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Old 07-16-2008, 01:37 PM   #110
Allen Beebe
Location: Portland, OR
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 532
United_States
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Re: Seiseki Abe Sensei video....whats going on here?

So I was thinking . . .

I find George's statement to be true that sword work enhances connectivity. (I would state that it provides a unique training environment in which to learn how to connect and/or disconnect at will.) In fact just about all of our taijutsu is prefaced by sword work or some form of pole arm work. The benefit that weapons work offers non-weapons work is due, I believe, to the decreased tolerances physically, technically and mentally for error allowed within good weapons work.

However, of these three, the mental benefit is probably largely a beneficial byproduct of delusion. In other words, for example, in sword work, one's physical and technical performance and accuracy may increase due the changed physical demands brought by the presence of a well handled sword. Interestingly, one also often derives benefits of enhanced mental performance do to type of training. However, in the case of mental enhancement, it is brought about by the PERCEPTION and EVALUATION of the changed physical reality brought by the presence of a sword. In other words, the mental reality changes and is enhanced due to a change in mentality (perception and evaluation) not necessarily due to physical change itself. Consequently, while one may require physical change in order to adapt physically, one does not necessarily require physical change in order to adapt mentally. (Although in the above example, one can see where it can help force the issue.) Of course the punch line is the mind/body differentiation is really a product of perception/evaluation as well.

I'm reminded of the story about Takeda Sokaku getting tooled by a faster Karate guy when he (Takeda) used jujutsu to fight him. He then solved his problem by rationalizing that the Karate guy was faster than his jujutsu, but his (Takeda's) Kenjutsu was faster than the Karate guy . . . so he came back and did Jujutsu like AS a Kenshi and tooled the Karate guy.

Don't know if this belongs here. The repost of George's comment prompted the posted string of thought . . . while I sat on "the throne."

Jun: Please feel free to do what you will with this. I flushed afterward!

~ Allen Beebe
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