Kyudo Documentary: The White Rose Kyudojo: Kyudo in Europe

[Brian R. VanCise]

[yt]iNyadSKouSc[/yt]

 

[arnisador]

Cool!

 

[Sukerkin]

Fascinating. I do commend the spiritual development aspects of any martial art and agree that kyudo takes that to a greater extreme than most others.

I can't help but feel tho' that to render an art devoid of it's martial connotations takes something of it's soul away.

For example, iai also places a high emphasis on control of yourself, awareness of others (physical and emotional) and artful coordination with the blade. But, part and parcel of the practise of iai is the mental visualisation of what you are actually doing i.e. applying lethal strikes, usually in self-defence, against an imagined opponent. Without that core martial nature it becomes simply 'dancing with swords' and an experienced (or even not so experienced) eye can really tell the difference between the two. It is considered the greatest accompishment for an iaidoka that an observer can also see, from your own actions, the position and motion of the non-present other swordsman.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Fascinating. I do commend the spiritual development aspects of any martial art and agree that kyudo takes that to a greater extreme than most others.

I can't help but feel tho' that to render an art devoid of it's martial connotations takes something of it's soul away.

For example, iai also places a high emphasis on control of yourself, awareness of others (physical and emotional) and artful coordination with the blade. But, part and parcel of the practise of iai is the mental visualisation of what you are actually doing i.e. applying lethal strikes, usually in self-defence, against an imagined opponent. Without that core martial nature it becomes simply 'dancing with swords' and an experienced (or even not so experienced) eye can really tell the difference between the two. It is considered the greatest accompishment for an iaidoka that an observer can also see, from your own actions, the position and motion of the non-present other swordsman.

Sukerkin you and I are definately in agreement on this. The martial side is always important as is the end result of such martialness. At least that is how I see it.

 

[kaizasosei]

I can't help but feel tho' that to render an art devoid of it's martial connotations takes something of it's soul away.

i think you have a point there. i think it also has to do with form and formality.
my way of going around this, is to practice with any bow that is available. i now have a hungarian kassai bow of panther 45#
when i dont have a target to shoot at. i still string it sometimes and simply practice drawing in different ways....-the bow is the teacher- i think all things are like that. driving your fist car, the car is also the teacher to some degree. philosophicaly maybe.
so i still can feel the teachings of kyudo without actually having a japanese bow and the perfect formal setting. it would be a plus, but it has little to do with the entire art or the philosophy i think.