Kai-M

Dear skullsplitter, This is so kind of you and I really hope it will work out comfortably! Just a few thoughts . . . Firstly, you could phrase it in terms of how happy it will make you to do this, and it would mean such a lot to you to make good use of your mum’s gift, by contributing to the wellbeing of such lovely kids / students. Rather than say it as if you are feeling pity for them? Secondly, I think you would have to be careful to make sure that they fully understood it was a gift and not a loan, to avoid any confusion or embarrassment? As they could already have loans and be worried that this will become another burden. Thirdly, you could help them to save face by proposing that it’s a kind of “pay it forward” loan. So you are not expecting or wanting the money back, but you would like them to help someone else in need, in the future, either with money when or if they are able, or in another way. agree with sensei8 that free lessons would be great if you are able to afford that too. Hope all goes well - will you let us know how it was received . . . ?

no worries Hawkmoon have a lovely Christmas!

Dear Hawkmoon, I am feeling a bit anxious about annoying you, but I really want to say this to you . . . DISCERN: 1. to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend 2. to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinct or different; discriminate So in this case, to paraphrase Bruce, don't discern (hard work) don’t TRY to discern (sounds like really hard work) don’t think just feel it is like a finger pointing at the moon . . . The ironic thing about this whole conversation is, that you and Sensei8 are expressing this deep frustration, but I would hazard a guess that you both actually understand this point FAR more than most people – because you are karateka, very used to moving beyond language and logic - and thinking through your body – in a way that many people never even get to dream of, let alone experience. And secondly, perhaps the fact that you are feeling frustration at the challenge means that you are on the cusp of grasping this mystery? Think of it as like a koan . . . Often, only when we are able to admit in frustration that we don't know anything, can true koan practice begin. - http://zenproject.faithweb.com/zen_teachings/koan_practice.html But I think Bruce is trying to say that once you start trying to capture these things in words and logical thought, they slip out of your grasp . . . ? ok I will stop now, before you start trying to get me banned from this forum

Like bushido_man96, I’ve never had this said to me as such (“Karate is for kids”). But the variation I do hear quite a lot, is from parents, or other adults who say, “oh I’m too old to do something like karate”. That just makes me feel sad, especially when they are younger than me! I’ve also found that it’s almost impossible to persuade them otherwise. Because the idea (or fear) is so deeply fixed in their head and heart, there’s no way you can overcome it with logical reasoning. But I still often try because I feel that if someone says this, maybe there’s a part of them which secretly does want to be persuaded otherwise, and that’s why they’re saying it - so it’s always worth a try . . .

thank you DWx

Hi again sorry for double-posting to your thread I couldn't stop thinking about your question, so had a look around online. Found this really helpful quote in an article called, "The Science of Footwork" by Ted Wong (to be fair I found it because it was cited in a thread on Martial Arts Planet where someone had asked what Bruce Lee meant by "emotional content") "Bruce always stressed emotional content or intensity in the execution of one’s techniques. Learn to react not plan. Let it flow from within. Personally, I had a real problem with this in my early years of training with Bruce. Often he would look at me and say "Ted, you lack a killer instinct," meaning that I wasn’t able to summon enough pure anger or violent energy from within when I performed my techniques. I’ve learned however that "killer instinct" is hard to switch on or off like a light switch, it is largely a situational reaction to you circumstances. Based on the degree of self-knowledge I’ve obtained, thanks to Bruce Lee’s teachings, I know now that I do possess "killer instinct" in abundance. And that should I ever need it, it’s there. The key is to maintain a clear mind that is unobstructed by thoughts or concerns. Your reaction must be pure and honest and, If the intent is expressed honestly, your opponent will be in serious trouble."

Dear Sensei8, Are you still there? I can see this thread is a couple of months old, but only just found it. I don’t think it is a random “Left turn” at all actually. I think the scene flows perfectly; and when he talks about the finger pointing at the moon, Bruce Lee is explaining the relationship between the “omote” side of our art (the kick itself as a physical movement; the finger pointing at the moon); and the “ura” side (the “emotional content” of the kick; the heavenly glory of the moon). (Please note that I’m using these terms in their general philosophical sense, not as they are often applied to different types of bunkai.) Bruce Lee is referring to a classic Buddhist metaphor: “Always remember, truth cannot be said, it can be shown. It is a finger pointing to the moon. All words are just fingers pointing to the moon, but don’t accept the fingers as the moon. The moment you start clinging to the fingers – that’s where doctrines, cults, creeds, dogmas, are born – then you have missed the whole point. The fingers were not the point; the point was the moon” – Osho In a martial arts context, you could take this as referring to becoming overly obsessed with “technique”. In other words, we learn technique, and of course that’s essential, but it’s not our ultimate goal. There is profundity and the potential for deep / primeval / visceral / emotional learning within the martial arts which go way beyond technique or language. The techniques are just hints or pointers to get us there – just as words can point us toward the divine but are not divine in themselves – just as the finger can point us to the moon but is not the moon itself. So I believe he is applying this metaphor in this case to illustrate the point he is trying to make to Lao, about emotional content. Our heads are so full of words and thoughts. But when you let go of these and connect with silence, the experience of the body, and emotion, we can start to access our “true self” and a different level of healing and growth. Learning a martial art can be an ideal way to access this state. Taisen Deshimaru says, “In Zen as in Budo, we must achieve direct, immediate unity with the truth of the cosmos. Our thinking must think beyond our personal consciousness, with our body and not just our brain. Think with the whole body”. So I believe that Bruce Lee is using this metaphor to teach his student about: - Learning to access your body's own wisdom, which means sometimes letting go of words and mental "thinking". - Training with intent at ALL times, never just going through the motions. - Truly connecting with your partner / opponent, not just focusing on your own technique as you experience it. This is the principle of aiki (as in aikido, aikijujutsu), where we learn to harmonise with the attacker