Gideon
21st September 2007, 09:34 AM
This wasn't an intentional train of thought, so I'll provide a little semi-relevant background as to how this popped into my head. Also, this is a semi-philosophical thread, so please read it in its entirety (if you are gracious enoguh to do so) before forming conflusions.
A few practices ago, I began to really start to pay attention to those times in ji-keigo where I am most 'comfortable' in kamae. (still new, so always chudan). By comfortable, I don't necessarily mean that I'm physically comfortable, such as those times you're trying to compensate for being fatigued, but rather, comfortable in the sense that I feel most natural, most focused, most engaged, most alive. Then, because I am a descriptive, wordy sort of bloke, I tried putting words to it. Please note, this really was after one or two of those keiko where things just clicked in a very real way.
For me, I feel solid, immovable and powerful. I am patient - precise - intentional. I feel dense, in the way a compact spring is dense, ready to explode, but at the same time perfectly restrained. I feel as if I seek to impose my will on my opponent simply by my presence and I feel larger than I really am. I welcome the attack. If it hits me, it will not kill me, nor will it break me. My shinai is worn and heavy. (broke the lighter smoked shinai). My hits are hard, yet I am not a lumberjack. (I pride myself on my still developing tenouichi).
I am a rock.
Perhaps this is an amateur (even infantile) way to think about it. Frankly, a small lightbulb flickered a little after reading the kamae thread earlier about gedan and seeing that it had been also called the kamae of earth. for some reason, that clicks so well into those times that I feel most natural while doing kendo that I wonder if (and this is going to be extremely novice - borderline backyard ninja) a person's internal natural spirit is matched with the outward expression of kendo. The conclusion then being that a person's absolute best kendo will manifest itself when the person is assuming a kamae most similar to their natural state of being.
All of that said, please, please don't misinterpret this post as - screw you sensie, I'm going to go practice gedan now and i'll go practice chudan some other time if ever. Perhaps in thinking ahead to the time that sensei feels I am ready to really start exploring my own kendo, that is a path I take rather than going to jodan or nito like so many others...
*shrug* food for thought I suppose.
But how about you? When you're in kamae and your kendo 'clicks' - can you describe your how you feel?
A few practices ago, I began to really start to pay attention to those times in ji-keigo where I am most 'comfortable' in kamae. (still new, so always chudan). By comfortable, I don't necessarily mean that I'm physically comfortable, such as those times you're trying to compensate for being fatigued, but rather, comfortable in the sense that I feel most natural, most focused, most engaged, most alive. Then, because I am a descriptive, wordy sort of bloke, I tried putting words to it. Please note, this really was after one or two of those keiko where things just clicked in a very real way.
For me, I feel solid, immovable and powerful. I am patient - precise - intentional. I feel dense, in the way a compact spring is dense, ready to explode, but at the same time perfectly restrained. I feel as if I seek to impose my will on my opponent simply by my presence and I feel larger than I really am. I welcome the attack. If it hits me, it will not kill me, nor will it break me. My shinai is worn and heavy. (broke the lighter smoked shinai). My hits are hard, yet I am not a lumberjack. (I pride myself on my still developing tenouichi).
I am a rock.
Perhaps this is an amateur (even infantile) way to think about it. Frankly, a small lightbulb flickered a little after reading the kamae thread earlier about gedan and seeing that it had been also called the kamae of earth. for some reason, that clicks so well into those times that I feel most natural while doing kendo that I wonder if (and this is going to be extremely novice - borderline backyard ninja) a person's internal natural spirit is matched with the outward expression of kendo. The conclusion then being that a person's absolute best kendo will manifest itself when the person is assuming a kamae most similar to their natural state of being.
All of that said, please, please don't misinterpret this post as - screw you sensie, I'm going to go practice gedan now and i'll go practice chudan some other time if ever. Perhaps in thinking ahead to the time that sensei feels I am ready to really start exploring my own kendo, that is a path I take rather than going to jodan or nito like so many others...
*shrug* food for thought I suppose.
But how about you? When you're in kamae and your kendo 'clicks' - can you describe your how you feel?