In a contest between two opponents there is a winner and a loser there is an implied acknowledgement that something is given and that something is taken away. In kendo the win implies life for the winner and that the loser dies, a terrible burden for the ego of the loser, even for the winner since when they lose they also suffer. I have lost many times. Adversity was common place in ancient Japan and a highly valued core trait of many samurai was the ability to survive adversity. The training in today’s kendo stresses nearly the same physical and mental adversity as in ancient times. The journey of life is filled with suffering, what better way to discover how to face and survive adversity than following the path of the way of the sword.
There are many notions about exactly where to look while in a kendo match. Some say look at the eyes others say stare or fix your gaze on other parts of the body, or the whole body of an opponent. Myamoto Mushashi the legendary swordsman is known to advocate gazing at no where in particular but to “see naturally” this follows the precept of fudoshin or not stopping the mind on any particular thought. I have practiced gazing both ways and Musashi is of course correct. Seeing naturally, is easier said than done because it requires not only sight vision but a mind that perceives and interprets any movement, or what that movement indicates, instantly! In football it is similar to the quarterback throwing a ball to a player knowing, interpreting where that player will be, the distance and speed of how to throw that ball into the hands of a player, instantly in the mind! (the same can be said for the player running and catching the ball). It may take a long time to discover this type of seeing, yet when I am able to to see naturally, I am almost always successful in defeating my opponent. See naturally.
Kendo can be very routine and it is sometimes hard to get motivated even for those of us that live and breath kendo. What makes me continually motivated is that what I do and how I feel affects all those around me. I have realized that even a small doubt in the minds of your dojo members is a crushing defeat foretelling an individual or team match. It is important to ‘do’ your best, setting a positive outlook for the rest (dojo members). Encourage everyone to a higher level of personal best. It is amazing what you can achieve if everyone is encouraging you. All members in a dojo have a real stake in your success or failure and vise-versa, reflecting the cohesion of the team. This idea of supporting and encouraging all members of a group has been used since the beginning of warfare by all warriors.
Kamae pertains not only to a physical posture but more importantly to an inner kamae. The inner kamae is an alert mental presence and a purposeful attitude that seeks to defeat the opponent. Both the physical stance and the inner stance must not be fixed, but fluid, changing to the circumstance. The inner kamae should be of no surprise to many expert swordsmen, as the inner kamae is vital from the beginning to the end of a kendo match.
Miyamoto Musahshi: “Although the positions are divided into five, they all have the aim to cut men.” “No matter which position you take, do not think of it as a position, think only of it as a process of cutting.”
The master swordsman Noma Hiroshi (1910-1939): “the aim of all kamae is to defeat the opponent.” “As long as one continues to rely on ones sword and ones stance one is still a long way from becoming an accomplished swordsman. Ones mind must strike the mind of the opponent and with it penetrate through the opponents defense.”
It is important to study and practice this idea of the “inner kamae” as it relates closely with strategy and defeating the opponent using your mind first. No matter how fearsome or perfect the outward kamae (stance) without an inner kamae that is fluid, calm and skillful in command the outward kamae is meaningless as a position of attack, as an army without a general.