Ultimate Kempo. Jeff Driscoll
attitude when it comes to our martial arts, we are free to flow with whatever comes our way, making adjustments in order to accomplish our goal–the defeat of our opponents. So, how do we arrive at this place of freedom?
In my mind, it all comes down to study. We must study movement, motion, manipulation of balance, and structure. We must break free of being bound by the technique we are trying to apply and see what concepts govern the specific situation. By gaining an understanding of the principles and concepts that make a martial technique work, we build ourselves an arsenal of options. Having options allows us to flow with whatever comes our way and gives us the tools needed to accomplish our goal.
This book is intended to open the reader’s eyes in several ways. In the martial sense, the objective is to provide the reader with the tools to look deeper into his or her art, to see concepts and principles that apply to all martial arts styles and systems. This process leads to a better understanding of the art we practice and at the same time, opens our eyes to the incredible amount of options available to us.
On the other hand, this book is meant to expose readers to (or remind them of) concepts which lead to a more fulfilling life and to offer principles by which to help them become more confident, compassionate, and understanding individuals.
One very important point: we cannot underestimate the importance of learning the basics. A student cannot just “jump ahead” to the more advanced, intricate techniques and concepts. We must all go through a progression of training (Shugyo no Junjo). This process starts with the individual making up his/her mind to dedicate the time and effort necessary, making it a priority in life. The student must also make up his/her mind to learn well the basics of the art, the fundamentals that lay the solid groundwork of a good martial artist. We must then sharpen and develop ourselves through countless repetition, eventually evolving into a master who has not only developed the physical attributes necessary to the art, but also the mental and internal attributes.
Qualities such as respect, compassion, patience and perseverance, and the freedom to not be governed by circumstances, are a by-product of martial arts training.
In this process, we undergo a transformation similar to that of the forging of a Japanese katana. During this process, we must push ourselves through countless hours of training and repetition, constant corrections by our teachers, pushing ourselves physically and mentally until we are honed and sharpened into an instrument that has the strength to handle any challenge, and the compassion and understanding to contribute to a better society.
In the following chapters, you will find various techniques and examples, which are used as a vehicle to apply these concepts or principles. Understand that these techniques are just my way of conveying the message...there are countless other techniques and variations which may apply also.
This book is about simply opening doors for the practitioner, so he or she may grasp the concept, and in turn experiment and discover how to apply it for themselves. It is my belief, that the art should fit the person…not the person should have to fit the art. The beauty of Kosho Ryu Kempo is that the understanding of concepts/principles, allows for many options and avenues, so the art may fit the practitioner.
CHAPTER 3
What is the Martial Way? Why Study It?
The Way of the Warrior
In my limited 28 years of martial arts experience, I won’t even begin to claim that I understand the concept of Budo. How Budo is explained and defined differs from person to person. The best I can do is relate to what my teachers have tried to instill in me, and what the concept of Budo has come to mean to me.
To me, Budo is using the martial arts as a vehicle to train the mind and the body. It’s about character building and forging the spirit through the challenges put before us in our martial arts training, much like that of the forging of the Japanese katana—building strength layer after layer. It’s about giving just a little more, when our mind and body is telling us there is no more.
It’s about training and mastering your mind so that you are no longer governed by or reacting to environmental influences or circumstances, yet always being aware of them and allowing you to see things for what they really are.
Budo is about having the attitude of a warrior and living with a sense of honor in everything that you do.
It’s about being strong yet compassionate for everyone, working for the betterment of yourself and of the community you live in. These are not easy things to work towards, much less accomplish! Lord knows we’re not perfect.
But it’s about the path. It’s about the challenges that are put before us and how we respond to them. It’s about the development of a moral code we build for ourselves, with the help and guidance of our teachers.
It’s all about the process!
The Battle of Life
Even though most of us never step out onto the battlefield with sword in hand to face an opponent whose objective is to physically destroy us, we still face many battles and conflicts everyday. Having the attitude of a compassionate warrior is an extremely useful tool on our journey through life. We must also recognize that our most difficult opponent is one we deal with everyday...ourselves.
What are some of the battles we face as martial artists and human beings? Sometimes it’s the simple yet difficult battle of getting out of bed when the alarm goes off. It is certainly easier to just hit the snooze button. Maybe it’s the battle of motivating ourselves to have a positive attitude for our work, or towards the people we come in contact with each day. Maybe, it’s the battle of being better focused in our martial arts training, or digging a little deeper physically when your body and mind is telling you to stop. If we don’t give that little extra push, how will we know what we can truly become?
It’s Really Up to You.
We all have related battles to face in life. We all have challenges that we face everyday— deadlines, accomplishment of goals, stress, and environmental factors. Budo teaches us when we have battles/challenges. We must focus our energies on the solution, not the problem.
It’s what you do with what is laid before you that really matters! Is the cup either half-full or half empty? It’s all about how you perceive things. There is always a battle, a situation in which we are tested, in everyone’s life, no matter what your occupation, financial situation or family background.
Pain is part of life...misery is optional!
I believe that challenges come our way for a reason. Sometimes it’s hard to see the positive in situations, but there is usually a lesson to learn or a reason we are being tested. How we deal with them is up to us. We can allow these challenges/battles to steal from us our strength and our vision of who we want to be. Or we can use them to forge our spirit, making us more confident, disciplined, and happy people. As we become better people, we start to affect our communities by having a positive impact on society. As a teacher, my job is to act as a guide for people looking to embark on this journey, helping them become capable leaders and contribute to society.
Can you start a human revolution?
What kind of difference can you make?
Life as a Warrior
An individual who lives with the attitude of a warrior takes on a different view of the world. Budo is the philosophy that guides a warrior and shapes the way he or she sees these events or challenges.
Do we look at things from all perspectives?
Do we try to recognize and understand other people’s motivations for what they do? More importantly, do we realize our own motivations for our actions?
Are our own motivations pure