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Kendo
The Way of The Sword
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Kendo –
the way of the sword – is an ancient martial art
that been cultivated and practiced from antiquity, flourishing in
medieval Japan. The system entails a way of thought that has maintained
the same vision, realization of the spirit, from the disciplined
minds of the Japanese samurai through present day post-industrial
society. Its
design is to perfect the discipline required to cultivate direct
awareness and the immediate reaction necessary for direct combat.
This extends beyond competition into everyday life, and the practice
has marked influence upon one’s relation to work and personal
life as well.
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A central precept
of kendo is the concept of mushin, or "mind of no-mind."
This is a heightened state of awareness that is realized in combat
to produce fluid thought and invulnerability to outside distraction.
As fear arises from within oneself, one must first conquer inner
disturbance before one can face an opponent. As mushin removes
all extraneous concerns and focuses the individual upon the moment,
the mind, body, and spirit function in a fluid harmony that transforms
the separate entities into single action. The mind enters into a
state of emptiness, as a cup waiting to be filled. This boundless
force forms the central facet of mind that the kendo practitioner
experiences while in practice.
At the core
of kendo lies the sword – the soul of the samurai.
Although not afforded the same role in today’s society as it
played in feudal Japan, the Japanese have always regarded the sword
as a spiritual center. In the past, from the time that a samurai
was first initiated to the right to wield a sword, it never left
his side. The
swordsmith was an inspired artist, his workshop a sanctum. The sword
was the symbol of the samurai, the one thing that most distinguished
him from surrounding commoners. Samurai alone were afforded the
right to wear the katana.
Closely tied
to the importance placed with the sword and central to the development
of kendo is bushido, the code of the samurai. Bushido is
the unwritten system of rules concerning the conduct of the warrior.
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As a path for the
attainment of wisdom, Bushido has its origins in Zen Buddhism and Shintoism,
as well tracing influences through Confucian teachings. Development of
character and obedience to superiors were taught as fundamental concepts.
As such, Bushido flourished in the traditional Japanese feudal system.
It was used to distinguish between right and wrong as well as to guide
day-to-day actions of the self in relation to society.
Kendo remains
widely studied and popular in modern-day Japan. The feudal system –
in which one’s skill with the sword is a matter of life or death
– is now extinct: Kendo’s modern role has evolved into that
of sport. However, the mental and spiritual development which accompany
the study of kendo remain, passed down from generations of warriors who
spent their lives in the pursuit of enlightenment through the sword.
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