Preservation of the self through the hidden secrets of the opening flower
Masaaki Hatsumi
Were water actually what hydrologist deem it to be a chemically-inert substance-then
a long time ago there would already have been no water and no life on this Earth. I
regard water as the blood of the Earth. Its internal process, while not identical to that of
our blood, is nonetheless very similar. It is this process that gives water its movement. I
would compare this inner motion, the origin of all possible physical movement, to that of
a blossoming flower bud. As it unfolds, it creates a vortex-like crown of petals, in the
centre and at the end of which stands the true secret of motion-life in statu nascendi, in
the form of a concentration of movement.
Viktor Schauberger
In all physical conditions there are shifts in the flow of energies resulting in ebbs and
flows. This upsets the energy that form an electrical pattern in the body known as a
piezo-electrical field and creates a polarity strain or imbalance. The effect on the bodys
energies is to shunt into an adapted physiology or posture, this adaption activates our
protective fight or flight response.
This action inhibits normal communication between left and right brain hemispheres
resulting in a loss of the potential for integrated movements of the limbs. This adaption is
called switching and inhibits the walking gaits and higher intelligence thinking and
reasoning.
Most of the best polarity aligning methods from Acupuncture, Shiatsu and Polarity
Therapy employs stimulation or sedation of various acupuncture points located around
the body.
Hatsumi sensei once taught us a way to instantly balance the sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems of the body with one technique utilising two points
simultaneously.
We are going to share with you some of the background and research that validates what
looks like magic to the uninitiated.
Hatsumi Sensei says these powers are our birthright as natural beings, so we are going to
show you how he makes the ordinary extra ordinary.
Amatsu is a system of leverage and mechanical advantage utilising the bodies natural
fulcrums of fluid and mechanical movement. Lao Tsu described the way to accomplish a
difficult task was to make it harder first.
He wrote, That, which resists, persists and that which you are willing to recreate tends to
disappear.
Lao Tsu 6th Century B.C
Depending on the skill of the practitioner the fulcrums we create for correction can work
on any level of tissue involvement, down to fluid levels and working with the Bio life
force or spirit of the person.
Your repatterning has to recreate the tension pattern and its supporting structure to initiate
change across the compromised fulcrum of the problem area. As you initiate movement
from the application of your contact the joint is guided into release. It utilises the power
of attraction rather than overcoming resistance. This natural approach is found in many
examples in the study of nature.
The body is designed to heal itself; it only requires that there is no resistance to the
process. Resistance produces persistence. The persons problem arose from a time when
the person defended themselves from a trauma. As you build the pattern your support
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makes it unnecessary for a client to resist by hanging on to the hang-ups and torsions of
the accident they hold in their subconscious mind.
So as we re-create the factors creating resistance this builds a pattern for change, on a
physical, chemical and emotional level. The client is the product of their own experience.
So as you work with the person the problem hes presenting is what hes resisting right
now. So the points of contact and the fulcrums re-create the resistant pattern to elicit the
altered patterns of neural behaviour.
By eliciting movement across a fixed point the factors of the strain and its adaptive
measures can dissipate. Your body has learned that lesson.
Your fulcrum levers have to create a juxta position of forces to influence all of the factors
in the Kinematic pattern which gives the lesion the opportunity to spring free towards a
neutral, anatomical balance.
You just resolve the resistance, healing takes over. The bones and ligaments provide the
mechanics for leverage suspension. As you guide the affected joint through natural
movement options the neuro-muscular components of the problem re-pattern.
With the dissipation of the external and internal forces there is not resistance to become
persistence. This anatomically dissipates a structure from a fixed form of being
substantial to a balanced form of neutral that is insubstantial.
Its the shape of health from within that becomes the potency for the change. Hatsumi
Sensei persistently quotes governing from ONE POINT!
Prof Hatsumi recently visited Africa and went and visited the bushmen. They made the
following statement on the current state of the worlds ecology. When animals become
extinct man will follow. We are all part of a universal Ecological chain, interconnecting
with animals, nature, food, climate and survival.
All organisms from simple single cell amoeba to humans, plants, rocks and viruss are all
composed of universal elements.
Embryology and Symmetry
When two cells develop there is a signal between them.
When they multiply to become four then we have a quadrant joined by vertical and
horizontal connections.
All structures and forms in the universe conform to an octahedron principle this can range
from a cone of light to a snowflake or a simple organism to a complex structure like the
human body.
channels.
These established themselves as the 14 meridian circuits used by
Acupuncturists and Shiatsu disciplines.
Research by Dr Manaka of Tokyo Japan, established ancient communication systems
utilizing energy spatially between areas of a being.
The Jingluo system was based on
feeding energy to the simple
octahedral sections of the body and
interconnections between the quadrants.
Imagine a simple organism such as a
Salamander, its energy or communication
system has a central and belt connection.
This divides it up into four quadrants front and
back forming an energy pattern of an
octahedron.
Sea of Energy
Limbic
Brain
Rhin Encephalon
Controls Fight/flight
Spatial, balance and
movement
Sea of Energy
Sea of Energy
Sea of Energy
four
Quadrants
front and back
8 Extra meridians or seas
feed into the
Ki or energy is transformed from its universal source and brought into the body in a form
or vibration we attune to. In simple organisms this energy provides the information for
life, survival, reproduction and digestion. Its balance maintains the symmetry and shape
of organisms.
Your Ki or energy level can be described as being the level of your spirit. In the Chinese
dictionary Qi is expressed in personality and in emotional context.
Qi equals: Gas, air, breath, smell, odour, weather, spirit, moral, vital energy.
In Japan they greet people by asking how their yuan Ki is. OGENKI DESUKA?
In Eastern countries Ki is steeped into all levels of communication philosophy and
customs, illnesses are described by the quality of the Ki influence. Nature and elements
such as wind, heat dryness are listed as forces that create imbalances in the body.
By balancing the excesses or deficiencies of both the elemental causative factors and its
effects on the bodily systems the persons wellness can return to normal.
Hatsumi sensei explains this balancing of energies is to raise the spirit of the person,
which brings out the wellness.
For the practitioner to feel and influence these energy factors, a sensitive multi dextrous
body feel must be developed.
This is the SHIN DEN feel we must develop coupled with a Natural moving Tai Jutsu.
In Japan this skill is applied to many skills and arts.
movement life would not exist.
This movement could be described as the motility of the universe, which weaves the
insubstantial matter into a form that substantial life, can express itself through.
So without the movement that gave it form it would only exist as formless insubstantial
matter.
Every action produces and equal and opposite reaction. This takes the form of kinetic
energy or force.
In Amatsu your harnessing the kinetic energy produced from natural movement
principles to influence bodily systems.
As all life is motion, altered motion is altered function. Fluid and motion dynamics going
out of kilter results in altered function, physiology, ph levels, and eventually pathology of
the affected part.
The kinetic energy generated from the initiation of movement can be applied as a
corrective force to the focal point of a body imbalance. This focal point is the meeting
place of torsional forces. It holds the pattern or shape of the lesion allowing it to co-exist
within our framework. It can be likened to the centre of a cyclone where there is a
stillness feeding or forming the structure of the whirlwind. Releasing these forces allows
their energy structure and shape to dissipate and disassemble. This can release blockages
in the simple information system or Jingluo channels that feed into the more sophisticated
systems of the body. In this way the simple natural movement strategies of the
practitioner applied behind pressure to specific body points can dissipate energy
blockages and produce lines of force to restore equilibrium of the many varying
interconnected systems of the body.
In ancient times techniques to influence the body in this way were guarded as secrets by
its masters.
During the Meiji Period (AD1868-1912) the shoguns, ruling warlords lost their power
and gave way to a rise in imperialistic politics. The Japanese government modelled
themselves on the Western model. This brought about many changes in Japanese society
towards western concepts. Even traditional medicine concepts were replaced by a more
western approach. Anma which had been an integral part of Japanese life and medicine
was now discouraged. As a concession blind people were still allowed to practice the art.
Towards the end of the Meiji period the government introduced legislation, which
required licensing to practice Anma. This prevented many people from practicing a
heritage that had previously been handed down through families. With the introduction
of western influence and cultural ideas more formal and systematic training was
developed into massage training.
As recent as 1964 the government developed guidelines and licensing procedures
allowing a new model approach based on pressure meridians. This was known as Shiatsu
and separated Anma from this modern formulated approach. This ancient application of
Anma did not concern itself with meridians and Tsubos in the same way as Shiatsu.
Pressure on Tsubo points was purely co-incidental and the application of pressure did not
conform to the meridian flow lines as the established method of Shiatsu. Prof Hatsumi is
the holder of the records or authentic scrolls of these systems as well as Budo martial
schools of movement and strategy. He states that Budo and medicine are one and without
Tai Jutsu and natural movement nothing would exist.
This natural but simple way of moving utilised by Dr Masaaki Hatsumi in his Budo skills
are described by him as ordinary. When you watch this master at work or play he will
make simple techniques produce extra-ordinary results.
We need to polish our hearts and strive to become ordinary to develop a heart feel for the
medicine. He calls this feel SHIN DEN and its practice is know as a Jutsu This Shin
Den Jutsu is the heart or essence of nature to bring this feel into your work.
10
When you balance a client in this way with Amatsu your applying Tai Jutsu to yourself as
you gently coax their limbs in positions for balancing and correction.
Energy field
subtler forms of
Solid Body
If you think of 20 magnets in a row they form a contiguous line, but with the energy
passing through them in a linear direction they could be considered as continuous in their
contiguity.
They can bend, rotate and flex whilst maintaining their connection. But as soon as you
break their pattern by misalignment the continuity is broken.
Once you replace the magnet they will balance in the same was as before with all the
same properties of connection and movement. In the body there are communication
signals of great sophistication via the nervous system. These are also messages sent
through the bodies hormonal or chemical receptors. Previous to and beneath these
systems is a more ancient form of awareness. This has been described by researchers as
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our signal system. As far back in our embryological development even a unicellular
organism has signal awareness. It may respond to light or heat, it seeks food, ingests,
digests and excretes. This ancient information system in simple organisms operates
outside of commonly known laws. Dr Manaka in his book Chasing the Dragons Tail
explains that the signal system responds to symmetry and shape of structures in a
balanced environment. This is true of all interconnected things in natures biological
structure.
Salamanders, frogs and some crabs etc. can regenerate lost limbs. The body simply
returns to symmetry by re-growing a lost limb.
As we move up the evolutionary ladder our specialized systems lose this quality.
The energy symmetry or blueprint remains its just the change in specialization of the
tissue that inhibits re-growth in higher species.
In this way the advanced biological form still retains the properties of the original genetic
blueprint.
Terence McKenna describes it thus:
Morphogenetic field, a non material organising collective memory field which affects all
the biological systems. Spirits are the presence of the past specifically expressed.
Terence McKenna
Mavericks of the Mind
Simple movement is a property of life and water and air move to form vortices that can
create form.
In nature whenever growth meets resistance coils or vortexes are formed. The effect
could be a rams horn or the coiled ventricles of the human brain or the roots of a tree.
Everywhere in nature we see this in evidence in water swirling round rocks, the shape of
clouds, branches on young plants and even the horns of a ram.
As our brain evolved it grew larger from the end of the nervous system, which was at the
site of the limbic brain.
At the end point of the nervous system or lamina terminalis as the brain grew its left and
right ventricles it met with the resistance of the membrane that formed the skull bones. In
keeping with natural laws when growth meets resistance it coils and produce the form or
shape of the hemispheres. In the horns of a ram this law is expressed externally.
As our diet changed and the upright body developed our digestive system formed in
reservoirs and coils from a more simple organism. But these movement and stressdeveloped organs are still subject to the same laws of other shaped forms in nature. The
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semi circular canals in the petrous portion of the temporal bone forming the ear are the
same form as a seashell.
The Chinese have a saying to understand the universe is to understand man. Illustrating
the Universal nature and connectiveness of all things.
As humans evolved and our digestive system became more sophisticated possibly
because of climatic changes forcing us to move to new pastures and the introduction of
fire to cook foods. Organs developed and became positioned in an upright thoracic
cavity.
This upset the symmetry of the upright moving human by singly positioned organs both
on the left and right of the body. Heart, spleen and stomach are all situated on the left
with the gall bladder, liver and the right lung with its three lobes to the left lungs two.
As well as the asymmetries of left/right we could also see superior inferior
asymmetries. In the menstrual cycle women lose blood and this biases them towards
certain health problems not found in males.
Many other asymmetries arise from daily life. Most people use their hands with greater
agility than their feet. Intricate work is performed with the hands because they are closer
to the organs of sight, the eyes.
People develop a more pronounced sensitivity in the hands and fingers than in the feet
and toes. This is an obvious superior-inferior asymmetry.
Lessened attention or a decreased awareness of the feet and toes has more profound
implications than might be expected.
Through our evolution, our movement has become less dependent primarily on the feet
and toes.
Our lessened awareness of their relative position, movement and balance affects the
bodys structure through repeated daily movements and habits.
If we are not using our feet and toes in a balanced manner our posture and structure
become imbalanced. This in turn biases toward functional changes and pathologies.
Driving cars, one-sided machines, sitting long periods whilst using hands to work, onesided sports etc. Even wearing modern shoes lessens the dexterity of the toes.
Specialization can lead to a loss of symmetry, which results in imbalance, which leads to
pathology.
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As man became upright the brain has also developed and increased in size. This meant
that brain at full development would be too large for the birth canal.
Birth came at nine months. But brain and development continued for at least one year,
which resulted in us having to nurse the infant for at least a year. To survive we had to
develop communication and organisation skills to allow us to evolve a social structure.
BRAIN EVOLVEMENT
Research by Dr Paul McLean a brain scientist describes our brain like an archaeological
site with the upper or outer layers composed of the most recent development of the brain
structure, the cerebral cortex which is highly developed and reaches its greatest level of
activity and complexity in humans. Deeper layers contain structures of our earlier
evolutionary forbears the reptiles and mammals.
The reptilian brain is filled with unnecessary lore and ancestral memories and is preprogrammed for doing what its ancestors said, but its not a very good brain for facing up
to new situations.
RHIN ENCEPHALON
(NOSE BRAIN)
CONTROLS FIGHT OR FLIGHT
SPATIAL BALANCE AND
MOVEMENT
ANCIENT REMNANTS
OF REPTILIAN BRAIN
LIMBUS (TO
SURROUND)
LIMBIC BRAIN
EARS
BALANCE AND HEARING
LINKED TO
NOSE
OLFACTORY SENSE
EYES
SIGHT AND BALANCE
TONGUE
AND TASTE
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Surrounding the reptilian brain is the next step in brain development, the mammalian or
limbic brain, both of which are concerned primarily with self and species preservation.
The limbic system is a series of brain structures surrounding a reptilian complex. It
forms a cap or limbus around the brain stem. So we have these three areas the reptilian,
the old mammalian, the limbic and the new mammalian the hemo cortex.
The reptilian complex is basically the repository for unlearned pre-programmed sets of
behaviour, basically instincts, but as we proceed to the old mammalian and new
mammalian brains the older parts of the cortex fold into two concentric rings, which are
eventually covered by humans by the now expanded cerebral cortex.
The limbic lobe surrounds the brain stem and has connections with the cerebral
hemispheres.
The limbic system first named by McLean in 1952 was thought to be important in
emotions. Its older name was Rhin encephalon or nose brain, which referred to the
extensive connections it had with the olfactory structures.
When an animal comes out of the woods the first thing he does is turn his head from left
to right, in a sniffing motion. This relates to a vestigial limbic situation. The same is true
if a woman enters a house and smells something burning. She lifts her nose up and then
turns her head rapidly from side to side.
Thus the limbic system is a seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting and head turning system.
From this sensory input we respond to alterations in our environment ensuring safety and
survival from stressors or predators.
As this information feeds out into our highly evolved nervous system it becomes linked
to physiology and structure. Ancient man relied totally on these sensory signals and was
therefore constantly using them maintaining symmetry of balance. As we no longer need
to smell predators or see or hear for survival these senses lose their importance. As we
pamper our senses with visual olfactory and taste treats we dull them as to their true
survival purpose. This also is a bias away from homeostasis.
In Amatsu our first consideration is to balance the limbic system and establish symmetry
of ligamentous and muscle pulls in the body. This organises the spinal mechanisms to the
qualities of the upright biped. This results in many adaptation corrections clearing many
incidental problems.
This tends to demonstrate that by addressing the signal system of the body first it governs
or transfers information to the higher evolved brain cortex and hormonal system to clear
away symptoms of those systems. But the reverse does not apply.
Dr Goodheart a research chiropractor demonstrated that balancing Pitch, Roll and Yaw
problems for upright stability many spinal problems spontaneously corrected.
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Part of your treatment protocol is to adjust imbalances of the muscular and skeletal
structures. The balance of the physical structures is important for symmetry balance and
movement.
Weak, tight or imbalanced muscles alter the alignment of the structure and crowd organs
to produce pathology.
In the early stages of imbalance abnormal sensations will arise. This can range from
pain, discomfort, numbness or hypersensitivity. As pathology slowly develops,
functional disorders develop e.g. insomnia, constipation poor appetite etc.
All of these changes are part of a disease process but are not identified as a pattern.
In Amatsu their changes should be noted and addressed as being the core or foundation of
the condition being treated.
In contrast the western approach is to treat each symptom as an entity in itself. As the
condition develops the person is then diagnosed as having a disease.
To bring out the wellness of the client it is important to observe their early signs or
lifestyle habits and biases in their behaviour that lead to imbalance.
Many factors in the persons make up that can range from congenital abnormalities to the
skeletal system, old injury sites, and unnatural postural habits, which can be
occupationally strained.
Watch the way your clients stand, move and sit. Do they cross their legs? Ask about
handedness choice and to what degree they use their dominant side. Ask about their
occupation, sports they then demonstrate any activity that arouses your suspicions.
Young mothers lift babies from cots into the backs of cars etc.
WALKING AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Man as a race has always found it natural to walk great distances to hunt for food and
survival. It plays an important part in the whole anthropology of our civilization. Unlike
most animals it takes humans months to develop through the crawling stage from homo
lateral crawling to cross-facilitated crawling to upright walking. Our final development
by the age of three is a paralateral movement potential.
Where each limb has its own independence whilst co-ordinating with the body as a
whole. As an example this skill is utilised when rock climbing but would integrate into
many life preserving skills and situations.
Research has shown that as early as 10 days post natally babies exhibit predictable
behavioural responses via eye movement and head gestures to thousands of sounds and
communications from their environment. The first discernible movement patterns are via
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homolateral crawling activity i.e. same arm and leg on one side and then the same arm
and leg on the other side. The next stage is cross-patterned crawling with involvement of
opposite arm and leg working together then changing sides. This is also accompanied
with head turning and eye movement which links the whole process in with our primal
balancing mechanism situated in the limbic brain.
The final stage of developmental properties in the body is paralateral movement of the
four limbs of the body integrating and interacting. This stage of development also
requires communication across the corpus Collosum between the two brain hemispheres.
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must be able to use both hands equally. Other concepts unique to the developmental
stage of humans is the ability to approximate the opponens pollici muscle or thumb to
little finger for gripping. This dexterity known as Ningu in Amatsu and allowed man to
create weapons and tools.
This allowed us develop a precision grip and dexterity. With these skills we developed
tools to manufacture.
Ningu is a skill of dexterity but utilising more than just the fingers and hands.
The whole body is employed in natural movement behind the hands contacts. In this way
you can build multi-contacts of support. This support system is a sanshin using at least
three points of contact that inter-relate. With this tool your body can offer pivots of
support to the limbs of the body. These can be used to change fulcrums of leverage to
injured sites to restore balance in the muscles and ligaments of the joints.
The limbic brain previously mentioned is situated between the cortical hemispheres in
man is an ancient survival brain that is common to animals as well. It is neurologically
linked to the eyes, ears, nose and tongue and allows us to smell, see or taste danger, also
because of its link to the upper trapezius and Sterno Cleido muscles in the neck, the head
can turn to sense and see dangers. These skeletal muscles are the only ones fed by a
cranial nerve as well as the spinal nerves.
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Again unique to man is to have emotions linked to this primal brain and these three
attributes of cortical dominance opponens pollici dexterity, the limbic brain neurology
and emotion give us an intelligent mastery on this planet. In Tao-ism, three is a
SANSHIN or a trinity and occurs in many places in mans Anthropology and
development. A child at the age of three has these developmental stages organised and is
then governed as a Body/Mind/Spirit entity with Structure/Chemical/Emotional
interplays of maintaining balance
BODY
MIND
STRUCTURE
SPIRIT
CHEMICAL
NUTRITION
MENTAL
SANSHIN
Chemical - the whole balanced ecology of that which we eat and breathe and its
breakdown and exchange with the body.
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3.
In Amatsu our first consideration of treatment is the physical interaction of the three areas
the head, pelvis and the feet. Checking for any imbalance in these areas. Problems here
result in a loss of symmetry and energy imbalance affecting the four quadrants and the
limbic system. As the body loses its structural integrity very predictable changes will
come about in the organ system, energy system, digestive system, circulatory, drainage,
cerebrospinal fluid systems and much more.
Any attempts to improve these malfunctions without addressing the structural weight
bearing and weight moving abilities to re-establish symmetry in the signal information
system is purely symptom treating.
All stresses imposed on the body physically affect the sacrum and reciprocally the
cranium and therefore result in a restriction or imbalance of sutural motion in the bones
of the cranium, which in turn affects the whole neurology of man. Both chiropractic and
osteopathic science relates to the premise that physiological function is dependent on
structural integrity.
Prof. Masaaki Hatsumi quotes continuously in his teachings the importance of balanced
integrated walking and movement. He states Human Beings become adults once they
have learned to walk. The basis of his Budo Taijutsu are movements known as KIHON
HAPPO and they are a Kata or form where the participant can walk in one of eight
directions to practice self defence and self help techniques. He explains we need to learn
to sense with our feet, walk from our spine and use our body in one integrated flow.
In old Japan, vigorous training regimens of budo were believed to develop strength in
body, mind and spirit. Unfortunately these ancient regimens dont seem to suit modern
man who demands scientific explanations for everything and rejects Budo or warrior
principles as outmoded in modern society.
People have lost touch with their innate or instinctual sense and now cannot be rationally
convinced that Budo training or natural movement is of benefit to mental or spiritual
development.
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People in modern society need to sit in offices, work on computers and commute great
distances to work. This has changed the nature of our work environment, but the nature
of man has not changed.
The ancient school of Hichi Buku Goshin Jutsu concerned itself with the long-term
balance of the person through the principles of protection of the self and the spirit. The
essence of the School was Natural Movement coupled with breathing and mind
development principles.
One of the key elements of Prof. Hatsumis Budo is symmetry of movement. All parts of
the body are used as one; its physiology is a relaxed, integrated flow of effortless
movement. This global appreciation of the bodys interrelated parts and its interaction
can be described as Shin Gi Tai Ichi principle. This is the ancient concept of the
integration of the body the mind the spirit and the technique all being one. This is a
total union of symmetry and congruence applied to the task in hand.
Modern research psychotherapists such as Richard Bandler and Anthony Robbins also
noted that a common denominator to longevity was a congruent symmetry of motion as
well as a positive and relaxed attitude to life.
Virginia Satir, one the greatest psychotherapists categorized people into five groups and
listed peculiarities of posture, attitude and physiology to each one. These are now known
as SATIR categories. She noted that people were dominantly one category primarily and
noted that peoples behavioural patterns and ability to handle stress were categorized to
that physiology set. She went on further to research that each physiology SET created
organic disorders and illness in the person. Another example of a bias-creating
disharmony.
This fits with the Eastern concept of the five elements. Each of the meridians, organs and
emotions is linked to one of the elements. Modern research now accepts the meridian,
organ, muscle, and emotional link up.
21
Heart
Joy
Liver
Worry
Anger
Spleen
Kidney
Lung
Fear
Sadness
22
The above shoes are called Tabis these enable the big toe to have easy movement
The ancient Japanese placed great emphasis on the big toe and its mechanical
functions. In the art of walking they even designed footwear with a separate portion
for the big toe to allow for freedom of movement and dexterity.
Ancient man would use his feet but especially his big toe in many tasks making tools
or climbing ropes etc. which also maintains the symmetry of the four limbs.
23
The big toe needs to swing freely through its actions of Dorsi flexion and plantar
flexion to walk. In walking, the body is pulled over the fixed fulcrum provided by the
Dorsi flexed Halux by the inertia of the free swinging leg.
Four sources combine at this point to allow the body to propel itself forward
effectively.
1)
2)
3)
4)
This combined effect propels or pulls the body forward, acting like a lever over the
fulcrum at the metatarso-phalangeal joint.
A large proportion of the momentum is provided by the forward swinging free leg. Its
weight combined with its pendular centrifugal force pulls on the bodies centre. The
weight-bearing limb extends behind the body to an angle of 10-12o degrees. This
extends the knee and locks it raising the heel and the metatarso-phalangeal joints are
dorsi flexed to contact the floor.
24
Its this contact that provides a rigid lever to pivot on to propel the body forward. J H
Hicks in 1953-4 wrote articles in both Acta Anatomica and the Journal of Anatomy.
He describes how through the mechanical action of dorsi-flexion of the great toe,
stability of the foot is created.
During movement of the metatarsal bones a self-locking mechanism is created by the
bones stabilising themselves through compressive forces.
This same principle is used in the support structure of a bridge.
Rocks in Nature
As the foot pivots through its walking movement on the dorsi flexed metatarsophalangeal joint with the locked metatarsals, the first metatarsal tightens the
aponeurosis and raises the arch.
Howard J Dananberg DPM wrote a paper in the journal of orthopaedic medicine Vol.
14, 1992 No. 1. Titled: Subtle Gait Malfunction and Chronic Musculo-skeletal Pain.
He describes the condition of functional hallux limitus (rigidus) where there is a
failure of the hinge apparatus at the first metatarso-phalangeal joint. This results in an
inability to flex at any time during the single support, weight-bearing phase of gait.
A full or normal range of motion is detectable during normal R.O.M tests. The
locking at the joint only occurs on weight bearing during the course of the step. As
this only lasts for a second most examination procedure fail to detect it.
Without this critical dorsi flexion of the big toe joint all of the biomechanical forces
of tarsal locking, weight transfer and stability are adversely affected.
The repetitious nature of this problem leads to a process of foot deformation in the
direction of pronation.
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References.
Subtle gait malfunction and chronic musculo-skeletal pain Howard J Dananberg DPM
The Thinking Body, Mabel E Todd
Prof. Hatsumi Lectures Japan 1995
26
Modern Man
Ancient man
Ape
This adaption is not present in chimpanzees. The feet had to learn to walk through a
weight-bearing pivot on the big toe joint. This joint is known as the metatarso
phalangeal joint or M.P.J. With other primates, apes and chimpanzees when they
attempt upright walking the weight distribution is through their middle toes, which
fails to provide the stable fulcrum to lever or spring forward from.
Dr Hatsumi explained to us that the big toe became a balance point for bipedal
walking in the same way many animals use their tails. It provides a balance point for
propulsion and effortless movement against resistance and gravity.
CHIMPANZEE
HUMAN FOOT
BIPED HUMAN
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Although the cheetah runs with only one foot on the ground at a time, there are two
points in its stride when its body is fully extended and no feet touch the ground. Their
feet are short with non-retractable claws that act like cleats when the cat is running.
Imagine the sheer beauty and magic of the natural movement of this animal at speed.
Extend
Flex
Flex
2 seconds
1 second
3 seconds
0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------70 mph
People have lost touch with their natural movement strategies and train to develop
muscle size in isolated prime mover/antagonist type of exercises. This kind of
exercise can leave joints susceptible to strain and is a poor ergonomic use of the body.
THE CENTIPEDE POEM
The centipede was happy quite
Until the frog in fun
Said pray, which leg comes after which?
This set his mind in such a pitch
He lay distracted in a ditch
Figuring how to run
Moshe Feldenkrais stated, The quality of your life is the quality of your movement.
Congruent movement patterns are how the child developed cortical dominance and
paralateral ability and give us a quality of life and mental creativity to develop and
explore.
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When you are moving naturally, each part of the movement is just a still frame of the
bodies walking potentials. Limbs naturally engage as a body unit to flow congruently
towards movement.
The multi-directional gait patterns of forward, backwards or diagonal movements all
initiate from a gait facilitation. This makes the limbs roll around fulcrums at various
joint sites. The muscles integrate and contract and relax in keeping with their
directional position according to their origin and insertions. In this way you will see
evidence of many spirally formed muscles producing a leminiscate way of moving of
the limbs and joints.
Anatomical researcher Davenport Hooker discovered that the first reflex movement to
appear in the human foetus is lateral side-to-side bending. This basic movement is
linked with survival, mainly the act of seeking food.
The movement is detectable from the eighth week of foetal development in response
to stimulation of the upper lip and the alae of the nose. The nose is linked to survival
in its connection to the RHIN ENCEPHALON or nose brain, now called the Limbic
brain. The olfactory sense is our strongest primal sense, and in many creatures can
detect vibrations as well as smells.
Professor Raymont Dart a distinguished anthropologist and anatomists wrote an
article entitled Voluntary musculature in the human body: the double spiral
arrangement. He explains that spiral development occurs in the evolution of
voluntary musculature.
The first formation of cells appears as a block like arrangement of somites grouped
bilaterally. As the alternately contract the entire musculature on one side of the body
then the other produce a lateral bending.
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With the upright spine developing its three curves for a powerful and flexible
structure, its natural movement utilises spirals. Most tasks of early man were
bilateral, both legs and arms used for hunting climbing etc, and would naturally
maintain a balance of all the quadrants of the body in harmonious movement.
When the spine moves naturally with its spirallic inertia the walking gaits of the body
initiate a free movement. Its not muscular contractions producing movement, its
movement producing muscle contractions as the limb moves.
Only with the coming of specialisation of tools from an axe to a bow and arrow would
a postural bias develop. In the case of early man many other tasks would maintain a
balance. Even the feet would be used as much as the hands to weave climb and build.
Modern man on the other hand has virtually lost the use of the feet as a dexterous tool
and even favours one hand dominance. This can produce torsional twists in the
framework of the body creating many muscular, structural and visceral problems for
the owner.
The stock in trade tool in Budo Taijutsu is this natural movement strategy of the body.
The Kihon Happo (basic patterns) that formed the secret sword schools of the shinobi
warrior had eight ways of moving as its base.
From developing techniques and strategies in these eight directions the directional
dexterity of the human develops. These movement potentials are adult patterns of
matured development. These eight treasures allow for infinitesimal variation of
choice, flexibility and availability to develop for any task or technique. This
flexibility and adaption from basic techniques is known as Henka.
These fundamentals form the base of all human movement strategies from farming to
medicine or warrior craft.
For a superior Taijutsu to develop and flow with effortless movement, both internal
and external forces must be in equilibrium with each of the component areas making
the system.
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This is the basic premise that underlies Tai Chi in China and Tai Kyoku from Japan.
In this way natural movement of the body can be both its power potential and its selfcorrective medicine.
Dr Masaaki Hatsumi is the epitome of this natural ever-responsive awareness to our
surroundings. To watch him move through his Tai Jutsu (natural movement
strategies) whilst demonstrating his skills is to be made aware of the very essence of a
spirit of movement.
This natural way of employing the bodys eclectic movement potentials to any given
task was the essence from which Budo principles developed and was mans birthright
as a method of protection of the self and spirit as part of our anthropology. Various
researchers have indicated that ancient man once only had the limbic survival brain
and developed the left and right hemispheres only thousands of years ago.
If man has survived and developed through the ages, could not his natural way of
moving have been in part the reason for the developmental stage of brain hemispheric
enlargement and integration
As people become stressed they change posture, physiology and chemistry. Messages
are impaired across the corpus collosum joining the two hemispheres of the brain.
When tested the gait co-ordination they exhibit homo-lateral locomotion potential, the
same arm and leg on one side have co-ordination and this applies to both sides. This
is a return to the homo-lateral dimension of the pre-learning prerequisite to cross
facilitated walking patterns.
Recent research indicates that impaired physiologic patterns in the body produce
chemistry that predisposes depression, lowered immune system and tendency to
illness. So just being in this Homo-lateral dominance is to impoverish yourself to a
robotic muscle strength dependency with poor protection of the brain and spinal cord
from strain or fixation pressures in the spine.
Taking our first steps out of this Physiological dilemma we need to examine the
potential of a foot. The foot is a marvel of structural engineering with its three arches
and its springy ligamentous arrangement.
As the body moves through natural saccade differing pressures from above and below
need to be equalised.
Constant stresses the body has to balance against are inertia and gravity in a
continuous action with these natural forces.
Copyright Amatsu UK Ltd. 2000
Walking man the biped large book
Shinden Jutsu May 2003
33
So as the foot is placed down the juxta position of these forces meet and
proprioceptors send messages to the sacro-iliac weight bearing ligaments in the pelvis
and the temporo-mandibular ligaments in the head area.
The sensory information of these three areas is fed to the brain to provide a spatial
upright balance to the body. This allows the body and the spine to have strong
upright strength with flexibility and power when moving, walking and lifting.
In the book Living Energies by Callum Coates, he describes how natural spirals of
energy are at play in a simple acorn.
The structure of the acorn is assembled in such a way that ascending and descending
spirals form its structure.
The point at which these spirals meet is the growth centre of the acorn. Its heart centre
the point from which growth and change occur.
ACORN
In the art of walking, to step with the right foot tips the pelvis and produces a sidebend across the lumbar spine at its anterior/posterior curve. This induces a torsion
and rotation of the vertebrae. This is tolerable to spinal mechanics and protective to
the spinal cord. The whole spine takes up this movement with spirallic torsioning
coming downwards from the occiput. These two spirallic formations meet at dorsal
five area. The ligamentous arrangement of the spine governs the articulating surfaces
of the vertebrae to produce two qualities of flexibility and rigidity. The meeting place
of these rotations develops a helix in the spine due to the anatomical juxta position of
the torsions working through the spine. At this point where they meet a powerful
vector of centrifugal or centripedal force is expressed.
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Overall pressure is
2 x bodyweight.
Depending on which part of the foot is used this kinetic energy or power can be used
behind a tool or used in a thrust or breaking techniques.
The polarity and energy of the body is affected by these natural torsions in the spine.
Research has shown that the brains cortex is stimulated by cross patterned walking.
Researchers Doman and Delacato demonstrated that many developmental and
behavioural problems in children and adults was caused through not cross patterning.
When the child goes from the creeping crawling to walking patterns some dont cross
crawl before walking. Cross pattering exercises were devised to correct many
imbalances.
The ancient Japanese had great awareness of this fact and even developed footwear
that left the big toe separate from the others. This also kept it free for the many tasks
they would incorporate the big toe in daily from climbing, holding, weaving etc. This
also helped to maintain the dexterity of the toes, which is a vital factor in maintaining
a mechanical and energy symmetry in the body.
Dr Masaaki Hatsumi constantly reminds us of big toe freedom and flexibility.
Reflexology recognises the importance of the big toe and its reflex connection to
Copyright Amatsu UK Ltd. 2000
Walking man the biped large book
Shinden Jutsu May 2003
35
Liver
Energy
Flow
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