Uechi-Ryu.com

In these days of quick fixes, rapid promotions, rank envy ... I want to communicate to my students that

It doesn't happen all at once ... you become. And it takes a long time. For learning is movement, from moment to moment.

It reminds of the story of the 3 pigs who built houses out of grass, wood, and brick. When chaos or adversity presented itself in the form of the "Big, Bad Wolf," all the houses crumbled ... save the one built of a strong, brick foundation.

Sanchin is what enables the karateka to have a strong foundation.

...in the world of the future, the new illiterate will be the person who has not learned how to learn.

-- Alvin Toffler



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In Beauty,

Jackie

Jackie San (Chan?):

Thank you for your post regarding my friend.

As for your students, balnce and "rooting" as they say in Tai Chi, and structure is part of the heart of things.

The 108 movement form is enough to try the patience of anyone, especially since my Uechi Kata are far from perfect.

Thanks again.

JT


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Good evening Jackie,
As I progress through the ranks of Uechi-Ryu I realize just how little I know and how much harder I have to work.It certainly does not happen all at once.I have found it to be small steps and slow growth but with that comes focus and patience.(Two things I have definatly had to work on.)I am very fortunate to have a sensei who does not believe in accelerated ranking.We work hard on all aspects of our karate and time in rank is important. I have heard of do-jos where a black belt could be earned (or bought) in a very short period of time.My question is, why would any one want to get their rank that way? If a person does not properly earn their rank what possible sense of accomplishment could they feel? And what does that say for the instructor who is instilling a false sense of what the martial arts are all about?
Sanchin is definatly the foundation of our karate. Without a strong sanchin the foundation is weak. With a weak foundation you have nothing to fall back on. They don't say "all is in sanchin" for nothing!!!!

Lori M-D

[This message has been edited by lori macleod-doyle (edited 09-06-99).]

Hi Jackie,
I've stated many times how blessed I am to have a sensei who has a great deal of integrity. I know that when I am told I am to be premoted it is because I have worked hard and have earned it.Not because I have paid my tuition regularly. I guess because I have only trained under this instructor I often assumed it was this way in all do-jos. I was very suprised to meet people in different places who were higher in rank than I with much less time in , but I would rather stay at my current rank than to be put before a testing board unprepared. There are many who would say that we are being held back but I believe we are getting a much more solid foundation as we move through the kyu ranks.How can you be a strong and capable black belt if you don't have the fundimentals? The Okinowans trained long and hard to earn their ranks. Why do we feel we can learn their art in a fraction of the time?
Some people do have a natural ability, while others struggle to learn each movement and technique. It is only natural that people will learn at different levels but that does not mean that the former should have a black belt in a year.
I try to work as hard as I can to do the best that I can so that I will be proud of whatever color belt happens to be around my waist. If my sensei feels I am ready I will be tested this November. If not, I will respect that he is the instructor and he knows best.
I would not want it any other way.When I tie that belt around my waist I want to be confidant and proud of what I have learned.

Lori M-D

[This message has been edited by lori macleod-doyle (edited 09-08-99).]

Dear John-San … you’re welcome.

Thank you for your response (is Alvin Toffler your friend?). Yes, learning movements can try the patience of anyone. I like also to tell students that they are learning to use the other side of their brain, so that they can become whole-brained.


LORI M-D:

Thank you for sharing your insights on training … it is so refreshing to hear from karateka who isn't worried about accelerated rank. Why do some strive so? Perhaps it is a result of our fast-food culture.

I read an article in the Wall Street that talked about how our culture keeps trying to speed things up. Can’t reach me by phone … try AOL or Internet Instant Messenger, my fax, my cell phone, my voice mail box …etc. So, perhaps students are ingrained to hurry-up by our very environment.

I agree with your feelings about their instructors, too. It seems that they are willing to offer short-term glory on becoming insta-shodans, nidans, sandans, etc. They don’t realize that their students are in for some long-term pain without a solid foundation.

We’ve discussed this on other forums in the past, however, it still saddens me to see ANYONE being promoted before they have a good command of the basics. The student has pride and a false sense of security in their accomplishment ... however, we all know what “pride goeth before.”

I must confess, too, that it is a teaching for me as well … to hold my space, stand firm in my principles, and let go of comparisons … when I see students pass me up in rank who barely have enough time in the grade, let alone have a strong kata.

To paraphrase a Zen saying:

No matter how many years you spend doing Sanchin, you will never become anything special.

In Beauty,

Jackie




[This message has been edited by Jackie Olsen (edited 09-07-99).]

>>It doesn't happen all at once ... you become. And it takes a long time. For learning is movement, from moment to moment.<<

Living is "moment to moment." Nothing special indeed, outside of the moment itself. Karate is the same. It's movement from moment to moment. To paraphrase a a Tina Turner song, "What does 'rank' have to do with it!?"

david

P.S. Just got back to from ten days in the Mountains. Still in a different consciousness. When one is surrounded by the mountains, rivers and the wind, any notion of one's "specialness" is pretty much erased. When one is gone, the mountains will stand, the rivers will flow and the winds will continue to blow...



[This message has been edited by david (edited 09-08-99).]

Dear Lori & David ...

Well said and expressed. You both sound like people I would be happy to train with. Thanks for taking time to share your views and may you have many good Sanchins...

In Beauty,

Jackie

Hi Jackie:

No, my friend was a TKD fellow who pushed me into the arts many years ago.

I think you stopped by on the post I put up about him.

I apologize for knowing so little about you (name rank serial number etc) and it is awkward to ask--but I am curious.

Rank-gawds-I can tell you that literally 7 dan tests (not totally successfull) later I know very little.

Body memory is quixotic.

"All is Sanchin".

Well, all isn't Sanchin, but it's influence is so strong that it might as well be.

However, I feel that studies into other areas is a good thing, as long as the student in question is not "overloaded" with mediocre technique.

Let me ask, if you practiced the three main Kata-and perhaps one other alone-after many years of looking at the other 5-how would you fare?

How would you view your studies?

Thanks.

JT

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Dear John,

Curious about my background [curiosity killed the cat, you know ]? I’ve trained for 12 years under Senseis Bill Arch and James Thompson. Currently I am a Sandan and a Sr. Instructor under Sensei Arch at the Y – I also teach at Sensei Joyner’s in Grand Rapids 1x/week. I’ve attended two Summer Camps in Kalamazoo and am a graduate of several Awakening the Warrior Within sessions by Dawn Callan (where learn how not to be a victim … you train to be stalked and attacked on the last day of the seminar. There are three rounds with l, 2 or 3 attackers and each round escalates in the intensity of the attacks.) I’ve also done survival camping in the Arizona and California deserts.

I originally was asked to teach, I suspect, because of the large number of women who began attending the two dojos. Now classes consist of both men and women. I work primarily with kyu ranks.

If I consistently practiced 3 main kata, I would probably become very proficient in them technically … after all, repetition is the mother of invention. However, just as the “unexamined life is not worth living,” so is the unexamined kata not worth doing, in my opinion.

I embrace the whole “I” aspect of training. It is very important for me to look at what comes up for me during training --- whether it’s in my emotional, mental, or spiritual aspects. I approach training as the way of transformation. Some are merely seeking incremental change … rank, more confidence, etc. And that’s fine … whatever gets you to begin. Along the way, however, I must be open to transformation or change that Life wants me to go through. And this involves looking at all my aspects.

To quote CJ Beck … “We think that we’re going to be wonderful versions of who we are now. Yet true transformation perhaps means that the next step means that we’re going to be a bag lady.”

As for the other 5 kata ... I think they all have still something to teach to everyone ... Yes, they are building blocks for the main three and to help kyu ranks learn techniques and movements. However, I find much more value in them since I've been a dan rank. Going back and doing them now, they take on a whole new meaning and flow.

Hope I've answered your questions ... don't apologize ... it's hard to really know someone on these forums.

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In Beauty,

Jackie



[This message has been edited by Jackie Olsen (edited 09-13-99).]

Jackie:

Thanks for your response.

My partner Bob Gremo attended one of the Kalamazoo "Camps", I think in 1989.

i wondered how you felt about practing the three main Kata, defaulting the others,. I am now having to 'teach' Seirui to the Shodans, and, well, I haven't been trested on it or really worked on it for some years.

Sensie Jack normally runs everybody (all ranks classes) thru Seichin-an then, typically, watches the "Dan" Kata 'individually' based on who is practicing what for the next applicable promotional.

I think this if fine, except when "Lacunae" open up for me as to Kata I am supposed to be able to teach.

Your input was great.

Thanks.

JT

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As I walk, as I walk
The universe is walking with me
In beauty it walks before me
In beauty it walks behind me
In beauty it walks below me
In beauty it walks above me
Beauty is on every side
As I walk, I walk with Beauty.

Traditional Navajo Prayer


hi Jackie, just ran across this in my morning reflection.. it reminded me of you

Mugaku is my Dharma name, given to me by my zen teacher. It means "learning mu / not learning mu"..

Thank you, Mugaku (what does your name mean?),

It is a favorite prayer/meditation of mine. Here's another one (a song translated from the Navajo ... it is even more beautiful in its native tongue):

All is beautiful,
All is beautiful,
All is beautiful,
Indeed ... Indeed ...

Now the Mother Earth
And The Father Sky
Meeting, joining one another
Helpmates, Helpmates, ever they.

All is beautiful,
All is beautiful,
All is beautiful,
Indeed ... Indeed ...

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In Beauty,

Jackie


[This message has been edited by Jackie Olsen (edited 09-27-99).]