Friday, March 27, 2015

A Renaissance Man

Friday Knight News


Hōryū Tower.jpg

This is something I think we all should aspire to as martial artist, I'm not there yet but judge for yourself. Since I was a kid people have told me that I was a renaissance man. This label continued on throughout life with hearing it from my students, medical doctors, professors, and various students from colleges where I have spoken, and many times from various sensei I have studied under over the years. A renaissance man of course is a term that has been associated with a person that has a foundation in art, science, history and/or philosophy. I prefer the label of a polymath. Last week my wife told me she was speaking to our DDS and he referred to me as such. For whatever reason she was having a hard time justifying the concept of the term to fit into the conversation. So, she agreed and said that I was good with the sword, afterward she asked me about it.

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." Albert Einstein 

In essence I believe her assessment is correct as the sword contains within its study: Art, science, history, and philosophy. Still I don't see that I have enough background or knowledge to be a true renaissance man in the martial arts. For example in the three arts I have spent most of my life studying, (kempo jutsu, jujutsu, aikjujutsu) I have found parallels between them in each of the renaissance man's fields, but in truth I know little about them. Take kempo, for example, I have asked my students for years, is it kung fu or jujutsu? My sensei learned it in Japan during and after the Allied occupation. I never really learned the history as by the point I met sensei, he was suffering from mild dementia. He never opened a dojo and just taught me in my home along with magic which was his main love. He told me he was too old to exercise and he was still a smoker, which didn't help him any.

"History is written by victors." Winston Churchill

Sure kempo jutsu is jujutsu like, but it also has elements of kung fu. It depends on the label you use, or the terminology you use to define it; such as are you using kon setsu waza or chin-na? Ask any of my students about the kempo jutsu that I teach, and they might reply its fried chicken. They mean this as an allegory, of course, as it depends on the cook if the chicken is Kentucky Fried Chicken or Hong Kong War Sui Gai. It all comes down to the spice or the flavor if you will, but it's still fried chicken. A friend of mine who is a excellent chef and kung fu man tells me he practices writing dragon (Chinese characters), everyday upon arising. He has an incredible flowing hand and I love his art work, where as my art looks like comics or caricatures at best. I can see that he is a renaissance man, but not so much with myself.

Image result for Image result for chinese characters dragon

Each day I draw the symbols of aiki principles being the circle, square, and the triangle; I also write kanji for aiki and or the characters for the number 1-10. I do my kata and waza, strike the makiwara and then I do my exercise training with a split routine. I also play the harmonica, but mainly in first position; I am experimenting with second position. I read and write daily and off and on I still conduct the odd science experiment that is usually focused around electromagnetic momentum and manipulating ions. However, it is the sword that I center my training on, so does this make me a renaissance man?




My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.

Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)

Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past. 

Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)

The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.


Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)

Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.


Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)

Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.


Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)

Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.

Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6 

Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.       

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