What older karate literture presents as a challenge

As you have probably guess by now I have been and am passionate to look at Okinawan martial history. This was not done to change my art (though over decades change does occur). I wanted to understand all the roots possible about the arts of Okinawa. I did not succeed as there is so much to keep learning.

 

What I found is it has been much work and not what was expected.  Wise friends suggestions as to what to read, personal discoveries, all of them added to what I understand. I was challenged to translate a number of French works by Japanese authors. I learned how to use Bing Translate to be able to get some idea what Japanese internet sites were saying. I obtained books in Japanese I cannot read only look at the drawings and photos. I had more than a few friends who have translated books from the early years. I have look everyplace I could and of course it was never enough.

 

What I discovered it often takes years, unto decades, to realize what I had. Then just as learning from skilled instructors at clinics, it often took more years to realize where to fit any of it in my students program (when possible) as I had nothing I wanted to set aside.  Great books were the same.

 

Owning, possessing a book on the shelf, is just that, the inspiration to figure out what is adds to my understanding is a much larger task. It really is hard work and likely it will only make a difference in my own understanding.

 

As I taught Isshinryu karate, not a book discussion group, I could share little of this with my students. They had far more important journeys for their own training.

 

That is why I started my blog for them. Not to have them read books (for that is not what they were studying for) but to preserve some valued section of my own study. For their own use, or perhaps for future students own studies. That ws never for me to work out, just a suggestion or two for their own journey. And as time passed I found more and more to post for them to remember their training or to glimpse a bit at what I have look at.

 

The journey is not simple. I don’t believe everything I have posted,  one must make up their own mind. But it might add texture to their journey.

 

I have not hidden what I did post, for I believe too much is not being looked at. Should you take the effort and make any of it work for you, then you have made another step forward. Not for what you were taught and practice, a personal Journey into your own Understanding.