This is from a friend of mine - commenting in passing. I don't think he'll mind me positing his view, but I know very much he is not speaking to address all points possible. I think his main point - a good one in my opinion - is that there are physical/psychological (his word - physiologic) changes in the body as a result of bugei training that cannot or should not be universalized across the board with practices that do not "treat" or "train" the body in the same way or via the same means. Perhaps his ideas can get this thread going again. Perhaps not. lol
He also nicely points out that Kim Taylor may in fact be male and not femail - whoops!
He says:
(Begin Quote)
"You should know that Kim Taylor is male, as far as I know.
I too was struck by some of the comments made by [Friday].
His statement that "I'd argue that bugei study doesn't produce unique
results..." is misapplied. I'd prefer to say that its study produces
both unique and universal results. I think he uses the term results in
the objective sense, perhaps viewing changes in the student as seen by
his/her teacher. [But] What about the changes, epiphanies, knowledge etc.
that every sincere student of budo experiences within his own inner
world while traveling the budo path? Are these not unique and are they
not real? Changes to individual ego-states are not going to be the same
for everyone.
"What it bugei study does do is guide a learner toward a
universal/common result, by a unique and very specific path." I don't
care for the way he constructed this sentence. I don't care for the use
of the words "result" or "universal/common", but I think I get what
his point.
Furthermore, I never liked the comparison between any martial art and a
non-moving discipline like calligraphy. While I have the upper most
respect for the masters of these arts, you simply cannot dismiss the
physiologic differences and benefits that occur in the body of a
student of one of the martial arts. Learning to control the
body/mind relationship while adrenaline is coursing through your
body during randori for example is simply absent in shodo."
(End Quote)
Thanks,
dmv