Tom MacHos:  

I am trained, as a Clinical Psychologist, and have a Pupil Personnel Services Credential in both School Counseling and School Psychology. I have been known to call myself, "A recovering Psychotherapist." For the last eight years, I have worked, as a School Psychologist, for two school districts. One of the school districts was in the "roughest" and most "gang infested" area of Oxnard, and the other was in a small little paradise and town, Carpinteria. It is located just south of Santa Barbara. In addition, I have been a professor at Universitiy. My greatest passion, besides teaching, is working with children, who are bullied at school, and elsewhere. I coach kids in something that I call, "Mental Martial Arts." My program is called, "13 Ways to Outsmart Bullies." Ninety percent of my entire life has been spent in the Martial Arts. When you do something that long it has a way of making one: humble; thankful to the Lord for all of his many blessings; and know or at least have never ending and undying faith that, "It is not What you See That is Critical and Important, but rather, "It is What you Cannot and Do Not See That is the "Way." One of the many Buddhists' sayings that I particularly like is, "Be the Water, Not the Rock." We often get caught up into "black and white thinking; it is either this way or that way." This is the root cause of much conflict and violence and aggression. Robert Johnson, a famous Jungian lecturer, author, and analyst, once said, "It is not this or that; rather, it is often this and that." My favorite psychiatrist, healer, author, and "mystic" was none other than Dr. Carl Jung. He professed that, "Life is a terrible disease with a bad prognois." I was and still am fortunate enough to have trained under and with the original Masters of Japanese/Okinawan Karate, who came from Mainland Japan to open the first studios (dojos or training halls) in this great country of ours. I am still grieving the death of the "Father of Karate in America," Mr. Dan Ivan, who died some several months ago. He was like a father to me as well, and one of my so many "mentors" in my life. I shall always pay homage and honor him. He was truly one of the most "humble'' and "gentlest" people that I have ever known. Mr. Ivan began training in hand to hand combat, while in the military in 1945, and continued his formal training in Japan. He had earned black belts in: Karate, Judo, Aikido, and Kendo respectively. Mr. Ivan founded the Japan Karate Federation of America, was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame, and became the first U.S. Director of the prestigious International Martial Arts Federation. In addition to his achievements in the Martial Arts, Mr. Ivan was an instructor to: CID Agents, Law Enforcement Officers, and the Marine Corps Team. He also earned a rare commendation from Japan National Police for undercover work on international cases. Mr. Ivan also taught Bruce Lee how to use various weapons. He was clealy a "giant" of a man and Martial Artist. I learned from the Masters and the best; and am humbled by that; not to mention forever indebted to such people as Mr. Dan Ivan and Mr. Fumio Demura and too many others to mention at this time.In early 1958, Mr. Demura began training in kobudo, a style of Okinawan weapons training, under the direction of Sensei Shinken Taira. Mr. Demura is renowned for his abilities as a weapons instructor and taught famous martial arts movie performers such as Bruce Lee. In 1961 he won the All-Japan Karate Championships. Four years later, in partnership with Dan Ivan, Demura came to the United States to teach and promote Shito Ryu Karate. These incredibly gifted, talented, and "ego less" men taught me how to: first lose my ego; (that is a lifelong challenge and journey, not to mention struggle) how to do dance-like movements, which are called "Kata", and actually resemble ballet. They are pre-arranged fighting techniques (many of them hidden with multiple and exhaustive meanings); and to defend myself and especially others, who are the "weak and down- trodden." I also learned how to compete, "spar," and "fight" with respect, control, and self-discipline (not like the, mindless, violent, and worthless "Ultimate Fighting," which I detest and will not watch. It is tantamount to "dog and cock fighting." Both of these are "evil" and a disgrace to the Martial Arts in my way of thinking and training. We did not have any pads in the good "ol" days of "True Karate." This may come as a surprise to many and or who knows, but if you knocked your opponent out with any technique; be it a punch, kick, or whatever, you were automatically disqualified from competing again. Those floors were hard sometimes on the head, body, and whatever part of the human anatomy that you could conjure up and or imagine. There is an adage in the Martial Arts; "Go down three times, and get up four times." If someone "dares" or does it on "a dare;" or even tries to break into my house, like some guys, not gals yet, have in the past, you will not most likely not run into guns. Be prepared, however, for all and anything else: and especially old Japanese/Okinawan weapons (especially old and ancient Japanese kinds that were used in "real battle" and combat) that perhaps you have seen "Bruce Lee' and "Chuck Norris" use in their respectful and respective movies and films. I even will try and do whatever power that this weakling has to convince and plead with you on my hands and knees not to do this; I might even run away, "Like a chicken." I may even get on my back so I can use my many years of wrestling and "grappling" experience, so that it might not be a fair tangle; I love to dance "the tangle," now that I think about that. That reminds me did you ever see one of the most enchanting and intimate scenes in all of film history with Al Pacino and a much younger lady do "The Tangle?' Please know that I am a "peaceful man," and have been trained and taught not to fight; but "I will fight for my family and friends, if theirs' and or my life is threatened or is in eminent danger. Perhaps the "greatest thinker" of our time, Dennis Prager, said it best, "I am for goodness, but we have to fight sometimes to protect goodness. We must stand up to "evil" at times as well." One of my many Karate instructors was Mr. Gary Hallenbeck. He was a national weapons champion and a referee in the "Karate Kid." I used to open his dojo (training hall) every day from 1974-1981. He would only hang drywall for 8-12 hours a day, somewhere in the Inland Empire, and then drive to the karate studio and teach 2-3 classes. I went to visit Gary's former Dojo last Saturday; 16, August, 2008. It is now an aerobics gym and restauarant; I broke down and cried much of my time there. I just forgot how big a building and suite that it was; many times things appear smaller when we vist them many years later...Brought back so many memories; the word "nostalgia," comes from the Greek, and actually means, "sweet pain",,,, Gary and I usually did something after training for hours such as get something to eat and maybe have a beer. Then, Gary would drive home to Anaheim Hills to be with his family. His dojo was across the street from Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, California. We were obviously extremely close and he taught me more than I can begin to tell you about a form of Karate called "Shito Ryu."I had the key to the dojo and worked out seven days a week. At times, other students would come into train on the weekends as well. Two of them were women and they were very good martial artists. One of the best kept secrets is that women are "nastier" and more "aggressive" fighters than men. Ever seen two women go at it before? I believe they call it a "cat fight." Gary and I lost touch with each other for some years and were surprisingly reunited in Las Vegas in 1997. Dr. Terrence Webster-Doyle; yes he was related to Sir Conan Doyle, the famous writer, Mr. Dan Ivan, and myself filmed some "Mental Self-Defense' videos for Black Belt Magazine. It was a "hoot" and a great opportunity to work with both Mr. Gary Hallenbeck and Mr. Dan Ivan. Gary shot the videos and Mr. Ivan directed and produced them for Black Belt Magazine. I was affiliated with the Atrium Society, a nonprofit organization, funded by David Rockefeller himself, some 12 years ago. It was run by Dr. Terrence Webster Doyle and his wife, Jeanne. Terrence was a prolific writer and coined the term "Mental Self-Defense." This organization had as one of its main contributors, David Rockefeller, if you paid attention in your history classes you would know who this man was related to; I know that I sure did, but then again Mr. Baar was a funny and most gifted, as well as, talented teacher. Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris are my two favorite all-time martial artists. I could not "hold their water," nor ever try to even think about being close to who they were and are as experts in the Martial Arts. Although I did not train directly with Bruce Lee nor Mr. Chuck Norris, I did receive my first Black Belt from a gentleman by the name of Mr. Roy Cadiente. He used to hang out with Bruce Lee's protégé, Danny Inasantos, in the streets of Honolulu, Hawaii. Mr. Inasantos is the one that Bruce Lee entrusted with his teachings of Jeet Kune Do. Bruce Lee died at the age of 32; much too young. His wife, Linda Caldwell picked up with the two young children that he left behind and then she, as a "true warrior" was forced to deal with death again. This time it was her son, Brandon. Brings tears to my eyes to remember it, but I always cried alone and hid my face and myself like a "true" would be martial artist. Each year that passes I seem to cry more easily, especia...Expand for more