Posts Tagged ‘sword’
Why learn to use a sword?
One of the most common questions and comments I receive about teaching traditional martial arts of the samurai era is “Why do I need to learn how to use a sword? I’ll never need to fight someone with a sword.” That is probably true. While crimes with swords have risen, and Great Britain has gone so far as to ban the purchase of samurai style swords (except for martial artists and legitimate collectors or at least is attempting to), there are still statistically very few crimes with swords. So why learn the use of the sword?
There are many aspects to consider. For the sake of brevity I’ll explore only one. The sword of no sword I’ll call it. Doesn’t that sound great? Some fantastic mystical secret I am about to impart? Hardly! The sword is a reflection of the person practicing. The absolute commitment and attention required to handling the weapon properly, the total focus and dedication required to understanding it. There is no time to think about the pile of work waiting on your desk at the office the next day, the stack of bills that need to be paid, or the groceries that need to be purchased.
Learning to use the sword isn’t about the sword at all. It is about turning one’s attention to something else. Early on, perhaps it is simply a nice stress reliever to get away from the daily routine. Then growing from there into the ability to have a greater awareness of one’s goals or purpose, and better focus to achieve those goals. Having greater awareness about ourselves and those around us so we can know when to say that kind thing we’ve wanted to say but haven’t or give that compliment we’ve been meaning to but never have.
As we get ready for our day (or evening for that matter if we are going out) we groom ourselves make certain our clothes are cleaned and pressed and our shoes are shined. The sword of no sword is about keeping ourselves and our hearts polished and sharp, our minds and spirits clear and pointedly focused towards our purpose.
The way of the sword is the sword pointing the way.