Intoku (Good Done in Secret)

Koichi Tohei, the founder of Ki Aikido enumerates the concept of Intoku as a practice of self enlightenment or as a necessary concept to incorporate into our life’s path. This practice of Intoku is the philosophy that guides our “gift giving”. Kokua as I have come to understand is service and giving and the best way to give is to give is without expectation of reward - something the AJJF strives and succeeds to do at its best moments...

An early definition: Just as the number One can never be reduced to zero, once we act or speak, our action or speech is never completely erased. An old Oriental saying tells us, Sow good and the harvest will be good. Sow evil and reap evil. We must understand that everything we do comes back to ourselves. Therefore, before wishing for our own happiness and welfare and that of our children, we must do good in secret. To do good in secret means to act without seeking attention and praise, to act without any hope of reward. This is called Intoku.

Among the various ways of performing Intoku, to walk the way of the universe and to lead others along this way is best.

Simply put, in the West, many times when we do good we expect accolades. We say, "here I am, I did it." This secret agenda slows our growth and self-development. True "good" acts are done with a selfless attitude. We can do this best when we are mind and body unified.
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Above written by Sensei Franko Ferris, High Sierra Jujitsu Dojo, Sept. 30, 2007, email to AJJF Blackbelt email list.

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In other words, Karma Yoga.

Goals

This week in Karate class the subject is goals. Talking about how successful people set and strive for goals. The assignment in my yellow belt book this month is to write down 25 goals for your life. Here is my list today in the order I wrote them down. (Some are goals and some are steps/milestones.)

...write a wish list of 15 to 25 experiences or accomplishments that you will have by the end of your life. Wisdom does not come with age, but with experiences and opportunities to learn.

• Topend style jigs at a fast session, play effortlessly
• Effortlessly play tunes that are in my head on the whistle without fumbling
• Recognition of Yodan rank in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu
• DZRSI Module III certificate
• Dance a jig on Sharon's grave (or at her wake if no burial is planned)
• Develop something cool, innovative, powerful and useful at work:
• Develop an automated test data generator and execution system for the Bio-Plex 2200
• Replay bead data across BPX builds with golden result analysis
• Comfortable serene home
• Space for me to retreat/meditate
• Develop Qi
• Do push ups with good form
• Do proper crunches
• Karate Kate practices in 4 styles: yin, yang, left, right
• Be sought out as a tango lead
• Hindu Press Ups and Squats with shoulder stand fish set conditioning (or some daily physical culture development done independently)
• Spend an extended time in Ireland

Hindu Press Ups and Squats

The book I'm reading this week is about a Japanese American assassin. My ears perked up this morning when he talked about his conditioning routine.

He does 250 Hindu push ups and 250 Hindu squats with forward and backward neck bridges and a few other exercises. All in 30 minute in his hotel room, no equipment necessary.

I imagined that the push ups were a variation of the sun salutation (surya namaskar) but I really hadn't heard of these before. Wikipedia rocks!

Turns out the Hindu press ups are similar to the Japanese pushups we do in Okazaki's Kawami.

FYI, the book is Killing Rain by Barry Eisler. This is part of the John Rain thriller series of which I am planning on continuing.

Shihan Tom Serrano

I met Shihan Tom Serrano when I was taking the DZRSI Module 2 course in Pasadena. He had a very nice dojo at 2560 E. Colorado Blvd that he was generous enough to close for several weekends so that we would have a place for the classes.

He gave me a VHS tape of a class that he developed called Bo-Aerobics. It was gruelling for the grip and the legs. Nancy and I have been looking for this tape for years (last seen at Kodai No Bushido Dojo).

Shihan is part of the International Karate Association. Learn more about this fine man in his interview with Martial Force.

Master Toby Cooling

Master Walter "Toby" Cooling taught a seminar last night for the Black Belt Club. He is a 10th Dan in Ishinryu Karate, founder of the Order of Isshin-Ryu, a fraternal organization (1971). He did an outstanding job of teach principle and self defense techniques that everyone in attendance could grasp (children, parents, kyus and yodansha). I was the lowest rank there, two other yellow belts with more experience were there as well. Mostly kids in the Black Belt Club and the yodansha.

Master Cooling was accompanied by his wife Mrs. Cooling. She helped with the techniques when we were working them but did not teach. I could tell by the way she was showing the escape from a rear choke hold that she had done some Judo. She said she wasn't very good at Judo and only tried it for a few months.

My notes from this clinic are not intended to teach others how to do the arts.

Opponent

The essay assignment for first stripe yellow belt is to describe a couple of situations where I acted like an opponent and how they very well could have been handled as a partner.

I honestly can not think of one situation where I have been an opponent. So how do I function as a partner?

The concept of training partner is one of the principles I teach in my Introduction to Jujitsu course. Every technique requires a partner to train with. Every technique is done on you as many times as you perform the technique on someone else. If you go hard and are abusive you either will not be able to find anyone to train with you or you will find someone who will be even more abusive to you (Cool, you want to see who hits softer. Dogs, I guess you win.)

In the dojo we have an Uki / Tori relationship. Uki receives the technique (often the attacker) while Tori executes the technique (the defender). Without Uki there can be no Tori. To communicate the concept to my students I sometimes use the terms trainer or coach for Uki. As the coach Uki must feed Tori something substantial to work with. As Tori develops skill in the technique the trainer changes the attack (while maintaining the intent of the art) to stretch Tori's ability to respond. On the other hand, if Uki were to come at Tori in an "opponent's" mind things would quickly escalate out of control and technique would become lost to instinctive survival responses.

At work there are two groups that don't get along to well and spend considerable effort with CYA and collecting data on the other's shortcomings. I guess I do see an opponent situation here :(. Should they follow through with the lip service they give to team work and seek ways to help one another the stress level might reduce and I'm sure the product would get to market a little sooner with higher perceived quality.

Yellow Belt, First Stripe

Monday I tested with Master Ron Joslin for the first of four yellow belt strips. Since I have been practicing Seisan Kata quite a bit it went well.

Master Joslin said the cross block after the opening 3 reverse punches is to protect the solar plexus and the heart.

Then when you pivot 180° the right leg is protecting the groin, foot on knee with the toes curled. After planting the foot the arms "catch" before the double shuto to the hips.

Last weekend I realized what felt funny about the gi grab and pull that concludes the first section. In jujitsu we pull uki to the obi and they are close enough for throws and shime. In karate we pull uke in close enough to be able to punch to the head without getting tangled up.