The only things certain in life are death and taxes.

General discussions on Wado Ryu karate and associated martial arts.
Tim49
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Re: The only things certain in life are death and taxes.

Post by Tim49 »

I think this is a complex question.

Common sense tells us that nothing’s fixed or ever has been; the nature of all things is change, of course it doesn’t always mean that change is for the better.

I think that in some quarters a resistance to the forces of change can betray weakness and insecurity. But change must originate from real authority, as opposed to assumed authority.

Then there is the problem of how we in the West perceive and approach the martial arts, which after all came out of an alien culture. We unconsciously bring to it our own cultural biases. The western attitude towards ‘tradition’ has some similarities to the eastern attitude but it is the differences which cause the problems. Also, in Japan the current generation are moving ever closer to an homogenised western outlook and the torchbearers of traditionalism are looked upon as dinosaurs.

Also, within Wado in the UK and elsewhere there have been those who have held up their hands in horror at what they perceive as ‘changes’, but when you dig deeper these so-called ‘changes’ are not the heretical changes that the insecure panic-merchants indicate; in some cases they are because the perceived authority has been acting in error, in other cases the ‘changes’ are reinventions, or come out of restorative decisions. They may even be a step up the evolutionary ladder!

Just a quick posting.
I’m sure I’ve missed something out.

Tim Shaw
Essex UK
wadoka
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Re: The only things certain in life are death and taxes.

Post by wadoka »

There is a good article on the BBC news site about how the Mandarin is becoming one of the languages of international business.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19929620

This is one paragraph that covers what Tim is saying about perception and cultural bias.
Why have we managed to get China so wrong? The reason is hardly rocket science. We insist on viewing it through a western prism. For the best part of two centuries, Western societies have seen themselves as the model for all others. But China isn't like us. It never has been and never will be.

The great task facing the West over the next century will be to make sense of China - not in our terms but in theirs. We have to understand China as it is and as it has been, not project our own history, culture, institutions and values onto it. It will always fail that test. In truth such a mentality tells us more about our own arrogance and lack of curiosity than anything about China.
Tim49
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Re: The only things certain in life are death and taxes.

Post by Tim49 »

wadoka wrote:There is a good article on the BBC news site about how the Mandarin is becoming one of the languages of international business.

[urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19929620][/url]

This is one paragraph that covers what Tim is saying about perception and cultural bias.
Why have we managed to get China so wrong? The reason is hardly rocket science. We insist on viewing it through a western prism. For the best part of two centuries, Western societies have seen themselves as the model for all others. But China isn't like us. It never has been and never will be.

The great task facing the West over the next century will be to make sense of China - not in our terms but in theirs. We have to understand China as it is and as it has been, not project our own history, culture, institutions and values onto it. It will always fail that test. In truth such a mentality tells us more about our own arrogance and lack of curiosity than anything about China.
Yes, precisely, just about sums it up.

Tim Shaw
Essex UK
andyb28
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Re: The only things certain in life are death and taxes.

Post by andyb28 »

I always thought one knee / other knee was in relation to which side you wore your sword and giving the longest opportunity to still draw it whilst in the process of kneeling.

Having neve studied a sword art, I have no idea if this is true.
Andy Booth
Colchester Traditional Karate Club
Gary
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Re: The only things certain in life are death and taxes.

Post by Gary »

andyb28 wrote:I always thought one knee / other knee was in relation to which side you wore your sword and giving the longest opportunity to still draw it whilst in the process of kneeling.

Having neve studied a sword art, I have no idea if this is true.
Swords are only ever worn on the left (your left)! - There is no such thing as a left handed swordsman (in Japan)!!!

I study a sword system and when we perform seiza, we lower our left knee but, as the thread title suggests - that doesn't mean that it's the only way!

I've read that by lowering the left knee - it takes the sword handle away from your opponent thus reducing the possibility of him grabbing it/neutralising it, and equally, that by raising up onto the right foot - it makes the draw more efficient.

That said - I wouldn't say that we step back with our left foot - rather we just put the knee down.

Also we learn to draw onto left foot and right foot.
Gary Needham
Walton Wado Karate Club

清漣館双水執流英国稽古会
http://seirenkanuk.wordpress.com/
oneya
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Re: The only things certain in life are death and taxes.

Post by oneya »

Isn't this why Ohtsuka's wado ryu reasoning lowers the right knee first to demonstrate his intent Gary...?

oneya
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Gary
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Re: The only things certain in life are death and taxes.

Post by Gary »

As I understand it Reg, yes.

Gary
Gary Needham
Walton Wado Karate Club

清漣館双水執流英国稽古会
http://seirenkanuk.wordpress.com/
oneya
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Re: The only things certain in life are death and taxes.

Post by oneya »

A very smart young fella who developed into an ingenious old warrior wasn't he... Got to be a 90 year old too. There has to be a message there somewhere.

oneya
Reg Kear.
Wado Kokusai San no Ya.

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