Simplicity isn't easy

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Clarke Sensei wrote about simplicity today and it reminded me of the complexities that humans tend toward in all things they do. It makes me wonder why we lean so hard toward a more complex world in lieu of keeping it simplicity. Maybe he has it down, simplicity is not easy as is most thing in life for life is hard yet simple. We live to survive and propagate, the reasons are simple in a complex way leading toward discussions, theories, hypothesis and the ever changing argument of, “Why are we here?” The following collection of quotes, or meme’s if you prefer, tell us about Clarke Sensei’s perception of karate simplicity.

“Simple is best, more direct, elegant even. Simple is small, quiet, unassuming. Simple is without trappings, without noise, without the extras that stand you out from the crowd. … Simple is an attitude. … Simplicity is discovering the principle behind the movement, the mechanism by which many physical options become available.” - Michael Clarke, Shinseidokan Dojo

First, I liked the article and especially these excerpts, they speak to me. Sometimes I am reminded that when I write it seems the content and intent is complex and yet I feel it is about explaining something so simple that it seems complex. A bit like trying to write about the Tao as many have tried over the hundreds of years the book of the Tao has existed, i.e., writing about something that cannot be written about yet we humans pick up writing devices, break out paper and put pen and ink into words, sentences and paragraphs all in the attempt to explain simplicity leaving behind complexity. 

There is reasons why they say things like, “Keep it Simple,” or “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” “Simplicity makes for happiness,” and “Simplicity is the glory of expression.” 

Once, long ago, a fellow karate-ka told me I talked too much about a subject. He said I should simply demonstrate the concept and then allow them to go off and practice. At that time, I felt maybe he was right because how much of what I explain actually sticks. Then, in the last decade or so I came to disagree because:

1. Not providing background and additional information leaves too much to chance and improper assumptions.
2. Allowing such chance and assumption allows incorrect teachings to take hold which are doubly hard to change to correct.
3. Information is knowledge ergo why I explained things in depth as well as provide study materials to refer to over time.
4. To adequately teach you have to use more than simple mimicking, i.e., demonstrate and then have them do it. 
5. Karate is more than simply physical copycat mimicking of movement therefore needs deeper understanding.
6. A combination of visual, auditory, tactile, etc., forms of teaching are necessary to teach and learn the depth and breadth of any subject but more so karate that is a mental and physical manifestation of human survival tools. 
7. The steady decline over two or more decades of karate and martial disciplines is a result of ignorance and a failure to research, analyze, hypothesize and then synthesize the applicability of the discipline toward life and survival - especially when it involves self-fense. 
8. We in the West assume that doing is learning, it is - partly, but we also failed to learn and understand the culture and belief systems of such disciplines origins used such models along with their cultural systems to teach silently and over long periods of time. The West works in just the exact opposite of that due to our cultural belief systems. 
9. Once Asian Master told his American student upon awarded a teaching certificate highly recommended, “When you return home, remember, teach them as you would Americans!” Meaning, the Asian way is not the Western way and although the system was taught the Asian way it consists of principles and how they are taught and manifested without ties to either the Asian way or the Western way - makes the core of martial disciplines span all cultures and belief systems across many borders. 

As you can see even from this partial list there is much that must be passed on in order to learn such disciplines, a seemingly complex model that is actually quite simple. So, I returned to explain but with one caveat, “I would explain in terse details with periodic updates and addendum’s over time to help students take little steps without losing attentiveness and becoming bored.” After all, it is about balance and that is simple simplicity don’t you think.

I learned, as Clarke Sensei presents in today’s article, simplicity isn’t easy and to rein in my desire, excitement and honor to pass along what little I know and understand because I had to curb that enthusiasm to better server the students and to better serve the discipline of karate. 

Hat tip (Ritsu-rei) to <Shinseidokan Dojo Blog by Michael Clarke Sensei> as the inspiration for this post.

Bibliography (Click the link)

“In order for any life to matter, we all have to matter.” - Marcus Luttrell, Navy Seal (ret)