Tao of Jeet Kune Do - A Thought Exercise with KF

[sensei8]

Being captured, and not being able to or willing to escape, within one way or in limited way within body, mind, and soul as both a MAist, but as equally as an individual, on and off the floor.

"There's more than one way to skin a cat"

Many MAist refuse to explore and/or believe that there's other ways, no matter what that might or might not be. They're stuck in a ruck and refuse any other way but theirs or what they were taught.

To me, a lot of what Bruce says revolves so close to what I've spoken about in recent posts in this thread...

Shu Ha Ri, Mizu No Kokoro, and Tsuki No Kokoro.

Spencer Johnson wrote in his book, "Who Moved My Cheese?" Change IS inevitable; stop fighting it. It's about how people handle, or do not handle change. It is a part of life and knowing how to cope is a necessary life and leadership skill. The key to successfully break away from the static is by realizing that change is inevitable and actually a good thing.

"There’s more than one way to skin a cat"...this simply means there are many ways to do something, there are many ways to achieve a goal.

I was taught under the very watchful eyes and nourishing hands as to the methodologies and ideologies of Shindokan, and they still serve me as both an individual as well as a MAist. Nonetheless, at a young age, while attending high school, as a JBB, I knew that Shindokan WAS NOT the best and/or only way across the board.

Robert Frost poem, "The Road Not Taken" wrote in the closing paragraph of that poem...

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

 

I took the one less traveled by,

 

And that has made all the difference."

Just how rigid and/or unyielding is rigid and/or unyielding?? As rigid and/or unyielding as one can allow. Albeit, just how free and/or open is free and/or open? As free and/or open as one can be. Choices are just that, choices; either way, they're entitled to their own designs.

“If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Moving, be like water. Still, be like a mirror. Respond like an echo.”

Here's the permission to search for that which makes you the MAist that you are ON YOUR OWN away from your MA core. Not to abandon your MA core, but to enrich it ever the more.

“Nothingness cannot be defined; the softest thing cannot be snapped.”

Nothingness provides that we'll not be bound to one thing or one belief or to one methodology/ideology. Grasping it, whatever it might be, makes it something with set rules; just because it's tangible, doesn't make it permanent. Holding onto Shindokan, and all that makes it what it is, as though my MA journey depends on it defines it, imprisons its methodology and ideology...but it happens more than I care to express.

I don't worry about any pending attack(s) because their nothing until they materialize. I don't fret about that which is nothing until it becomes something. To worry about nothing will cloud the mirror image, which must be clear.

The Shaolin Teacher, in Enter The Dragon touched on that very thing...

". . .the enemy has only images and illusions. . .

 

. . . behind which he hides his true motives.

 

Destroy the image and you will break the enemy."

In Enter The Dragon mirror room battle between Han and Lee, Han only had images and illusions to hide his true motives. What does Lee do? He breaks countless amount of mirrors, thus the images that Han hid behind were destroyed, thus, Han had no where to hide from Lee. Han tried to cloud Lee's mind through those illusions, and Lee took away that which Han hid behind.

If I express outwardly MA methodologies and ideologies, then Shindokan, my core, can't be defined, and because it can't be defined, then that flexibility can't be snapped, like a tree that's become rigid over time.

Imagine one kick or one punch or one strike or one block...JUST ONE, not a combination of these four things, JUST ONE. For example, I choose just one punch, and nothing else, just how rigid, thus limited, would my MA and me be?!

No, I choose to be water, my friends.

This is just my take on the topic at hand...

Imho.

[bushido_man96]

I love the reference to Robert Frost; I read him as a child, and is probably worth reading again. You are infinitely better at applying this stuff than I am! I am truly enjoying the exchanges here so far. Let's do some more:

pg. 7, paragraph 7: I'm moving and not moving at all. I'm like the moon underneath the waves that ever go on rolling and rocking. It is not, "I am doing this," but rather, an inner realization that "this is happening through me," or "it is doing this for me." The consciousness of self is the greatest hindrance to the proper execution of all physical action.

So, seems like a lot to unpack here. The moon that is the reflection in the lake. The reflection rolls and rocks with the motion of the water, but the moon itself does not move. We may appear to be moving, when in reality, we are not, and perhaps we are making everything else move around us.

I'm not doing this, but it's happening through me. More about mushin, is how I read it here.

pg 7, paragraph 8: The localization of the mind means its freezing. When it ceases to flow freely as it is needed, it is no more the mind in its suchness.

When I think about Lee's approach to training, I think what he is getting at here is when the mind is "localized" in regards to thoughts of styles, or how many MAists think of things in regards to their styles. I don't think it's restricted to the idea of training in a style and that's it, though. We should keep an open mind in all things we get exposed to.

[bushido_man96]

pg. 8, paragraph 1: The "Immovable" is the concentration of energy at a given focus, as at the axis of a wheel, instead of dispersal in scattered activities.

The center of the wheel. From which so much movement happens, but appears to be doing less work than everything radiating from it. But, that is where the movement is concentrated. Be the axis, from which everything else moves. Maybe?

pg. 8, paragraph 2: The point is the doing of them rather than the accomplishments. There is no actor but the action; there is no experiencer but the experience.

Perhaps this means we are affected by the things around us, as opposed to us affecting everything around us? It is easy to see ourselves as the reason for things being and happening, as opposed to only being affected by the things and events around us.

[sensei8]

pg. 7, paragraph 7: I'm moving and not moving at all. I'm like the moon underneath the waves that ever go on rolling and rocking. It is not, "I am doing this," but rather, an inner realization that "this is happening through me," or "it is doing this for me." The consciousness of self is the greatest hindrance to the proper execution of all physical action.

To me this speaks towards what Bruce was explaining to his Shoalin Teacher, in the first beginning minutes of ETD...Bruce's words are bolded below...

What are your thoughts when facing an opponent?

There is no opponent.

And why is that?

Because the word "I" does not exist.

So. Continue.

A good fight should be. . .

 

. . . like a small play, but played seriously.

 

A good martial artist does not become tense, but ready.

 

Not thinking, yet not dreaming.

 

Ready for whatever may come.

 

When the opponent expand, I contract.

 

When he contracts, I expand.

 

And when there is an opportunity. . .

 

. . . I do not hit.

 

It hits all by itself.

We/I get in our own way to much, and more often than we care to admit to.

pg 7, paragraph 8: The localization of the mind means its freezing. When it ceases to flow freely as it is needed, it is no more the mind in its suchness.

Daydreaming. Cognitive. I'm aware, but I'm not fixed on just one thing. To do that, I can't be cognitive of my opponent and/or myself as I should be. Mizu No Kokoro and Tsuki No Kokoro...once again.

[sensei8]

pg. 8, paragraph 1: The "Immovable" is the concentration of energy at a given focus, as at the axis of a wheel, instead of dispersal in scattered activities.

Ikken Hissatsu...To Kill With One Blow. This, as I was taught, is that all is focused is at and through said target. Scattered brain, is that focus that's not centered on and through said given target. In short, every technique should be performed with full intent and conviction; total resolve, and if not, then the opponent has already won.

pg. 8, paragraph 2: The point is the doing of them rather than the accomplishments. There is no actor but the action; there is no experiencer but the experience.

Reaching an end. Finalization. "I'm the Master, not the student." So on and so forth. These statement demonstrate that the accomplishments, like rank, are far more important than knowledge and experience. It's the doing, and not the end result that excites and drives me. WHAT ELSE IS THERE?? I prefer that over, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE. Seems quite closed mind through and through. To and through the target is filled plethora of possibilities...there's more to this and that, then what one's just reached, like a reverse punch, in that, there's far more than what's at any given end point of the reverse punch. Scratching the surface, is doing something, however, reaching FAR for what's beyond the surface is more important than just the act.

My I dare to say, that to me, that's Shu Ha Ri,

[bushido_man96]

pg. 8, paragraph 3. To see a thing uncolored by one's own personal preferences and desires is to see it in its own pristine simplicity.

This is possibly one of the single, most difficult things for a human to do; to view something just as it is, and not as to it's meaning(s) to me and my beliefs. We all come with biases and beliefs, built up from our teaching, our learning, and our experiences with life. It can be difficult to separate these things from how we evaluate and see things.

On the other end of this, is the fact that we, as people, tend to generate things from ourselves based on our own desires, thoughts, biases, beliefs, and as the collective results of our experiences. With this in mind, we expect things to be viewed a certain way already within our mind's eye. Being able to see and reflect on something as it is, can, indeed, be a challenge.

[sensei8]

"To see a thing uncolored by one's own personal preferences and desires is to see it in its own pristine simplicity."

To me, this relates quite well to another quote of Bruce Lee...

“Honestly expressing yourself...it is very difficult to do. I mean it is easy for me to put on a show and be cocky and be flooded with a cocky feeling and then feel like pretty cool...or I can make all kind of phony things, you see what I mean, blinded by it or I can show you some really fancy movement. But to express oneself honestly, not lying to oneself...now that, my friend, is very hard to do.” ~ Bruce Lee

That's the essence of anyone, and not just MAists. We see things through not of our own understandings but that which separates us from that which we've what we know...experience and knowledge.

One can't look for reality in fighting with preconceived notions or through the eyes of a MAist or a boxer or a wrestler. To truly see what is taking place, you must look for what is real with the unfettered or unbiased mind. HONESTLY!!

If you look through the eyes of a Karate practitioner or a TKD practitioner, or any other MA practitioner, you will only see things only in the terms of a Karate practitioner or a TKD practitioner or any other MA practitioner; one will not see the unbiased picture. Yes, be careful, because perception is reality to THAT person.

What I see is not what anyone else sees, nor should they. Being honest with oneself is very hard to do.

[sensei8]

pg. 8, paragraph 3. To see a thing uncolored by one's own personal preferences and desires is to see it in its own pristine simplicity.

This is possibly one of the single, most difficult things for a human to do; to view something just as it is, and not as to it's meaning(s) to me and my beliefs. We all come with biases and beliefs, built up from our teaching, our learning, and our experiences with life. It can be difficult to separate these things from how we evaluate and see things.

On the other end of this, is the fact that we, as people, tend to generate things from ourselves based on our own desires, thoughts, biases, beliefs, and as the collective results of our experiences. With this in mind, we expect things to be viewed a certain way already within our mind's eye. Being able to see and reflect on something as it is, can, indeed, be a challenge.

Solid post; said so far better than what I said on the topic at hand.

[bushido_man96]

If you look through the eyes of a Karate practitioner or a TKD practitioner, or any other MA practitioner, you will only see things only in the terms of a Karate practitioner or a TKD practitioner or any other MA practitioner; one will not see the unbiased picture. Yes, be careful, because perception is reality to THAT person.

I think this is a good point. At the risk of sounding contradictory in regards to Lee's point, I do lots of reading on other MA topics that aren't TKD, and, as one might expect, I do read these things with my TKD "eye" in mind. However, I kind of like to do that because I feel like it helps me to focus more on how and what it is that is being discussed, from their point of view. I can try to take the TKD "eye" away from it, but by still thinking about my experiences, I feel that I can still take away what they are saying. But, moving forward, I will try to not do that as much, too. I'll try to see things in both aspects. Or none, perhaps!

[sensei8]

To know ones enemy, is to know oneself. If I only know myself, then I am limited. Breaking free from limitations enables me to experience and understand that which is not just Shindokan. Therefore, the shackles that are of Shindokan are broken for all time because I'm learning my enemy far better, and therefore, I can be far more prepared for whatever my enemy is capable of.

For example, TKD practitioners are well known for their high kicks. In my early tournament days, I wasn't able to defeat a TKD practitioner much because I'd never been exposed to the effectiveness of their kicking arsenal; I walked into them as though I was wearing a blindfold. Drove me absolutely nuts. So what did I do? As a Shindokan JBB, I joined a TKD Dojang, against my Soke and Dai-Soke's wishes, for a solid year earning a Green Belt. Shindokan kicks are stomach down, yet with my learning TKD as well as their evasive and surprising kicks, I was understanding more about their methodology and ideology; I was learning to know my enemy better.

There's not much a TKD practitioner can surprise me with; I got in their heads as much as they got into mine. That's why I began, and continue, to cross-train to this day.