Why the sword?

Many years ago, a wise friend told me, "The sword is the sword of peace; the sword is the sword of justice." Later, I was introduced to the concept of a life-giving sword as opposed to a death-dealing sword. The idea is that the sword is an extension of the swordsman's intent, and that swordsmanship becomes an expression of his or her soul. "What is in you will come out of you," as my wife says, and in the potentially lethal art of the sword, as in all other human endeavors, this is so.

Why does one train one's body in a thousand or more unnatural and painful ways to perform acts which have no constructive value in and of themselves? Yoga, dance, distance running, weight-lifting, martial arts. Will we ever have the need to outrun a hoard of hostile pursuers like Henry Fonda in "Drums Along the Mohawk"? Or to cleave the skull of an enemy bent on skewering us with a sword? Pray to God never! I am a peaceful man. I hate conflict and respect the principle of non-violence. Yet I follow the Way of the Sword, and I recognize that violence is natural and in accord with the rhythm of the universe. In a perfect world this might not be so, but last time I checked this world had yet to find perfection. Nor have I.

By training our bodies, we discipline our minds. By polishing our sword, our art, we are polishing our souls. We are challenging our bodies to become a more perfect physical expression of a mental self-image we carry. We are striving to become better people, more complete and accomplished human beings.

Who among us can stand up and say, in all honesty, "I am good. I am perfect, the best that I can possibly be."? The only man I know of who could possibly make that claim was nailed to a tree over 2000 years ago, and since that time many have tried, and failed, to live up to his example.

So what are the more humble, the more self-critical among us to do? Each of us must polish their own sword. We must challenge ourselves to be honest with ourselves and in our dealings with others. To exercise compassion and restraint. We live in a world of imperfect beings, ourselves among them, and we need to have the courage and self-concept, as well as the sense of self-sacrifice, to live honorably. To look life in all it's adversity and hardship, as well as it's joy, right in the eye and spit. Take what it has to give and give back as good or better than we get.

In kendo we say, "Ki Ken Tai no Ichi", the Spirit, Sword, and Body come together as One. To achieve a perfect strike, one's mind, intention, breath, sword, body, feet, arms, physical location displace that which opposes you in an instant. Before, there is nothing; afterwards, there is nothing. In the words of Musashi, "In the Void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existance, principle has existance, the Way has existance. Spirit is nothingness."