I had an opportunity to attempt “Tameshigiri (test cutting with real Japanese sword) in the last weekend.
This is the movie of my first Tameshigiri experience.
Tameshigiri〜Test cutting from Yukinobu Ota on Vimeo.
In that time, I had an experience of facing with yoga in front of rolled tatami.
1st attempt~when I lost my yoga from my mind~
Just before cutting rolled tatami, I felt the body, mind, sword and rolled tatami got completely separated.
When I usually practice Iaido kata, my body and mind, the sword, and even the hypothetical opponent exist inside of me as one thing…
But when I stood in front of rolled tatami, that one thing split into 3 ( or even more just because I didn’t recognize them) and jumped outside.
That was the moment I lost my yoga from my mind.
Come to think of it, there was the ego in my mind which tried to “cut” the object. And as that ego arose, the rolled tatami made it’s presence felt much stronger.
In my hand, with it’s heaviness and sharpness, the sword was making it’s presence felt much stronger, too. I got confused and lost how I should control the sword and my body.
I have done my 1st attempt in such scattered, chaotic mind.
Rolled tatami got inclined, cut dirty and my posture was ruined. It was not good at all.
2nd attempt~something to cut before I cut rolled tatami~
Probably better than the 1st attempt (or not so much?).
In the 2nd attempt, I suppose I could keep what I had spread out in the 1st attempt within myself. That’s why it was a little better than the 1st one.
Before cutting rolled tatami physically, we need to cut the mind which tries to jump on to the sword, rolled tatami, and eyes or voices of the surrounding people, with our mind sword.
It maybe similar to the yogic philosophy “Pratyahara” (drawing of the mind).
In my sense, I could do the attempt in more calm and relaxed state than in the 1st attempt.
As my clients know, I often recommend to remember what they learned in the lesson and try to practice in daily life as much as possible.
This was totally unexpected experience for me to face with yoga outside of studio.
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