SEN

"Minidoka No. 5 (442nd)," acrylic on canvas, 1979, by Roger Shimomura. Viewed at the Tacoma Art Museum. From the "Painting Deconstructed: Selections from the Northwest Collection" exhibition.

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The past couple of weeks, I've been meditating and reflecting upon the notion of sen in the martial arts. It literally translates as "before" and means "initiative."

The concept originates in Go Rin No Sho (A Book of Five Rings) by seventeenth-century samurai swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. He identifies three methods to forestall the enemy, writing "There are no methods of taking the lead other than these three."

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In reading about sen from various schools of Japanese martial arts and a multitude of sensei and authors, it appears that these three concepts are difficult to define. As Musashi himself writes of them: "These things cannot be clearly explained in words."

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I think that martial artist and author Dave Lowry in his book Traditions: Essays on the Japanese Martial Arts and Ways provides a suitable "stripped down" solution: "Sen, in these disciplines, is most basically divided into two kinds. There is go no sen (late initiative), which is the strategy of allowing you opponent to attack, and then countering. There is also sen no sen (early initiative), taking advantage of a gap in his defense or his movements and attacking before he strikes."

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The Shotokan karate dojo I attend has identified four divisions to be used during kumite (sparring), two of which are variations of one another. And, it could be argued that the other two are also variations of one another.

Remembering that "there is no first strike in karate" serves as one of the twenty guiding principles of Shotokan karate, as per Gichin Funakoshi, its founder, I've ranked them in the order for closest adherence to this "prime directive."

go no sen

defend/counterattack; then attack

tai no sen

slide to the side, avoiding ambush; then attack

sen no sen

attack the moment they attack; simultaneous attack

ken no sen (sen sen no sen)

take initiative; attack first; pre-emptive strike

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During recent training in the dojo, I had the opportunity to spar with a black belt. One of the sensei whispered that I needed to block my opponent's strike, which would throw him off, and then counterattack with a strike to the head. So I did just that. As he tried for a shot to my ribs, I used a downward block (something I've never thought to use before during sparring) and effectively stopped my opponent's attack. Then, in the split second opening I had, I struck my opponent's head with a downward back-fist strike with my other hand. Point scored! Plus, it momentarily confused my opponent and I was able to score another point once we reset and started sparring again. Then I was pummeled a bit, but it was a moment of minor enlightenment. I was able to experience go no sen, which I couldn't quite comprehend prior.

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I've also been trying to practice go no sen (or its tai no sen variant) in areas of my life other than karate: falling back, dodging, or countering an "attack" from an "opponent;" pausing; and then responding. It's quite amazing to see people flounder a bit as I don't respond as they expect. There may be something to these ways of response, whether three, two, or four!

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As these notions were bouncing about in my brain on a visit to the Tacoma Art Museum, I encountered the pictured painting by Roger Shimomura. Since Musashi and his concept of initiative during swordplay was fresh in my mind, I found this particular work of art speaking to me in more powerful ways than it may have otherwise. Even with it, I took a moment to step back, to step aside, to wait a moment, and then respond.