Are you superstitious?

[munenmuso]

I just want to know guys if you have any superstitions , beliefs, or do anything weird before you wear your bogu, wear special objects during or before keiko/shiai which you think can give you "special strength" and then works? Or perhaps any peculiar habits that can call the "Kendo Gods" in your favor? Or think of any inspiration to summon that second wind?

I know some who wear their special tenugui during an important shiai with all those incantations and prayers printed in kanji. Me I wear my favourite tenugui with the kanji inscriptions of (Shin, Ken) or heart of sword in english during the month end shiai. Why? It brings me good luck and my sensei personally gave it to me as a reminder of my character, that's according to him. But it works for me...:)

How about you guys?

[kendokamax]

I have different superstitions for every taikai I go .....so i guess they arent really superstitions but just something special i do.

Normaly I just try to wear a clean tenuigui. (that really make the ocasion special).....also in my tare marker I keep so much garbage from other tournaments, like tape where our number were written.

hmm takais are fun, i have one this weekend wish me good luck

[Matthew Lagden]

the night before keiko I unpack, minutely examine and then refold my hakama keikogi and tanagui, and then do the same for my shinai (not folding it obviously, but examine it sort out any problems).

while i am doing this i focus on the keiko and try and focus on what i want to do etc

not exactly superstition, except that i do it in a kind of obsessive superstitious way. hard to explain...

[Tato]

Not at all, not in life in general and not in Kendo in particular. Far too scientific for that.

But I really do some things for the meaning that they have for myself or for other people that I respect. Sometimes becasue I want to remember someone, sometimes for other reasons, they're more symbols than superstitions.

By the way, Kendo is so full of oportunities to have symbols that I need to chose the ones that matter to me, when they matter. Not a everyday business, but mostly for special moments.

Rei

[Critical_Bill]

I have two tings i do :)

1) i have a buddah statuette that used to be in our dojo, i make sure he has his jose cuervo tequila sombrero on, and holding the 2 vodka bottles (don't ask, long story)

2) after putting on my men, i punch my kotes together and then hit the front of my men with both of'em, just as much to check that the fit is right and comfy as to give myself a final little psych up :)

[saki_wooah]

i never did any taikai ;( but i'm not superticious at all.. I think that luck doesn't really exist and what you do is your mind that is controlling it. so if you want to do well in a taikai you have to work for it... no pain no gain!