THE SANSEI PAGE: The Ryu

Thursday, August 28, 2008

The Ryu

All koryu and several gendai budo schools are called such-and-such-Ryu. The -Ryu appended to a title refers to the system's "name"; it is a "style" or "school" delineation. Therefore, there karate do, while a unified gendai budo fighting system originating out of Okinawa, retains several strains that are quite different in their kata and training methods. A Shotokan stylist would be different from, say, a Goju-Ryu stylist, as opposed to an Uechi-Ryu stylist. They would all be doing karate do, certainly, but even the application of a simple punch would be very different in terms of placement of the arms, use of force, and so on.
Some gendai budo do not have any -Ryu systems. Kendo, for example, has been unified as a national (and international) sport and pastime for the use of bamboo staves to represent sword fighting. There are no "styles" or schools of kendo. There is only kendo. All kendo schools share the same general rules when it comes to competition and kendo kata (forms). Likewise judo, although it has fragmented a lot in recent times, is basically judo. Even recent iterations of some modern "jujutsu" schools are, at heart, simply subsets of some parts of judo, emphasizing perhaps the more combative or roughhouse aspects of judo to the detriment of the sportive aspects.Aikido started out as one and only one martial art form. It, too, has developed along different stylistic lines due to differences of style, personality clashes, and other kinds of martial arts politics. Aikido arts presently encompass various different schools, the larger ones being Aikikai (or hombu, the "main branch" style of aikido), Ki Society (Ki No Kenkyukai), Yoshinkan, and Tomiki-ryu.
The differences between koryu schools are even wider. While a Shito-ryu stylist may find similarities in a kata performed by a Shotokan stylist, some jujutsu schools, for example, have no common grounds with each other. Even similar techniques may go by completely different names.
Koryu SchoolsThe number of distinct koryu schools have decreased since Japan's modern era (1868), due to Westernization, the consolidation of martial endeavors into the modern -do schools, and sheer neglect. However, a number of koryu schools continue to this day. While koryu budo once numbered in the thousands, they now number in the low hundreds, if at all that much. The list that follows is very incomplete, but suggests the variety of possibilities still available in koryu schools. Some of the schools may not fit in the category I have assigned them, depending on one's point of view. For that, I beg your indulgence as I admit to not having an in-depth experience with most of the schools listed.
Composite Schools (primarily a variety of bujutsu methods)Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-RyuKashima Shin-RyuKashima Shinto-Ryu (Bokuden-ryu)Takeuchi-Ryu (Honke, bunke, and Bitchu-den)
JujutsuDaito-Ryu Araki-RyuShito-ryuTenshin Shinyo-ryuSosuishitsu-ryuTakagi Hontai Yoshin-ryuKito-ryu IaijutsuMuso Jikiden Eishin-ryuMuso Shinden-ryuHoki-ryuMugai-ryuSekiguchi-ryu iaiHayashizaki Muso-ryuTamiya-ryuMugai-ryuHasegawa Eishin-ryuSwordsmanshipYagyu Shinkage-ryuOno-ha Itto-ryuSekiguchi-haItto-ryuHokushin Itto-ryuHyoho Niten Ichi-ryuJikishinkage-ryuManiwa Nen-ryuShizen-ryu
Staff (bojutsu, jojutsu)Chikubushima-ryuShinto (or Shindo) Muso-ryuKukishin-ryu bo
Shuriken jutsuShirai-ryuNegishi-ryu
SojutsuOwari Kan-ryuHozoin-ryu
KyujutsuOgasawara-ryu (also a school of etiquette and horsemanship)Takeda-ryu
NaginatajutsuTendo-ryuJikishinkage-ryu naginata
KusarigamaJikiyuishin-ryu

Sansei

WORLD SANSEI KORYU GOJU-RYU KARATEDO

世界三世紅竜の剛柔の龍は組織空手道

http://www.koryugojuryu.com/

www.silvercupmiami.com

(International Old-Style Karate Goju Association)

Established 1979

The New Path

A tree reaches past your embrace grows from one small seed.

A structure over nine stories high begins with a handful of earth.

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

TAO 64

This passage from a manuscript written centuries ago holds true today. The Kokusai Koryu Gojuryu Karatedo has grown geometrically since its inception in 1979. It has grown from a small group of students to its current existence as a world re-known organization.

The mission of the World Sansei Koryu Gojuryu Karatedo is to promote excellence in its members. Students becoming members in the organization will grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. Karate provides knowledge that will last the lifetime of the student. Discipline and preparedness learned in the Dojo will allow the students to perform at higher levels, giving them a competitive edge, both in school and in the workplace. The student that accepts the Karate way sets himself or herself forever on the path of excellence.

SANSEI

WORLD SANSEI KORYU GOJU-RYU KARATEDO

(International Old-Style Karate Goju Association)

Established 1979

WORLD SANSEI KORYU GOJU-RYU

KARATE & KOBUDO ORGANIZATION

The “Crane” is our symbol, which represents simplicity, beauty, nature, character and the essence of life; it characterizes the goodness that our organization represents by our membership, and our commitment to family and community involvement.

As a Taoist representation it's yang side also represents its dynamic striking ability, smooth, flowing, lighting fast, effortless, with unyielding, unforgiving accuracy

The red interior represents health, strength, physical energy, passion, courage, protection. The color of the element of Fire, Red is associated with blood (and thus, life and death), and intense emotions.

The black outline represents the banishing of negativity.

The white represents Protection and Purification.

The symbol is a reminder of natural law, the order of life and the wisdom you need to live it.

The World Sansei Koryu Goju-Ryu Karate and Kobudo Organization's name and logo are owned by the Organization. Members are cautioned to use them only for the purposes of demonstrating rank certification and certifying students who are in good standing within the Organization.Membership in the World Sansei Goju-Ryu Karate and Kobudo Organization is an honor and privilege! A lifetime of hard work, dedication, and study from the Founder allows the Organization to exist - and it has for 31 years! The Organizational Hombu needs support and cannot sustain itself on its own. The Organizational fees are but a small token of one's loyalty towards this Organization. All members who desire to remain in good standing with the Organization will have their dues paid in full each year and will be posted on the international website. All members are expected to hold the highest standards of respect and dignity. As a member you are encouraged to take full advantage of the services of the Organization. You may elect to use any service we offer at any time.We are all equal under the Arts. The only special consideration given to any member will be the respect afforded to one's rank. This privilege will be given to each member by another. It is only proper that one’s accomplishments in the Arts be recognized.To acquire an accurate understanding of Loyalty, one must understand the meaning of the word Loyalty along with what Loyalty actually represents, both culturally and symbolically.

The World Sansei Goju-Ryu Karatedo Organization's “oath of allegiance" relates to words such as loyalty, commitment, adherence and faithfulness. Loyalty is an actual act of truce between people. Those who believe in our ideology would "Be Loyal" to them. The act of Loyalty is formalized by a special handshake in the way of holding forearms.

Once this Loyalty in understood , it symbolizes support and devotion towards each other. It is also noted that there are no contracts, no formal agreements, only a simple handshake . That in itself emphasizes a simple trust and belief in each other more than anything else.

This Karate Association follows the same path and ideology as one can expect from its title "Loyalty". Its Karate teachings very much parallel the same virtues of loyalty, honesty and commitment; and it promotes supporting and helping each other to achieve the same goals and objectives in Karate-Do.This Karate Association can be viewed as a "way of life" to help promote a unique perspective of life - the wisdom to perceive the benefits of adopting a nonviolent attitude, the virtue of being patient and the tranquility of possessing peace in our lives.

World Sansei Gojuryu Karate-do Organization was founded by Manny Saavedra, currently the Head Instructor of the Karate Association with one major goal in mind: to enrich the quality of life of its practitioners and to develop a strong sense of camaraderie, solidarity and team work among members ... all in the Way of Karate.