep and remain separate.

Boy, what kind of crazy thread will this one cause?

Creator vs. Naming

I am beginning to understand why some folks tend to say that Tatsuo Sensei named the style of Isshinryu vs. actually creating the style. I had to allow my mind to view "creation" vs. "evolving" it. If you take a literal look at Isshinryu you find that it is comprised almost exclusively of kata from other styles which are, of course, simply individualized creative efforts vs. creating new stuff. In that light all hand combative systems in all probability fall into this same form of evolving.

Isshinryu is the evolvement of a system already proven into his personal philosophical style. It is a creation of sorts but I tend to actually consider it a means of taking something already tried and proven and modifying it to suit Tatsuo Sensei so when he felt he had evolved it enough he "named it." He personalized it and it became our style of Rhukyu-te, the system itself.

Of course, we can split hairs on this if we want. I think to create something means to create something new and never before experienced in life. That is just me tho. It may be that one says they "created" something to satisfy pride and ego feelings, i.e. see, I am something special because I "created" something. I think Tatsuo Sensei branded his practice which is "like" a personal creation of sorts but not actually creating a new unique style. Yep, many will vehemently deny and argue this point. Good, as long as it gets folks to "think!"

Kanji - Shikata (kata) connection

The characters found for shikata are, "仕方," when when broken down into separate characters mean, "仕" specifications and "方" how to ~. The entire character set means loosely, "a way or method for how to or way of doing something.

The character, romanization word, was found through the original book of reference, the Shin Gi Tai, by Mike Clarke where a reference was made as to karate kata being of greater importance over the system of Te vs. the current belief that kata is a part of Te. Clarke Sensei's reference material led me to the book on Kata or "Shikata."

In that study material we find references to "kanji." I will try to bring a bit of interest to this by some data that led me to believe that kata drives Japan, and I believe now Okinawan, Karate - shikata.

Shikata is often referred to simply as "kata" for brevity so I will do the same in this and any followup postings. But I want to begin with references to "kanji" to continue this particular post because kanji seems from my studies so far to be the reason for kata.

Some historical influences to kata begin with Shintoism, the way of the Gods. Then of importance is Buddhism, Confucianism, the ideographic writing system, and other cultural influences from China. All this led to a "highly controlled behavior" model that would express subservience and respect toward superior beings. There are then presented various other factors that led to kata in Japan that should be fully understood so "read the book."

This post tho wants to speak to what the author presented as the "mother of kata." Kanji, what was called by the Japanese as "Chinese Letters."  Korean scribes transcribed Japanese language into Kanji. The writing of kanji involved other principles but in a nutshell it resulted in a particular form of training to lean how to read and write the complicated characters where the strokes to create kanji became kata-ized, i.e. the conjoining strokes were taught is very specific order and there were no deviations allowed. It was referred to as "way of writing" or "Kaki-kata."

The mental concentration and mechanical aspects of writing in kanji required memorization and that is done by repetitive practice over time. It involved thousands of kanji characters which were more of a translation of concepts communicated by sounds vs. simply utilization of what we use, i.e. A, B, C's which also became a very personalized experience with strong mental or psychological aspects.

The mental concentration was governed by specificity in a kata like manner. The learning process for kanji resulted in a high degree of the sense of group harmony of form and style which imbued a deep sense of aesthetics. An art form or way of writing. It also, much like we profess to achieve in karate kata practice, provided a means to increase a person's patience and to persevere in all they do to an extreme.

The requirement to practice and learn kanji became the "way" to shape Japanese physically, intellectually and emotionally further binding them to the group mentality through this kata of the kanji writing. This became a core aspect along with others to create their group style culture.

Every person in Japan were now required to follow this kanji-kata to create these characters in a manner that became an art form which is known today as "Sho-Do or Way of the Brush." We call it calligraphy.

Writing kanji also denoted one as being of great character and worth. Thus was born shikata or kata. It is not much of a stretch even for non-Japanized persons practicing the Asian traditional martial arts to see that this led to the kata within the art from the kata-mization of the art itself. As you read the book on its many subjects which are all governed by their individual kata you begin to get a fundamental understanding beyond our limited view of what we perceived, until now, as karate kata.

I may have it right or maybe wrong but you can begin to see why understanding of the kanji that describe the sounds as some more conceptual meaning could lead to greater understanding of our practice and training.

p.s. of you wish you can view shikata/kata as very detailed procedures to get things done.

Bibliography:
Clarke, Michael. "Shin Gi Tai: Karate Training for Body, Mind, and Spirit." YMAA Publishing. New Hampshire. 2011.
DeMente, Boye Lafayette. "Kata: The Key to Understanding & Dealing with the Japanese." Tuttle Publishing. Tokyo, Vermont and Singapore. 2003

Okinawan Samurai - UPDATE

It is with clarity that I say that for anyone outside of a pure Japanese cannot be a Samurai even in the most advantageous of situations is impossible means to me that no Okinawan can achieve Samurai status regardless.

I quote, "Japanese have historically been unable to accept non-Japanese into their society (this culture and society has Samurai as an intricate/interwoven fabric of said society). This intolerance goes beyond both race and language. Persons of Korean or Chinese ancestry who are physically identical to the Japanese and whose families have lived in Japan for generations and are totally assimilated into the culture are not accepted as Japanese. "

To further express this it is clear that even those who are Japanese tend to be removed from the culture and society upon their return from living and working outside of Japan, etc.

I also quote, "To be regarded as and treated as a Japanese you have to be born in Japan, of Japanese parents, and raised as a Japanese in the full cultural implications of the word."

Both quotes tell me emphatically and irrefutably that Okinawans even when married to a Japanese cannot nor can their offspring lay claim to and be "Okinawa Samurai" in the most literal sense.

Although your arguments make a lot of sense they are predicated on our perceptions, beliefs and understanding from an American system of beliefs, perceptions and understanding where the only means by which we could understand otherwise is through total immersion in the Japanese social fabric for at least two decades to even achieve a modicum of understanding as I gleamed from the study of Japan Kata where one person did just this and then exclaimed that even with this they were treated as gaijin - foreigners.

SG made an excellent argument but in the literal kata like environment that is Japan it fails to persuade - me.

p.s. I mean literally a Japanese Samurai. There is always, like here in the U.S., that one may borrow that title and call themselves Okinawan Samurai using the definition of Japanese Samurai but "LITERALLY" they cannot be Samurai as like Miyamoto Musashi type Samurai.

Bibliography:
Clarke, Michael. "Shin Gi Tai: Karate Training for Body, Mind, and Spirit." YMAA Publishing. New Hampshire. 2011.
DeMente, Boye Lafayette. "Kata: The Key to Understanding & Dealing with the Japanese." Tuttle Publishing. Tokyo, Vermont and Singapore. 2003

Kata, It is more than we all think ...

Kata, a favorite subject. I believed I had a solid understanding of kata before yesterday but now I can see the inkling of more in my latest studies. I have written on semantics, characters in Japanese - kanji/kana - as well as the importance of kata in karate. I got this new study from the book by Mike Clarke Sensei, Shin Gi Tai, where he mentions that our belief that kata is a part of karate vs. karate actually being a part of kata and I said to self, "What!"

Let me begin by saying, yes I practice the system of Okinawa Te. You might be saying that this would not really apply to Japanese "shikata." But, if you read about Japanese Kata you will find strong connections to Chinese boxing which of course also strongly influences Okinawa Te. When you see that this brings things to "full circle" you get the overall need to allow connections to China, Okinawa and Japan.

Before the Japanese entered Okinawa the Okinawans dealt with many Asian communities but none more so than China. Before Okinawa dealt with Japan the Japanese many centuries prior were influenced by the Chinese and Korean connections starting with Japan's first foray into writing where they took the Chinese characters and adjusted them to suit their own language.

So, you say but when you study a bit more about the "culture" involved in karate you will find that many of the things we have assimilated into our American traditional practice of karate have lots to do with it. Especially when the circle finally met by the Japanese entering into Okinawa and Okinawa introducing karate into Japan and then Japans influences to "kata-ize" Okinawan Karate.

Sounds a bit convoluted when I post it right? Well, it isn't and the introduction of "Shikata" of Japan where they devote a section to martial arts and karate you begin to see just how important culturally, traditionally and generally kata are to martial practice and training.

As a traditional practitioner one might want to see how this fits into explaining the cultures and beliefs of those who created Te because it is true that when you try to understand it you can then begin to truly understand Te - karate.

Bibliography:
Clarke, Michael. "Shin Gi Tai: Karate Training for Body, Mind, and Spirit." YMAA Publishing. New Hampshire. 2011.
DeMente, Boye Lafayette. "Kata: The Key to Understanding & Dealing with the Japanese." Tuttle Publishing. Tokyo, Vermont and Singapore. 2003.

My Dojo

Someone asked, "If you train and practice daily, where do you do it and wouldn't that be your dojo?" I thought about that and this person was correct. I do have a dojo and that is a dojo of one practitioner, me.

I practice at home but most of it occurs at work. Early in the morning before I begin, during the day at breaks and lunch and sometimes in the evening before going home to slow the pace down and get my internal clock back on-line vs. work clock/time, etc.

My work dojo is way down at the bottom of the building with little or no traffic. It is a bit configured as depicted in this drawing. Thanks Dude for pointing this out.

Click for LARGE VIEW ;-)

Dysfunctional Humans

It is a question that has come up a variety of times over the last few years for a variety of reasons. Most come from my continued studies which speak to the workings of the human, the human mind and the human brain. A lot is geared toward nature's survival instincts which seem to still govern our lives even tho survival is no longer a matter of life or death - metaphorically speaking.

Dysfunction speaks of an impairment, a failing and of not operating properly. Dysfunction tends to consist of a psychological, physical and societal influences or purview.

I am thinking along the lines that human dysfunctions come from modern industrial influences with emphasis today on fast moving instant gratifying technologies, i.e. cell phones, computers and social techno interfacing through electronic means. I ask myself, would humans even have to endure the perception of dysfunctions if we still lived where survival meant being a member of a tribe, hunting for sustenance and maintaing solidarity to survive incursions by both animal and humans.

In that light anyone who may have a debilitating dysfunction simply means they are not strong enough to contribute to the survival of the tribe. I was led to believe that in those instances the child never got past a few days old. If you don't function normally, who's idea of normal is that anyway? I feel I am pretty much a normal human who tries to live according to nature's plans with adjustments for industrial/techno living. I believe my dysfunctions arise only when I encounter others who perceive me as not adhering to their belief system and their way of life, doing things and their views, etc.

If we still lived in the boundaries set by nature would we be encountering that many humans that much different from us. Would I as a European born tribal member living within natures specified area and time and culture ever encounter a person from an Asian continent with totally different beliefs, culture, language, and ways? Hmmm, are we actually multiplying and moving out beyond natures intended boundaries creating more friction and dysfunctions leading to conflicts?

My studies indicate so far, my view, that we are living far beyond our current evolutionary state. Why? Our minds, our brains and our ability to think, reason and create. Not to lessen our ability to discover ways to enhance our limitations as humans, i.e. flying without natures wings of a bird but mechanically.

Our brains, minds and bodies have not evolved fast enough for the environmental evolution that we are pushing on ourselves, our Earth and our Nature. The argument would say our industrial/techno advancement has meant the discovery of great things but I say at what cost. Life must have balance, life must remain somewhat in equilibrium with nature, all things of nature and all things of the Universe.

Techo advancements have outdistanced our humanity. Is this why we are experiencing dysfunctions? When did this word even come into use? I doubt that our ancient fathers and mothers used the word to describe things that humans did, do and are doing both now and historically.

Look at it this way, we have to create through technological means food enough to sustain humans. The natural ability of the Earth to provide food has limits and we have exceeded those so the need to enhance food was created, just to feed us.

How does this equate to martial arts. Well, we tend to speed past the natural order of the discipline in order to reach more enhanced aspects that are cool, spiffy and ego gratifying. We have folks with multiple black belts, multiple claims to expertise in multiple systems and we have created many human enhancements in the name of instant gratification, physical ability  and greater notoriety. At what price? Are we actually, still, practicing the art of karate? Has our efforts to move beyond the natural boundaries of practice and training caused a loss of the true transmission of karate-jutsu-do as the ancient masters intended? Has the change to technology resulted in a lost art?

Questions, questions, questions! Maybe if humanity were still facing lions, tigers and bears the stuff that results in a dysfunctional person would be "less" of s dysfunction.

CAVEAT: These are my thoughts, my idea's and not meant to influence, sway or propose any expertise in this most difficult area - that is what they have therapists for .... oh, and my views, etc have absolutely no basis in research, facts or other such data of note. Just my thinking .....

Okinawan Samurai

Okinawans were Okinawans, historically speaking. Even today they tend to remain Okinawans. So, when I read a story about one of the famous karate masters and I come to the line in the story that speaks of the master as a Samurai or of Samurai family I have to ask, "Samurai?" The greatest influences of a positive nature to the Okinawans, according to the limited history written in English, were the Chinese.

Mainland Japanese of Samurai lineage don't just allow anyone to suddenly refer to themselves as Samurai, you were born into that status or so I have been led to believe. The Japanese only came to direct their influences on Okinawans in the 1600's when they decided to "conquer" them and subjugate the peoples as Japanese citizens.

I believe that Okinawans, before edged weapons were removed by their King, had a military of sorts but I doubt they were considered Samurai. Even if they were the word doesn't fit because Okinawans didn't speak Japanese. They spoke a uniquely Okinawan dialect, uchinaguchi. I also doubt that they insisted they be called Samurai during the more heated times when Japanese Samurai governed or policed the island. This smacks of the audacity we Americans have when we speak of ourselves as Samurai simply because we practice with a sword.

Is this some urban type legend that was used to spruce up the stories that are told of the masters of old? When does fact fade into fiction in any story of martial arts? Isn't it natural for humans to kind of express their views with a bit of drama and dramatic license? Is this like calling myself a "warrior" when or if the term is defined could mean a yes or no?

Question, question, question .... regardless, the stories are good. I enjoy them immensely. Even if they tend to go beyond mere fact they still provide some cultural indications we can learn from so that is good, right?

Your Greatest Opponent

Who is your greatest opponent? If you practice jutsu-te then you have asked yourself this question time and again. My greatest opponent is myself!

Often people in trouble look outside themselves to find answers. The only answers you should seek are those you have in yourself. You might feel that some person has some special skill and can provide you the lessons but in reality those who do this are actually "listening attentively" and "reflecting" to get you to find the answers within yourself.

Why you have to find your own solutions:

1. You have all the data. No matter how effective the other person is at listening they can never have all the information you do.

2. You are taking all the risks. If the other persons solution isn't good you will suffer the consequences.

3. You must implement the solution. You know that your acceptance to take an action is more likely to be successful if you are the one who made the decision, right?

4. It is your confidence and sense of self-responsibility that is strengthened when you make and implement your own solution. It is a step toward shaping your own destiny.

5. Both you and a listener become less dependent on the other as a listener or helper.

Of course it can be much more convenient for you if you just allow others to lead you around so that you can give yourself the excuse it is there fault you fail. If you do fail it is no one's fault but your own. Take control of your life, find your own destiny. You have all the answers and the only purpose for the other person as a listener is to be a sounding board that reflects you so you can find your answers yourself while developing a friendship with a listener. You win, the listener if needed wins and both become close and successful.

Ever wonder why Sensei in Okinawa might not provide more than the simplest of of comments? They want you to discover for yourself what you can do and what you can define and what you can apply in martial arts.

Mastery

Hi, Fellow Martial Artists

I just viewed this trailer and it spoke to me of what I am trying to achive in my personal practice. If you wish to know what it takes to truly "master a discipline" then watch this .... I can't wait for the release of this documentary.
I have to consider a couple of assumptions I have made watching this clip. First, Jiro Sensei never sought out the recognition he has achieved in his discipline. He did not seek out the "national treasure" designation the country bestowed on him. He did not seek out all the people who partook of his delicacies. He only wanted to make "sushi."

My Dojo (Dreams)

I have always had this dream, a dream that one day I would build my own dojo and have an optimal layout for practice and training. I dreamed it would be a traditional one, mostly. Mostly Okinawan cultural driven but with a few added Japanese traits I find interesting and of value. It would be all wood construction with the interspersed paper shoji, etc. with smatterings of our culture thrown in to make it mostly Oki tradition with a eclectic mix of Japan and the good ole U.S. of A.

Don't care if I have students or not, just my dojo where I train, practice and study Okinawan Te. :-)

Click for larger view. Feel free to download and use!

Hanging Scrolls

I often wonder about the hanging scrolls. I understand that it is a kanji quote of some sort. You find plenty of quotes, etc. in the ads placed in periodicals ranging from the system/style name in kanji to other things that are important to the Sensei. I also understand that it has a place where it is hung in the dojo. I believe they are hung on the shoman or wall of honor.

I was also pleasantly surprised to read in Mike Clarke's book, Shin Gi Tai, that the pictures of the masters for a dojo are place high on the wall which is, as Mike Clarke has provided, considered a place of honor. I didn't know that the frame is black for a reason as well. I understand it has something to do with the masters being deceased but that needs verification and validation.

Ok, the hanging scrolls. I should have known that like many things the scroll has parts and names/labels for those parts. I found this snapshot of a scroll with nomenclature. If it is from your dojo please let me know and if you would prefer I remove it from this post.

I also have seen such scrolls in the Okinawan dojo but am not sure if this is new to them, i.e. adapted from Japanese dojo, but they are there now. It may or may not have been a tradition in Okinawa even tho I am led to believe they have existed in Japanese dojo for a long time.

Is it Military or is it Zen Buddhist Influences

Often when asked about certain practices as to etiquette in the dojo I respond, it was a military thing. As I continue my studies of the cultures for my practice, i.e. Okinawan with smatterings of Japanese influences, I am coming to a new hypothesis, that it may not be just a military influence driving such practices but possible it or the Zen aspects of Japanese systems called "art."

In some of my posts I have alluded to the Japanese influences in regards to culture, customs and Zen Buddhism. Take the concept of "kata." We tend to think that "kata" are a part of karate. In the book written by Mike Clarke, Shi Gi Tai, he references that actually the martial arts are a part of "kata." Hmmm, urban legend debunked?

Kata is pretty rigid in Japan. Everything has strict rules governing how everything is done and they tend to call that "kata." It can be exactly like many military aspects our boys serving in places like Japan, Okinawa and other Asian countries place on practices and training. It could be this like-minded connection that attracted the military to the dojo in the fifties and later, maybe?

What I have to consider is the most direct influence on a system. It could be a military influence, a Zen Japanese connection or it may simply be some other form perceived, accepted and then merged into a system of practice and training. In lieu of either one or the other it remains as a possible out of the box and open mind aspect to consider.

Thinking, thinking, thinking!

Dualism; Yang-n-Yin; In-n-Yo; Physical-n-Spiritual

There may be particular reasons, from nature as to our traits or pension to do things a certain way, why we tend to go to either one extreme or another with very few "gray areas" in life. Our brain functions and Survival Instincts.

We process stimuli through our senses. Our brains process that information by first organizing it, then labeling it and finally quantifying it in our world. Our brains tend to reduce everything into the fewest components as possible. Our brains through cognitive processes put all abstract concepts into dyads - "dualistic terms." Our brains tend to classify the stimuli/data into such things as "up vs. down; in vs. out; hard vs. soft; anger vs. love; fear vs. fearlessness and even in our development of computer technology, i.e. 1's and 0's.

It becomes more apparent as I study that our tendency to place humans into a "Us vs. Them" mentality is actually a part of nature's big plan to help us survive. We survive by gathering like-minded humans into groups, clans, tribes and then through mutual agreement set patterns, rhythms and roles that foster group strength for survival. It is no wonder the world of Okinawan Karate-jutsu-do is in such fragmented groupings, it is human and it is natural for us to go this route.

We seem to have a binary "on-off" mechanism in the brain so we place things in one category or the other, us vs. them. One Isshinryu group has their belief system thus they form a clan, tribe or association. The other Isshinryu group has their particular belief system and thus form a "other" clan, tribe or association. Then the overall belief system and the brain lock up into that particular belief exclusive to all others, i.e. it is Us vs. Them - dualistic terms, labeling, beliefs.

Even if the commonality of the systems meet in the middle one clan vs. the other tend, as shown in other posts, to stick to their belief system regardless thus resist change and acceptance of the "others."

Hmmmm, must contemplate this more.

Traditional Okinawa Dojo

I was asked to give a short talk on "traditional dojo" in Okinawa. I can't help wonder why they thought I would know about a traditional dojo but what the heck.

When I studied on the island it was at the honbu dojo for Shimabuku Kichero Sensei. He geared his dojo to model after Japanese styles which are not "traditional" Okinawan dojo. I can only go back as far as the early nineteen hundreds. Most of what I believe are simply guesses because there is not documentation or history written on the subject - it is subjective as to pre-1900's.

I suggest it might have been much like it was up to the seventies and this is also spoken too in Mike Clarke's book, "Shin Gi Tai." I have photo's from my Sensei as well as other photo's that many brought home with them from the fifties and sixties.

First, they did indeed work out, study or train in either loincloths or the zubon/pants used for the karate-gi in the fifties or later. Due to the heat they wore little else. There are several historically oriented photo's of those early times.

As to the traditional dojo on Okinawa, as stated in Clarke Sensei book it was indeed the courtyard or yard or garden type area around the Sensei home. Urban legend's and such rose up out of those dojo such as the one about Tatsuo dreaming on a water hole, well or tank - pick one.

The Marines in the fifties also wore only the zubon and obi. It was just to hot and humid. Today I believe the Okinawan dojo are more in line with the Japanese style dojo layout.

As to the shomen, etc. and where students lined up and trained I can only say that in the courtyard for Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei there were no line up and group training. Every person came in and left on their schedule through out the day, every day. Usually the Sempai of the time and day assisted Kohai. Note also that these terms to include the term Sensei were not used at that time, i.e. fifties. Shimabuku Tatsuo was greeted and addressed as "papasan." The students greeted and addressed by their names. It wasn't until sometime in the sixties when a Marine started to insist students refer to Tatsuo as Sensei.

I also doubt seriously that anyone used Sensei earlier either. I suspect that any terms used were of the cultural nature indicative to Okinawans in general and not specific to karate, etc.

Tatsuo did have a place inside his home that held a type of shrine per Okinawan custom but it was not out in the courtyard dojo. He did have a trigram, I Ching trigram, on a post in the dojo area. Tatsuo Sensei sat on his porch, drank tea, smoked and observed the goings on letting his more senior students teach unless he wanted to do something specific himself, etc.

This is what I told them, generally, as to my view of a traditional dojo. I could see disappointment on many of the faces as this particular dojo assumed and utilized the more formal dojo aspects of a Japanese dojo which is also up for debate.

Oh, and we could get into a huge debate as to what constitutes a "traditional dojo" as to defining traditional. Oh well, the debate will go on.

Note: the entrance was adjacent to a small wall standing alone. Many times the Marines would hang a tatami mat over the wall then use it as a makiwara for kicking. Also, on the right side that post coming out of the ground is a four-by-four makiwara. Tatsuo put them in to keep the local youth from continually breaking the standard makiwara boards. The cement wall was a new addition sometime in the early sixties, I think, done by the Marines to enclose the dojo from the neighbors, etc.

Teaching Martial Arts

I don't run a dojo today. I did for a long, long time but today I do not run one. I do visit one now and then and I spend a lot of time practicing and training on my own. I lead with this because it spoke of the topic for this post, teaching martial arts.

When I ran a dojo I taught Okinawan Isshinryu or Ryukyu-Te with specificity toward the branch of Shorin-ryu that falls under the Okinawan system of Ti or Te. Phew, just had to get that all out there again :-)

Teaching comes in many forms. The one we gravitate toward when someone speaks of teaching a martial art is the one where folks dress in specified garb for their system, enter into a hall of some sort and in bare feet get out on a hardwood floor and sweat, strain and practice - diligently and with heart. This is not the only venue to teach. It is not the only venue to teach a martial art.

Granted, if you wish to truly study a martial art you will have to go to a dojo or hall or space outdoors or any area where you or you and one other gather to practice and train. The location is secondary.

Once you gain a modicum of expertise in a system the teaching venue does and should grow beyond that dojo, where ever or what ever that may be. Today we have so many other teaching sources it can be daunting to just find and choose those that best suit your learning needs.

When I suggest to a student they keep a log of their training I would include those other aspects as well to keep track of what and how you do and learn things about your discipline. Your time in study of  the ancient classics to supplement the physical training and practice is still training and practice of your system in supplementation.

So, with that said - all those venues of learning are also of teaching. The person who writes a blog, runs a forum, participates on a yahoogroup style email system, produces DVD's or writes a book on a particular subject is still teaching someone some thing. I still teach even tho I am not running a dojo now. I have just shifted a bit to the right, or left if you prefer, and provide information for those who are interested to "data mine," sift and sort with retention or discard to achieve more knowledge. Those who do this are students and the martial I provide is still teaching. I hope anyway or should I say, my view.

I learn a great deal from the teachings of people like Rory Miller, Marc MacYoung, the Animal List, Kane and Wilder to name just a few. I learn from their books, web sites, blogs, video's and comments and communications of varying ways. I supplement what I currently know to work with more that I test in my practice. Those still active in the dojo can take it further into testing it out, playing with it and finding what works or does not work. Sometimes I visit a dojo I know just to vet out something that doesn't jel in practice.

Anyway, the point is teaching and being a student of martial arts goes beyond just entering a dojo. There is so much and so much to work out that is available and I guess what I am saying is given a proper "label :-)" it opens the box a bit for better thinking.

Maybe, just maybe this is what it teaches, to get a person to "think." Think about things, mull them over, float them to see what sinks and what swims - thinking, a good thing.

The "WOW" Factor or just "Oh, crap!"

Wow, sometimes I just say this out loud when I come across material that speaks to me. The following quotes jumped off the monitor when I read them in the two posts provided by Mr. Rory Miller and wanted to use them to get you all to read the posts - making an assumption that you have not or don't yet read the Chiron Blog. Quotes:

Anything in the teaching process that centers on me doesn't serve the student. - Rory Miller Chiron Blog: Humility

But I want my students strong enough in themselves that they look to themselves to solve problems. - Rory Miller Chiron Blog: Humility

The instructor's ego is one of the most dangerous opponents the student will ever face. - Rory Miller Chiron Blog: Humility

Martial arts has a hierarchy and a power dynamic and in too many places competency is not tested and compassion is assumed. - Rory Miller Chiron Blog: Humility

Have the humility to let your students adapt. To cheat to win to excel. To be better than you and, even if you are stronger and faster and more skilled, give them permission (and maybe practice) at finding a way when your strengths might have trapped you. - Rory Miller Chiron Blog: Humility

All of these speak for themselves even out of context. Get the context by going to the site and reading this post - it is worth it.

more .....

Doing drills, almost anything works, provided you do it with full commitment and no telegraph. Action beats reaction very, very consistently. But if you haven't practiced un-telegraphed explosive movement... not good. - Thought Process Chiron Blog by Rory Miller

technique dependency - - Thought Process Chiron Blog by Rory Miller

The first action, if you can do it explosively, will work. Everything after that depends on your adaptability. Which depends on your ability to apply principles. - Thought Process Chiron Blog by Rory Miller

isshin ni - 一心に -with single-hearted devotion, fervently

Three Centers

Mind, heart and hara. Tatemae, Honne and Suji. The number three which also represents the Chinese view of Heaven, Earth and Man (person). The Sun and Heaven being extremes of Yang and Yin. The Earth and Moon being the seeds within Yang and Yin to grow Yin and Yang from Yang and Yin. All have influences to man or humans or persons.

Persons are of three as well, their mind, heart and hara. The mind is for knowledge, analysis, beliefs, etc. while the heart is for the spiritual pursuits that involve home and friends (dojo and dojo mates) and hara is the direct physical which does, in karate-jutsu-DO, strive to bring all three into harmony or a one wholehearted way.

The intent of tatemae is our sensitivity toward others which is of a good or yin nature as well as a yang or "not so good" nature. Honne is that sensitivity one develops with the self toward the self which manifest in self-confidence, self-control and self-awareness. Suji is that which develops from a balance of the two into a perception of the person toward any situational significance of any event in life, good or bad; beneficial or to our detriment, etc.

In our practice and training we insist on the most from ourselves, the demand we make on the self. We do this through the proper diligent intent and effort toward discipline, work and dedication which is the inherent trait of Karate-jutsu-DO, the way of the empty hand or just "hand."

It can be said that once a person pursues such discipline and benefit through the many years of disciplined practice and training does experience a wholehearted level of self-knowledge and thus ultimately enlightenment. Only through the most effort can the mind still itself and eliminate the ego alleviating its frailty of subjecting the mind to outside or internal praise, success, failure, and a lack of recognition/validation.

Mind - shinchuu[chui] - 心中 [注意]
Heart - shinchuu [shiunzo] - 心中 [心臓]
Center - hara [belly] - 中心 [腹]

Labels - Semantics or Naming Stuff

I heard a quote on NPR this weekend that stuck with me. "We treat things the way we name them." In one interview the discussion came up as to perception and "madmen or advertising" where lables and naming conventions tended to subconsciously steer folks in a particular direction - like suppositions in conversations.

A lot of communications is actually non-verbal body language stuff but without human interfacing, which is plenty of communications this day and age due to twitter, blogs and facebook, the words tend to speak a lot louder. If I place an ad saying something like "don't fear night attacks anymore, take my fool-proof "deadly martial art" self defense class .... " isn't the label "deadly martial art" actually giving impressions, expectations and personal assumptions a boot up toward signing up and spending your cash?

Labels, naming conventions and other words both literal and through suppositions tend to create assumptions that direct people to treat them in the manner presupposed, yes?

In karate, we do tend to treat things the way we name them, yes? Then it goes to show that semantics, the words, the characters and the methods used to convey knowledge and proficiency do matter.

Intent - another perspective

Intent or "idea" is that which drives which physical technique you deploy in self defense. I quote from Clarke Sensei, "The importance lies in the ideas [intent is what comes to my mind] being discussed, not the precise formalization of physical movement." - Mike Clarke Sensei, Book "Shin Gi Tai."

Can it be that because of the difficulty this entails that many tend to rely heavily on the physical teaching of self defense, i.e. he does this, you do this, to gain student membership and thus student monies? [lets not get started on the pro's and con's of commercialization of karate]

I feel Clarke Sensei hits it directly, the intent of practice should drive technique, tactic and strategy deployment and applications.

Right and Wrong

Often I have found that Americans tend to feel there are only two answers to any question or situation. Either it is "right" or it is "wrong." There is something "wrong" about this assumption.

I have attempted to change the way I view such things especially in regards to Okinawan Karate; there is nothing "right or wrong" about it but rather things tend to just be "different."

It appears to my mind that the differences displayed are mostly geared toward a person's perception, assumptions and expectations - their overall belief system about the system, style and branch of study. If taken with out assumptions, with out ego and with out pride and on its own merits we just might find that it is neither right or wrong, just different.

In the end the only assumption I would like to have in karate is "does it work?" Given time, effort and analysis in practice if it works then it does not matter what system, style and branch but rather "it works."

The principle of Okinawa Karate dictates that if it works then assimilate it into your strong character. Allow the change, more like an addition to your system, style and branch making it a new and improved system, style and branch - for you anyway. Isn't that what practice and training is all about, learn the entire system then make it your own. Often this means some of it works for "you" and some of it doesn't work so good, for "you."

Hmmm, seems about right to me .... comments?

More is Better - or is it?

We have brains, hopefully. Our brains tend to work in certain ways, generally, according to cultures, times and locations. Our brains quantify everything our senses perceive in the world. It is integrated into every single facet of human life. It is a part of the function of our brains like DNA to life itself.

Our brains encode, it takes information and places it into units of quantity. Along with language influences of the brain we, the brain that is, assigns numeric labels to allow us to understand concepts such as 1, 2, 3, etc. We even assign emotional effects value as numbers. Numbers are symbolic and perceived as lucky or unlucky, i.e. 13 to most Americans is perceived as unlucky. You won't find a thirteenth floor in hotels, etc.

Such beliefs are passed down from father to son, mother to daughter, family to family, and generation to generation. Beliefs are based on myths and the more frequent they are repeated the more difficult they are to ignore, change or get rid of.

Numbers, we give greater value and credence to numbers as they grow. "Five" bucks is of greater value than "one" buck. We see larger numbers as if they validate our belief that the greater the number the more impressive it is so it just goes to say that our thought that having five black belts is of course a greater achievement than one black belt. Having five or six different styles or systems in our resume for martial arts has the ability to "impress" others as a greater achievement than just "one system."

Once this is established then it is a race to see how many and how fast you can accumulate black belts, styles or systems and of course trophies. We are programmed by our brain functions to assume greater of any thing tends to mean "more."

Here endith the lesson ;-)

Christmas Wish List Karate Justsu Do

Recently I read a blog that had the most excellent list for Christmas and it got me to thinking of what I would like or wish for Christmas, for me and for all karate-ka.

Here is my list:

1. The true essence of Okinawan Karate Jutsu Do be experienced, embraced and practiced by every single karate person in the world.

2. The true spirit of Okinawan Karate Jutsu Do be experienced, embraced and practiced by every single karate person in the world.

3. The entire karate community joins hands and comes to a mutual understanding that spans the reality gaps that exist and achieve true enlightenment toward a system that embraces the uniqueness all styles and branches for a wholehearted community of karate-ka.

I could ask that this be also the 2012 New Year's resolution that all karate-ka in all parts of the world embrace for all time. Oh yea, and world peace would be kind of cool too.

Labels

Most of us are not aware of a proven fact, through brain research, that our brain spends a great deal of time applying labels to everything we perceive with our senses. It does about the same with our perceptions as well. We, our brains, actually take in a variety of stimuli such as colors, shapes, textures, etc. and puts them together a number of ways until it can put together an abstract concept that later will be representative of the actual object. Look at it as undefined atomistic data arriving to the brain via our senses. Cool and somewhat "Martix-like."

Our brains love this so much that it has it pretty much mastered by the age of six years and because of this labeling need we tend to dislike objects we encounter when they are initially unidentifiable. All of this is further influenced by our perceptions, contexts, concepts, and words to shape both the brains perception of objects as well as the brains perception to our overall awareness of all things external.

So, it is no wonder we all tend to want to place labels on everything in our world. You begin to see why I have so much fun with such things as "labeling" my practice of Okinawan Ti, i.e. system-to-style-to-branch ;-)

New Designation to the Practice of Okinawan Karate - Mine

I have reached a new consensus, belief, as to what it is I practice. This is for this moment and is subject to change as I would naturally do and what lives up to the Okinawan principle of Karate. I now practice:

System: Ryukyu Ti or Te
Style: Shorin Ryu
Branch: Isshinryu [I would leave the ryu off since it is more a designation as to style vs. branch of a style, but since it is acceptable for a branch of a style to also add the "ryu" for the style I have done so here.]

I do this because I believe that it is the system that is most important while the style and branch tend to be a more personalized/personalization of the system the individual practices.

Ryukyu-Ti (琉球手) [system]; Shorin-Ryu (小 松) [style]; Isshin (一 心  岐) [branch]

Please, don't hesitate to chime in with opinions, thoughts or idea's; both good and bad :-)

Japanese Art

The Elements of Japanese Art: One, is hara; two is MA; three is intuition; and four is "michi" (the way). It expresses that part of the person that is innately and irrevocably natural and an expression of nature (internalized nature. The Japanese artists begins with nature on the "inside." Nature not being something that is outside and separate. Hara is the center of the human thus this is the source of inside nature as explained. MA ("ma" 虚空 - emptiness, empty, vacant, void; the air, empty space, the void) is a space-time concept and a "meaningful pause, interval, or space." Silences in Japan shout the deepest feelings. Intuition comes from long, deep study and experience. It is the distilled essence of a theme, an emotion, idea, or object. Michi, the way, implies devotion to discipline and perfection in one's art. - Edward T. Hall, author

As I study many things I sometimes find it exciting to run across references to the Asian mind. This is even more exciting when it actually speaks to the very thing I practice, an Asian Martial Art. This particular quote opens once hidden aspects about how the Asian, specifically the Japanese in this instance, practice an art form. In addition this quote:

Art in Japan encompasses all of the Zen disciplines, including flower arrangement, archery, and swordsmanship. As a consequence, much of art (martial in this instance of Japan) is highly contextual.

expresses how the contextual aspects of their culture vs. the American aspect which is a low context one differs such that the question is can we as Americans as a low context culture actually practice a Japanese art, a martial art?

If the arts as practiced in Asia are highly contexted and we are low contexted then like many examples we are at the exact opposite end of that spectrum so it appears that unless we are immersed deeply and for a very long time into that culture we would never truly have the capability or ability to truly study an authentic traditional martial art form.

Then I have to ask, does this also apply to the Okinawan art of karate? Since I can extrapolate from studies that both Japan and Okinawa were and are heavily influenced by the Chinese today and historically that Okinawan are also of a high contextual culture.

I feel we can get a feeling for it and we may be able to assimilate some of it but not unless we have a direct relation with an Okinawan master of the system of "Ti or Te."

Interesting where you find new knowledge. Even when you pick up a piece of material for study you sometimes find a connection where you least expect it and for me that is a very good thing.

This also brings to my thoughts that we shall need to differentiate between what is Japanese and what is Okinawan for they differ in great ways.

Bibliography:
Hall, Edward T. "The Dance of Life: The Other Dimension of Time." Anchor Books. New York. 1984, 1989.