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Old 11-05-2013, 05:32 AM   #12
Ellis Amdur
 
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Location: Seattle
Join Date: May 2003
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Re: Horikawa teaching Shioda?

Bernd - I, of course, do not know, as I was not there, and this is the first I heard of Shioda actually touching Horikawa at all. But what makes it believable is that two different high level students of Okamoto Seigo felt prompted on their own accord to contact me about this - and their stories, close, and largely free of hyperbole, are therefore, believable.

Anyway, there is a Japanese word, tashikameru, 確かめる which explains this type of incident. It means, "make sure."

Hypothetically (although I think it's been established, factually - for Inoue sensei is a man of unimpeachable character), Horikawa, honors the owner of the dojo at which he's teaching another group by showing him something, he being honored by that Kancho's request.

Shioda is curious - he sees "it" - what Horikawa is doing, and he wants to feel for himself if it is a) the same b) different from what he - or Ueshiba - or both are doing. So he asks a question, puts a hand on Horikawa and is shown something and says, "aha." Which could mean anything from a) yep, the same b) yep, that's different c) that's it? d) wow, I missed out.
In any case, "I got it" (what you are showing me).

Sort of like what happened to me when I was walking in a park in Taiwan and some white-crane guys beckoned me over and one guy started to feel the acupuncture points in my arm, and then nodded, "Heng hau, heng hau" - (really good, really good), calling some of his training brothers over to feel my arms as well. Of course, later a new acquaintance told me, "Stay away from the white crane guys. Their practice tends to raise their blood pressure so much they get neurological damage. They are all kinda crazy." Of course, it's possible, now, that because of that single transformative touch, that white crane guy got an amazing understanding ('cause I'm amazing) and changed his entire art. He surely taught others. In short, I am the teacher of one line of Taiwanese white crane.

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