Surrender to Kata
From the book The Karate Tapestry
By Robert Hunt
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So it may be that kata were originally two person training exercises, or ways to remember fighting techniques, or secret codes to pass on the imagined Ming rebellion against the Manchu, or a dozen other excuses for waving our hands and feet through the air. But what kata has become is unique in the annals of fighting arts. By the number of people passionate about kata, there is apparently something more to it than can be easily explained. After all, it has lasted for 1500 years, so far…
The answer may lie in something more philosophical than fighting. The practice of kata, the disciplined movements themselves, may engender a Zen-like quality that touches the existential, live-in-the-moment sensation of Zen meditation, the essence of “do” the “way”, and a uniquely human feeling deep inside our psyche.
The idea of Zen comes from Zen Buddhism and admonishes us to experience the moment at hand, with the idea that, once one has attained the ability to always “be of the moment” they have reached spiritual enlightenment, Satori, and an understanding of reality that surpasses the mundane, the distortions of thoughts and illusions and recognizes the essence of life.
Buddha, born Siddhartha Gautama in 563 BC, was a prince who grew up in palace splendor, intentionally protected by his father from the reality of the world, from sickness and death, until he ventured out of his palace. He was stunned by human suffering. From that moment on, he sought to understand what life was about, abandoned his kingdom and his wife and child to travel his world trying to find the answer - with no success. Finally he sat down under the legendary Bodhi tree and vowed to remain there until he understood the secret to life. Buddhists believe that, after 49 days, he attained enlightenment. They believe that enlightenment comes from the ability to see the world without illusion. (There is a book called Siddhartha that you might enjoy, if you like this sort of thing).
If living in the moment leads to higher understanding, it may explain the draw of kata. If we practice diligently and focus on the precision of movement - centering, moving from the hips, stability, stance and a hundred other details that kata demands – we reside, by definition, in the moment. We can’t think about yesterday’s failures or tomorrow’s challenges and still muster the concentration to perfect our kata. The routine itself is pleasant and, at the same time, demands more practice, so we do it again…and again…and again.
The steps to mastery of kata (or most anything) are called shu, ha and ri by the Japanese -shuhari. “Shu” is the mimicry of the movement and the memorization. “Ha” refers to understanding the depth of the kata - the bunkai et al. “Ri” is the point where the kata has become one’s own and its performance automatic.
There are those who allege one more step. Goju Ryu sensei Kimo Wall pointed out that, through years of practice, we manipulate the kata, but, eventually, the kata comes to manipulate us. Once we have practiced it until we can perform it without thinking, we begin to surrender to the kata and let it lead to new understanding. It is Kimo Sensei’s “surrender”, teachers contend, that leads to enlightenment - of both karate and life.
Asian culture is filled with such kata-like arts. The cha-no-yu is a Japanese ceremony for preparing and drinking tea. It involves such details as precisely preparing water, turning the cup correctly, placing the ladle on the plate in a specific manner and holding the cup a certain way - a virtual kata for tea consumption. The form is intended to free the senses to enjoy the act of preparing and drinking tea. Once the ceremony is mastered, no thought is required and the mind is set free to float at will.
Such is karate kata. Once mastered, little thought is required while the body is disciplined to precision. The combination is alleged to open passages to understanding that can’t be attained by reason.
Is this truth or baloney? Who knows?
A more timely aspect of kata and reason for repetition may be tournament application – kata as “performance art”. It’s growing bigger than ever and may (though I never thought it would) become Olympic sport.
Nowadays tournament kata is performed by kids from 4 to 70, and with all the spectacle of a Hollywood production – grimaces, shouts, trembling lips, intent looks, Gymnastic precision...drama. We have seen tournament kata for 50 years, but these days there are those who spend their lives specializing in performance. Not performance to learn and enhance martial understanding or Zen enlightenment, but performance to impress five judges.
Most judges don’t understand kata outside their own style and tournaments have obligingly acquiesced. Kata now only has to conform superficially to its original form and judges are encouraged to allow for dojo interpretations.
To tell the truth, I don’t even know what that means. I have spent years trying to learn how each style was supposed to perform kata to understand differences and compare. As regards tournaments, it may have been time wasted. The judging now focuses on movement alone - on such attributes as speed, focus and the ability to stop on a dime with no leftover shakes. Gone is depth and application, bunkai and power. Like much of society, it comes down to superficiality, points recognizable by anyone, no matter where trained and how long.
The odd thing is, I agree. If you are going to have Shotokan compete against Goju and Shito and Wado and Shorin and Ruei Ryu and Uechi Ryu and Ishin Ryu, there has to be some minimum standard of comparison. To judge if a Goju person performs better in the Goju fashion than a Shotokan person performs in the Shotokan fashion is mind wrenching. At least with a set of criteria that have nothing to do with any particular style, a level playing field of sorts is achieved. It also means that only a few kata ever win and that the katas of one style, in this case Shito Ryu, dominate.
It also brings up another time worn conflict - the tension between “traditional” and “tournament”. Traditionalists are forever alleging that tournament kata is somehow less authentic than the original way the kata was performed and lacks any martial application.
It’s true. It is less authentic and less martial. But so what?
People practice karate for a thousand different reasons. That’s the beauty of the art. That’s what the tapestry is about.
Without competition, karate wouldn’t be what it is today. Without competition, I wouldn’t have met all the great martial artists that I have met – Lee Gray, Dan Ivan, Fumio Demura, Teruo Chinen, Dejan Rajic, Toshihiro Oshiro. I met them all at tournaments. None of them care if your kata is “authentic”. They practice for themselves and their students. What you do is your business. If you want to play around and make up your own stuff and do gymnastics, they don’t care. (Well, a little bit, maybe.)
In the early days, Itosu, an Okinawan and stalwart of Japan, taught kata in schools to prepare better Japanese citizens, because he believed Japan was Okinawa’s future. Funakoshi, his student, felt the same and even moved to Japan to garner respect for himself and his art. (Now, by the way, it is also my art and your art.)
At the same time as Itosu, lived Kyan, a small, squinty-eyed bully who didn’t believe in Japan or probably not much of anything else. He revised the katas to fit his own physique and blew up at the drop of a hat. He would frequent red light bars and pick fights just to beat someone up. He is alleged to have killed men in battle.
Yet the techniques and kata of both are alive and well in modern karate. Itosu’s karate has flowed through Mabuni and Funakoshi into Wado, Shito and Shotokan. Kyan’s is the basis of much of what is taught in Okinawan today. Chatan Yara Kushanku, one of the most popular katas on the tournament front, came to us from Yomitan Yara through Kyan.
One more thought. There is something spiritually rewarding to know that I am practicing the same movements, in much the same way, as my karate forebears 350 years ago. It ties me to history and future. It makes me feel simultaneously ancient and modern. It grounds my life and gives it meaning.
Who knows what a person gets from karate? It is as varied as the humans practicing it. As varied as life itself.
Self-defense, self-fulfillment, purpose, tournament success, exercise, mental training, historical study, cross-cultural understanding, exotic games, discipline, a hobby, respect, self-respect, muscles, physical health, mental health, strength, longevity, admiration, art, film experience, education, money, friends, love, marriage, motivation, rhythm, focus, perseverance, flexibility, a strong heart, humility, peace, relaxation, knowledge, perspective, broken bones, maturity, Zen enlightenment.
That’s what I got from karate (well, maybe not Zen enlightenment…but there’s still time.)
As for kata, take Kimo Sensei’s advice and let kata lead you. Surrender. Quit performing for someone else and let the kata take over. Freedom is great. Thank you, Kimo Sensei
And as for the tension between the original and the modern – there is always tension. Life is tension.
Do what you will.
Enjoy kata.
Stop worrying about it.
Shut up.
Go where it takes you.
Surrender to kata.
I would like to thank Roger Arevalo for the title of this article.
Contact Robert Hunt directly at steelmoon@hushmail.com
Kimo Wall and Higa Seiko
Enjoy kata.
Stop worrying about it.
Shut up.
Go where it takes you.
Surrender to kata.
I would like to thank Roger Arevalo for the title of this article.
Contact Robert Hunt directly at steelmoon@hushmail.com
Kimo Wall and Higa Seiko
