Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated. - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Isshinkei [一心系] (Ryu vs. Ryuu, etc.)

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Click to Enlarge
I have always had issues with the character/ideogram/kanji used for, “ryu,” as in Isshin’RYU’. The one character dependent on how you type in the English versions, i.e., ryu vs. ryuu, gives us two different translations that will become apparent in the following article. Since I tend to be a nit picky karate-ka and martial artists I tried to find a more appropriate way to use terminology that would seem more correct - for me. Whether others pick up on it and use it vs. remaining steadfast and dogmatic to the one used historically, i.e., since Americans became involved, is your choice. 

Kei to make the name Isshinkei [一心系] vs. ryu, as a proper way to name the system, i.e., [一心系 for Isshinkei vs. 一心流 for Isshinryu] So, in a nutshell the use of [] for style may be inappropriate while the use of [] to represent system; lineage; group, etc. seems more appropriate and apropos. 

Not to be mixed up with the name used by Advincula Sensei, Isshinkai [一心会], meaning, “One Heart/Mind assembly or association for the goal of meeting in mind and heart to understand the Isshinryu system as created and passed on to us by Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei. 

Isshinkei just comes to mean a system or style that is correct using the characters/ideograms as discussed. The current ryu [] character is just accepted as proper and it may well be since it was, reportedly but not absolutely, presented by both Japanese and Okinawan karate-ka and martial artists. 

Now, to add a bit of confusion, there is another way to spell style of; method of; manner of; school, “ in English that actually presents the same character/ideograph of [] that means, “style of; method of; manner of; school.” The spelling in translation is, “Ryuu vs. the accepted Ryu.” When you translate ryu and ryuu you get the same characters/ideograms yet different translated English meanings as already presented. 

In essence, for me, that is why I am moving over to Isshinkei using the singular character/ideogram that means, “System; lineage; group; series; corollary and system (range of strata that correspond to a particular time period).”

Two results and conclusions, one is that trying to relate our training, practice and study to such characters/ideographs is a bit confusing and convoluted making translations of everything Asian into English, let alone overcoming the differences in time, culture and beliefs, is at best difficult while two, it is still something one must at least study and try to understand because IT IS derived from the differences in the times in which they all were originally created, the culture of Asia and of those same times and of the belief systems of both those distant past times and the current times of both America and/vs. Okinawa and Japan, etc. 

Even if they don’t actually clarify the truth and facts of karate and martial arts history and historical foundational truths it does add a lot of spice and diversity toward a more multiple translation and meanings that make it difficult but add a great deal to our understanding and applications be they practice, training or use in life. 

Isshinkei in lieu of Isshinryu while being different from Isshinkai (the closeness of the spelling is pure chance so the use of the kanji is important to making the distinctions over just misspelling a symbolic naming.).

Bibliography (Click the link)




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