Taking a closer look at Shu Gyou

I apologize for the long wait. It seems that life and work always seem to have a way of getting busy all at the same time making it very difficult to stay on task. That, however, is the most important challenge, isn't it.

In one of my previous posts titled 'Analysis of the Showa Part 1', I didn't go into very much detail on  the interpretation of 修業 Shu Gyou, that appears in the motivational poem the 唱和 Showa written by the first generation Soke of Chito-Ryu Karate Do, Chitose Tsuyoshi Sensei.  I simply wrote that it means "to study." However, this translation is lacking in substance and doesn't really express the deeper meaning of the kanji. I am very happy that the blog has generated some interesting discussion. After being asked to share my thoughts on the term 修業 Shu Gyou, I've decided to take a closer look at the term. I began by checking some other sources for translations and found one I felt the readers of this blog may be interested in. The translation is "the pursuit of knowledge." Perhaps this more accurately explains the nuance of the term Shugyo, that it requires one to devote their time and energy into a focused pursuit of whatever it is that they wish to attain deeper knowledge of. It is not, simply describing passive learning. However, there is still one more point of concern that needs to be addressed and that is the two different ways of writing Shu Gyou in Japanese; 修業 and 修行, and the differences in the usage of each. I would like to take a closer look at Shu Gyou in this post.
 

(Chito-Ryu Karate Do First Generation Soke, Chitose Tsuyoshi Sensei)



 

As I said, discussion lead to the variations of the kanji that can be used to write Shyugyo, listed above修業 and 修行. In this post I will try to address the differences between the nuance of each of these. I also welcome knowledgeable readers of this blog to post in the comment section of this entry to further deepen our understanding of these terms and concepts.

 

Analysis of the Showa (Part 2)

Continuing from the previous post...

Way of the Warrior, Spirit of the Samurai, or Simply Bushido?

武士道の精神 Bushido no Seishin which is commonly translated as the "spirit of the warrior’s way." Here in lays the discrepancy in the cultural context of the term and its usage. What is the 'Way' of the 'Warrior'? What is the 'Spirit' of a 'Warrior'? I don't know about you, but when I hear the word 'Warrior' I think of the WWF Wrestling character, the Ultimate Warrior which is obviously out of context. But, this is the problem of vocabulary choice that needs to be addressed. Furthermore, the question needs to be addressed, is this kind of “spirit” still appropriate for application in our modern society? If we expect people to repeat this in order to advocate its message of ‘peace’ we must be sure the message is relevant and easily understood by everyone.

 

Let’s take a moment to contemplate the above questions. During my research I came across an explanation of the interpretation of the Showa used in Australia, it can be found on their website: pg=public.showahttp://www.chitoryu.com.au/resources/index.php?pg=public.showa

In their introduction they state that the original Japanese is “impossible to accurately translate into English as many of the words do not have a direct translation.” I agree that it is very difficult translate old Japanese poetry and philosophies into modern English accurately. It may be impossible to translate them directly but not accurately. It is necessary to contemplate them and assess your level of understanding of Karate Do based on your interpretation of such things as the Showa.

There are many essays that address the concepts and the philosophical teachings of the Japanese martial arts. Each of them are nothing more than some one’s interpretation of the concept and their interpretations are based on their level of understanding of the "trinity" that I spoke of in the post titled, "The Trinity of Proficiency in Karate Do: Technical, Cultural, and Linguistic Ability." Rarely are such essays written by people who are already recognized 'experts' in that field when they are researching and writing. Usually, they come to be known or referred to as 'experts' afterwards. I strongly urge every serious practitioner of Karate Do to make efforts to attempt to understand these concepts for themselves and relate them to their own personal context within the study and practice of Karate Do. But, please keep in mind that all of our understanding is limited by a number of factors, a great deal of which are very personal in nature. When it is all said and done, we are talking about interpretation and this journey of understanding is a very introspective one.

Analysis of the Showa (Part 1)

Introduction
The 唱和 Showa is a motivational poem that is recited at the end of training sessions in ICKF dojo which also illustrates the principles discussed in this blog; The concept of pursuing one's life endeavours with 和 Wa, Peace and 忍 Nin, Perseverance and the reassurance that if one conducts themselves with honour and respect for others 力必達 Rikihitattsu 'Strength' will come and goals will be attained. This is a very important part of Karate Do training.

It was my intention to analyse the Showa in this post however, upon completion of the analysis, I feel it is too long for one post. Therefore I will be breaking the post into two parts. In the first part I will focus on the first half of the Showa poem, looking at the various meanings of the kanji and contemplating possible interpretations for them. I will do the same in the next instalment as well. It is my intent that by doing so we will  be able to, at the very least, deepen our understanding of the meaning of this motivational poem and, with this deeper understanding, recognize our own personal relationship to it and our training. 

(the Showa, Chito-Ryu Honbu Dojo, Kumamoto, Japan 2013)

不動心 (Fudoshin) an Immovable Spirit is Not about Not Moving at all

In previous posts I have talked about the 心 Kokoro/Shin and how important this is in Japanese philosophy. The concept of Kokoro or Shin is not limited to Japan nor did it originate here, the usage of the term 心 and the linking of its importance to 気 Ki, Vital Energy dates back to ancient China (see Mencius 2A2). In this post I would like to take a look at the concept of 不動心 Fudoshin, an Immovable Spirit which is often associated with cultivation of 勇気 Yuki, Courage. This is very important in the martial arts, but is often misunderstood or, at the very least, not understood on a level deep enough to receive the positive benefits of incorporating it appropriately in our daily lives. Here, I would like to present some of the key points to help us understand this concept on a deeper level so that we can apply it to our training and receive the benefits of its cultivation in our lives.

 

(The Author at the Gateway to the Forbidden City, Bejing, China, March 2014)

 

 (Inside the Forbidden City, Beijing, China 2014)

余裕 'Yoyu' in Our Training and in Our Life

In our Karate Do training, in our Kata practice, and in life, maintaining the appropriate amount of hardness and softness and showing the appropriate amounts of strength and weakness, especially when dealing with the ups and downs of life, is something that we all struggle with. The struggle may never end, but I still believe that our Karate Do training gives us a special advantage to assess the situation quickly and act accordingly. Reading the situation is something known as 空気読む Kuki Yomu, the ability to intuitively assess the atmosphere and act on these assessments. One may liken this to 'reading between the lines'; looking for hints regarding the course of action to take in all that is around us. In this respect, the term 残心 Zanshin, often translated as awareness or relaxed alertness, may also be used to explain Kuki Yomu. When living in Japan this heightened sense of awareness is a very important skill to have. The ability to read the situation and act correctly could make all the difference between success and failure in Japan, in general, and even more so in the Karate Do environment. (This statement can be interpreted a number of different ways and applied to many situations. Contemplating it in your unique situation and applying it as you see fit is what I would like to recommend)

Perhaps a beneficial question would be, How can someone develop this skill and use it to their advantage? I don't have the answer to this question, but I am aware that this ability has helped me countless times in the past. and simply being aware of its importance helps to develop it further. In previous posts I have provided information about the importance of listening and how to show appropriate levels of courtesy. Here I would like to look at the concept of 余裕 Yoyu. I feel strongly that everything happens for a reason and how we act or react to what happens changes our lives. If we can first, be aware and get in tune with whatever will help us to take the best course of action and then act without entering a state of panic, I am sure the best possible results can be attained. Consciously making a choice not to act in a state of panic or anger (emotional states that cloud our judgement) develops a strength and stillness in our Kokoro, Heart/spirit known as 不動心 Fudoshin, something that many martial artists often talk about, but only a few know deeply. (I would like to talk more deeply about fudoshin in future posts)

(3,333Dan, Kumamoto, Japan)