Why the sword? Part II

The sword has always been a symbol of the nobility, of justice, righteousness & honor. In Japan it is one of the crown jewels, associated with the mythic creation of the islands, and in Europe the code of chivalry defined the swordsman as a gentleman. Class and elegance, I must confess, hold a powerful attraction for me. As my mother has often told me, I have champagne tastes with a beer budget. But the Art of Swordsmanship is more than an affectation.

When one holds a sword face to face with another, time slows. The pulse quickens, but the mind and body are forced to calm alertness, and each breath, each movement, becomes pregnant with meaning. Victory or defeat--life or death--are determined by one inch, one step, one fraction of a second. It is said that when one has faced death at the point of a sword that one has a heightened understanding, and I can attest for certainty that when one has a close brush with dying one gains a greater appreciation for what is important in life.

Standing up in the face of one who is intent on taking you out, whether in the boxing ring, the kendo hall, the racetrack, in a barroom brawl or on a battlefield, one can rely only on one's self. Personal courage, integrity, attitude and training are the only things that will separate the victor from the vanquished. The higher morality of who is right or wrong has no weight; to the victor go the spoils and the winners write the history.

Training in kendo is hard and painful. Not just physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. This was the warning I received on the very first day that I began my study in the dojo, nearly 25 years ago. I was set to suriashi, okuriashi--one step footwork. Simple. Repetitive. After all this time I still practice this every day. One step. One step. After all this time, I still don't have it right--each one perfect, each one the same. Feet straight, left heel not raised too high, left leg straight but not locked, posture correct. Left foot snaps quickly back into place beneath you. Maybe I'm just a slow learner. Maybe I'm just lazy, addicted to bad habits that hold me back in life as in the Way. But then, kendo is a life study, a microcosm and the dojo an artificial world. Everyone I know who trains and has put in years of study considers themselves to be no more than travellers on the Way, and still far from where they want to be.

The Way is the journey, the path. The Way is in the travelling of it, not the destination. Train hard, be diligent. Follow your heart in honesty, and take pleasure in every step of the Way. Ultimately, life is too short to waste otherwise.