I am speaking of kata, a series of fighting movements against imaginary opponents that were developed by karateka who dedicated their entire lives to martial arts training, philosophy, and teaching. Take, for example, the blocks and punches contained in Heian Shodan. They are basic and readily understood to a beginning student who is just becoming familiar with these very moves. To an intermediate student, such as myself, comes the realization that the unseen struggle can become more complex through bunkai or interpretation. A block can simultaneously or alternately be a strike, a grab, or a locking technique.
Defense is offense.
What is-is not. Basic, well understood techniques are suddenly open for re-learning and experiencing. At a higher level of expertise, according to teachers and advanced students, the imaginary opponents of the kata can become real, both to the practitioner as well as his audience through projection. Each kata exists simultaneously at all of these levels. My martial arts training contains challenging personal paradoxes as well.