Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
In this example to diverge in Isshinryu is to accept that Isshinryu, like everything in nature, is in a constant state of flux. “Think of it as the rate of flux expansion (positive divergence) or flux contraction (negative divergence). “ - unknown
What I mean is, “Isshinryu in a positive divergence is moving in a positive direction according to the needs of the person, the system and to the times in which it is applied. Isshinryu in a negative divergence or contraction means that it remains stagnate, it does not move at all and to remain in that state makes it ineffective for the person, the system, and the times in which it is applied or may be applied in the future.”
The moment Marines started studying at the honbu-dojo on the island of Okinawa under the guidance of Tatsuo-San and Cisco-san and those senpai who assisted the system itself began its divergence process, its flux according to the perception and interpretation of those who studied even under the watchful eye of those who would lead us in the study of the system.
Each and every generation is going to take on an act of divergence from what they were taught by their sensei. It may be positive and it may be negative but it also may be either deliberate or inadvertently. Inadvertently simply because we are all humans and humans are fallible without question.
We already spend an exorbitant amount of time arguing about whose version of Tatsuo-san’s Isshinryu is right and I have to wonder, “Why?” It is my understanding from all sources of Isshinryu here in America that Tatsuo-san was in a constant state of flux as to what, how and why he taught or changed is version of Isshinryu. To know of him is to know that his very core beliefs were guided by change or you would ask, “Why is Tatsuo-san a Sumachi and why would he put stock in the meaning from the ‘book of change or I Ching’?”
I ask myself all the time, “If he believed in the I Ching, as well as other classics of that nature, then why would he insist, if he did which I believe he did just the opposite, on having us keep his Isshinryu exactly without change the same?”
I do believe that some of his principles underlying Isshinryu are the most efficient in regard to the fundamental principles of methodologies that make martial arts, karate, work so that won’t change but the outer book cover of the techniques, etc., should change and that change is in accordance with:
- The individuals beliefs;
- The individuals culture;
- The individuals perceptions;
- The individuals experiences;
- The individuals needs;
- The individuals goals and objectives;
You see, Tatsuo-san himself saw the value of change, think sumachi and I Ching, and changed things throughout his career teaching us Isshinryu. After all, as you already know, when I view the many performing Isshinryu I see differences while at the same time I see the core or essence that makes it all, all bottles are good, Isshinryu.
I was adamant about how I was taught Isshinryu by my sensei; I taught it the same way for many years and then one day it occurred to me, an oh shit moment of inspiration and enlightenment, that all those differences were similar in nature to how Tatsuo-san taught and philosophized his Isshinryu. After all, as you also already know, his Isshinryu would not exist if he too remained dedicated to what his sensei taught him in both Goju and Shorin but his need to change occurred.
You will now say, but he kept his goju and shorin the same as he was taught and I would respond, maybe and how would you know because he taught Isshinryu to us. There are soooo many contradictions even in the arguments today of whose Isshinryu is the true, original or style that Tatsuo-san taught as Isshinryu.
Why would Tatsuo-san have presented all his Marine students a silk goku-i?
Why would he have allowed them to walk away after only a year in most cases assuming they would pursue there studies individually and with thoughts of the goku-i to guide them?
Why would he have asked only that one try to learn and understand his culture as an Okinawan and Karate-ka (that is the only thing I understood he was adamant about, he had hope that all would learn about Oki-culture)?
When you take a back seat for a moment, drop all the egoistic claptrap and the arguments we all go through thinking that there is something special, honorable and unique about keeping things stagnant through lack of change is that really what he meant?
For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)
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