| My introduction to the Japanese Sword Arts | ||
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Ever get sent
to live with family members for the summer? I was five years old and was newly living in Hokkaido, Japan with family friends at my grandfather’s insistence. I was rebellious, angry and ... well … being a brat. I did not want to be there and I let everyone know it from sun-up until sun-down. I screamed, I yelled, I threw tantrums (and virtually everything else I could get my hands on). Well, one day, the old man (old ... I mean really, really old) of the place makes a deal with me. If I can accompany him for one day - just one day - and remain silent and attentive, I can do whatever I want for the remainder of my stay. However, if I failed, I was to try to behave for the rest of my stay. Well, I’m five years old, but I’m not stupid ... one day of behaving and I’ve got a free license to throw a tantrum until I go home? Damned straight I agreed. So the next morning, I wake up, get dressed and meet him in one of the courtyards. When I got there, here was the old man in kimono and hakama looking a bit ridiculous to my five-year-old eyes. But hey … just one day, right? OK ... but then he had his daito out. My grandfather - the whole family, really - had swords all over the place, so my interest was at least peeked. Well ... That’s when he started moving and the sword just floated through the air. It looked like he barely had a grip on it but when he moved, it flew … when he shrugged, the sword sped into action and when he simply relaxed, the sword stopped as if it had never been moving. He kept moving, turning, stepping, sliding, gliding … and the sword kept dancing in the air, floating, swirling, always perched just on the edge of flying into it’s next movement. He was so serene ... so at peace, and the whole world just melted away as I watched this old man make love to this sword in the most incredibly awesome display. |
This old
stooped man who walked slowly with a cane was transformed into the most
graceful and fluid creature I'd seen. Before I knew it, he was walking towards me, telling me he was done for the day. There was a look on his ancient face that belied his great joy and at that moment, I knew that this was what I wanted more than anything. The rest of the morning was filled with chores, speaking with supplicants seeking his advice or on community business, etc. That afternoon – after a rice and fruit lunch - he took me to the Zendo where he meditated in silence. That was hard for me. It was very difficult to stay awake and every time I closed my eyes to nap I kept seeing this old man dancing with this sword and I was wide awake again, trying not to fidget in my seat. The late afternoon was filled with walks and talks and more people that needed his input on one matter or another and that night I passed out exhausted. That old man ran me into the ground and he barely seemed affected. The next morning I was informed that since I’d behaved, I was allowed to do what I wanted but he had ground rules: where I could go, where I couldn’t go, what I couldn’t touch … that sort of thing. When he was done he went off to do his thing … ... and I followed. He was confused at first, but when I simply sat there and watched him, he knew he had me hooked. To this day, I have no idea if he had that planned or if it was a happy accident. |
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