Don’t Disturb the Water, Reflect the Moon
In kendo the mind is a formless part of the body. Many of the great swordsmen of ancient Japan used different metaphors to describe the mind such as the void, a mirror, wind and water. The moon reflecting on the water is a famous metaphor for the mind of the opponent being instantly understood by your mind. This metaphor perfectly illustrates what happens when just a single thought penetrates your mind during a kendo match causing ripples on the water, instantly the image of the moon disappears. The mind that loses its concentration by a single thought is open to being struck down by an opponent. The water metaphor also illustrates how the mind looks, while remaining calm yet what happens below is unseen by your opponent until it is to late. Don’t disturb the water, reflect the moon.