|
Articles 
A
theological perspective on finding ‘the way’
In response
to
‘The Right
Amount of Violence’
By Dave
Lowry 2003
Those that are offended by others religious views be
warned.
The Right amount of Violence
by Dave Lowry Black Belt Magazine 2003 I saw something that was rumoured to be an
aikido demonstration the other day. After issuing a rambling explanation of the mysterious forces that gave the practitioners their powers, the teacher held the microphone with one hand and
threw his students with the other. In another demo, a student threw an open-hand strike at a classmate's forehead, but because the defender was flustered, he allowed the force of the strike to peter
out, and they both giggled. Later, the teacher faced another student. Both were armed with bokken, but their exchanges were so feeble that the wooden weapons barely clicked when they
connected. The saddest part was that he teacher and students seemed to believe they were doing a good job.
No doubt they'd been taught that this was a legitimate expression of the Japanese budo. In their introduction, they mentioned kindness, etiquette and perseverance, all hallmarks of the budo
and probably goals in their lives. Unfortunately, they'll never reach those goals, at least not the way they were practicing their art. They had no sense of nangyo - the impetus of
hardship - which is sometimes translated as violence. Just as excessively macho approaches to the martial
way are dangerously biased toward the physical, some arts weigh too heavily on their intellectual or spiritual properties. To understand why some violence is necessary in the budo, it helps to know a
couple of terms that come from Buddhism. Tariki and jiriki refer to ways in which the
faithful can attain salvation. In some forms of Buddhism, salvation comes through some miraculous event. This is tariki. In other forms, it comes through hard work. This is jiriki,
enlightment through effort, or "the hard way". The budo have numerous examples of tariki and jiriki.
Ittosai Kagehisa, founder of the itto ryu of swordsmanship, secluded himself at a shrine in Kamakura, Japan, and trained day and night. He starved himself and constantly prayed for divine
intervention to learn the essence of the sword. On the last evening of his stay, he was attacked from behind while training. Ittosai whirled, deflecting the blade and killing the assailant
in one stroke. He attributed the cut to the deities of the shrine and formed a school around the technique.
Another example involves aikido founder Morihei Uyeshiba. A Japanese army kendo instructor challenged the young Uyeshiba to a friendly contest. It got out of
hand, and the instructor supposedly went full force with his sword, trying to hit his unarmed opponent. After successfully avoiding the attacks, Uyeshiba claimed that he received a divine message
about the true meaning of his art. While both stories have and air of tariki about them, remember that
they occurred after Ittosai and Uyeshiba had spent years training hard. One of the humorous messages in Eiji Yoshikawa's book about the life of Miyamoto Musashi tells how the young swordsman
constantly searched for some mystical secret of mastery, not knowing that the real secrets don't come from the gods but through daily training. The principles of the budo can't be mastered through
transcendent illumination. They are not tariki. They are jiriki, and so the path to their perfection is one of nangyo-do, the way of hardship.
From training outside in severe weather to testing for rank, the budo are full of hardships that act as a sculptor's tools to chisel away the extraneous and create the character of
the mature budoka. But it's the most elemental of struggles, that of grappling with another person during conflict, which produces and essential facet of that character. Your spirit is
solidified by the threat of danger, the possibility of injury or death, and knowing that you may inflict that fate on another person. While difficult and sometimes painful and frightening, no amount
of philosophical pondering can take the place of these confrontations if you are ever to grasp the meaning of the budo.
Does that mean training in the martial way is an endless bloodbath? No. It means that, just as every from of the Japanese way helps refines character, so do the budo.
In chado, the way of tea, character is molded by aesthetic appreciation of beauty and form and by sometimes boring, sometimes challenging process of making tea under all sorts of circumstances.
In the budo, character is built in part through violence and struggle. Without them, judo, karate-do and the like are no longer "martial", and wile they may be "ways" of some kind, they cannot
be construed as martial ways. I am not suggesting that your training is inadequate unless your dojo
is strewn with broken bodies. However, sprains, bloody noses, cut lips and other minor injuries are part of the journey. One question remain. If violence is an accepted and expected part of
training, how can you know whether your dojo is really a place for leaning the way or simply a glorified boxing gym? In other words, what's the difference between a real dojo and a place that allows
bullies and sadists to run free? The difference lies in the word nangyo. Nan is written with a character that mean "extremely difficult" or "bordering on the impossible". Gyo refers to a
"stage" in the training process. It comes from a character that translates literally as "crossroads where many people come and go." Gyo implies a step along the way, a process of becoming or
going somewhere, and not a state of completion or a destination. In the budo, violence isn't an end in itself. It isn't a goal worth pursuing for its own sake. It's path to a higher stage.
With this in mind, you should be able to observe the activity at a traditional dojo and make the distinction easily.
Many boxers, professional wrestlers and full-contact fighters employ violence regularly in their lives. But whatever their goals, they aren't budoka. While we share a
link with them because we are involved in fighting, our intents are markedly different. For us, nangyo-do is part of a journey leading to something far beyond money or self-satisfaction. Jigoro
Kano described it well: "By training you in attacks and defenses, it refines your body and your soul and helps you make the spiritual essence of judo a part of your very being. In this way, you are
able to perfect yourself and create something of value to the world."
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If you have any inspiring stories ancient or modern please send them to me here.
The Pineal Gland
by Dr Redman J Crosby B.App.Sc (Chiropractic) R.M.I.T. University
Drugs effectively damage your Pineal Gland ... why?
The Pineal Body, now called Gland, is the ‘Magic Brains’ stimulator The manufacturer of Neurotransmitters .... Seratonin Melatonin
Pinoline Dopamine Serotonin .... Daytime transmitter, kicks in at first light in the morning Melatonin .... Night time
transmitter, kicks in about 11.30 pm at night. Melatonin is synthesized from Seratonin. Pinoline .... REM sleep transmitter, kicks in about 1.30am in the morning.
Pinoline is synthesized from Melatonin Pinoline synthesizes back to Melatonin at about 3.30am,it only has a small window of opportunity.
Pinoline in some Neuro Physiological circles is now called “The God Molecule”!. Melatonin then re-synthesizes back to Seratonin at first light to start the cycle
all over again. Dopamine .... This neurotransmitter is a defense mechanism for the human body, a ‘Survival Transmitter’. Your Dream
Sequences ( REM sleep ... Rapid Eye Movement ), are governed therefore by how much Seratonin you have in your system, and at what time you go to bed of a night.
People low in Seratonin, and who stay up late after midnight, often do not even produce Pinoline, and often only have very small amounts of Melatonin.
The Golden Droplet of Design is in fact Seratonin, with its synthesized forms of Melatoninand Pinoline.
All of these are produced in the ‘Magical’ Pneal Gland which is situated in your Mid Brain. To therefore experience deep sleep at the level of
REM and at the level of healing from the frequency brain, or ‘God Brain’, one is wise to be in bed by 11.30 pm at night. Dopamine however is released in large
amounts with those people who regularly take drugs. The affect on dopamine
levels by illicit substance abuse Dopamine binds to its receptors quickly. This neurotransmitter is also quickly
removed from its receptors as long as dopamine levels in the synapse’s of a nerve cell’s are sufficiently high. However, drugs can affect dopamine levels
appallingly. Some drugs increase dopamine by preventing dopamine re -uptake, leaving more dopamine in the synapse. An example is the widely abused stimulant drug,
cocaine. Another is methylphenidate, used therapeutically to treat childhood hyperkinesis (increased movement of limbs) and symptoms of schizophrenia.
It's interesting that amphetamine and cocaine produce and affect behavior and heart function in similar ways. Furthermore, both drugs increase the amount of dopamine
in the synapse of nerve cells. However, cocaine achieves this action by preventing dopamine re-uptake, while amphetamine helps to release more dopamine. So,
these drugs with similar effects produce their actions through entirely different processes. In turn, addiction to the two drugs may call for somewhat different
types of treatment intervention. Dopamine over - rides the effects of Seratonin, Melatonin and Pinoline to some degree, dependent on
the amount of substance abuse, including alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco. As a chemical messenger, dopamine is similar to adrenaline.
Dopamine affects brain processes that control movement, emotional response, and ability to experience pleasure, pain and awareness. Dopamine effectively shuts
out frequency perception from conceived Quantum God. Dopamine was never intended physiologically for this, it is a mediator of the
other neurotransmitter’s. Dopamine incites a false sense of pleasure at the expense of higher knowing (Consciousness), healing, and
uplifting sleep. Dopamine then responds to chaotic drug induced paradigm shifts within the Cerebral Cortex of the brain, housing the centres of Vision, Taste,
Smell, Sound and Touch. Dopamine is involved in a person who has overdosed to the extent they can Smell Sound, they cam Taste Touch, they can See Taste and so on.
These bizarre occurrences lead to a complete breakdown in the brain’s ability to act as a Frequency antennae.
Brain Neurons can become sensitized or desensitized to dopamine One important aspect of drug addiction is how cells adapt to previous drug
exposure. For example, long-term treatment with dopamine antagonists (blockers) increases the number of dopamine receptors. This happens as the nervous system
tries to make up for less stimulation of the receptors by dopamine itself. Likewise, the receptors themselves become more sensitive to dopamine. Both are examples
of the same process, called sensitization. An opposite paradigm / effect occurs after dopamine or dopamine agonists (stimulators),
repeatedly stimulate dopamine receptors. Here over stimulation decreases the number of receptors, and the remaining receptors become less sensitive to dopamine.
This process is called desensitization. This leads to premature aging of the brain not just in the Cerebral Cortex, but also within
the Mid Brain and Brain Stem areas as well. This is a dysfunctional and un-natural paradigm, where aggression, hopelessness and lack of maturation occurs at all
levels of the receiver called the human nervous system. Final comment: For all those people I have
counselled and treated over the years, who think that smoking
grass or taking substances gives them a ‘God’ high or “wow man that’s awesome”, please look in the mirror right now.
Denial is the greatest disease of the human spirit.
Best to be wise and look after your Antennae called “The Magic Brain”. Dr Redman J Crosby
A great Article on Okinawan Bushi: Karate Gentlemen
http://seinenkai.com/art-bushi.html
From one of those pass along an emails that we get.
An elderly
Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full
portion of water.
At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.
‘I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.’
The old woman smiled, ‘Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?’
That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you
water them.’
For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.
Without you being the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.
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If you have any inspiring stories ancient or modern please send them to me here.
Zen Stories
A rich man, fond of felines, asked a famous Zen ink painter to
draw him a cat. The master agreed and asked the man to come back in three months. When the man returned, he was put off, again and again, until a year had passed. Finally, at the man's request, the master drew
out a brush, and , with grace and ease, in a single fluid motion, drew a picture of a cat - the most marvelous image the man had ever seen. He was astonished then he grew angry.
"That drawing took you only thirty seconds! Why did you make me
wait a year?" he demanded. Without a word, the
master opened up a cabinet, and out fell thousands of drawings - of cats.
- Zen story
An old man stooped by age and hard work was gathering sticks in the forest. As he hobbled painfully along, he began to feel sorry
for himself. With a hopeless gesture he throw his bundle of sticks upon the ground and groaned "Life is too hard, I cannot bear it any longer, If only death would come and take me."
Even as those words were out of his mouth, death in the form of a
skeleton in a black robe stood before him. "I
heard you call me sir," he said. "What can I do for you?"
"Please sir," replied the old man, "Could you please help me put
this bundle of sticks back on my shoulder again."
- Unknown.
A Zen master out for a walk with one of his students points out a fox chasing a rabbit.
"According to an ancient fable, the rabbit will get away from the fox," the master said.
"Not so," replied the student. "The fox is faster." "But
the rabbit will elude him," insisted the master. "Why are you so certain?" asked the student.
"Because the fox is running for his dinner and the rabbit is running for his life,” replied the master.
- Unknown.
ZENSPIRATIONAL THOUGHTS (vol 024-116)
Today's zenspirational message is on the concept of forgiveness - something that so many people have great difficulty with.
On forgiveness, Isabelle Holland says this: "As long as you don't forgive, who and whatever it is will
occupy rent-free space in your mind." Think about that. When those negative hateful thoughts
and emotions are running through your mind, who are they hurting? Are they hurting the proponent of them, or are they hurting YOU? If you cannot forgive then
try to lock them in a vault in your mind. Dwelling on hurt will only bring you more of the same. Can't your mind be more gainfully employed on something that will benefit you? Until next time...
Collect the entire series. You can also enrich a friend's day by forwarding this inspiring message to them.
WHY KATA by Bill Vaughan
First of all, what is Kata? If you reply "Preset geometric patterns of defence or counter attack against single or multiple
opponents," you're getting close, but there's much more to it than that. The use of fixed patterns of movement is not the
prerogative of the oriental martial arts. Historians tell us that the gladiators practised a set pattern of cuts against a stump of
wood. The retiarious with his net and trident, performed a set of complex moves as he recited the chant of the fisher of men, before the fight to the death.
"Quatro, parry, thrust, withdraw, riposte, alt!" This was one of the chants of the maestro of the fencing academy I once attended,
as he strove to improve our techniques by repetitive actions. In the martial arts Kata is much more than this, although we must
practice it repetitiously to gain technical perfection. We must meditate before we practice, we must analyses each move, each breath, every subtle tension, relaxation and shift of the body. We have
to understand how the Kata works against an aggressor. To perform Kata without this understanding is to do nothing more than a dance.
The question must also be asked "Why was Kata developed?" It must be remembered that many of the old masters and their students were illiterate. They had no means of recording the techniques of
the ryu (style), so the Katas were developed. Taught by the master without compromise, and in turn by his disciples in the same no-nonsense manner.
Kata was also used in a different way. It was used to spread misleading information. If a spy was infiltrated into a school, the master would subtly change some of the moves of a Kata, and the
spy on returning to his own school would show these wrong techniques to his sensei, who would develop incorrect counter measures against those particular moves.
Unfortunately some of these moves have crept in and done their dirty business, and have become accepted as correct techniques. They are hard to spot. When the bunkai (translation) is carefully
studied, they can be discovered. As the Katas are examined and practised, it soon becomes apparent that Kata also teaches a history and
geography lesson. The names of the Kata change as do their techniques. In the older Kata, with its obvious application against an armoured warrior, the techniques which are directed against the
vulnerable points of the armour are called Pinan. The more modern, with the emphasis being against assailants without armour, are termed Heian, or new style.
Kata with an emphasis on kicks, indicates that it's from a mountainous area where strong legs develop. One with more punches and strikes from a low flat area, possibly the rice paddies, developed
strong upper bodies. This is probably even more so in the forms of the Chinese styles. I believe they have a saying "Kicks in the North. Punches in the South."
Now for my pet hates. The Americanisation of Kata. Kata (Yes, I like that part) dressed in karate suits made from the USA flag, performing gyrations that are better left to Michael Jackson.
Worse than that; that abomination, the musical Kata. No one ever defended their life in slow motion to 'Knights in White Satin.'
This kind of rubbish has no meaning and therefore no place in the martial arts. Just a final word. You will hear it said "We
don't do this or that Kata, it's not our style". Why should you not do it? If you like it, learn it. In this respect some of the eclectic styles are in advance of the traditional styles.
Their founders having seen fit to incorporate many different Katas into their teachings. Remember whatever style you do, wherever it
originates from, the Kata is the soul, the heart, the lifeblood, the very essence of the martial way.
From Blitz Magazine
‘The old Shaolin master and the disciple’ by Dr Redman J Crosby (copyrighted
2004)
I became a great master of the Shaolin Temple!!. The story unfolds like this. I grew up in a neighbouring province, to that which
bordered the five sacred mountains, and I had wanted from a very small boy to journey to this place of the Shaolin, this place of intrigue and honour which had been dialogued to me many times as great stories
by my father who was a modest merchant in the true Chinese traditions of that dynasty. My time came whence I had proved my manhood and
compassion to my family and friends, so I determined that I would be off to the Shaolin, with no reference from any master and no idea in my head, only that I had this dogged passion to be there and learn!!
Having arrived at the gates of the Shaolin, I settled in and waited and waited and waited to be admitted into the temple, with nothing more than a bit of rice that was kindly offered to me from passing
monks. Time drifted into days and into weeks, until finally I was admitted into the temple and assembled in the courtyard to await for my next instructions with
the other disciples. I noticed as time went on two monks came out into our view, one was quite old scrawny and mature, whereas the other one was much younger and fitter, both of these
masters sat apart from each other and sat in full lotus position!. They sat and pondered the scene for what seemed the longest of time, an eternity, neither one flinching or hardly moving except to relinquish
their waste from time to time. I gathered up enough courage to stagger over to this old master, my legs wobbling from sitting in the lotus pose for such a long time, and I said to him ………..
“ Master, can you tell me who is my master, as I would love to know this thing?” The old master looked at me for quite a while, and said in a soft yet firm tone, ….. “ yes! I can tell you
who is your master!!” “ Then will you tell me then”, …. And the old man said “ No I won’t!!” Utterly dejected I returned to
my position into the ranks of the young hopefuls and watched as others proceeded to go up to this old man and ask the same question, .. “ Sir, can you please tell me who is my master”, … and the answer was “
yes I can”, …. “ Then will you tell me?”, …. and his answer was always “ No!!” And of course they would then give up and try the same dialogue with the younger master, and he would give them
all the same answer always backing up the older man! This went on for days and days, we would come out in the mornings, gather in the main courtyard, wait for hours in the hot sun and then
ask the same questions, and get the same answer, “ No!, I will not tell you who is your master” Then one day, it was the blooming of the cherry blossoms for I remember them being scattered
by the wind on the paved cobble stones, we had gathered as before in the courtyard, the two masters sitting as they did
apart from each other and in front of us, something spectacular happened. The younger master suddenly got up from lotus and went into the
most magnificent Kata. He pranced around and around with the grace of a great gazelle and the eyes of an Eagle, as he went into kata after kata, each movement executed with the greatest of precision and form,
with the awareness of a ‘Master’. The new budding disciples were dually impressed, as was I, and we all rushed over and tripped over each other to this great man in our sights and said,
“ you must be our master, can you teach us?” As time went by, and the years folded into each other like the weaver’s loom, I noticed the old man did nothing, he would come out in the
morning, say “ yes I can tell you who is your master!”, … and then say, “ No!, I will not tell you”, to all the new recruits, I thought to myself “ what a waste of time he is!” Time
continued to pass at this temple, until, I myself had become a master of great renown far and wide. I had a certain arrogance about me at the temple which certainly needed to be humbled.
I could break many slate blocks with a single blow and was now well versed in all the secrets of siddhi and super normal manifestation. I said to myself,….. “ who is this
old man?”, because it had occurred to me, from time to time as to what was he actually here for?, no one seemed to
know!!, maybe he is mad and the elder’s have taken pity on him, I just did not know! At dusk one evening I took it upon myself to visit his little dwelling inside the grounds of the temple.
I knocked at the door, where upon there was an utterance for me to come into his home. Being rather brash at the time, I said “ who are you old man?” he
replied to me, “ I am he who knew you could enter!” “ But what do you do? I see you come out every morning, sit down and do nothing, except say to the new devotees, “ Yes, I can tell you
who is your master”, .. and then say to them, .. “ No! I will not tell you who is your master!!” The old man pondered for one moment, and then said to me, ………. “ You know I was once a great
master of the martial arts, I have sired twenty nine children and was married to six concubines, for a very long time, until one day I had the need to leave them and my home behind and come to this temple to
become a great priest” I interjected rather callously, and said, … “ That is very
fascinating Sir, but can you come with me old man to the great temple courtyard, many of our people are waiting there to see us!.” The old man followed me down to the yard where many had
gathered to see the breaking of the blocks, as it was a big deal in those days as to your ability to break the slates, to prove your steadfast ability. I placed myself in kata and proceeded
to break the thick slates with incredible power and agility, I said to the old man, … “ Can you break those slates like this?”, he replied “ Yes I can!”, …. To which
I then replied, “ old man can you show us all how you break the slates?” The old man again pondered for a minute in front of the crowd, and he then took the time to acknowledge everyone who
was in the audience, from the older masters right through to the new devotees. The old man bowed to the East, then to the West, then to the South and finally to the North, as everyone said
to themselves “ oh brother!! I wish he would just get on with it” He then prostrated himself into the most magnificent silent Kata, and breathed in the breath of life!, and as he breathed
out, every piece of slate that was stacked in the entire courtyard was shattered into many pieces, and everyone in his audience was instantly healed!! …… he then dropped his body and enlightened in front of
all of us. My story finishes with that vivid memory of so long ago, as if it were yesterday, he is still talked about even today in the circles of the Shaolin, one who truly conveyed
compassion and love to all of his disciples, For the true Master is always the self, and he showed us that in the most magnificent way, without
Ego, only in the absolute certainty that it would be so, ………… ‘and it was’
Charity In The Arts by Andrew Payne
It was around the turn of the Millennium. An Australian Spring where you sometimes feel like it's mid summer. Des was
finally going for his Black Belt and you could see the energy in the man. He'd always wanted to do karate since he was a young boy, so he'd dream as he put one car part on another at the Mitsubishi
assembly line, some would call it visualisation.
We all arrived early and waited for the senior instructor to walk through the doors so we could get underway. He was a very nice person, but once the black obi went around his waist there was no
time for nonsense. He did it by the book and expected everyone else to. Des was not a very wealthy man, he lived in a black hole that tried to consume every penny he earned and more. Des
had two things against him when he started to fulfil his dream, his age and finances.
I helped overcome the financial problems by giving him some extra work to pay for classes so he rewarded me by being at all the classes and being the first to offer help. Saving up for gradings was hard, because with two daughters, one being handicapped, a money pit for a house, there was always something more pressing, more urgent. As I said he made up for him starting late in
life, nearly forty and having never stepped on a mat, by being the most enthusiastic, the hardest training student.
Over the years we had trained with our senior instructor and graded with him so he got to know Des fairly well.
Well Sensei arrived promptly, I called all to attention with a loud "YOI" and they turned to him as I said "Rei" and we all bowed. Des quickly handed over the money for the grading, expecting a
phone call any minute that the ceiling had fallen in. We then got under way as he did what was necessary for a twenty year old to get his black belt. He also did some breaking and self defence.
It was over before it started as is usual
with these events, some people were on the side comparing bruises, others telling Des how well he went and others saying how much harder it is in their club etc.
I was spending some time with Sensei as he was packing up when I noticed him addressing an envelope to Mrs. Des...., and putting the amount of the grading fee inside. I then said quietly "why
didn't you just tell him to keep it?". He explained that it wasn't Des' money anymore it belongs to the club and that a person needs to fulfil all requirements for a grading, even financial and
if you let them off they will feel hollowness in the grading. Sensei said "we don't live in rice paddies anymore so you can't pay for this knowledge with rice". He handed it to me and told me to
give it to Des' wife, she can tell him if she wants.
I learnt a valuable lesson here, from my Sensei, that it is not about the money but about the perfecting of the participants involved.
Helen Bressler
 76-year-old earns black belt at local gym
A City of Delafield woman has reached her latest goal: becoming a first-degree black belt in taekwondo.
Since the mid-1990s, she has also been named a Badger State Female Athlete of the Year and champion of the Wisconsin State Fair power lifting contest.
Meet Helen Bressler, age 76.
Bressler has lived an active life, which has included cross country running, downhill skiing and activities at the Senior Olympics. And she's not done yet.
A student at J.A.B. Karate Center in Okauchee, Bressler walked
into the studio five years ago at age 71, informing Master Jim Bonesho that taekwondo was to be her next challenge.
"I've never had a student of her age," Bonesho said. "I was a
little concerned of her age."
But that concern was quickly put to rest as Bonesho soon learned of Bressler's energy and determination. Bonesho remembers the first day Bressler talked
with him.
That kind of changed quickly when she said she could do everything except if I were to stand on her back when she was doing pushups," Bonesho laughed.
Since then, Bonesho has seen Bressler break boards, do pushups,
and compete in the discipline at the same pace as everyone else.
"She can do it just like a 20-year-old," he said. "For her age, it's just amazing. It's quite the accomplishment."
Bonesho said she is one to set a goal with the strong determination to reach it.
"Usually at that age level, people end up doing something more adaptive to that age. I didn't have to do that with Bressler," Bonesho said.
Bressler, who takes up a new sport every 10 years, said she wanted to learn taekwondo "to accomplish the impossible dream."
"It was just me," she said.
When family and friends learned of her newfound sport, Bressler said, "They just rolled their eyes and said, 'Here she goes again.' "
Bressler said she saw it as an opportunity to combine and use her experience in ballroom dancing and power lifting. She said, within the art, she is
fonder of the form discipline, something she described as "dances with power."
"That to me was the easiest and the part I liked the best. It was the part of the reason I stayed with taekwondo. Even though some of the jumps and spins
weren't as easy for me, it was fun for me to do the forms."
It's the satisfaction of accomplishing such a feat that keeps Bressler searching to take on new sport after new sport. But three years ago, two years
into the minimum four it takes to receive a black belt, Bressler broke her hip and needed surgery.
Unlike many people, Bressler, 73 at the time, quickly recovered from the injury, which left her with a metal plate and six screws in her hip. But that
wasn't going to stop her from reaching her goal.
About five months later, she was back on the mat, learning more from her master and interacting with other students.
"They were just amazed at my energy," Bressler said.
Working around a group of people young enough to be her children and grandchildren, Bressler continued to progress.
"It was a little intimidating," she said.
Bonesho said the students seemed to really enjoy what Bressler was doing.
"I think they were amazed with everything she can do," Bonesho said. "Everyone is surprised. I think they all look up to her."
"Black- belt tests are very tiring, and there is a lot to do," Bonesho explained "She was totally involved in it. This is a goal she wanted to get."
And she did, after five years.
"This is my favorite of everything I've ever done," Bressler said.
Of course, she credits her teacher.
"I can't say enough how wonderful Master Bonesho is," she said. "He's been my fan and cheerleader. He is so patient."
Bressler is now working toward earning her second-degree black belt, and hopefully even her third-degree.
"When I get to the third-degree black belt, I'll be 80 years old," she said.
©Lake Country Reporter 2008
The No Sword School by Gary Simpson
Tsukahara Bokuden was
one of Japan’s greatest swordsmen. Reputedly he lived from 1490 to 1572, a time when people lived by the sword and died by the sword. Legend tells us that one
day when Bokuden was crossing a river in a rowboat with a number of other passengers, a rough looking samurai began to boast of his skill in swordsmanship.
Being frightened of him all the other passengers listened intently – all except Bokuden, who pretended to be dozing. This irritated the samurai. He approached Bokuden, kicked him and said: “You have a pair of
swords, why do you not listen to me?” Bokuden looked up at him and said quietly: “ Because my art is different to yours.”
The samurai sneered at him. “How so? he demanded. “My art consists not of defeating others but in not being defeated myself.”
This irritated the samurai. “What is the name of your school?” he demanded. Bokuden looked at him serenely and replied: “It is known as the
Mutekatsu school. We believe in defeating the enemy without using the sword.” “Why then do you carry two swords? Do you really believe that you can defeat me
without using them?” “Let’s test it,” replied Bokuden. “Where? We cannot fight on this boat. There is no room,”
said the samurai. Bokuden looked around. Not far away he saw a small island. “Why not over there?” he pointed.
The samurai braggart then yelled to the boatman to take them to the island to fight. When they were close enough the samurai jumped off the
boat and drew his sword eager for combat. In a leisurely manner Bokuden removed his swords and handed them to the boatman. It appeared to the samurai that he
was about to follow the samurai onto the island without his swords. The samurai began to yell abuse and swing his sword. Bokuden, however, suddenly took the
oar away from the boatman and used it to push the boat away from the island into deep water where the angry samurai could not go. As they left the island
Bokuden yelled to the samurai, “This is my No Sword School.” This story was used to illustrate the same purpose in Bruce
Lee’s epic movie “Enter the Dragon.”
The Story of the Okinawan Samurai
A poor Okinawan fisherman once borrowed money
from a Japanese soldier. When it was time to pay his debt the fisherman had no money.
Angered, the samurai drew his sword. "I have started to learn karate," the fisherman said in protest,
"and the first thing I was taught, was never to strike in anger." The samurai was so surprised to be reminded of his first training vow, that he let the fisherman go.
That night when the samurai returned home, he found another samurai sleeping beside his wife. He was bursting with anger and once again drew his sword. But the fisherman's words echoed in his head: "Never to strike in anger."
The samurai left the house, then returned loudly and called his wife from the doorway. He was met by his wife and to his surprise, his mother dressed as a man. The women had been bothered by intruders, and his mother had dressed like a samurai in order to frighten them away. The next month, when the fisherman came to pay his debt, the samurai refused the payment. "Keep your
money." Said the samurai, "It is I who owe you."
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