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The third and most crucial barrier to study is the ?Misunderstood Word.? Words have meaning, and many have multiple meanings that can be used in different context. It is the understanding of the words that allows one to communicate verbally or in writing. The lack of literacy is as simple as not knowing the meaning of words that are read or heard. The Martial Arts, as any activity has its own terminology. Therefore, it behooves the individual studying and training in a particular activity to know conceptually the terminology, so one can derive understanding. The misunderstood word will be defined, the physiological and mental phenomena that occurs will be described, and a remedy will be given to handle any misunderstood words.

The ?Misunderstood Word? is simply defined as that word or symbol for which one does not know the meaning, or of

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which one has only partial knowledge. A person can also come to a word he thinks he knows, but is uncertain. One should have a 100% knowledge of the words one is reading. One understands by concepts, and one could not possibly get a concept without knowing the meaning of words.

The phenomena that occurs when there is a ?Misunderstood Word? are 1) a blank feeling, 2) a washed-out feeling, 3) a not-there feeling, and 4) a sort of nervous hysteria will follow. The manifestation of ?blow? occurs when words are not understood. ?Blow? simply means that the individual individuates or leaves from the activity or subject.

Once one has all the phenomena and manifestations that can occur with the individual, one can recognize it in oneself during study and training. When one can recognize them, then a remedy can be applied. The remedy for a misunderstood word is called ?Clearing Words.?

Clearing words begins with: 1) locating the misunderstood word(s), 2) looking up in the dictionary the misunderstood word(s,) 3) locate the definition for the word for the context in which it is being used, 4) reading the definition and using it in sentences until one has a clear concept of that meaning of the word, 5) clearing each of the definitions of that word using the same process in #4, 6) clearing the derivation which is an explanation of where the word came from originally, and 7) clearing anything else about the word such as notes on its usage, synonyms, etc.

Once one clears each musunderstood word, literacy will increase. Ability to understand and assimilate knowledge will improve. Terminology that is not understood in an activity such as the Martial Arts will short-circuit one?s study and training. I always make sure that my students know the meaning to the terminology used during class. For example, a new student comes in to learn Kenpo Karate, but he has no idea what that means. As the instructor, I would define these terms, and make sure that my students understood the meaning. Kenpo means ?fist method.? Karate means empty hands. As you can see, a student would be starting at a disadvantage not knowing what one was studying. When one knows the meaning, then one can see that in Kenpo Karate there are techniques using one?s hands and fists for self-defense purposes.

Study technology can be found in ?The Basic Study Manual.? Contact Applied Scholastics if you would like to implement study technology in your life or in your schools. If you do so, you will see results in your own study, and soaring statistics from your students.

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