The idea that by learning any martial art and eventually reaching senior rank somehow enables the Bushi to simply ignore the specific how’s and why’s of what they learned and how they now train is an error in thought caused by an over-familiarity with some or most of the ryu’s curriculum (but not all). In other words, they know part of the total system very well indeed, part of the system a little bit, and the rest …. well ….. somewhere between not at all and “I did it one time 5 years ago”.
Assuming that someone is properly taught and can therefore hew to the correct pure line of principal to begin with, and additionally has put in the necessary time working the material to understand, internalize, and make it functional under pressure fails to consider several things.
First, the system is a gestalt in the sense of how it is put together. You cannot understand “just one part” and then assume that you understand it all. In gestalt, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts and that “whole” is really on a geometric progression (as compared to the sum of its parts) and is not simply a linear expression of understanding.
A gestalt has two or more parts that are so integrated together and crucial to the other parts in that joining together that we perceive them as one object. Think of the idea of teaching "the whole child," and you have a basic understanding of the ideas behind gestalt based on the perception of oneness from many. So, in martial arts understanding only part of a total ryu leaves a gap in understanding that leads to not understanding the parts well at all nor how they fit together, much less having an intuitive understanding of the totality of the whole.
Second, that the increased understanding of “some parts” won’t eventually result in that player doing things slightly differently based on that more limited understanding (of some parts) For example, that different body types will end up making the same waza look “slightly” different from someone else with the same time on the mat and the same rank, when if both players had the same level of “gestaltic understanding” then the differences in appearance should be minimal with each illustrating the same fundamental principles in their performance regardless of their body types. Each has flaws but neither understands that they do, nor are they able to adequately identify those flaws, much less correct them; thus the confusion in their students from their incoherent and disconnected teachings.
There is a third possibility here and that is full understanding was never achieved in the first place and that the Bushi is making small errors and fails to realize that they have deviated from the “pure line” of that waza, but even their limited understanding is better than the abilities of the opponent such that they are bad, but the other guy is worse.
They do not realize that this deviation exists because they operate at such a high level that they can make the waza work despite any “technical” errors in the “pure form”. Another way in which to consider this is to think of the “pure form” as 100% efficiency (a full expression of pure principles) and their actual performance is maybe at 60% to 80% of that “pure line”. However, the opponent is simply unable to themselves operate and anything over 50%. Basically, the player can make errors, but they are so good (and the opponent so bad) that those errors do not matter in the least.
So that success basically results in a self-validation of that deviation from the 100% pure line. That validation, since it is not apparent due to their success against a much weaker player, is therefore not corrected and continues to be reflected in how they teach and train.
However, as true Bushi we should always strive for that mystical 100% even if no one is ever able to train and operate at that level of “purity” and efficiency on a consistent basis. To do otherwise is to fail in our efforts towards mastery and will forever stunt our growth in the ryu/art form. Acceptance of the idea of being less than what could be possible (operating at 100% of the principle true line) will not only limit our ability to perform, but it also limits our ability to teach and over time will result in the loss of the ryu itself as over several generations it becomes a shadow of what it once was. Once lost it cannot be regained as the number of senior Sensei who are able to express, operate, and teach at that 100% level diminishes over time thus removing any sources of deeper understanding and corrections.
L. F. Wilkinson Kancho
The Aikibudokan
Houston, TX
December 14, 2021
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