Uechi-Ryu.com

JackieChan:

Pursuant to an old discussion I did get a "Dictionary of Entymology" from Amazon.com (The Barnhardt Concise) which is a lot of fun.

As an aside, I open all classes with a bit of "rooting" exercise which is loosely related to Tai Chi.

It is more or less as set forth in "Waysun Liao's" translation of the Tai Chi Classics.

Well---still "just scratching the surface".

Best.


J.



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John-San ...

Glad you could find a book ... now start "listening" to what the news media or politicians REALLY are saying by picking-up on one or two key words/phrases. There was a sci-fi book by Robert Anton Wilson that talked about doing the very same thing ... well you know what they say about thin lines between fantasy & reality!

RE: Your "rooting" exercise ... can you say more? Is this something to develop grounding or centering?

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In Beauty,

Jackie


[This message has been edited by Jackie Olsen (edited 06-21-99).]

Jackie Chan:

Yes, "rooting" or grounding. Tai Chi is good at examining or letting you examine your connectio to the ground.

My small group of Uechi students do not wish to learn (or be forced to learn) too much in this area, but understanding some tips on grounding is definitely good "cross training" as long as they don't get "overloaded". (this is the way they seem to prefer it)

See page 24 of Waysun Liao's "T'ai Chi Classics, which I try to follow (sort of)

Jackie:

Yes-grounding and rooting is the same concept/goal.

The particular translation I have of the Classics is ended by Chen Man Ching's version of the T'ai Chi Form.

I have not real explanation for this.

I will drag the book down and try to puzzle this through.

The Book is supposed to be based on some converstaions with Yang Chen Fu, I believe.

The entymology book is a lot of fun.

Do drop by my forum.

It's a bit "history heavy" but I think people should be familiar with their own martial roots.

I Think T.H. Lawrence (?) said it best (Lawrence of Arabia not the mote celebratted author)

"we've (the West) been at war or fighting contstanly for 2000 years, so their is no excuse for not being able to do it well."

Well, it's a point of view.

What do you think? This quote came from "Renaissance Swordsmanship".

J.

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Thanks, John...

I DO drop by your forum and find it very interesting. History was never my strong suit and am amazed at everyone's knowledge. So much, that I started watching the History Channel on cable... Honest!

Thanks for sharing ... Jackie

PS ... Re the Lawrence quote ... yes I guess that is a point of view if you're into war. I guess I'd rather hear something like "well, we've been at peace for over 2000 years and we gotten really good at it." Call me a dreamer...

[This message has been edited by Jackie Olsen (edited 06-22-99).]

Jackie:

War.

Well-I'd rather also hope that the Martial Arts practiced by the tough but basically peaceful and polite Okinawans-who are also practical-will give us a cog in the evolutionary wheel that moves us away from collective sanctioned violence-and give us other solutions.

"Kap" the famous (well almost) top Sergeant on the German Side in Remarques's "All quiet on the Western Front said: "let's put all the Generals and kings and (what not) out in the middle of a great field, arm them with clubs, and let them settle it"

Sadly, even this bit of "retroevolution" is denied us.

The genrals and kings used to do just that, then "The West" (not alone-remember the Mongols went so far as to besiege Vienna) remade war, and battling it out between champions-or their extensions-professional armies-was gone forever.

The Mongols laughed at personal challenges, and conquered the world.

They weren't the first. The Romans forbade such challenges. A Roamn General executed his own victorious son for accepting and winning one. Disciplina or cruelty?

Sadly, we need to look at national defense like we look at personal defense, full of items and attitudes we'd just as soon not be party to.

My forum was intended to examine Western Tactics and Attitudes and give us a bond (for better or worse) to our own martial history.

It was inconsistent, for example, for the West to Leave Franco's Spain untouched after WWII. Cowardice, or wisdom?

It was not our best moment when we evacuated Saigon. Cowardice or wisdom?

I say this not in the sense that "Nam was a "bad" war (how can you classify?) but if we must fight we should pick our fights, and not pick ones we cannot win. Cowardice or wisdom?

Hopefully, like facism in Europe, communism in Southeast Asia or perhaps its worst aspects, will wither. Cowardice wisdom or patience?

New enemies will arise. Reality or fatalism?


Sorry to ramble. When the Britsh Surrendered at Yorktown, they (in effect) cut their losses abandoned thousands if not hundreds of thousands of Native Americans (amerinds) with whom they had allied to be dealt with by the "Americans"-----the dealing was not pleasant. Wisdom or callousness? Neither? Both?

We, in our own turn, abandoned the Montagnards in "nam. We did the best we could?

I need more questions and stuff, if you feel like dropping by.


John

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[This message has been edited by JOHN THURSTON (edited 06-23-99).]

Oh, yes, and by the way you're a dreamer.

The world needs dreamers of peace.

It (sadly at present) needs those who will effectively prepare us for combat.

Real world balance of Yin and Yang.

Maybe this is the fate of the race until it evolves into something else.

JOhn
I just ask the group to

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