SANCHIN PILGRIMAGE: “Blinded-By-The-Light”

The long Memorial Day Weekend will soon be upon us. This is the weekend that traditionally heralds the start of summer; a season of “fun in the sun.” With that spirit in mind, I would suggest the following Sanchin Pilgrimage to all my Sect Of Sanchin members. This method of Sanchin practice is a favorite of mine; in fact, it IS my daily morning Sanchin practice.

Remember, the group dynamic is not fulfilled by all of us being geographically present, rather, it is fulfilled by each of us performing Sanchin in the proscribed manner.

For purposes of ascribing a name to this Sanchin Pilgrimage, I will utilize the title of a popular song from my youth; I call this Sanchin pilgrimage the

“Blinded-By-The-Light Sanchin Pilgrimage.”

Sunrise, Veteran’s Oasis Lake, Chandler, Arizona

Session Parameters:

Date: So as to celebrate the start of summer, perform Sanchin any time during the long Memorial Day weekend being mindful of the salient points below.

Location:  Any location; however, I would suggest a natural, outdoor location that best represents the concept of “summer” to you; perhaps the sea shore, the mountains, a lake, even your own backyard while waiting for your grill to heat-up for the first BBQ of summer, be creative and celebrate your individual concept of summer.

Salient Points:

• The purpose of this pilgrimage is to accentuate the manner in which Sanchin physically and spiritually interconnects you with your external environment. As such, you should be conscious of this interconnectivity;
• Face the sun (but do not look directly at the sun). Then close your eyes;
• With eyes closed, perform the “Acts of preparation” (bow, meditation and ready posture); you should be aware of the warmth of the sun upon your face and body;
• With eyes still closed, perform Sanchin; be aware of all the various external elements, including, though not limited to the warmth of the sun, the breeze, the smell and sounds of your surrounding, take all of these factors within you as you perform Sanchin. Use all your senses;
• After completing Sanchin and while in the ready posture, open your eyes and reflect upon the sensory stimuli experienced during Sanchin; also, note your position after performing Sanchin in relation to the position you were in prior to starting Sanchin; are you still in alignment with that position, or are you out of alignment? (See Endnote # 1)
• Perform the “Acts of conclusion” (ready posture, meditation and bow);
• The last requirement of this Sanchin Pilgrimage is to remain in an enraptured physical, spiritual and metaphysical state throughout the day by way of the concept of  “Zanshin” (the “remaining mind” which is discussed in my Sanchin DVD and Book).

Once again, you may wish to not only perform the Sanchin Pilgrimage as scheduled, but may also revisit the specific pilgrimage and allow Sanchin to unlock the cage imposed upon your by the drama of daily life. Do this as an integral part of your regular Sanchin practice.

In closing I remain, eager to be “blinded by the light” each and every morning,

Sensei John Szmitkowski

ENDNOTES:

1. Goshin-Do Karate Sanchin, like all “modern” kata (generally kata established or modified from the ancient kata after 1940) have a unique characteristic known as “positional coincidence.” Positional coincidence means that if a kata is performed with technical accuracy, particularly as to the stances utilized in the kata, one would start and conclude a kata at exactly the same point on the ground and in alignment with the overall starting position. Prior to approximately 1940, the older versions of kata did not necessarily have the characteristic of positional coincidence. While the majority of “modern” karate kata contain the concept, the lack of positional coincidence may still be seen in the older kata of Okinawa Kobudo (ancient weapons art) and kata of Chinese Kung-Fu.

NOW AVAILABLE – SANCHIN VIDEO SERIES designed specifically for the NON-MARTIAL ARTIST who desires to learn & unlock the secret treasure of Sanchin. Here is a convenient link a promotional video about the Sanchin DVD filmed on location at various scenic locations throughout Arizona. LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-pC-tPUrYE

You can find information on how to purchase a Sanchin DVD & Book by clicking the following convenient link:http://www.dynamic-meditation.com/references.html

Sensei John is now on Facebook, under – FLY FISHING DOJO, you are invited to send a Facebook friend request.

For more on either Sanchin Kata as meditation or my new book on Sanchin Kata, please feel free to visit the “Sanchin Book” page of this weblog, or my website WWW.Dynamic-Meditation.Com.

You may wish to view two related blogs, the first is my blog dedicated to the interrelationship between martial arts protocol & ideology to fly-fishing and fishing in general by clicking WWW.FlyFishingDojo.Com the second is the official blog of Shihan Thomas DeFelice and his Yudansha (black belts – including sensei John) which is found at WWW.DeFeliceRyu.Wordpress.Com

Tags: Goshin-Do Karate, Jiriki Kata-Do, Memorial Day, Positional Coincidence, sanchin, Sect Of Sanchin, Sensei John, Summer

Hatsu Bon Poem For Shihan Wayne Norlander

One year ago today, Shihan Wayne Norlander was taken from us. Today’s training and the following Hatsu Bon Poem are offered to his spirit. Should today’s readers so desire, please join us and perform a kata of your choice in memory of Shihan Norlander and a fallen comrade you may wish to remember. May Shihan’s spirit find our training and poem worthy.

HATSU BON POEM

Please don’t cry before my grave
That’s not where I am
Nor am I sleeping for eternity
SEE!!
I am already part of the breezes
numbering a thousand
I am part of the light
that brightens this world
Like a diamond glittering in the snow
Like the sun that coaxes seeds to sprout
And in the Fall I become the gentle rain
that nurtures all.
When you open the window in the morning
I am the breeze
That causes your hair to flutter;
And at night, I am the star
That watches over your sleep.
So, please . . . don’t cry before my grave
That’s not where I am.
I am not dead.
I have been born anew.

 

Sincerity in sweat, Sensei.

Sensei John Szmitkowski

THE DIPPER SANCHIN PILGRIMAGE

Within the context of traditional Okinawa Karate-Do one attribute of the Sanchin Kata is that, inter alia, it conditions one physically and mentally to endure pain so as to (when necessary) be able to inflict pain in the course of defending oneself. The ability of Sanchin Kata to allow one to endure physical, spiritual, and emotional pain or discomfort is exemplified in a poem concerning the water ladle utilized in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony (Cha-No-Yu).

This poem is by an anonymous author. (See Endnote # 1) The water ladle is emblematic of the hardships one is capable of enduring through regular practice of the Sanchin Kata and the state of mind called “Mushin“(See Endnote # 2). It is as follows:

The dipper that passes to and fro between
The hells of heat and cold
Has no mind of its own and
Suffers not at all.

I hope the poem inspires all to endure what they feel they cannot. There is a saying derived from the Samurai, “To bear what one perceives one cannot bear is really to bear.” In this context, endure the hardships of life, for in so enduring, the beauty of this wonderfully existence will reveal itself. Walk with certainty on your life’s path and perform the Sanchin Kata at least daily with a sincere and pure heart.

Session Parameters:

Date:  Any time during the week ending Saturday, May 12th

Time: Anytime when a either a physical, spiritual or emotional hardship is thrust upon you.

Location:  Any location.

Salient Points:

• Whenever and wherever you feel physically, spiritually or emotionally overburdened this coming week, use this Sanchin pilgrimage as a means of accepting the burdens,  absorbing them and triumphing over them;
• Before performing Sanchin Kata, read the above poem;
• Perform Sanchin Kata;
• After performing Sanchin, give yourself a quiet time period to reflect on your performance in light of the poem. You may consider, “How does Sanchin allow you to become like the tea ladle that ‘suffers not at all’?”
• The last requirement of this Sanchin Pilgrimage is to remain in an enraptured physical, spiritual and metaphysical state throughout the day by way of the concept of  “Zanshin” (the “remaining mind” which is discussed in my Sanchin DVD and Book).

Once again, you may wish to not only perform the Sanchin Pilgrimage as scheduled, but may also revisit the specific pilgrimage and allow Sanchin to unlock the cage imposed upon your by the drama of daily life. Do this as an integral part of your regular Sanchin practice.

In closing I remain, passing through the Heaven of life’s joys and the Hell of life’s pains and sorrows, and the better person for it,

Sensei John Szmitkowski

ENDNOTES:

1. I first read the poem referenced in this article in the following book: Furuya, Kensho, Kodo: Ancient Ways (Lessons In The Spiritual Life Of The Warrior/Martial Artist) (O’Hara Publications, Inc., 1996)   p. 155. I highly recommend this book to any martial artist. Furuya Sensei’s insights are truly thought provoking. Though I did not know him personally, I was recently saddened to learn that Furuya Sensei passed away on March 6, 2007 while teaching a class at his Aikido Center located in Los Angeles, California.

2. The Mushin state of mind is inferred in the poem by the phrase “has no mind of its own.”

NOW AVAILABLE – SANCHIN VIDEO SERIES designed specifically for the NON-MARTIAL ARTIST who desires to learn & unlock the secret treasure of Sanchin. Here is a convenient link a promotional video about the Sanchin DVD filmed on location at various scenic locations throughout Arizona. LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-pC-tPUrYE

You can find information on how to purchase a Sanchin DVD & Book by clicking the following convenient link:http://www.dynamic-meditation.com/references.html

You may also enjoy Sensei John’s fishing weblog WWW.FlyFishingDojo.Com and the official weblog for Goshin-Do Karate DeFelice-Ryu, WWW.DeFeliceRyu.Wordpress.Com

Tags: Cha-No-Yu, Goshin-Do Karate-Do, Japanese Tea Ceremony, Jiriki Kata-Do, Kodo Ancient Ways, sanchin, Sensei John

NJ REFLECTIONS – 2012

And so, another trip to the Garden State comes to an end.

As in the past, such a trip involves a wide range of interactions and emotions. As always, seeing and spending time with family is the greatest highlight. Spending time with my little grandson is an experience that can not be expressed by mere words.

At such times, words cannot do justice to the experiences of the past three and a half months.

So too with my Karate-Do interactions and relationships. Relative to the martial arts, here are a few of my Karate-Do reflections.

It was with great excitement that my Sensei, Shihan Thomas DeFelice, I and my Goshin-Do Karate brothers embarked upon a project chronicling the history and development of our branch of the Goshin-Do Karate tree. To experience this distinct historical and intuitive experience, simply click the following link: WWW.DeFeliceRyu.Wordpress.Com

In addition to the above project, training with my Karate-Do comrades provided satisfaction on a regular basis. Most Wednesday nights I found myself at the USA Goshin-Ryu Dojo of Sensei Pablo Peneque and Sensei Scott Zamora in Bogota, New Jersey. I say most Wednesday nights because, unfortunately, external factors dictated that my attendance was less than regular. While I always find it pleasurable to visit with Sensei Pablo and Sensei Scott, I found I was somewhat crestfallen. While the spirit of Shihan Wayne Norlander bountifully roams the Dojo, I miss his joie d’ vive. Every Wednesday, I dedicated a performance of his Kunchaba Kata (derived from the Uechi-ryu Kanshiwa Kata) to his spirit. During one training session at the Dojo I had the good fortune to meet Shihan Ken Zuck of Isshin-ryu Karate-Do (Left to right in the photo below are: Sensei Bob, Sensei Pablo, myself, Shihan Zuck & Sensei Scott).

The Wednesday night training sessions were a great lead-in to Sunday morning training sessions with Shihan DeFelice and the yudansha. These sessions were punctuated with in-depth analysis of Kata and the associated bunkai and provided not only satisfaction but imaginative insight was well.(Left to right in the photo below, Sensei Rudy, Shihan, myself, & Sensei Dave).

I was also once again fortunate to visit the Dojo of Shihan Thomas Van Tassel and Sensei Jack Kramer in Rockaway, New Jersey (http://www.americancenterformartialarts.com). During the visit, Shihan Van Tassel and Sensei Kramer debuted their new patch design as shown below.

With a heavy heart, I paid respects to the gravesite of Shihan Wayne Norlander. These gravesite visits marked a solemn time of reflection on the life of a true Karate-Ka.

And so once again I find myself geographically apart from family and training in the “dry” heat of the low desert of Arizona amidst the hummingbirds, coyote and lizards. More to follow.

 Sensei John Szmitkowski

NOW AVAILABLE – SANCHIN VIDEO SERIES designed specifically for the NON-MARTIAL ARTIST who desires to learn & unlock the secret treasure of Sanchin. Here is a link to a FREE promotional video on You-Tube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-pC-tPUrYE

You can find information on how to purchase a Sanchin DVD r Book by clicking the following convenient link:http://www.dynamic-meditation.com/references.html

Sensei John is now on Facebook, under – FLY FISHING DOJO, you are invited to send a Facebook friend request.

You may wish to view my blog dedicated to the interrelationship between martial arts protocol & ideology to fly-fishing and fishing in general by clicking WWW.FlyFishingDojo.Com

Tags: American Center For Martial Arts, DeFelice-Ryu, Goshin-Do Karate, Jiriki Kata-Do, Kunchaba Kata, Sensei John, Shihan Ken Zuck, Shihan Thomas DeFelice, Shihan Wayne Norlander, USA Goshin-Ryu Karate

Hatsu Bon Poem For Sensei Paul Recchia, R.I.P.

Nine years ago today, Sensei Paul Recchia was taken from us. Today’s training and the following Hatsu Bon Poem (used in the traditional memorial training ceremony) are offered to his spirit. Should today’s readers so desire, please join us and perform a kata of your choice in memory of Sensei Paul and a fallen comrade you may wish to remember. May Sensei’s spirit find our training and poem worthy.

HATSU BON POEM

Please don’t cry before my grave
That’s not where I am
Nor am I sleeping for eternity
SEE!!
I am already part of the breezes numbering a thousand
I am part of the light that brightens this world
Like a diamond glittering in the snow

Like the sun that coaxes seeds to sprout
And in the Fall I become the gentle rain that nurtures all.
When you open the window in the morning  / I am the breeze /  That causes your hair to flutter;
And at night,  / I am the star /  That watches over your sleep.
So, please . . . don’t cry before my grave
That’s not where I am.
I am not dead. I have been born anew.

Sincerity in sweat, rest in peace, Sensei.

Sensei John Szmitkowski

Tags: Goshin-Do Karate-Do, Hatsu Bon Poem, Jiriki Kata-Do, Karate Memorial Training, Memorial ceremony, Memorial for Sensei, Paul Recchia, Sensei John

THE PANTHER SANCHIN PILGRIMAGE

Before I announce the next Sanchin Pilgrimage, some

EXCITING NEWS:

It is my honor and privilege to announce a new weblog showcasing not only Goshin-Do Karate-Do history, lineage and Kata, but also the unique insights of Shihan Thomas DeFelice, Ku-dan, Karate-Do No Hanshi.

Filled with heretofore unseen, and thus secretive, documents and archival memoranda, this weblog is a “must-view” for any Karate-Ka and particularly those with roots to the Goshin-Do/Goshin-ryu genre. To experience this distinct historical and intuitive experience, simply click the following link: WWW.DeFeliceRyu.Wordpress.Com

AND NOW, THE NEXT SANCHIN PILGRIMAGE:

At times, the drama of life is like a cage constructed to contain our spirit. The demands upon one’s time dampen our inalienable desire to walk life’s path unbounded.

During such times when the demands of life seem to envelope and contain my spirit, I re-read the poem “The Panther” by Rainer Maria Wilke and perform Sanchin Kata. In the poem, the panther, symbolizes my caged spirit and the desire to break free, if only for a moment. The performance of Sanchin Kata provides that moment of escape.

So that you may experience the effects of opening the door to the cage that imprisons your spirit, I submit to you the next Sanchin Pilgrimage -

THE PANTHER SANCHIN PILGRIMAGE:

Session Parameters:

Date: Friday, April 6th (Yes, a Friday when you are terribly tired from the work-week)

Time: Anytime when you feel your spirit caged by the drama of your life

Location:  Any location

Salient Points:

• Prior to the scheduled session, read the poem The Panther by Rainer Maria Wilke (For your convenience, one translation of the poem is below). Consider how the drama of life forms the bars of a cage that contains your spirit and the desire to escape those bars if only for a moment. Consider also how Sanchin Kata is the “ritual dance” upon which you can make your escape from the cage;
• On the day of the scheduled session, read the poem again prior to embarking upon your day;
• Anytime during the day, when the drama of life imposes itself upon you and cages your spirit, again read the poem and perform Sanchin Kata;
• At the end of the day, when all is quiet, again read the poem and perform Sanchin Kata. Consider and reflect upon the theme of the poem and the freedom of the “ritual dance’ of Sanchin;
• You should reflect deep and well on the above;
• The last requirement of this Sanchin Pilgrimage is to remain in an enraptured physical, spiritual and metaphysical state throughout the day by way of the concept of  “Zanshin” (the “remaining mind” which is discussed in my Sanchin DVD and Book, See Endnote # 2).

The Panther

His vision, from the constantly passing bars,has grown so weary that it cannot hold anything else. 

It seems to him there are a thousand bars; And behind the bars, no world.

As he paces in cramped circles, over and over, the movement of his powerful soft strides Is like a ritual dance around a center in which a mighty will stands paralyzed. 

Only at time, the curtain of the pupil lifts, quietly -,    An image rushes in, Rushes down through the tensed, arrested  muscles,  Plunges into the heart and is gone. (See Endnote # 1). 

Once again, you may wish to not only perform the Sanchin Pilgrimage as scheduled, but may also revisit the specific pilgrimage and allow Sanchin to unlock the cage imposed upon your by the drama of daily life. Do this as an integral part of your regular Sanchin practice.

In closing, I remain, an uncaged with the spirit of the Panther, courtesy of the ritual dance of Sanchin,

Sensei John Szmitkowski

ENDNOTES:

1. Rainer Marie Rilke, The Panther.

2. NOW AVAILABLE – SANCHIN VIDEO SERIES designed specifically for the NON-MARTIAL ARTIST who desires to learn & unlock the secret treasure of Sanchin. Here is a convenient link a promotional video about the Sanchin DVD filmed on location at various scenic locations throughout Arizona. LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-pC-tPUrYE

You can find information on how to purchase a Sanchin DVD & Book by clicking the following convenient link:http://www.dynamic-meditation.com/references.html

Sensei John is now on Facebook, under – FLY FISHING DOJO, you are invited to send a Facebook friend request.

You may wish to view my blog dedicated to the interrelationship between martial arts protocol & ideology to fly-fishing and fishing in general by clicking WWW.FlyFishingDojo.Com

Tags: Goshin-Do Karate, Jiriki Kata-Do, Rainer Maria Wilke, sanchin, Sensei John, The Panther

HIDDEN TRAITS OF 8 PRIMORDIAL PRINCIPLES

This week’s article is an abbreviated excerpt from a chapter in my forthcoming DVD and book, “The Dualism Of Seienchin Kata: Part Two in the Jiriki Kata-Do Series.” (See Endnote # 1)

It has been said that there are eight primordial principles that envelope the martial arts. These principles have been delineated in an ancient martial text called “The Bubishi”. The principles are also inferred within the martial work known as the “Eight Poems Of The Chinese Fist.” (See Endnote # 2 for the full text of the poems). The eight primordial principles are:

• To float;
• To sink;
• To swallow;
• To spit;
• To burst;
• To rebound;
• To spring;
• To lift.

All eight principles are found within the Seienchin Kata which is derived from the Fujian white crane system of Kung-Fu. Fujian white crane style was developed by Xie Zhing Xiang. The style contains the four elements of whooping crane, flying crane, eating crane and sleeping crane. The four stylistic elements formed the basis of the Seienchin Kata found within Karate-Do.

Seienchin Kata, Badlands, SD, Circa 2004

The Seienchin Kata is the second protocol of my dynamic ideology, Jiriki Kata-Do. It is derived from the Seienchin Kata of the Goshin-Do Karate DeFelice-Ryu style of Karate. (See Endnote # 3)

Kanji for "Seienchin", sumi-e ink on rice paper

Traditionally, only the martial arts based physical applications of the principles have been explored and discussed. In my dynamic ideology of Jiriki Kata-Do, the spiritual connotations associated with the principles are delineated.

Four of the eight principles contained within Seienchin Kata are present within Sanchin Kata. (See Endnote # 4) To provide insight into the physical and hidden spiritual aspects of the eight principles, I submit the following brief discussion of the four principles found within Sanchin Kata.

Kanji for "Sanchin", sumi-e ink on rice paper

The four principles found within Sanchin and the associated martial arts application, are as follows.

• TO FLOAT – Unbalancing an opponent by one’s movement, depriving him of a firm footing and thereby defeating him.
• TO SINK – controlling an opponent by making him feel heavy or clumsy;
• TO SWALLOW – “to swallow” is a euphemism for the phrase “to absorb.” It means defeating an opponent’s attack by diverting and absorbing it;
• TO SPIT  – “to spit” is a euphemism for the phrase “to reject.” It involves using explosive power to strike or push away an opponent with such force that he is defeated.

In my Seienchin DVD and Book, I submit that in addition to the above physical traits of the principles, there are hidden spiritual traits found within Sanchin and Seienchin Kata. These hidden spiritual traits remain concealed from all but a few enlightened practitioners of the Kata. The dynamic ideology of Jiriki Kata-Do is the express mechanism to uncover the hidden spiritual and meta-physical traits hidden within the eight primordial principles. As to the four principles found within Sanchin, I submit that the hidden spiritual traits are as follows.

• TO FLOAT: After a practitioner of zazen, seated meditation, attained a level of proficiency, he was next required to learn “To Float”. Within this meditative practice, “To Float” means that one must allow one’s force to synchronize with and to flow with the general forces that exists in nature. (See Endnote # 5) One could not float by simply sitting in meditative zazen. One had to combine zazen with bodily movement; a dance. It is through the dance that the body could perform naturally and thus free the mind, or spirit, for meditation. Thus, passive, seated, meditation, was combined with the active, physical movement, in the manner of harmony of opposites, as in the concepts of Yin and Yang. It is my unfettered opinion that there is no greater form of “dance” than Karate-Do Kata. Thus, Kata are the ultimate mechanism for the phenomenon known as “To Float.”
• TO SINK: this spiritual concept involved rooting one’s Chi, or bio-energy, as I call it, to the Earth during the dance so as to permit one’s energy to flow freely within the confines of one’s body and subsequently synchronize one’s internal energy with the external universal energy. If one’s internal bio-energy was not sufficiently rooted to the Earth, it would spill forth haphazardly into the external universal energy and be dissipated and dispersed thereby.
• TO SWALLOW: This spiritual concept involves opening and extending oneself to the external universal energy. Through this process, one not only swallows, or absorbs, the universal energy into oneself, but also extends one’s bio-energy into the universe. Through this process one blends into the universal energy in such a manner as to unite with this external energy so as to produce a fully integrated state of being.
• TO SPIT: This spiritual concept is a moral imperative. The universe is in complete balance and exists entirely in a state of harmony. The nature of the universe dictates that the universe is composed of a positive aspect and also contains a negative aspect. Harmony in the universe is achieved by balancing these opposing and chaotic elements. The spiritual concept “To Spit” is the process whereby one consciously is aware of the negative component of the universal essence, or spirit. Being thus aware of this negative aspect, the practitioner of either Sanchin Kata or Seienchin Kata who seeks to synchronize and unite with the universal essence, consciously desires to unite with the positive aspect and spit out, or reject, the negative aspect. This does not mean that the practitioner is out of harmony with the universe. The negative aspect will continue to exist, but such existence is limited to the universe in general. Though continuing to exist, the negative aspect is not unified with the practitioner’s individual essence and self. The result is an integrated positive self that exists within a harmonious universe of positive and negative aspects. The negative aspect tends to be absorbed by those unenlightened persons who incorporate negativity into their level of existence. These non-integrated, unenlightened humans, are often physically ill and spiritually bankrupt.

The physical and hidden spiritual traits of all eight principles are fully analyzed in my forthcoming DVD and Book, “The Dualism Of Seienchin Kata: Part Two in the Jiriki Kata-Do Series.” The anticipated release date for the DVD and Book is August 1, 2012.

In closing, I remain, floating, sinking, swallowing, spitting, bursting, rebounding, springing and lifting,

Sensei John Szmitkowski

ENDNOTES:

1. Part One of Jiriki Kata-Do can be found in my Sanchin DVD and Book: “Sanchin, Gateway To The Plateau Of Serenity.” Here is a convenient link a promotional video about the Sanchin DVD filmed on location at various scenic locations throughout Arizona. LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-pC-tPUrYE
2. The “Eight Poems Of The Chinese Fist” are as follows:

• 1. Jinshin wa tenchi ni onaji. The mind is one with heaven and earth.
• 2. Ketsumyaku wa nichigetsu ni nitari. The circulatory rhythm of the body is similar to the cycle of the sun and the moon.
• 3. Ho wa goju no donto su. The way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness.
• 4. Mi wa toki ni shitagai hen ni ozu. Act in accordance with time and change.
• 5. Te wa ku ni ai sunawachi hairu. Techniques will occur in the absence of conscious thought.
• 6. Shintai wa hakarite riho su. The feet must advance and retreat, separate and meet.
• 7. Me wa shiho womiru wa yosu. The eyes must not miss even the slightest change.
• 8. Mimiwa yoku happo wo kiku. The ears listen well in all eight directions.

3. I have chosen the name “Goshin-Do Karate DeFelice-Ryu” to designate the Goshin-Do Karate style as taught by my Sensei, Shihan Thomas DeFelice so as to distinguish it from the various other martial arts styles that utilize the “Goshin-Do” nomenclature. The Kanji for the style translates as, “Self-defense way of the empty hand, DeFelice style.”

4.I have made the benefits of Sanchin Kata available to everyone with my one hour Sanchin DVD and 116 page book. You can find information on how to purchase a Sanchin DVD & Book by clicking the following convenient link: http://www.dynamic-meditation.com/references.html

5. For example, In the Hindu meditative practices, the phrase used to describe this phenomenon is, “To allow one’s Atman to become one with the universal Atman.”

Sensei John is now on Facebook, under – FLY FISHING DOJO, you are invited to send a Facebook friend request.

You may wish to view my blog dedicated to the interrelationship between martial arts protocol & ideology to fly-fishing and fishing in general by clicking WWW.FlyFishingDojo.Com

Tags: Bubishi, DeFelice-Ryu, Eight Poems Of The Chinese Fist, Goshin-Do Karate-Do, Jiriki Kata-Do, Karate, Kata, Sanchin Kata, Seienchin Kata, Sensei John, Shihan Thomas DeFelice