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Etherax
6th September 2003, 21:48
Hello Everyone
I'm part of a Kenjutsu organization and I would like to hear what people believe the philosophy of the sword is, especially from Teachers.
-Aaron Brewster

Joseph Svinth
7th September 2003, 02:15
Although I don't do sword myself, comments I've heard from folks doing a variety of sword styles include:

1. Ask your teacher.

2. The pointy end goes away from yourself.

3. Keep your thumb away from the sharp side.

David T Anderson
7th September 2003, 02:41
My Sensei says "No sword, no Aiki".

I still haven't figured it out, but I feel if I keep practicing, I'll get it sooner or later...

Óscar Recio
11th September 2003, 00:06
I use to connect the principles of sword work, and weapons in general, to empty hand techniques; the reason is that most of the empty-hand techniques came from weapons!!!!
For me sword techniques can teach and ilustrate, sometimes better than a long explanation,a lot about proper posture, use of the hips and balance.
Just my 2 cents.
Respectfully,
Óscar

Ian McDonald
11th September 2003, 21:46
Not sure what you are really asking. Swords have no philosophy. They serve a single purpose, to kill the enemy by a cut or thrust. Very simple.

Swordsmanship, OTOH, has lots of associated philosophies which differ depending on nation, style, shape of weapon, time period of development, etc. For modern practitioners of Japanese sword arts, the general philosophy is that we train for self-improvement and the enemy we kill is the ego.

Understanding the simplicity of the sword takes a while, but it all comes back to a cut is a cut and a thrust is a thrust. Kill the enemy before he kills you. Look into your soul while facing off with someone with a blade (or boken) knowing that you have at best a one in three chance of surviving unscathed (the three chances are he dies, you die, you both die) and you'll likely be cut or struck anyway. You'll find your philosophy in the moment you face your death. This is fairly hard to accomplish in these modern, litigious times. Have fun training.

mech
14th September 2003, 05:15
Originally posted by Ian McDonald
You'll find your philosophy in the moment you face your death. This is fairly hard to accomplish in these modern, litigious times. Have fun training.


I guess this is in any grade associated to the oneself work instead the one time dead in anyway

What do you mean with this comment?

.-That one will discover ones philosophy, sum it up and take advantage of it when time is over to use it?

.-It is harder today because people arent teached to face dead?

.-That past times were less litigious to get the work done?

.- Do you know someone capable due to Iaido trainning or other to face inminent dead with peacefully joy, and clear self enmended sense?


Mech
Manuel Ch. A.
Caracas, Venezuela


"Die? I should say not, dear fellow. No Barrymore would allow such a conventional thing to happen to him."

John Barrymore


"But the peasants -- how do the peasants die?"

Count Leo Tolstoy

Ian McDonald
17th September 2003, 03:44
Thanks for questioning what I said. I would like to expound a bit. So please bear with me.

When I refer to the litigious society, I refer to the current American propensity (ever foisted and improved by world class whiners) to the sue the pants off anybody you can, especially if you get a broken nose or a sprained elbow. It's hard to get training partners who are as mentally and physically tough as their verbalizations. Big Mouth, Small Heart.

Ok. Now the real stuff. Facing death with grace and style is perhaps the greatest lesson one ever learns in martial srts training. It is both simple and complex, a paradox. Even in (Zen) Buddist teachings, they talk about both spiritual death (ego death) as well as physical death. Understanding death is a basic part of Buddhist meditation and thought. Very few of us face death daily in our regular lives. I know I don't, I work in an office. I am not a policeman or a fireman. My community is safe. Budo training is, by definition, or should be, facing death. Death is your friend, your companion, your ever present advisor, should you see it so.

What are the benefits of making death your advisor? Well, you realize how precious and sacred all life is. You tend to become a nurturer of life rather than a destroyer. When death is your advisor, he tells you to keep all your paperwork in order, for example. Let your wife know where your will and insurance papers are. It means having a will to begin with. It means spending as much time as possible with your children, so they can remember you when you are gone. Most of us no longer live in a world wher we see or feel death every day. We are dissociated. We can connect to this Universal Truth through Budo, if we understand. Otherwise, Budo training is either just fighting or fancy dancing with no spiritual benefits.

You see, even if we live in a nice safe place, there is always Mother Nature with hurricanes, earthquakes, and everything else like auto accidents or house fires. Death is always all around us, and very near. So if you want to live life to the absolute maximum intensity of passion, mirth, grief, laighter, tears, and all else that enters into our Human existence on this little blue planet, then you need to make death your second best friend. Your woman always comes first. LOL.

We all seek death and glory in some form, whether we know it or recognize it or not. Some just do not get it. You do not need iaido training to forge your spirit. Many men (and women) have proper spirit either by inclination or experience. I tend toward inclination, myself, so training really helps. So when you ask - "Do you know someone capable due to Iaido trainning or other to face inminent death (sic) with peaceful (sic) joy, and clear self enmended sense?" Yes, I do know quite a few folks who'd make you shoot bricks out your behind if they looked at you with the right scowl. This is not easy. Iaido alone will be very difficult to cultivate the correct understanding. You at least need to learn some kumitachi to gain insight. You'll need to fight and duel to learn. You'll need extreme control and a sense of propriety to accomplish the needed training without hurting anyone and without letting your ego get out of control.. You can see by my post here how well I have tamed My Ego. :cool:

mech
17th September 2003, 06:15
My sincere thanks dojocho Mc Donald for your kind, experienced and comprehensive reply.

I fully understand already the content of your post. The thing it is that it is so a Pleasure to read same truly convictions from other human being.

Quote"When I refer to the litigious society(sic)... Yes I know the Sue society, do what others, be careful, Here, were I live judicial system is terrible inneficient, so things are arragened more in the "old way you know, worst but better, very few big mouth down here.


Several times history have shown how men have fought tremedous battles whithin itself for to found that on that victorious inner conditions were easier to litigate with other men, having fought ones flawes without dismay ones able to read and comprehend other beings, only finding real freedom were able to be compasionate to others

Im curious about the concern MA are shown in modern times without putting aside higher goals like produce a better line of human beings in moral, profound inner growth and social interaction matters than fun , relax and antistress matters because it is easy to live a superficial life, fogeting deeper developments left it for an after 3th age when society will "let you".

About the dead stuff it is easy to be misunderstood in this matters
for to say things like "dead is my friend, advisor" Why? because we have builded a society that renders cult to death, scares at that natural law of disolution...Ones have to be well centered and balanced phycologically and emotionally, have d understood certain things before, only then comes that liberation from ones prejuices for ever:

Quote.-"Well, you realize how precious and sacred all life is. You tend to become a nurturer of life rather than a destroyer."

Exacto! paper work in order... Beatiful

Quote.-"Yes, I do know quite a few folks who'd make you shoot bricks out your behind if they looked at you with the right scowl."

I say: papanatas!, it should say: "I do know quite a few folks who'd maintain proper composture when facing their solely ultimately reality".


Quote.-"You can see by my post here how well I have tamed My Ego."

Good try.


Have been a pleasure,



Mech
Manuel Chiquito Anderson
Caracas, Venezuela


"Virtue is its own reward, and brings with it the truest and highest pleasure; but if we cultivate it only for pleasure's sake, we are selfish, not religious, and will never gain the pleasure, because we can never have the virtue."
Cardinal J. Newman



"There is a significant Latin proverb; to wit: Who will guard the guards?"

Josh Billings

17th September 2003, 07:07
Facing death with grace and style is perhaps the greatest lesson one ever learns in martial srts training.

I guess this is true as you have to come to terms with death before you can learn about (and also value) life.

However, I feel that there is an equally valuable lesson in whether or not you would be willing to take a life if it was necessary (please don't take me as a psychotic). :eek: I do believe it is an important lesson and is part of the duality in things, ie. in/yo (yin/yang). This portion of your training I feel is a much harder thing to come to terms with...

Just some thoughts from the cheapseats.

Steven