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Reflections on Makishi Sensei
Pearls of Wisdom:
1) "Minimize rank rivalry, promote familyhood among practioners."
2) "Grandmaster Nagamine taught me to be proud of Matsubayashi and to pass this to my deishi, so you too should pass this confidence to your students, lara-san."
3) "The Ryu move in Kusanku, is the same as the Ryu dragon of Okinawa, licking its tongue."
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Makishi Sensei took me to Shuri Castle and we looked at the dragon, very slender with a long tongue. Nice to have this move to remind us of the cultural heritage of Okinawa. The thumb is open, and this move starts from the inside elbow going downward. Also timing is important that the front foot and both hands end at the same time.
4) During my first stays in Okinawa, Makishi Sensei was the one to "re-vamp" my karate-do by telling me that no matter the technique, both hands go same speed!
Ever notice how we place more importance on one arm? Ever notice how FAST he is? Thats why. Try doing Passai or Kusanku... outgoing shuto, and return hand to armpit, that return hand... is it as fast? Or the shuto in Kusanku, the hand going to the back of head — is it equal speed?
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6) One of his favorite mottos: "One must harmonize with society but also go their own way." Makishi Sensei has a scroll saying this in his dojo.
7) Our discussion on pride: if you worry about what others think, and about falling in their eyes, then you are a proud person.
8) This is very key to Makishi Sensei... Dojo is like family, inside the dojo you teach karate technique and outside you have dinner with deishi and as sensei you teach the heart of karate. Tidbit: Younger or lower rank in this sitting talks first and the leader talks last. This was new to me. But think about it, the leader considers all opinion before voicing their own.
9) I was asking so many questions on kata, and finally Makishi Sensei said, that on figuring out the bunkai for every move has its limitations inherently because you could go on and on asking questions never stopping, until...oh well, what if when I am turning someone punches me in the back of the head?
10) I personally learned the hard way from Makishi Sensei about how clean a dojo floor really should be. I thought I learned my lesson from Osensei having to clean the floor with him every day, but I had grown lazy over the years and upon seeing Makishi Sensei again I experienced his seldom seen wrath.
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While teaching he stopped and dragged his foot across the floor and perplexed asked some questions in japanese. After keiko I was given a lecture by the intrepretor about the virtue of clean heart, clean dojo. I asked if i could run and get the mop and I was corrected again. No! Mop does not work in Makishi Sensei's opinion, only hands work! So we lined up in singular fashion as the Okinawans do with our separate wash rags, upon hajime! we ran across the floor and cleaned it well. I must mention here that before this i had a minute to walk over to the area he was standing to examine the floor, I could see nothing! Then I very gently started dragging my foot across that area, I was stunned...sure enough some termite "dirt" had fallen from the ceiling, I was very amazed that he could feel something that small beneath his feet.
I realized then that Makishi Sensei had practiced his entire life on a true dojo floor, one that had been cleaned by deishi even the slightest difference and he could detect it!
Lara Wendy Preston
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