being a gullible sort

Before returning to the States from Okinawa in 1960, I somehow got the word that I should register my hands with state law enforcement. Being a gullible sort and wanting to do the right thing, I called the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and said I was trained in Karate. The voice on the other end of the line said, "Kuh-rot-tay? Whut's thet?" I said never mind and went on my way. I began teaching Isshinryu in Atlanta. No martial art dojos existed. Just me and some Jujutsu guys at the downtown Y.

Embodying Spirit: The Inner Work of the Warrior

My book, "Embodying Spirit: The Inner Work of the Warrior," is now available online through this link.

The Adventures of Stagger Li

I have finished writing Volume One of "The Adventures of Stagger Li." I have decided not to publish it in paper form. It is available here for your reading pleasure or displeasure as the case may be.

notes on listening

To assume the energetic shape of another while maintaining one's center is an essential of true listening.

The "other" includes the vast non-human realm as well as the human. In this way, the world discloses itself to us.

If one cannot maintain one's center, one cannot listen.

If one cannot assume the energetic shape of another, one cannot listen.

To maintain one's center means that one has no affectations.

With no-mind, one can move with the mind of another.

When listening, one dwells in vast boundless space.

A playful spirit is essential. Play is a requisite of all creativity.

Jesting is not playing. Jesting is jousting.

As soon as a stance is adopted, one is doomed.

Water overcomes rock every time.

Isshin and Zanshin -- Trevor Leggett, Zen and the Ways

Quote from Trevor Leggett, Zen and the Ways:

Isshin (one-heart) means to throw oneself wholly into the action without any other thought at all. Zanshin (remaining-heart) means some awareness still remaining. Some of the texts (victor note – of the Way) give both, some of them do not mention zanshin at all, and some of them mention it but say that the heading ‘zanshin’ means that there must be no zanshin.

With a spear, isshin is to commit one’s body wholly to the thrust; in a judo throw, it means to throw one’s body and heart at the opponent. If the action is technically defective, or the opponent more skilful, it will miss; then one is generally in an unfavorable position. On the other hand, the more impetuosity and immediacy and completeness of the movement may have so upset him that he cannot utilize his momentary advantage.

Still, in theory might it not be better to take into account possible failure, and keep something back in order to be able to adapt it/ But then, the one-heart will be broken into two: one saying ‘everything into the throw’ and the other ‘what if it fails?’ The latter is called a fox-doubt, and it infects the physical movement, to cause hesitation.

Similarly, if the attack is successful, must new isshin be formed to deal with a new opponent?

The schools which speak of zanshin take it as an awareness which is wide and unmoving, and which contains the isshin. The immediate awareness is thrown into the action, and yet something remains, unconscious? conscious?, which can handle a failure or even a success. This is zanshin. It must not be consciously aimed at, as that would split the ‘one-heart’.

In a sense the one-heart is the ji or particular technique, and the remaining-heart is the ir or universal principle which manifests in particular situations but is not exhausted in them.

'Isshin is the unity of the wave, zanshin is the unity of the water. Isshin defeats an opponent at a tme and place, by a technique. Zanshin is awareness of the whole process of defeating opponents, and wider than that, defeating them with minimum harm to them, and wider than that, for a good purpose and wider than that…'

In this verse, zanshin is referred to as ‘water holding the moon’.

no bounds

When we open to the understanding that we are energetic beings whose quality of consciousness transforms our context and all its realms (physical, emotional, mental, interpersonal, interspecies, spiritual, etc.), then and only then, can we be effective change agents.

As Sir Arthur Eddington put it, "When the electron vibrates, the universe shakes." The old T'ai Chi masters taught it this way: "A feather's weight can move a thousand pounds."

Be not suckered in by the hypnotic teaching of society that you are nothing but a protoplasmic blob with an i.d. card and shopping privileges. You are an energetic being in an alive aware universe and your influence and your confluence know no bounds.

essentials

We are going through an end time.
What is essential will come through.
Essential means of the Essence.
All else is dropping away.
It is not the first end time.
There have been many.
An end time is a new beginning time.
Clinging to the old is fruitless.
Opening to the Essence is fruitful.
The Essence is the Bridge that brings one through.
No need to pack your clothes.
You already have what you need.

thin gray gruel or laughing dancing mystery?

I do not trust the state, a loathsome beast which offers a teat for suckling its thin stream of gray gruel in return for our dreams. I do not trust the state, a torture-war machine using every immoral means to justify a glorious end which never comes. I do not trust the state, a monolithic monster which gives the illusion of a voting choice between one of its double-speak mouths.

I trust the LifeForce, that Spirit moving through every flower, through every laughing dancing soul. I trust the LifeForce which sings through our blood and bathes our hearts and brains in fires of burning love. I trust the LifeForce which always bursts asunder the artificial constraints and bounds of puny man and floods the universe with its uncontrollable laughter, grace, and mystery.

Which shall we declare allegiance to? Allegiance to the state or allegiance to the visions and dreams of our heart?

Mister Jesus was asked by some folk always looking to trip him up if they should pay taxes. Jesus said, Give me a coin. They did. He said, Whose image is on this? They said, Caesar. Jesus flipped it back and said, Give it to the sucker (my paraphrase). And give God what belongs to God.

I think that kind of puts it in perspective. God is the dreamer of the heart. Toss the coin back and give the Dreamer of your heart the dreams of your heart. All essential action follows.

direct experience

In my training with Sensei Tatsuo Shimabuku on Okinawa in 1959-60, I learned Isshinryu (the Way of One HeartMind) through direct experience. I wish to emphasize that word "experience." Shimabuku Sensei spoke little. He taught through example and presence. Energy exchanges gave meaning to form. Form and meaning and energetic flow were one.

Each of us American Marines who returned to the states then taught Isshinryu in our own energetic image. The forms (katas) may have stayed the same (though even there were differences) but the style and impact of teaching took on the coloration of the particular student. Some students opened dojos and eventually took on the title of Masters and Grandmasters. Their students and the students of those students shaped the energetic flow of the teachings into their own form, understanding, and capacity. And so it goes.

Isshinryu evolves, changes, transforms itself as it goes. Sometimes it rests in shallow pools; other times in waterfalls and deep oceans; at times it merges with other currents and becomes more than and other than the teachings and energy of Tatsuo Shimabuku.

This is the way life is. Whatever teaching we receive in any realm - martial, healing, spiritual -- has gone through and goes through this process. The more a martial or other teaching is removed from its founder, the greater the dogma and the number of denominations. At least two things are needed to keep the deep core energetic flow alive: the capacity and will of its current practitioners and the practical effect of their teachings. How can you tell a good martial art, healing art, or spiritual art teacher? By their direct presence as they teach with no words.

transparency

As humans, we are invasions of consciousness into the animal realm. We seem to do fine with the animal part but have difficulty with consciousness. When fully conscious, fully aware, all ground can drop beneath our feet. We like to dummy down so as to feel more secure. This is a tough situation. Not fully animal. Not fully aware. A naked ape clothing itself in whatever comfort it can find. The best of us solve this by walking around wide open, transparent.

But there is one out of ten, they say, so sure of life
That tiger and wild bull keep clear of his inland path,
Weapons turn from him on the battle-field,
No bull-horn could tell where to gore him,
No tiger-claw where to tear him,
No weapon where to enter him.
And why?
Because he has no death to die.
--Lao Tzu (The Old Dude) Tao Te Ching

This passage from Lao Tzu reminds me of a bit of Samurai wisdom: The best defense is total vulnerability.