There is a unique characteristic of traditional karate katana called “positional coincidence” (hereinafter “PC”). PC is the term I use to describe the characteristic that traditional karate kata begin and end at the exact same point on the ground. There is a loose philosophical linch pin that grounds this concept.
The idea is that you travel through life and encounter a challenge, in the case of kata, a physical confrontation. You defend against that challenge or confrontation, represented by the performance of the kata. Once complete you again begin your life at the exact same point wherein you encountered the challenge. You resume your life as if the challenge, being so trivial, did not interfere with it.
For many years, I have been reflecting upon the philosophy of PC. I have a working hypothesis that PC is not truly accurate. You do not simply resume your life after a challenge. Rather, you are better off and enriched by meeting the challenge and overcoming it. For this reason, in the mid-2000’s began to advocate the idea that once a kata is completed, you should move an inch forward. This one inch differential symbolizes this enrichment – You are better off for performing the kata then if you did not. See, for example, the following article from April, 2014 for my “Sanchin-For-Everyone-One students.” https://senseijohn.me/2014/04/06/one-inch-thats-ok/
During this time, I seriously began documenting, codifying and memorializing my research and experiments with Katannabis.™ I created the Sanchin-Dai Kata (“Great Three Battles”) as part of an experiment into the “Prayer-effect” of Kata. The prayer-effect is one means of attaining the ultimate experience of Katannabis meditation – the attainment of first a higher state of physical being and second experiencing the higher dimensional states first hand.
At the end of the Sanchin-Dai Kata, the performer has a choice to make. The performer can spiritually choose to ascend to a higher state of consciousness or higher dimensional state. If so, the performer would step forward on the last three steps of the Kata, thus completing the Kata forward of his start position. This avoidance of PC symbolizes the ascension. If; however, the performer choose not to ascend, but remain in this plane of existence, albeit it in a higher state of consciousness, then they would step back. Thus positional coincidence would be maintained. You can view some of my notes below (See endnote # 1).
This may seem trivial, but seven years later, as I continue to practice, evolve and memorialize my Katannabis research, this relatively simple adjustment has come to represent a greater significance than I originally hypothesized. But, that is for a much later. Time. Honestly, you are not ready for that level – yet. (See Endnote # 2) For now, try my little PC experiment as part of your own kata-meditation, or begin your Katannabis journey today for FREE – see the link in the notes.
Cum superiorum privilegio veniaque*
Sensei John Szmitkowski
You can start in the “shallow end of the pool” of Katannabis ritual meditation for FREE using this safe, convenient link to my online school: https://kata-rx.teachable.com/p/preview-kata-as-moving-meditation The course is FREE!
Endnotes:
1. My desire to memorialize and sometimes publish my findings is tempered by a nagging feeling that by publishing my experiences, I am trivializing them by making them too easily attainable. To put my concerns at rest, I’m not going to re-type my notes. Rather, I simply going to upload them as Jpegs. You’ll have to go through the “effort” of clicking on the to read. That may dissuade all those save those who are really interested in probing the profound meditative effects of Katannabis. All others, press the “escape” button and click off this site then go purchase your self-help books, crystals, new yoga pants and incense. This isn’t for you.
2. “The threshold of the Unseen is a treacherous coast on which to bathe. There are potholes and currents and quicksand. The strong swimmer (an adept at Katannabis) Amy venture in comparative safety. The non-swimmer (ignorant of Katannabis) who takes counsel of nothing but his own impulses, may pay for his temerity with his life. . . Psychic Self-Defense, Edith Fortune, E-Book, Chapter I.
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