In the modern world that everyday surrounds us with its obligations, work, responsibilities, family, with all their positive and negative aspects, one thing that surely we cannot experience if not in Iaido is... cutting with a 75 cm sharp edged Japanese Sword!
In this article we are going to understand the importance of a proper cut of Iaido - and the reason for doing it. First of all, we must always remember that we do not live in medieval Japan and we are not actually Samurai. Then, what is the purpose of studying fencing and dueling with a real Katana? There is a cultural interest and a curiosity aspect, of course, but those must be complemented by something else, something practical or spiritually empowering that we can take home with us after the everyday practice. That something else is... body control. Iaido is the art of mastering and controlling your body movement, position and power as much as it is cutting around with a sharp object. And from the rigorous study of precise, and sometimes punishingly difficult body control we get focus, we empty the mind from everyday's troubles and thoughts and possibly achieve even spiritual growth and control. We also get other physical benefits like a more elegant posture and fluidity in the movements. All things that can be as well achieved by... dancing! What makes Iaido unique and different from dancing is that it is a Martial Art, or Budo as the Japanese call it, and one of the most precise and refined out there. Therefore we must always keep in mind the fact that we are not just making elegant movements in the air with a dead piece of metal in our hands, but we are actually cutting, and that movements we make could signify life - or death - for us or for our opponents. This is why, in our Iaido course here in Singapore, we focus on the technical aspects of every movement: we are cutting air, but that movement should be exactly the same effective, real, full, alive, as we would be cutting an enemy during a duel in 17th Century Japan. With many exceptions, what-ifs, training conventions, of course, but always trying to achieve the proper trajectory, the proper angles, the proper force. Never and empty repetition of historical movements, but live and alive, logical actions in which we try to put all of ourselves! Only like this our practice becomes something more full and fulfilling and can honor our growth and the sacrifices of our predecessors.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
The Blog and news of Shuhari Dojo, Iaido in SingaporeAuthorAll the latest info about our courses and events. For anything else, please contact us by email.
Archives
October 2022
Categories |