Line Seven: and both the eyes must see all sides

GENERAL

See all sides: first, we must understand that what we see is not actually what we see. It would be wise to remember that what we perceive as seeing the world is actually seeing a picture created in the mind from data sent to it from the outside world through cells in the eyes translated from lines, shapes, contours, etc. into the perceived three dimensional picture in the mind.

Our minds, brains, take input from the eyes and create the outside world in our inside world, our matrix of the mind, through neurochemical and neuroelectrical impulses to create the perception, impression and belief that what we are seeing is actually what is in the real world.

When seeing all sides with both eyes keep this and other perspectives in mind. This will provide the practitioner clues to why something may not go as planned or some idea, perception or belief falls short. It is one of many reasons why analysis and questioning with a repetitive form to get past the ghosts and misinterpretations to get to the reality is important.

Keep in your awareness, subliminal form, that imagination, memory, and consciousness are not exactly reliably stable. There are always changes and fluctuations that occur naturally as sensory information are processed from moment to moment. What you see may not actually be what you see.

An additional consideration when contemplating senses our assumptions, conjectures, postulate, rationalizations; the complexity in abstractions; our behaviors; our orientations in the real world to the matrix like world of the mind. Remember our perceptions of the real world are determinant solely on our minds interpretations of the lines, shapes, contours and shadings taken in by the eyes and the translations with all the considerations that build a simulation of the real outer world in our minds.

Oh, when you begin to add in other senses, i.e. hearing, smell and tactile, you are adding other sensory input into the mix.

THE EYES HAVE IT

Literal and metaphysical aspects apply. In karate power is necessary, along with lots of other variables, to achieve effective karate technique. In the practice of karate the "eyes" become a significant factor.

Literally the eyes are required to "see or to seek" and thus "assess" before action is involved. This is practiced in kata by "looking or seeing or seeking" before committing to a move such as a parry or strike. The "eyes" provide decisiveness in application of the technique. Before the brain can determine which technique or tactic to take it must perceive the problem.

Next, the "eyes" provide a focus for that same technique. Look with determination and resolve at the target, which is the opponent. Put your eyes dead on their shoulder/head area and lock on with the facial and body language that speaks of determination and resolve. The direction of the gaze, eyes, will also provide additional focus toward the target area. Try it, hit the heavy bag while gazing at it directly then try it again with the eyes down, left, right, up at the sky or what ever and see if things don't go hinkey.

The "eyes" also provide stability to the body. Eyes turning toward the target provide a line of embarkation for the body and the weapon of choice so it starts the physical process that provides power, speed, and accuracy to hit. Eyes must point to the opponent and target, in general, to achieve maximum effectiveness.

If you don't put your eyes on target then you lose focus, that of seeing what is occurring and what effectiveness the weapon, hand or foot, etc., will have on the target. It the eyes lose direction and focus then the ability to protect and defend; utilize good solid technique effectively; will suffer.

The eyes truly must see all sides, all sides of the spatial arena, all sides of the opponent, all sides of the effectiveness of action, and all sides of any situation.

But, there comes a time when the eyes must not see all sides but must close to allow other senses to lead the mind. Since the eyes can be fooled when in close and personal it might also benefit to close the eyes and allow the sense of tough, tactile, see how the adversary is moving, etc.

THE EYES MUST SEE

The eyes must see all sides reveals the issues one has with the mindset. Mindset is an aspect to both life and martial arts that drives us toward success. It is ours and our responsibility that has no tolerance toward projecting blame on others and other things, it is our responsibility. The eyes must have the ability to see the mindset issues and problems so as to reveal the errors humans make due to perceived expertise or mastery.

Mastery, if not seen within the mindset of the master blinds the person to seeing things beyond what they perceive as mastery. It hinders our perception of the cues and options, to ignore potentially useful strategies, and to fail at noticing opportunities that arise in each moment.

Allowing a mastery or expertise to exist means we assume that there is nothing more to learn, to study or to practice. It stunts the growth of our intuitive-analytical ability especially in stressful and dangerous situations. To block or hinder our intuitive mindset process is to set it to a dogmatic immobile perception of the world so that one can not see it any other way.

When you think of those systems that remain dogmatically glued to a practice and training that is born of some master long ago without the crucial requirement to extend that practice and training beyond the mere fundamentals taught as the origins of the system then you fail to see the true potential and growth of that system. It is honorable to desire that one's practice of a system similar or exact to what they were taught by the master and originator but to remain steadfast and doggedly attached to it stifling the growth of it are just wrong. The ken-po goku-i teaches us that this is not conducive to the growth of any system, i.e. the shu-ha-ri of martial systems.

The eyes must see all sides goes way beyond the sense if sight. Seeing goes way beyond merely seeing. It is an intuitive analytical means of truly and without bias seeing the world and all it contains so that perceptions are true to the individual and thus to the whole of humanity.

REALITY

Is not our "ego" the equivalent of the "Matrix" where our minds as influenced by dictates of the ego on our lives? Can we achieve reality in our minds with out the ego's influences? Is what we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch reality or is it something that comes from the ego? Is the ego something that is influenced by what we see, hear, feel, touch, and/or taste and how do both influence the other to create the reality we perceive as individual minds held in the shell we call the body?

Such questions and the pursuit of the answers may be the key to unlocking the realty from the perceived reality. This is the "Way" and why the goku-i makes vague references to both the mind and body. Remember that the body always follows the mind regardless of its perception of either the real or unreal.

We are what we see, hear, touch, smell, and taste as interpreted by the mind which is under the control of the "ego" so that if the ego is the "Matrix" then what we perceive as our true world my not be reality. We don't literally "see" but to achieve understanding we must first "know" and the knowing is influenced by the "seeing, hearing, etc" that is received in the brain and interpreted as influenced by the ego. We justify everything in our lives by what we "see", "hear", "touch", "smell", and "taste."

Our justification for our beliefs comes from all the experiences we have had and this remains true unless we have a reason to distrust those experiences. Who dictates this trust or non-trust? It starts with our ego's and sometimes we rely on our perceptions of others instead of our own "hearts" to tell us what is what.

Everything we feel is either normal or not normal, expected or not expected, or any other experiences is nothing more that a function or result of something else we have experienced or what we are used to.

The mind controls the body and what the mind senses determines what the body does in many ways. You can look at the senses as a type of interface or input/output device(s) that program the mind through the filter of the ego and tell us what we do both mentally and physically, i.e. the body's reactions or actions. This is important. Is this the "Matrix" of our ego?

Our world extends as far as we can sense and though this is minimalistic, in truth it does form knowledge about the world although it is our limited world vs. the true world of which we live in on this planet.

One reason I understand when the goku-i only refers to the two main senses of sight and hearing is that these senses are what is called the distance senses, for they function at a distance as far as the eye can see and the ear can hear. They do not require any physical contact to work and provide information. When we see or hear something is that sent directly to the mind as truth or is it filtered by our ego matrix first and then colored by that filter? If so, then we have to ask how to bypass that filter called the ego. We have to see how we can re-program that script of the ego so it does not send anything but the truth of reality.

Sometimes looks and sounds can be deceiving which is one goal of the goku-i to teach us how to differentiate and act. A means of testing the sight and sound of something is to perceive it with physical contact. Once you make physical contact with something then it becomes more "real." As the I Ching says, "Seeing is believing, but touching is the truth.  The body can not live without the mind, the mind makes it real." The mind is the focus then as to the Matrix of the Ego we are trying to take hold of because if the mind makes it all real then the addition of training and practice as well as the tactile ability to reach the truth is paramount.

We see and hear but we use other faculties to confirm the truth of it to reach reality. The ego program influences even touch so programming the ego is important.

The fighting arts utilize "chakugan" to be proficient in action. We are naturally reactive in our bodies when we "see" and/or "hear" something that triggers the flight or fight responses of the mind and body. When the bodies' natural defenses start our heart rate, breathing, and adrenaline are pumped and our minds, if trained properly, assist us in re-directing those natural actions into a more productive action. Mental images, even if confirmed with hearing and finally other physical means, occur usually after the bodies natural protective responses are in action. So the training can also keep one from taking inappropriate actions if fooled by the eye or ear. There is only one way to accomplish this and that is through practice and training which may be the reprogramming of the ego so it filters fact and not fiction.

The I Ching refers to the duality of real and not real. Appearance and Reality can be two different things and our "seeing" and/or "hearing" may cause reality to be skewed. We have a mind and body, which is the Creative results of the Tao, or the Great Tai Chi, which is the creation of yin and yang that lead to humanity and the Universe.

What is it that is common to all real things and common to all unreal things, that makes them what they are and different from each other? The unreal world depends entirely on things in the real world for its existence. Then again if my hypothesis is accurate then the real vs. unreal is influenced by our ego's which are influenced by our experiences in life as we grow up and the ego changes accordingly as information comes but if the program is not enabled to "truth and reality" then what we perceive and believe may not be reality.

Another point in this exercise is our ego program or ego matrix is a basic in and out program when we are born. This is why the ancients always strived to be like a newborn child but if the ego matrix of those around us as we grow is not properly programmed then those programs code our program changing the ego matrix into a mixture of others into the "one" which is we.

Is everything we experience a mere appearance, or are these appearances manifestations of actual things, which are more or less as they appear to be? What is the ego matrix telling us?

Minds are of the ability to make things real even if they are not. Maybe this is why we have so many factions in our fighting art because all the ego matrixes are programming their minds and why should they disbelieve their own minds?

When the mind receives input from the world by "seeing" or "hearing" or "touching" something then the body will react according to what nature programmed into our very being, DNA, Instincts, etc. We can change this deep-set nature through practice and training but it takes continued, constant, diligent, repetitive training and practice to overcome the mind and bodies natural reactive instincts.

The idea is to reprogram our matrix so that we are not confused by what we see or hear so clarity becomes instinctual and the truth is real. This could be the way we overcome misunderstandings that lead to conflict. When we are free from confusion and reprogram our egos so that we can identify the real then the mind will cease to be influenced by unreality.

Let training and practice teach our minds and bodies to recognize and understand the ability to distinguish appearance and reality so we can take actions that are appropriate. Maybe this is the true key to "not striking first" in karate-do? If we attain that ability then we cannot be influenced unduly by events that normally cause re-actions. Let action be the rule and let re-action be set aside as something we do not do much like "not striking first."

Reprogram your ego matrix so that your mind has the power to overcome illusions, to achieve the ability to exit from any predicament in life with appropriate intent resulting in peaceful action.

We can only do this by taking charge of our matrix and opening the mind to reality.

TRUTH AND BEYOND

The ken-po goku-i's reference in line seven can also mean to "see" truth; to "see" beyond our limited understanding of things; to "see" that all idea's and answers to all things are subject to the same laws that govern the Universe, i.e. constantly changing; fluid. We must "see" ourselves for what we truly are so that we don't color our view with preconceived notions and idea's that we tend to make intractable so we remain inflexible; a path to disaster and stunted growth both personal and in martial training.

Seeing all sides is to "see" all sides. Don't limit your interpretation and application of this to just what you literally see to all sides of your physical presence. Step outside the box; see all sides!

POWER OF VISION

In the "Writings of Chung Tzu" it is said, "When men possessed and employed their (natural) power of vision, there would be no distortion of the world.

SENSES

The Ken-po Goku-i, or goku-i for short, talks about the senses both directly and indirectly. When the goku-i states that a person must see all directions, the directions in question can be literally the multi-directions the eye perceives of the environment and all that resides within "as far as the eyes can see." What it does not do is provide us with explanations and training on how we utilize this most important tool for the mind. The following two quotes from Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D. books on the gentle art of verbal self-defense tell us more about how the mind uses our perceptive filtering through the sense of "seeing in all directions."

"It is not your eyes that are doing the learning, but your whole body. And it's not what you see that teaches you. Seeing is only the tool that you use for obtaining the information. What you learn from is feedback you get from your own body as you try to match the body language being demonstrated. ... No set of detailed written instructions will replace the feedback you get from your body as you try to follow someone's instruction - right before your eyes - to "hold your hand like this."

IMAGERY

Visualization works. Training and practice for real encounters has degree's by which it is effective in conditioning the mind to access and apply tactics and strategies to not get hit (my current favorite quote :-). The thought of something triggers the same region of the brain as the real experience. It does so with less intensity but still the same.

In order to make anything work and work well it sometimes, often actually, takes a combination of things to make it to the mind and remain a viable part the mind can use. The experience ingrained in the mind from visualization is much less than if you actually experience the event. Yet, it can still provide the brain with something to draw upon for training/practice purpose but is not optimal.

As we jack up the intensity of training and practice that region of the mind/brain will tend to stick it in memory better than just visualization. Add in a physical enactment of a defense/offense, as in karate for fighting, response along with visualization it provides a bit more and the brain will add more credence to it.

Take the same and add in a partner while doing drills and more brain training and programming will go on with more likelihood it (mind) will draw on it in real time increases. You have to ensure that your mind is focused on the intent of practice to make it all work.

Our thoughts seem real - because they trigger brain activity similar to what happens in our brains with the real thing so visualization works. I don't recommend going with it exclusively, adding on layers to actual realistic enactments/training/practice will ensure that it works. I don't intend to promote only visualization but to use it properly with a variety of other more intense trainings will marry the two into the one better.

Nothing will take the place of real life experiences but you can rest assured and know that military over our entire history have proven that other means of attaining the will and the ability is there until hands-on experience is achieved. It's a fact Jack!

The closer to reality the training the closer to fool proof you can get. As fool proof as anything can achieve in this chaotic life we live.

INTERPRETATIONS

To "see" doesn't mean just to register images; it means to interpret. - Damon Knight, Developing Your Talent as a Writer; Learning to See

When you walk in a meadow, see a tree - what do you see? Some might say, "I see a tree." Some might say, "I see an oak tree." The point is not only what you see but also how you interpret that tree. Some might say, "The huge oak with its many knots and wide branches shifting and swaying with the afternoon breeze while impressing nature with its strength, health and breadth over the land under the shadow of its heavy branches filled with leaves cluttering and caressing one another as many mothers to their younglings."

Yes, a bit much but I want to get the point across. Seeing a tree is one thing but seeing it and interpreting what you see into more than just a simple tree is something unique and special. It tells us a story and in karate-do what we see in our environment and how we interpret what we see matters.

Today I was reminded just how complicated interpretation is and that interpretation involves seeing, interpreting and knowing what you see - is vital. So many videos are made of folks on the streets that it becomes a witness and a threat. I have viewed two that I misinterpreted completely because I didn't have full knowledge of the incident and I have no experience as a professional interpreting the events that were recorded.

I viewed the video, I attempted to see the event and I judged - too quickly and incorrectly. I was lucky a professional provided me much needed feedback on the events that once explained opened my eyes to seeing that his interpretation was far superior to mine and rightly so.

I then viewed another video of a violent encounter between two reported street members. I came to realize that avoidance is so much more important. Violence is unforgiving. I actually thought the person who received the most damage was dead or at the very least would suffer a lot of physical complications later on.

Seeing things with clarity and properly interpreting events, people and actions are most difficult and can be so misleading - a dangerous mix if you are ever in a violent encounter. Trust me, I will run fast and far if I am lucky enough to see it coming and my pride will not be an issue nor will my ego. It is so much safer.

Knowledge, interpretation and reality seeing - another important aspect of self-protection.

PERIPHERAL VISION

I have realized that this also means utilizing "peripheral vision" in combat or just about any endeavor. Pearlman Sensei provides this principal/fundamental in a light not realized by me before that moment.

He provided me with the knowledge that peripheral vs. direct vision in bypassing the thinking mind and accessing directly my training to achieve quicker action should I be attacked. All provided my training included as real a fighting drill/simulations as possible coupled with any and all actual hands-on experiences.

A principal that says peripheral vision is to "Look far to see near, look near to see far." It tells us to increase our reactions. This practice might enlighten all of us to the old stories of martial artists who could end a fight by their kamae with a stare that conveyed strong ability, etc. The blank stare of peripheral vision can be interpreted by an opponent as total non-concern conveying a complete lack of thought toward anything but that opponents total destruction with no opening for him, etc. [total lack of true conveyance of what I mean but hopefully you will still get what I am trying to say]

After all, seeing all sides can mean not only the direct vision being placed no-mind/no-where so that the peripheral vision that stretches at least 180 degrees along with movement to achieve 360 degree views does make sense. Using this can and does allow a martial artist to "see all sides."

TEST: Take a cardboard tube and place it gently over one eye, close the other eye, and this will give you the experience of what it might be like with out your peripheral vision. Take the tube away and then back and then away then what is perceived outside of direct vision becomes more apparent.

TO SCAN

To scan is to apply both conscious and unconscious awareness to the environment your body resides in at any one moment in time to achieve EWS (early warning systems) capabilities, which contribute immensely to our ability to perceive and determine when to "avoid" things that might put us into harms way.

Karate/karate-do + Ken-po Goku-i (yang + yin of martial systems) teaches us to use our body-mind to achieve something unique in our practice and life. A core teaching of both is the use of both "eyes and ears" to see and hear many things both literal and figurative as our minds interpret what is seen in scanning so we may act accordingly with out resorting to a somewhat ineffective, for our time, instinctive reaction to stimuli, etc.

The eyes have both direct and peripheral vision while the ears have a much larger area to hear sounds that would trigger the eyes and head to rotate in the right direction for gathering more pertinent data to evaluate. All this when trained properly; when educated properly, provide almost instantaneous responses/reactions/actions necessary to "avoid; deescalate; remain aware."

Using your imagination and training to rotate the head to the left and right provide your eyes, both direct and peripheral + hearing, a full three hundred eighty degree area coverage. If something is detected to the absolute rear by hearing the body can turn ninety degrees either way to verify data before acting using peripheral vision, if time permits.

Give this some serious consideration. After all, in my view, this scanning is actually the first physical training fundamental that provides the art of avoidance its best chance of success.

TRAIT OF SIGHT AND SOUND FOR SENSEI

You, as Sensei, must achieve the trait and ability to see all sides of your practitioners. See them as they are and as they can be - their potential. This means seeing the teaching potential that resides in each one - individually, uniquely, and completely.

Provide your dojo participants the light and guide them along the path. To achieve this, open the eyes and see everything - obvious and hidden. Do you truly "see" your students?

OBSERVE-N-SEE

There are two terms in Japanese that help explain this precept or tome or terse tome of the ken-po goku-i, i.e. kan (observing) and ken (seeing). 

It begins by telling us that the eye, generally for martial systems, is both strong and weak. Kan is a strong eye while ken is a weak eye. We see far and close where the focus may change what is seen from either strong or weak. We must achieve seeing as a sweeping broad fashion of seeing things.

Then we take into consideration strong and weak where directly seeing a thing is weak while seeing the peripheral as strong. This is what the gorin-no-sho states in, "you observe what is happening on both sides (peripheral) of yourself without rolling your eyes." This is that principle that uses such vision to see everything allowing the mind/brain to achieve superior action selection and implementation.

The art of seeing all things in martial systems is special to the art of fighting. To know a threats fighting system and yet not seeing its importance is not the art of fighting and leads to getting hit.

We make many things important yet should understand that all the principles must be cohesive in application and practice/training to achieve a whole complete and useful system. Any imbalance to one or more leaves the art less than optimal. Seek the optimal, perfection as a path, at all times in training/practice.

This can be applied to "hearing," "striking," "moving," "balance," "hard-n-soft," and other aspects of the ken-po goku-i as it connects to the fundamental principles of martial systems.

SHUGYO

Shugyo is commonly used in martial practice to indicate a type of training that will take one to a mental and physical extreme where the degree of severity determines for the individual where that level resides within their mind and body.

First, it is not just a hard physical activity. The activity is not meant to just stress the muscles to a point of fatigue. The physical activity must be coupled with a mental intent. The intent is derived from the practice in general - for me it is karate.

Second, many are not completely sure as to its true meaning. It is both physical and mental with a benefit of a greater level of spirit - not of a religious nature. When we practice something wholeheartedly we are developing spirit. Spirit is like esprit de corps felt by Marines. Marines have a common spirit developed by group cohesion, enthusiasm, devotion, and a strong regard for the honor of the group. Martial practice can be that which brings the group, dojo, together, provide for fuel to create personal and group enthusiasm, and the practice over time does give a sense of regard and honor toward the spirit of the system through the spirit of the individual.

Third, it does also involve a type of abstinence where the type of abstinence is determined by whom? Abstinence of what can be stretching the mind away from the ordinary and mundane into a realm of the unknown. It can involve abstaining from thoughts of the past or future so we remain in the present moment. It means abstaining from thoughts of dominance and self-indulgence. It is meanings that must be determined by the individual to achieve a stretch beyond what the mind and body assumes are its limits.

Shugyo is a personal journey of all those who train/practice a more classical form of the system where they achieve higher levels of endurance to sever discipline of extreme practice where removal of the typical and mundane with an opening of the mind for "kaigen: opening one's eyes to truth achieving enlightenment."

CHAKUGAN

I often witness when persons are "doing" kata that they do not use their eyes. I have also heard Sensei explain that your using instinct to turn into an attack is best which I find a bit discerning. Why? Because no one ever has or will ever develop "instinct" that actually "sees" an attack with out the eyes being involved.

What may be occurring is someone who appears to be "seeing" the attack with out the eyes is actually seeing the attack from a peripheral aspect. Does this mean a practitioner and/or a person in self-defense should not turn the head and look/see; better not or you will get your clocked cleaned?

I use a term, "Chakugan," which in a nutshell means to set your "eyes" on your opponent's eyes or just your opponent. This assists in proper focus of techniques and targeting. In the adrenaline dump effects of fear of violence it also assists the proponent in overcoming the limiting effects in the body, i.e. narrowing of vision, etc.

THIRD-EYE

We see literally then we see in a figurative sense but what we see internally is most important. Taking a look inside us involves looking inward which brings to mind reference in karate circles of old the term, "third eye."

When you see references, especially in the ancient classics, you need to "see" the more modern term in its place. The third eye is supposed to be located about the middle of the forehead just above the eyebrows. Does this provide a clue to the modern meaning of "third eye?"

The part of the brain in that location is the "frontal lobe" which involves planning/anticipation; follow-through; impulsivity; judgment; reasoning; abstract thinking; smell; motor planning; personality; emotionality; speaking; integration of thought and emotion; self-monitoring. Hmm, if we look at these we realize most of what we do and how we do it comes from this area so maybe, just maybe the third eye is referring to the use of the frontal lobe in meditation, etc. to achieve true seeing into the self.

I may be stretching this a bit to elucidate on the "seeing" we accomplish through the term usage of "third eye" but it makes sense. Yes, seeing or vision in a literal sense in not handled here but we are not talking about literally seeing something but lets say, "spiritually seeing" the self with a critical "eye."

To see in all directions is not just spacial but internal as well. To see ourselves as we truly are is in all probability the most difficult task/goal we have as humans. Karate-do tries to lead us toward this understanding and with the ken-po goku-i studies maybe this is the light that shines on us to allow us to see within, in all directions.

WELL-ROUNDED SENSE

In martial systems practitioners tend to rely heavily on their sight. I believe this is limiting. A practitioner should use sight, hearing and touch to create a well rounded sense system in practice and application. This post is on the primary sight sense or the dominant sense of sight.

In martial systems we rely on direct vision. The normal person does not become aware of or use peripheral vision much to their detriment for it is a superior method of detecting acts that need response where speed is critical.

The practitioner must also realize that when a threat is encountered that the body will dump a lot of adrenaline into the body. One of the primary concerns is the tunnel vision that comes with this dump. The training should provide for reduction and control of this effect. How the practitioner looks at a threat matters. The look should be such that they don't actually use direct vision to detect motion but rather the peripheral. The mind uses peripheral vision differently than direct vision. One will want to delay actions while the other is faster in accessing and implementing appropriate actions. This is important and the practitioner must study this thoroughly.

Some techniques that will allow reduction of adrenaline effects are breathing. Deep diaphragmatic breathing techniques not only compensate for visual acuity loss but other effects of the dump. Another is chakugan of placing the eyes where the motion of the head and eyes in scanning and viewing using first peripheral and then direct compensate as well. This is important and the practitioner must study this thoroughly.

How the eyes and seeing promote better martial application comes from a thorough study of such sense application that provide the knowledge and experience, as can be attained in reality training as well as live experience, necessary to be aware of and understand the use of vision in self-protection.

The connection of the other primary senses along with the training of the mind provides overall effectiveness in martial applications. The practitioner must remember that it is not the individual that counts but the cumulative as integrated into the "one" means of application.

Awareness-Training-Application!

METAPHOR

In the "goku-i" the part that speaks of "seeing" all sides can assist you by allowing the mind to perceive a relation to your personal metaphor system promoting acceptance and learning allowing a greater ability to encode and retrieve for use later. The Sensei must determine several things to maximize teaching. We have discussed some as determining the person's dominant sense mode where we determine the person's dominant metaphor mode.

In our society most men relate to life through the metaphors of football. In our society it might be said that for females it could be either gardening or the classroom. You don't want to assume but if Sensei actively listens when practitioners ask questions they can determine such things and therefore maximize translation of teachings to the individual.

When we study the goku-i we tend to extrapolate direct and literal meanings. This is another form to hopefully inspire more "out of the box" thinking when studying and applying the goku-i to martial practice and then to life. Kind of like plugging into the Matrix to accomplish something then bringing it back out to live it or walk the path in realty.

"I, Chuang Chou, “Dreamed I was a butterfly, flitting around in the sky; then I awoke. Now I wonder: Am I a man who dreamt of being a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming that I am a man?”

Is there a difference between a dream state, the Matrix, and life, unplugged, and how do we know reality. Sometimes we dream in a very lucid form and it becomes blurred as to dream vs. reality. Hmmm, something to contemplate don't you think?

TO SEE IS TO SEEK

We see, we have seen, we see that which cannot be seen and we seek to see. Side be physical and metaphysical, the third eye as developed through hansei, self-reflection, another aspect taught through the goku-i in the martial karate art of Isshinryu.

See the value of form and style. Seek what naturally comes for the circumstances dictated in any event. Seek the circular path so as to not get bogged down by the form and style. See the mastery of it by seeking the mastery of your weapons and tactics, forget the form and do what is natural in response to the current moment, the scenario and the resulting actions.

See that it is best to seek the non-confrontational of the form of confrontation or interaction. Seek the rules, forget the rules and see the infinite flexibility that is like water.

See the many things, atomistic. Seek the holistic that takes into it the many things, including those inspired by the void within the mind of the moment. What cannot be seen can be the seeker in the way.

The flower is not seen when a seedling. It appears as it breaks beyond the form of the earth allowing it to flower and seek its connection to nature. See and seek and allow the eyes to see all the sides - of life.