Ki ken tai is a fundamental principle in kendo and
translates to ‘spirit, sword, body’. Before we go into how they work together
in kendo, let’s look at them individually.
Ki 気
Ki, as defined by the All Japan Kendo Federation’s 1996
edition Japanese-English Dictionary of Kendo is,
“the basic energy which exists in all matter that is born, develops and
dies. In human beings, it is the kinetic energy responsible for perception,
sensation and instinct. In kendo, it
refers to the environment surrounding one and his/her opponent, and it
determines the relationship between one’s body and soul.”
Simply speaking, ki
is your show of spirit. It is the energy you exert toward your opponent, the aura with which you surround yourself, the manner in which you conduct yourself, the
will behind your strike, and the conviction of your actions after they have
finished. The most obvious show of ki
is our kiai 気合, but there are more subtle and equally important
displays of ki as well.
When you stand before your opponent, even an opponent
more powerful that you, it is important to surround yourself with a strong ki even before any movements are made.
There can be several reasons for this.
First, elevating your own spirit bolsters your
physical performance. It reduces doubt and nervousness that would otherwise
hinder your awareness and reaction.
Secondly, a strong show of ki could momentarily throw off your opponent, giving you an opening
with which to strike. When an opponent is met with a confident spirit, it
changes how he or she will direct his or her attacks and might even cause
hesitation.
Finally, and I’ll admit that this is a personal
opinion, but meeting your opponent with a strong spirit says a great deal about
how much you respect the other kendoka and the hard work and training they have gone through to get where they
are. Fighting a strong and energetic opponent who gives every impression of
wanting to engage you is a very rewarding experience, even if you come out on
the losing end. Conversely, fighting an opponent who shows little or no
interest in the match is in some ways similar to someone rudely and
repetitively yawning in the middle of a story.
To achieve this, you must push your ki outward around yourself and toward your opponent, which I
admit can be a difficult concept to understand at first. The easiest way to
visualize this is to hold onto the thought “I
am coming at you” and try to push that energy toward your opponent.
Far easier, however, is the kiai or the vocalization of spirit. The kiai should come from the stomach, not the throat. By forcing air up from your diaphragm and not from your chest,
you produce a stronger, longer lasting shout that will carry over
the entire court. Similarly, tension should be stored in the stomach, as opposed to the shoulders where it tends to accumulate.
We kiai
first when we stand up to kamae with
our opponent. This signifies both that we are ready and willing to fight, as
well as giving us mental strength.
We also kiai
when we strike our opponent. Specifically we shout the area in which we have
struck or intended to strike. The reason for so obviously shouting where we
mean to hit is twofold. One, it vocalizes our intent to strike, and two it
gives the judges a clear way to assess whether that intent was met with success
or not.
Finally, after a strike is concluded, we draw out our kiai to affirm that we hit what we meant
to hit, and have no regrets. This is known as zanshin 残心 or remaining spirit. Draw the kiai out to its naturally fading end, but hold on to the remaining vestiges of the ki used to strike. It is important to remember that
the conclusion of a strike does not mean the conclusion of the match. A counter
strike is always a possibility and this remaining spirit keeps us alert and
ready for whatever comes next.
All of these elements combine in the concept of ki as it relates to kendo.
Ken 剣
Ken is the sword element of kendo. While the evolution
of this martial art has taken us far from sharpened steel blades, that
visualization is never far from the spirit of kendo. Kendo itself means ‘way of
the sword’ 剣道.
Kendo, however uses shinai 竹刀, a practice sword
comprised of four slats of bamboo bound together with leather to
produce a light weight and flexible weapon that inflicts minimal damage. The shinai
is the tool of kendo and should be treated with all the care and respect it
deserves.
Our shinai
are extensions of ourselves. We use them to feel and test our opponents ki and to check for strengths and
weaknesses before we move to strike. We communicate with our opponents through
our shinai whether we wish to our
not.
We use these instruments in ways that could cause
serious harm to our fellow practitioners if used incorrectly and so every care
must be taken to ensure that our shinai
are in safe physical condition before we begin a practice or a match. This
includes regular maintenance and replacement if necessary.
Physical characteristics aside, just as we show our
intent, our energy and our respect with our ki
so too do we use our shinai. As
paradoxical as it seems, though we must express fully our willingness and
intention to strike, we must also bear in mind that we are striking a fellow practitioner.
With that in mind, care must be given at all times to
be mindful of where we are placing our strikes and not to strike recklessly.
While we wear bogu to protect
ourselves in a match, a strike thrown wildly in frustration or carelessness can
result in injury to our opponents. Perhaps the best example of this is the tsuki 突き strike which is a thrust to the throat. The target of
tsuki is very small, and uses a
thrusting technique that is unique to it alone, and thus, is not typically
practiced as part of normal training. It is ill advised for new practitioners or those unfamiliar
with the strike to attempt it in a match as failure to hit the correct target
can result in a painful thrust to an un-padded portion of your opponent’s neck.
This isn't to say that we should be shy about striking
our opponents. A kendo match has two independently thinking practitioners who
are constantly moving and striking. It is common for strikes to miss their mark
in such fast moving circumstances. However, awareness of where we are placing
our strikes, and of where the target is and will be are just as important as
showing our complete earnestness in our matches.
Tai 体
Tai refers to your body, how your present it, carry it
and move it. Recently in practice I observed the sensei reprimanding an older practitioner for his slouched position
while taking a break from keiko. Mention
was made at the end that the body should be kept straight at all times during
practice, even when one is taking a break.
This is a very good point to keep in mind. From the
moment you step into the dojo, all
efforts should be made to keep your body straight and squared. This has as much
to do with cultivating a strong body as it does a strong spirit. It keeps you
in the mindset of readiness and awareness in both mind and body.
While the shinai
is the tool used to strike, without the body powering it, it is only a stick.
Ideally when we face an opponent we do so with body straight but relaxed, mind
clear and ready to react on reflex an instinct alone, both to our opponent’s
advances and to his or her openings.
It is almost like an out of body experience when this
happens. Your body moves, it seems, without any command from your mind. This
comes from muscle memory; the pay off from hours upon hours of repetitive
motion and practice combined.
In practice, strict attention should be paid to balance, both literally in keeping oneself upright, and in ensuring that weight is distributed evenly, shoulders are level and the back is straight.
Ki Ken Tai no Icchi 気剣体の一致
Ki ken tai no icchi is the synchronization of the spirit, sword
and body. For a point to be considered valid, a practitioner must express correct movement and intent with all three at
the same time.
From a judging standpoint, this usually means that the
hit connects at the same time that the lead foot hits the ground (fumi komi 踏み込み) and the practitioner
vocalizes strongly the intended target. What we strive for is a firm, solid
hit, an audible stomp of the lead foot and a strong kiai all at the same time.
In a less black and white way, ki ken tai no icchi describes all ways in which we harmonize our
spirit, shinai, and body. It
encompasses the timing of the swing, the momentum of the body, the calmness of
the mind and the strength of intent all together. There is no easy way to
exemplify this but it is nonetheless very important to the study of kendo, and correctness of it comes from many many hours of practice.
No comments:
Post a Comment