Kyushindo
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[edit] Philosophy
Kyushindo was an ancient and defunct Japanese religious philosophy which Kenshiro Abbe came across during his academic studies whilst at the famous Budo Senmon Gakko, or 'Special Teacher Training College'. Upon his experience of Satori or enlightenment, at the age of eighteen, he found this revelation to coincide with the old writing, from this idea he developed a new style of Judo and two years later became Grand Champion. Upon graduating from the College he spent the next twenty years in research and development of the principles, before declaring a new system. During this time he became a master, not only of Judo, but Aikido, Kendo, Jukendo and several of the other traditional martial disciplines.
Because of his fame as a Budo master people have very naturally assumed Kyushindo to be a theory of martial discipline but in fact martial discipline is only one application of Kyushindo. The various techniques of traditional Budo create the ideal opportunity for study of Kyushindo principles in a basic form which is to be applied in everyday life.
The very limited field of martial disciplines is too narrow an application to make the principle of Kyushindo clear and can be no more than the means employed to attain a far higher goal. The theory of Kyushindo has application in any study, or activity that can be named simply because it does not deal with the form and technique of anything, but with the fundamental principles which such forms and techniques represent. The principle may be likened to the hub of a wheel from which an infinite number of spokes or forms radiate. The task of perfecting an art by the laborious process of studying each 'form' is doomed to failure because the possible variations are endless. By discovering the central principle it can then be applied in any direction at will. This is the meaning of Kyushindo, which is evident in its name.
- KYU: To desire, or to search after something. The translation of study is partially correct but lacks the stronger spirit of very deeply yearning towards a thing.
- SHIN: Heart, mind, spirit, the essential essence of anything. In Kyushindo the meaning of Shin is the true and fundamental nature, as opposed to the superficial appearance.
- DO: A way, or a path. Do is never used as the 'way' a thing is done, but as a far-reaching and all-inclusive direction.
Kyushindo means in simple terms:
The way of longing for knowledge of the fundamental nature of anything.
It is this longing and desire to penetrate to the very heart of a thing which results in perfection of action due to complete unity with its underlying principle. Under this principle to know any one thing in its absolute entirety is automatically to know all things, for everything stems from the same source and exists under the same order of behaviour. The more one properly understands the workings of this principle in one application, so the more one is awakened to the nature of other things.
KYUSHINDO was the central statement for Abbe's personal approach to martial arts, Loosely translated it means the SEEKERS WAY TO THE ESSENCE OF THINGS or the TRUTH. He felt that there were three fundamental principles within Kyushindo which should be reflected in the Martial arts and in his outside life.
- All things in the Universe are in a constant state of motion (Banbutsu Ruten).
- This motion is rhythmic and flowing (Ritsu Do).
- All things work and flow in perfect harmony (Chowa).
Kyushindo has also been interpreted as:
"The search for the perfect way"
"The search for the truth"
[edit] History
Kyushindo really started in the meeting og Kenshiro Abbe and George Mayo in 1955. They quickly became friends and spent many hours training together and in philosophical discussion.
George Mayo then moved to London in 1956 where he trained with Sensei Harada (Shotokai) and Sensei Suzuki (Wado Ryu) and opened a club there, initially it taught Judo but as time went by he started to develop ideas on how to incorporate natural movement into Karate. He then opened clubs in Portsmouth - 1956, Southampton - 1957, Bristol - 1958, Luton, Southend and Romford - 1959, Brighton - 1960, Oxford - 1969, Northampton - 1971, Cardiff and Birmingham - 1972. (These dates are only approximate.) It is believed that he kept these areas separate for a long while as he tried different things and syllabuses in the different areas.
Being a student of Kinesiology, George (a qualified Naturopath and Osteopath) modified the movement of the techniques to be as natural to the body as they could be, without losing the effect of them. In 1985 George united all the clubs together in what he called Kyushindo Karate. The area coaches under his guidance and tutorage, set up each grade so all areas were doing the same technique, the same way in the same grade. It is believed this took about a year, after which all the area coaches and George signed the new syllabus, which is still in use today.
In 1986 George Mayo semi-retired, and moved back to France. He spent at least 10 days a month in the UK visiting the clubs he had esbalished. He noticed over a period of time that changes were happening in the practising of 'his' Kyushindo.
George contemplated the reason for this change in technique and attitude, and decided it was because many of high grades, although good at what they did, emphasised different aspects of what George had originally taught. George believed the techniques from different areas, were lacking different aspects of Kyushindo, thus actually changing the technique and the way it is performed and practiced.
George did not believe competition to be a good thing, as it changes the principles and practice of good technique, and wanted nothing to do with it. However it was pointed out him that he could not stop people doing what they wanted away from Kyushindo and it would be better if instructors knew they were competing so they could make sure none of the attitude or techniques they used in competition crept into class. Derek Collins, Georges' Vice President, in fact went away and after researching competition created a sport style based on Georges' principles, the techniques are different to Kyushindo karate - they have to be for safety! George was adamant that these techniques were not to get practised when karate classes were being taught.
George (10th Dan Black Belt) eventually felt that certain people were not adhering to his principles and the way he wanted techniques practised. He divorced himself from Kyushindo, setting up a new style called Mayo Shin Do.
[edit] The Technique
Kyushindo relies on natural circular movements of the body. It's basis in Kinesiology means that techniques are not applied with force, but instead through deflection. Speed, accuracy and good posture are relied on instead of size and strength.
