A Crown Of Water

 

 

“Flow with whatever may happen, and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.”

-Zhuangzi

 

 "Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind."

-Bruce Lee

 

 

 

 

 

In martial arts it seems that strength can as often be a benefit as it can be a benefit.

I am sure we have all been in a situation where when grabbed while training we tried to wrestle our way out. No man's strength, just as no man's ability is equal. And when it comes down to it, using force against force leads to untenable situations.

This is in part why I disagree with the principle of 'blocking'. I prefer to channel, when a strike comes the art of evasion is either to not be where it will land, or to turn it away. Aikido makes wonderful use of this principle, syncing with our opponent as they strike and using their own strength against them. This is proof in point that strength and its application in certain situations can be our own enemy.

I have heard the straight line is best, but in truth it is only the most direct. And that is where the beauty of how water interacts with the world. There are times when you pour water and it spreads radially, akin to a circle. And there are times when one can watch a single drop or string of water form just that; the straight path. It all depends on the surface it makes contact with, and how much force is channeled through it.

This is the principle I know as the crown of water. It is not the circular path, nor the straight which is best. It is the union of the two, harmonized together. When I do punch it is often in the kyusho method. One takes their hand, crossing the center line toward the opposite shoulder, and then re-crosses the center line to deliver the blow in a straight path.

The snapping punch is similar, one essentially rolls their hand outward from inside the body directed outward. But in the end, one has essentially gone from point A to B with the hand where it would have been in a straight, normative striking manner, having utilized circular mechanics combined with the linear to create an incredible movement. The snapping punch is the only strike I have come across which allows the human to break the sound barrier.

http://www.karatebyjesse.com/rika-usami-karate-technique-secret/

This is where the exercise of 'push hands' becomes most beneficial; not only does it teach us to listen to how force is being applied both to us, and by us, but teaches us the way of water to wend around and overcome.

When meeting another in combat, ultimately a straight line is symbolized by it. Even when circle walking in fighting, as the two meet, no matter how curved the circle, ultimately as the two meet it becomes a straight line. But rather than meeting force head on I have found it best to wend around the other. This is a key principle when fighting in Baguazhang; one can only get behind their opponent to control their back and center by stepping around their oncoming strike.

And even moreso, when one comes at you circularly the linear path is often the best response. It is not one or the other of course; because what makes the situation work best is the union of their circle to your line, or your circuitry to their linear and utilizing that against them.

Most often a punch needs not be hurled away as you redirect, the simple pivot of your wrist 3-4 inches causes them to miss one entirely. The sharper the angle as they attack you, when you manipulate it to widen, causes the blow to angle off wider.


/_ .  <----I have made a crude angle there, and note that if your opponent is at the apex and you at the end of the lines, the closer you are to them, the lese angled their strike has to come from the body to make contact. When one shifts that strike slightly the closer to the apex, the wider and farther away the strike goes.

This is only possible by using a circular motion with the wrist, a slight deflection, meeting the straight line their strike must take to reach you.

It is not soft or hard which is of greatest benefit, but a union of both together. Trust me when I say neither have to work against the other unless one makes it so. And of course it will always depend on the situation to be used effectively, but that is the case for all techniques in martial arts. After all, a kick will not hit unless within range, and there is no point to even attempting to block when no strike has been thrown.

This is also the essence of tao, which every martial artist to become truly successful must either learn how to utilize or understand. When fighting many we treat them as one, just as a pool of water is but many individual drops of water and molecules. The union which causes this is tao, and that way is a true path to mastery of martial arts and combat. Water not only flows, but can break as well.

When you realize this then you not only wear the crown of water, but express it too.

 

 

“One thing that makes aikido is so powerful,
it utilizes power of opponents to win the fight.”  

-Toba Beta