Kendo and Me - Part 1

Instead of talking about exercise, I thought I would explain a little of my Kendo history. It will be a short piece so you don't need to start running...yet.

I'll frame it as a question and answer - much easier style to manage and it gives me (a little) license to wander (especially since I am asking the questions as well).

What got me into Kendo?

I got into Kendo by accident.

My friend, Martin, and I were returning from a squash game at Victoria University (Wellington, New Zealand). For the record he soundly beat me. We spotted an small advertisement on a noticeboard about upcoming introductory Kendo classes with the Victoria University Rembuden Kendo Club.

Intrigued, we signed up. I had a vague recollection of Kendo as being something to do with swords but not much more. I am not even sure if I knew about the armour - but if I did it would have made me even more eager to join up.

I still enjoy the "unworldliness" of Kendo bougu and the hakama and gi, and likened the difference of this martial art from other more mainstream ones.

What Do I Love About Kendo?

Ki-Ken-Tai-Ichi

The perfect cut in Kendo requires that the mind, the body and the sword are one, unified, moving in the same direction.

I am drawn to this goal, the achievement of unity of every fibre of my body, my mind - of my existence.

I am drawn to Kendo because it challenges Kendoka to achieve this unity consistently - and as such means we need to learn how to focus our minds and our bodies consistently -  to trust in ourselves and to overcome distractions: doubt, fear and laziness.

The pursuit of this unity is what sucks me into Kendo - because I hope, I believe that in pursuing this goal I become a better Kendoka and a better person.

Kiai

I also liked the chance to Kiai (although this took a bit of practice). For a quiet kid from Palmerston North this was a real eye (throat) opener!

Camaraderie

I met and made many Kendo friends during my training. I suppose practicing a relatively obscure martial art brings the practitioners together - particularly if they all share the Kendo bug.

I have lost touch with most of them (Facebook has been a little help) but hope this will be something I can remedy in the not to distant future.

I would have to travel a long way to find another bunch of zany, passionate, open and caring people - and I hope that little journey will be sooner and shorter.

That's it for now

Okay, you can breath, I am done for now.

I hope to write in a little more eloquence and detail in the not to distant future. If you have any questions or thoughts, please feel free to use the comments.

Until then - Ganbatte!