Friday Knight News
“The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook.” William James
What is jujutsu is it Brazilian, sport, or samurai art oriented and how do you even spell it? The standard way to spell it is jujutsu that is if you are using the Hepburn Romanization system. In the first part of the 20th century, jiu-jitsu was preferred. Although ju-jitsu is also used even though it is not found in the standard Japanese pronunciation. As to defining jujutsu, it means yielding, gentle, or subtle art. Furthermore, I have always been taught that there are no styles of jujutsu, but only the art of jujutsu; this is despite the hundreds of schools of jujutsu. This proliferation of schools and styles comes partially from each individual's expression of the concepts of jujutsu. Everyone expresess the art differently depending on several factors. These range from personal physical attributes such as strength, endurance, flexibility in a myriad of combinations or age and injury. However, physical components don't compose the only variances of a person's personal understanding of jujutsu.
Your concept of the art is often colored by your instruction, and any emphasis put on certain elements by your instructor. Some teachers devote a great deal of time to falling, throwing, ground work, striking, or stand up flowing drills involving going from one technique to another. Some like to submit, others like to choke out, or to use breaks, or dislocation to deal with attackers. Often the concept of ki flavors the teaching too. Ki can be used as an explanation for subtle energetic manipulations in conjunction with the nature of physics. It uses natural responses to purposeful physical and mental training. This skill requires a relaxed mental and physic body. It also can be used to promote the illusion of some sort of hocus pocus.
My sensei had always told me if the student does not exceed the teacher then the style will diminish. Some students advance in various areas, this makes learning from many important. It was always my intent, as a sensei, to make sure that my students had the opportunity and guidance to follow the path toward their natural strengths. While not many choose to follow it, I was there to at least point the path to them. A teacher's duty is to direct, but the student must take the journey. Any lineage that is frozen in time in regard to techniques and training was not the normal method of operation in ancient Japan. Even though this practice is now strongly supported by various ryu (schools, styles, branches), every given lineage that people study must add from other ryu or the ryu will decline. This is the very definition of being a heihosha, (a person of strategy). A true heihosha must make an art his own and this is as true today as it was in Mushashi's time.
My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with some science fiction, conspiracies, laughter, love and mystic experiences. 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 meditation. 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: 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 cope with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past.
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: 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: We find a new apprentice, Adam, which 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: 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 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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