Karate Kata evolves into a methodology and ideology to facilitate the human condition and awareness of the universal consciousness.

Karate. To most, the word means nothing more than a physical means of defending oneself against attack. To a limited few of its more enlightened practitioners, called Karate-Ka, Karate implies a deeper mechanism of unifying the body and the spirit so as to achieve seemingly superhuman physical and spiritual capabilities. I have had the privilege of learning, practicing and evolving a style of Okinawa-based Karate for over three and a half decades. Through my sweat, bruises, and even blood, I came to realize that there is a greater aspect to Karate. This aspect is found within certain unique Karate Kata.

After many years of dedicated practice and devotion to the study of Kata, and the associated Bunkai, I was able to transcend my knowledge of Karate Kata beyond the boundaries of the physical and spiritual aspects thought to be encompassed in the practice of these formal exercises. I was enlightened to the hidden, heretofore secret aspect contained within certain, unique Kata. This secret aspect is the metaphysical aspect.

The metaphysical aspect is the awareness and recognition of the idea that humans are intrinsically intertwined with the universal cosmos and consciousness. Through a medium, such as Kata, each one of us possess within ourselves, the ability to synchronize and unite with this universal consciousness. This synchronization and unification can be directed at our will as we travel through this life’s journey. Further, such synchronization and unification is a metaphysical imperative at the conclusion of this physical life. Thus, we must contemporaneously, in this life, prepare our spirit, contained within our physical bodies and our metaphysical essence for the process of such unification.

So as to distinguish this practice of the dynamic (moving) meditation contained in Karate Kata from the martial aspects of the Kata, I have divorced the Kata from the overall martial ideology of Karate and evolved them into the dynamic meditation rites of a system of methodology and ideology I call Jiriki Kata-Do. The word “Jiriki” translates as “inner salvation“. Kata, in this context, denotes the dynamic ceremonial rites that encompass a prescribed meditative state of mind. “Do” translates as “(Lifetime) Way” or “(Lifetime) Path“. Thus, Jiriki Kata-Do figuratively translates as “The Way of (attaining) inner salvation through dynamic meditation“. So as to de-emphasize the martial nature of Kata, I refer to the dynamic meditation routines of Jiriki Kata-Do as “rites” which are to be physically performed with a prescribed spiritual state of mind and in such a manner as to foster metaphysical awareness. The methodology of Jiriki Kata-Do is in direct contrast to the more common forms of salvation, or enlightenment, known as Tariki. Tariki is salvation from without. By definition, the various means of Tariki require the intercession of a third person to act in behalf of the practitioner so as to achieve spirituality, enlightenment or salvation. Modern religious practices fall within the category of Tariki.

The dynamic state of Jiriki Kata-Do recognizes the natural human tendency to action and movement. The essential human elements that are united and fostered within the dynamic philosophy of Jiriki Kata-Do may be parsed into the following three attributes, the physical attribute, the spiritual attribute and the meta-physical attribute. Each attribute may be further delineated by the following characteristics.

The physical attribute contains the attributes of overall physical health, the methodology of proper breathing, the dynamic contraction and expansion of muscle, sinew and tendon, and the physical connection of one’s overall bodily structure to the Earth. The beneficial physical processes are nurtured through the breath known as Issho-ibuki (translated as “lifetime Breath“). The physical component is dramatized by an overall rejuvenation of the physical structure of the body.

The spiritual aspect includes, but is not limited to the following attributes, spiritual development of the sense of “self”, facilitation of the flow of bio-energy within the body, the ability to foster positive emotions and the ability to recognize and triumph over negative emotions. The spiritual component of Jiriki Kata-Do is attained by of a state of mental clarity known as “Mushin”, or Mind-No Mind. The state of Mushin, coupled with Issho-ibuki, is used as the highway to transport bio-essence throughout the body. The spiritual aspect is dramatized by a total regeneration of one’s spirit and one‘s ability to transport one‘s life essence throughout the body at will.

The metaphysical aspect of Jiriki Kata-Do includes the ability to recognize the over-riding sense of consciousness that exists within the harmonious universe, and the desire to connect with and unite with that universal consciousness on while on this plain of human existence and the hereafter plain of existence. It is summarized by an overall need for us to attempt to understand and experience a world greater that the world of our physical existence.

The awareness and manipulation of the three aspects of the human condition is achieved by way of the habitual performance of the various rites of Jiriki Kata-Do. Each rite combines the various aspects of the human essence in a specific manner so as to foster a unique understanding of the human condition. The first rite of Jiriki Kata-Do is the Rite of Sanchin. It explores the Three Battles (as the name “Sanchin” implies) to the attainment of the plateau of human serenity. This rite is an evolution of the Sanchin Kata found within many styles of Karate. The evolutionary process takes into account the heretofore hidden third battle of Sanchin.

There are many interpretations of the three battles of Sanchin that are derived from Karate-Do. The central theme of the three battles is that they all describe a development of body and spirit coupled with breath. This development of mind and body through breath is fundamental to the practice of Karate. Generally speaking, the three battles have been expressed by a varied combination of the following attributes, posture, stance, balance, breathing, concentration, spirit, energy and the like.

For more than three decades, I have engaged in the practice of the Sanchin Kata. Through this regular use and practice of the Kata, I became aware that such a traditional interpretation of the three battles of Sanchin Kata was incomplete. The historical definition of the three battles of Sanchin merely describes two states of human existence, to wit: a physical state represented by the elements of posture, stance, balance and breathing and a spiritual state represented by spirit, energy and perception. After years of continued rigorous effort practicing Sanchin, I came to realize that clearly lacking from the definition of the three battles is an additional third human quality. In so far as the physical and spiritual human qualities have been historically incorporated into the three battles, the missing third battle was, therefore, the metaphysical attribute of the human condition. Thus, it is submitted that the Three Battles of Sanchin Kata, are:

1. Physical Battle, or the aspect of properly performing the physical movements of the Sanchin Rite;

2. Mental Battle, or the aspect of the transportation of bio-essence permitted through a Mushin state of mind;

3. Meta-physical Battle, or the aspect of the expansion of etheric-essence into the universe and interconnectivity with the universal consciousness.

Here is a link for an introductory video about my Sanchin Kata & Jiriki Kata-Do video series filmed at the Lower Salt River, Tonto National Forest. Arizona. Please e-mail me or contact me via this blog to purchase the video series. LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyaHCp2EoUk

For additional information on either Jiriki Kata-Do or Sanchin meditation, please feel free to visit my website at WWW.Dynamic-Meditation.COM.