Spiritulality in Uechi

[krymrgn]

Hi: Kerry Morgan again- intro in the roundtable forum

I was really disappointed to see this forum empty. What exactly that says I hesitate to wonder.

BUT; in other forums I have noticed people speaking very venemetly regarding one issue or another. Doesn't matter what the topic, some of the comments are viscious, insultive, etc. etc.

I would venture this: Half Hard Half soft: this doesn't have to mean just physicaly. It is a "spiritual and emotional" statement too.

Where exactly is that found around here? I thought it might be in this topic.

Why do you think it's empty? Just a question, not a statement.

krymrgn@hotmail.com

[gmattson]

You might be interested in bringing some of the earlier topics to the front. Simply click "view all" posts in the menu and respond to any that you find interesting. Only topics from the last 10 days stay in the widow.

------------------
GEM

[krymrgn]

Ohhhh I see- Cool! Thanks!
Kerry

[maxwell ainley]

Hi Kerry,

Your question is there spiritulality in Uechi-Ryu.
I can only speak for my self ,there is.My concern for myself was to try out a method that took me into the situation ,and most of all activate the spirit, I abandoned all talk ,theory that would get in the road of my objective, total enlightenment.
I didnt, attempt to chase two birds at once ,but devoted my self to sanchin six to seven hours a day .
cont
max ainley

------------------
max ainley

[maxwell ainley]

I will carry on a bit,the spiritual side can be very difficult to attain ,and there is not a set pattern to its experience , obviously some will be more inclined than other's,some also will reject it or have no idea of its existence .
We can master all the movements in Uechi and live to one hundred years old but not experience enlightment ,we can't teach what we don't know, so to me this side of matters is difficult .
We can struggle the bulk of our live's with our emotional side ,and more or less never get on with the spiritual ,the spiritual is hard to see ,so it needs to be activated ,but only a few will at any given time in any period do it ,the ways and means to do this are many-fold ,but regardless of the method it will have to pass through concentration .Also the method can have a sooner or later label attached to it ,understanding the label is a must.
We could say the concentration side to the spiritual is hard ,but there needs to be present some soft we could call this yeilding ,the concentration needs to reach that yeilding point,hard soft /soft hard are at work .

max ainley


------------------
max ainley

[krymrgn]

Max; Blessings-

Activating the Spiritual side- good comment- I believe that an active "practice life" espescially one such as yours- does activate, whether we realize it or not. I believe that many periods of growth happen in the spiritual side, and then "show-up" sometimes unexpectedly, in our practice. So I guess what I'm thinking is that it goes both ways- we contribute by practicing- (a conscious effort) but the other happens as well, as we practice- things are revealed to us "spiritualy" or maybe- sub-consciously.

The style we practice (Uechi-ryu) requires practice - that practice being the mind- the body the spirit... To ignore or avoid one is practice incompletely- BUT- it's still there- you know- Going through our day- doing what we do- in my belief in the end is an action or reaction to our spiritual lives- be it conscious or sub-consciouly. Practicing Uechi eventually whether we mean for it to or not- I think helps us grow- spiritualy whether we know or not- and if one is so silly that they believe one of the three non-exsistant doesn't mean that somewhere within them- their "spirit" isn't hard at work trying to help them correct the problem, or find a way to ackowledge it is there- Know what I mean?

Enlightment- I reach for this consciously- everyday- and trust my sub-conscious, listening - watching for the signs of growth that I can apply to everything- not just Uechi.

I really enjoyed reading your post. You seem "aware" and I like that in people a lot-


Kerry-

[maxwell ainley]

Thank's for the comment's Kerry.
You make good comments ,such as regardless of what we think on matters,the spirit side of mind /body unity is underlying .
I said this side is more difficult to see and apply ,but we are moving far too quickly by thinking of application .
The search at first isn't really a search its more or less a understanding that we are on track ,if the conditions are right we can start the set up ,half baked training will not work .
But like in all thing's of importance it's a good start, we need to step up the pressure, sort of give our inner vibration a kick up the back-side, this is very difficult work all idleness needs to be watched ,sacrifice's must be made ,if you are not ready to meet these conditions ,its a dead cert you are not in the preperation state.

------------------
max ainley

[maxwell ainley]

cont,

This search/ preperation state can be activated ,then shelved,or cast out when life's circumstance sometimes are thrust upon us.
A bit from my early life can bring some understanding what I mean by being activated,
well at a very young age,I child like asked inner-like questions to my self ,obviously these questions are personel to me .
From time to time this situation would present its self upon my mind ,being a kid I was swept away in life's play ,roundabout the age of sixteen and having been through some emotional difficulties ,I set off to a haunt on a old railway banking ,were we execised bull terriers and this is really were I set the ball rolling that would come to a head ten years later at the age of twenty six ,with a massive satori/enlightenment .

max ainley



------------------
max ainley

[maxwell ainley]

cont,

I said there is no set pattern to this type of training and most of all the experience's that accompany effort made ,uncovering that what's been lost sight of can be long term toil ,and the longer it goe's on can drain one of real commitment ,so we can settle for second best and more or less give up on our original zest and purpose .
Any one undertaking this committment ,will enter into a very hard battle make no mistake of this .

A bit from my practice ,the pressure was on I was tiger like, primordial stalking that's how I felt ,some friends thought I was mad, others just over keen. My Uechi instructor D Scott Senesei I wondered what he thought ,on reflection I was a man on mission heading towards a experience that would change forever my whole belief system ,my hope's fear's etc.

Enroute all my feelings were held in a sort of strangle hold I feared no one ,when in local danger spots ,were the toughs were ,and my normal reaction would be sort of apprehensive like , I displayed no fear ,the predators to me were prey .The worst and best in me was some how on hold ,I didn't no I was on a collision course in the not too distant future with the enlightenment event.

max ainley



------------------
max ainley

[krymrgn]

The enlightenment "event"? Is there only one? I was trying to say that there are many- sometimes I rammble and get so far off base I make a point within a point and loose the first I was shooting for LOL.

I feel enlightenments every day- if I loose a day- I wait for the next- it's an ongoing process for me.

I know I'm not training half-assed- (though in a post I just made I refer to sucha statement wishing my ass were half that it is LOL *joke here*) I live with my Sensei- actually married to him- so wer're constantly "training" so to speak. Who ever is making dinner that night will probably be found doing a kata in the kitchen while things wait to be stirred etc.etc. Most fun thing is to go out in the moonlight and do kata or kumitae- but that speaks of only the physical - Each night- or close to I get teased because out of the blue I'll say- "HEY I'm not "fighting" my shadow" I'm fighting yours! *to my taller husband* That's why my strikes aren't in the right place!" That's something I'd call a piece of enlightment- revelation- because I was sitting there doing the kata in my mind- without the others in the room knowing, and I blurt out some statement and they're all looking at me like "HUH" ? Coarse after explaining they understand..

Sources of enlightenment come about also- when I'm dealing with a dishonest real-estate person and instead of mouthing off I remember- my breathing excersizes- a reaction to a daily event (daily not to imply I deal with them everyday mind you- but an event durring the day) the reaction coming from "centering myself" as I might before practicing.

A spiritual enlightment can be subtle- or breath-takingly startling- I believe it is a reaction in your "conscious" mind from an "un or sub-conscious" revelation due to practicing, training, thinking about it, dreaming about it.... etc. etc.- that may lay hidden for a while- or not. Either way- all parts- mind, body, and spirit are growing. Complete enlightement doesn't happen until you die- I personaly don't think- but the more "aware" you are at the possiblity the more chances you have to get closer to what total enlightment to me is- unconditional love-

Am I making sense? Maybe our ideas of enlightment are different than yours- I feel that the more you can bring out those spiritual revelations- the better your life, and practice will become- Your Dragon breaths fiercer, a more scorching fire instead of just "toasting" something.

What do you think?

K-

[maxwell ainley]

Kerry,

I enjoyed reading what you had to say ,there is beauty in what say ,and if your Sensei husband does not mind there is also a beauty in you.
I will try to answer your question and thoughts ,what I have tried to show is my build up to the satori experience ,and there is no set pattern to accomplish this ,every person would take there personal baggage enroute ,if we compare baggage with one another it can be diverse ,strangers I mean .
When I said my feelings were in a strangle -hold this did not imply there was no love present .
Enlightenment is word thats used in various ways, such as there was a practical Enlightenment in what you showed me ,or that was emotionally enlightning or that was spiritually enlightening; satori penetrates the three simultanously in a event that is unique and yet appears at the time to be above and out of reach of explainable rational thought .
"I said I was on a collision course with satori/ enlightenment , I never said it was a one off event , it may have come over in that way ,but I am dealing with matters in a step at a time . So some one could take that specific post as one thing or the other .
satori is a breakthrough into enlightenment ,and not the end .
I was working towards that breakthrough .

max ainley



------------------
max ainley

[krymrgn]

Thank you for your compliment-

I would be very interested in getting more information in what you are speaking of- The Satori Enlightenment- If there is something out-there- Structured that promotes the enlightment of all three as you spoke- I'd love to know more. I have/use a compilation of anything I can find that promotes such- which is probably why I sound "random" so to speak.
My personal back ground is as diverse as it gets- Eastern Orthodox Catholic Dad- Step mom was mormon- till she talked with my dad- LOL Worked with JW's for a long time- studied everything you can imagine and wound up with "where's the unconditional love thing". Just the unconditional love- not stupid love- like where a poor woman being battered by her husband stays with him because she loves him- but the kind that understands, doesn't judge, doesn't hurt, is compasionate without placing a bunch of sonditions/rules to obtain receiving it- (which is ludicrus to me) nor would I enjoy a structured "religeon" (for lack of a better word) that rides along emotional highs until only to reach the over-load point and realize that doesn't work either-emotions are temporary, and manipulate-able.

Humn- wonder how that picture of myself came out- LOL basicaly I've studied everything- and have wound up with what appear to be truths in each- and applied them to my own- something I heard a long time ago- what makes a "lie" believe-able is the little grain aof truth within it. I've spent years deciphering looking for truths- this is why I sound as I do.

Would love to hear frrom you-
krymrgn@hotmail.com
Kerry-

[krymrgn]

Started to worry that my last post may offend people reading it-

I don't mean to imply that "organized-religeons" are "lies with grains of truth to make people follow them". I believe the conditions within them are set because of the "human condition" and people within them- are doing/following them because they are trying to do what they feel is right- that's all good- People trying to better them-selves or become spiritualy stronger- more-fulfilled- is a good thing...

I personaly believe that unconditional love is just that- Without conditions- strtucturing your life to obtain that- is understandable- and no one has the right to try to change anyones' perception of how to do that-

For me- I want to excersize unconditonal love to the best of my ablity in the here-and-now, without manipulating anyone else in the process.

What you spoke of seems to be something like that- a personal journey- something that someone can apply to themselves- with what they personaly have to work with and their understanding of things- to be able to take that and grow to understand things better- and reach a state of mind- of unconditional love. For everything and everyone- That seems to me to be the greatest learning experience and highest goal to try to reach.

Is there a book or something I can read to find out more about what you speak of?

Kerry

[maxwell ainley]

Kerry,
I used the satori term I could have used [KAI WU]the chinese term , other tradition's use other terms to identify there experience's .Satori is the Japanese term used in Zen ,which is the meditation school of buddhism, Kerry don't mis-interpretate me and think I am saying Uechi-ryu is a religon .
Let,s return to the title of this topic and not get caught in a crossfire .
Kerry I did not read books on things of this nature until after the experience I refer to as Satori , then I looked around to pin it down .Kerry ,never knew the word Satori existed I didn't go into these matters armed to the teeth with terms ,words etc .
Don't get me wrong , not saying you do the same though .
Kerry the thing that matters the most is you have Sanchin ,from a spiritual veiw point you are working out considerably anyway ,keep up that questioning .

max ainley



------------------
max ainley

[krymrgn]

ok