A beginner student to Iaido learns firstly to value themselves; is taught that for the duration of their time within the dojo all day-to-day worries or demands – even importances or necessary forms of behavior – are to be put away. That their time in the dojo is for themselves alone – a gift, a dignity, a space in life, a synapse-altering dance of focus and awareness. One of the first things a student of Iaido is taught is to relax, to drop the shoulders of care, to not try too hard, to take their time, to not be afraid to initially feel silly or inept (they are assured that we have all felt this). They are reassured that all self-doubt will pass.
And so it does.
The strengthening student of Iaido comes to understand that only by going slowly and calmly will they become swift and clear in their intentions and their actions.
There are only two true judges in Iaido: one is the self – body, mind and spirit in accord, and the other is the sword (shinken, iaito, bokken, body, hand, mind) with which one trains.
The progressing student of Iaido comes to understand that respect for the self, as well as comprehension of others – particularly those with significant experience – will be reciprocated. Willingness to learn is respected whereas demand to be taught will be ignored. Etiquette and consideration – becoming rare and precious in a more-than-often deceitful world – are therefore embraced.
The student to Iaido will come to understand that humility is never about debasement but all about true honour and dignity with absolutely nothing to prove. These are life skills. The student of Iaido experiences great joy when the minute principles that exist in each pattern unfold and become absorbed into a deeper understanding. When we perfect the form.
The development of peace, in exquisite compliment to acute awareness, is the greatest thing the student of Iaido grasps in an unfolding and blossoming way and because the student of Iaido is taught to realise the philosophy of the body and the sword in accord they also realize that the principles of Iai-Do (do=way, the way of the sword) are inherently peaceful and balanced.
The student of Iaido learns the calm mind, and understands that violence is ultimately an expression of cowardice and fear; that self-certainty is an altogether different energy that is achieved through discipline and wisdom and all of the above.
Iaido is a way of moving with the world. A constant presence. An earned trust. The knowledge of just how deadly is the weapon with which we train – the consequences of its use in a real-life scenario – means that we also develop deep-mind, the skill of necessary avoidance, the ability to always seek alternatives to confrontation and aggressive behaviour. Courage, core-strength and both a sense of humour and a deeply profound regard for all that is majestic and worthy of defending: the world, family, love, food, learning, community and lore.
The longer the student of Iaido unpacks the deep trunk of learning—of deciding that the only person to whom we ultimately have to answer is ourselves, how effortless living well can be, how clear the intention and consequence of each thought and action—the lighter we become and the more capable of meeting and assessing each and every situation.
