THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Universality

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

“Universality tells us that all principles are omnipresent, every single martial arts technique involves every principle in some form. In some form, because a given principle can appear radically different as the context varies. 

The entire world of martial arts resides in any one technique, truth. The theoretical mastery of (the principles within) a single technique would amount to the mastery of all martial arts. Principles constitute the language of martial arts. Understanding the language of martial arts - principles - permits us to understand any subject within martial arts.”

I take a different view of universality while not degrading or eliminating the above explanation from the book of marital power. To be universal in self-defense also speaks to a more diverse application of those principles when avoidance and deescalation fail and the need for self-defense is required. 

What I mean is to say that there are no “one answer or right answers” when it comes to violence and conflict. Discovery of other means to the end are there and they span the idea that a universal idea or fact is discoverable. It relates to us that these principles exists throughout the world of self-defense and cross over all boundaries as to a system or style or model of self-defense be it karate and the various styles or other models presented as adequate toward self-defense. 

Universality presents models that transcend the need to use physical violence for defense, it presents the idea through principles of theory and philosophy that defense comes from other models like communications where avoidance and deescalation exist while they are not present in models of martial arts for self-defense.

It also suggests to us that for self-defense we must not restrict ourselves to any one theory, idea, model or philosophy because each situation due to its uniqueness requires the ability to make decisions and act in a chaotic and potentially dangerous situation to achieve a goal of avoidance, deescalation or some form of physical type of defense. 

Universality is a way of saying that principles exist everywhere regardless, i.e., be it self-defense, playing a sport like football or in the act of walking in a manner that promotes better health and fitness through an application of physiokinetics such as structure, alignment, balance and stability, etc. 

Universality also tells us right from the start that all the principles and sub-principles work together to create the one whole that is principles be they for self-defense or simply a way of mastering the practice of karate toward a more philosophical way of living a better life. 

In closing, universality is about the quality, fact, and/or condition of being universal, i.e., universal to all physical things, universal to all mental things and universal to all spiritual things of a non-religious martial way. 

Bibliography (Click the link)