A beginner student to Iaidō learns firstly to value themselves. They are taught that for the duration of their time within the dojo (school) all day-to-day worries or demands – even importances or necessary forms of behaviour – are to be put away. That time in the dojo is for themselves alone – a spell, a dignity, a space in life, a synapse-altering dance of focus and awareness. One of the first things a student of Iaidō is taught is to relax, to drop the shoulders of care, to not try too hard, to take their time, to not be afraid to initially feel silly or inept (they are assured that we have all felt this) until the neurons wire together. They are reassured that all self-doubt will pass. To consider ki (life force).
The student of Iaidō comes to understand that only by going slowly, understanding of ki will they become swift and clear in their actions.
There are only two true judges in Iaidō: one is the self – body, mind and spirit in accord, and the other is the sword (shinken, iai, iaito, bokken, body, hand, mind, fan or paper) with which one trains.
The progressing student of Iaidō comes to understand that respect for the self, as well as comprehension of others – particularly those with significant experience – will be reciprocated. Willingness to learn is respected whereas demand to be taught will be ignored. Etiquette and consideration – becoming rare and precious in a more-than-often deceitful world – are therefore embraced.
The student to Iaidō will come to understand that humility is never about debasement but all about true honour and dignity with absolutely nothing to prove. These are life skills. The student of Iaidō experiences great joy when the minute principles that exist in each pattern unfold and become absorbed into a deeper understanding. When we perfect the form.
The growth of peace, in exquisite compliment to acute awareness, is the greatest growth the student of Iaidō can grasp in an unfolding and blossoming way and because the student of Iaidō is taught to realise the philosophy of the body and the sword in accord they also realize that the principles of Iai-dō (dō=way, the way of the sword) are inherently tranquil, alert and balanced.
The student of Iaidō learns the calm mind, and understands that violence is ultimately an expression of cowardice and fear; that self-certainty is an altogether different energy that is achieved through discipline and wisdom and all of the above.
Iaidō is a way of moving with the world. A constant presence. An earned trust. The knowledge of just how deadly is the weapon with which we train – the consequences of its use in a real-life scenario – means that we also develop deep-mind, the skill of necessary avoidance, the ability to always seek alternatives to confrontation and aggressive behaviour. Courage, core-strength and both a sense of humour and a deeply profound regard for all that is miniscule and majestic; worthy of defending: world, family, love, food, honour, loyalty, community and lore.
The longer the student of Iaidō unpacks the deep trunk of learning—of deciding that the only person to whom we ultimately have to answer is ourselves, how effortless living well can be, how clear the intention and consequence of each thought and action—the lighter we become and the more capable of meeting and assessing each and every situation.
Shizen Ensō Iaidō style is a fusion of philosophy and animist awareness, with mushin (no mind), at the core of calm, and action, instinctive through slow repetition, honing each small movement and instruction, through mistakes to aha.
