March 17, 2018

Recently, I was interested in a particular turn from the kata Nijushiho. Just out of curiosity, I wondered how many high level karateka turned on the ball of their foot and how many turned on the heel - that endless debate. As it "turns" out, it was about half and half. Of course there are great arguments that can be made either way, which illustrates in my mind that both ways have sound validity. Perhaps the greater epiphany is that beyond the ball of foot/heel debate there exists a deeper truth — that there is no gospel Truth! When a student and friend of mine suggested we put some video content on YouTube a few years back I was resistant for that very reason, because I did not want to come across as telling anyone how they should or should not do their karate, just offer some of the observations that I have discovered over the arc of a 50 year practice. Yet even with that said, it is not the gospel truth! Just observations. If they make sense to you, please take them. If they don't, then disregard them. No matter what anyone tells you, just remember, it is ALL hypothesis.

My Aikido teacher Mitsugi Saotome Sensei often says "no groupies.” In other words, don't fawn after an individual, because if you do, you are looking out when you should be looking in. I formed Sunday Morning Keiko with this spirit in mind — organize great depth of community resource with the individual inquiry as the essential theme.

You have one life; find it.