In 2025, I first encountered the Order of Understanding through a group chat dedicated to honoring Sigung Stephen LaBounty’s birthday. Sigung had communicated this information to Senior Professors of the Arts Sean Crehan in  2014. Having encountered these concepts repeatedly, I was drawn to the structured manner in which they were presented. Consequently, I initiated a research process by conducting a web search for the source of the Order of Understanding. While my initial search yielded no definitive source, I reached out to Mr. Crehan, inquiring about the possibility of sharing and documenting the Order of Understanding. He graciously granted my request. 

Based on my experiences with Sigung, I have incorporated commentary in the form of the Concept and Purpose sections. My commentary has been reviewed and approved by Masters of the Arts Allen Henderson, Sigung’s senior most student and the individual I respect most to have the final say regarding information pertaining to Mr. LaBounty’s Kenpo legacy.

Thank you for sharing this with us Mr. Crehan!

You can learn more about Mr. Crehan on the Franklin Family Karate web site at this Link.

~ Andrew Pilch

The Order of Understanding

By Sigung Stephen LaBounty

Fear: Fear of harm, failure, losing, and even death must be acknowledged.

• Concept: The first step is to recognize and understand your fears—of harm, failure, loss, or death. These fears are not weaknesses to be eliminated, but rather signposts that identify your areas of vulnerability and inhibition.

• Purpose: The process of mastery begins by confronting what holds you back. Ignoring or avoiding your fears will prevent genuine growth, as they represent the very limitations you must transcend.

Dedication: You must be willing to apply constant practice. This means you must accept the 'not so good, with the good and continue to work at making yourself better.

• Concept: Dedication is the commitment to constant, often imperfect, practice. This requires accepting a "not so good" performance alongside the good ones.

• Purpose: This step emphasizes that the journey is not a straight line of improvement. It requires consistency, even when you feel uninspired or are performing poorly. By continuing to practice, you develop the discipline necessary to move forward despite setbacks. 

Learn: Learn to 'get along', with partners, teachers, and the material no matter how stupid you judge it.

• Concept: This step calls for letting go of your ego and personal judgments about the process itself. It means cooperating with teachers, partners, and the material, even if you find it uninteresting or "stupid."

• Purpose: Mastery requires humility. You must learn from and work with others, and you must master the fundamental material, regardless of your personal opinion of it. Your aversion to a lesson or technique is a mental block that must be overcome.

Application: Train with a partner “over, and over, and bloody over AGAIN” with as much realism as possible.

• Concept: After internal and external resistance has been acknowledged, the focus shifts to relentless, repetitive practice. The phrase "over and bloody over AGAIN" stresses that this application should be forceful and tireless.

• Purpose: Constant repetition builds muscle memory and deepens understanding beyond a simple intellectual grasp. It integrates the lessons into your very being, making them instinctual rather than a conscious effort. 

Realism: Practice it, feel it by 'perfecting those basic techniques first, especially the ones you hate the most. Basic technique is meant to be forever powerful, no matter the artist.

• Concept: True progress comes from practicing in a realistic way and confronting the elements you hate the most. It means "perfecting those basic techniques" because they are the foundation of all advanced skills.

• Purpose: Realistic application helps you test and refine your skills under pressure, preparing you for real-world scenarios. Your aversion to certain techniques is often rooted in weakness or discomfort, and confronting this is how you build an unbreakable foundation. 

Perpetual Refinement: Then do it again, and again.

• Concept: The journey concludes with the understanding that this is a cyclical process, not a linear one. After building a strong foundation, you must continuously apply it to the very things that still frighten, unnerve, and cause you to doubt yourself. This ensures that you are constantly challenging your growth and evolving, moving forever toward a state of being "perfect" that can never truly be attained, but only pursued.

Apply this to things that frighten you, that make you nervous, and most of all, those things that are doubtful to you.

That is the path, that is "The Way" to unattainable perfection...

• Concept: Ultimately, this "Way" is not about reaching an end goal of perfection. It's about a continuous, courage-fueled process of personal growth that uses fear as a catalyst, dedication as the fuel, and realism as the proving ground for excellence.