| ABSOLUTISM
& POLARITY
Evolution is a part of nature, Universe.
Involution is the other, and where one ends
the other begins. This principle is very
clearly illustrated by Chinese monad # 1 in
Taoism and well described by Brahmins in the
expanding and contracting of Universe. This
picture express a balanced Polarity. Picture
# 4 is stage of Absolutism. Others are
variations and they show different stage of
Polarity. It is interesting to note that one
part always contains the other.
One may understand that #1 is applicable
for everything because looks balanced. It is
a harmony but still in stage of Polarity
which is level under Absolutism. However not
perfect but accepted by human. Life is
motion, existence is vibration…
EMPTINESS
Emptiness
# 4 is a state which attracts us. Not many
people have an experienced of reach this
level. However Budo-ka talking about it but
many of excellent craftsmen use it in their
daily work. High level artist, sculptor,
composer or musician create the best work of
art on this level. From here you can
achieve harmony, unity, fluidity. Do - path,
way we are talking about in Budo looks
somehow as # 3 and it guide us to 4. The # 2
and 5 denotes extremes and at this stage it
can either destroy you, people, environment
or other beings (see the picture on Entry
screen). I don’t think anyone wishes to
experience # 2 or I.5, whereas # 1 looks
very balanced, quiet safe, but the # 4 is
only peace, love and empty mind, Mu shin –
no mind…
Now we can easily understand BUDO, but still
this not enough. Important is to get a wider
view of the Past - Present - Future. If you
know the past, you can understand the
present. If you know what is going on, then
you will have a better acceptance of the
future - you can prepare and get ready for
it. One might say Born - Live - Die, but it
is only relative. Look at # 6 a simple
circle:
#
6
I
started to draw it from one point - Past.
Then I continued in - Present, to complete
it in - Future. Now the circle is here at
Present, really, but where is the Past and
the Future? The Circle is completed -
Present with beginning (Past) and ending
(Future) at the same time. Past and Future
are relative and we have to accept them for
the Present, daily life. It is a way to
understand others to build up the Budo
family and not only this family. On higher
level everybody accept that all martial arts
come from One. To understand it more we can
start from anywhere, for example from Japan.
JUTSU & DO
End of Shogun ate resulted a big
political and social change in Japan in the
19th century. It is affected the martial
arts field as well. Samurai lost their
position in the society and the meaning of
Jutsu lost its value. New philosophical
aspect Do had been applied to the former
Bujutsu. This way Kenjutsu was transformed
to Kendo, Kobujutsu to Kobudo, Judo came
from Ju Jutsu etc.
In past when peasants met in the battle
field with bandits or samurai it was a
question of life or death. This caused to
develop fast killing techniques. Farmers
were often armed with sickle, Kama #
7. Fisherman used a paddle,
miller Tonfa, and Kobujutsu had a real Katai
feature. Hemin, lower society people had not
a choice and Katai was a way to survive in
sword attack. It is good idea preserve
traditional techniques but in fact arresting
techniques appear more human. Immobilization
- Katame Kyo, Transportation - Kumi Kyo,
means also a total control of opponent. This
is the goal in our Kobudo, even performed in
Jutsu style. Each affective application is
correct, regardless if it’s traditional or
not.
If we are to kill our opponent, there is no
need to arrest him and one must always think
about this principle when applying Budo. It
is easy to hurt a person and does not
require any knowledge of martial arts. Take
a look at picture # 8.
This technique is well known from
prehistoric periods. Attacking the neck can
cause instant death. With weapon, you can
separate the head from body. You can also
break the windpipe or bend the neck in such
a way as to damage the spinal cord. Animals
know it well and predators always attack the
throat or neck of their prey. Now, if this
should happen at the 3rd or 4th cervical
vertebra, it would mean death. If it happens
on the 5th vertebra just below, then the
victim may just be lucky enough to be able
to spend the rest of his life in bed or in a
wheel chair. Please think about this when
you use your Budo skill in self defense.
HARD & SOFT
If you punch, strike or kick, it is a
hard style, called Katai. Targeting the neck
with Katai is risky, better is to use Ju,
soft technique. This part of the body can be
used to effectively unbalance the opponent
and becomes easier to throw him # 9 or apply
lock as in # 10.
These and other techniques can be done
with bare hands and also whilst carrying a
weapon. If   you
have a Sai and you decide to attack your
opponent’s neck, instead of punching Honte
tsuki # 11 to his throat, a soft technique
can be applied as in Irimi nage # 12 for
example. Is this a mistake? Or is it
impossible? Definitely not! This in fact is
a higher performance skill by which you show
that you are the one controlling the
attacker instead of just simply killing him
with Katai application.
 
So don’t be surprised when you notice
in our program, many Ju techniques as throws
and also joint locks with weapons. These are
natural. In the other way around, an
opponent will never ask if you know how to
fall with the weapon. Once you carry it, be
ready to take Ukemi at anytime if it is
necessary.
You can find applying soft techniques in
other weapon styles for example in Kenjutsu.
There are techniques to show how you can
control your opponent by using the sword
handle instead to cut him down with blade #
13. Nowadays if you are practicing Kobudo,
don’t think of yourself as a farmer or
fisherman who has to kill to survive. Adapt
it to the present life condition and you
will find that Kobudo is a beautiful and
fine art.
Do no only techniques developed in Budo.
Also a cloths, training uniform and weapons
as well vent thru the evolution. Some styles
using black and white combination of dress
expressing the philosophy of Yang and Yin
(balance). Weapons especially in Iaido are
evaluated not only on physical but also in
spiritual level. Hakama originally designed
for Kobudo practitioners to hide the legs
position and steps, in Aikido each of pleats
of it got high meaning:
|
Jin
|
benevolence |
|
Gi
|
honour
or justice |
|
Rei
|
courtesy
and etiquette |
|
Chi
|
wisdom,
intelligence |
|
Shin
|
sincerity |
|
Chu
|
loyalty |
|
Koh
|
piety |
|
