-- Jim Tantillo <[log in to unmask]> quoted:
> Given:
> --"My initial reaction to the sport was quite negative. I had no wish
> to
> spend a great deal of money and time so that I could act out violent
> fantasies with a loaded pistol. When, however, I attempted some of the
> initial I.P.S.C type exercises with borrowed equipment, I was surprised,
> and not a little disturbed, to discover that I felt very relaxed
> afterwards
> and had quite enjoyed myself. Further, the scenario or rationale for
> the
> stage was simply not a part of my experience of it. The scenario told
> me
> what targets to shoot but did not contribute to mental imagery
> associated
> with the stage. I asked several experienced competitors about their own
> mental imagery and found that it was consonant with my own. While
> meditating upon this apparent contradiction between my initial negative
> impressions and analysis and my initial experience, I formed the
> hypothesis
> that the experience was the result of the intense concentration required
> to
> handle the gun safely and shoot in the general direction of the targets.
> Perhaps my abstraction of the scenario into a set of sight-pictures and
> movements resulted from my aversion to the scenario's symbolism. I
> assumed
> that the intensity of my experience could probably be accounted for by
> my
> inexperience and, I flattered myself, by my training in meditation
> disciplines. I remember joking with one competitor that I had read
> about
> 'Zen archery' and thought that perhaps one could also do 'Zen handguns.'
> --"This concentration-related experience did not, however, disappear.
> Rather it deepened with repetition, and I discovered that the 'Zen
> handgun'
> theme was common among experienced shooters, some of whom actually used
> that expression. When asked what they are experiencing during a stage,
> men
> and women who shoot matches regularly told me that they abstract the
> scenario into a set of stylized movements, not unlike the _ kata _ used
> in
> Japanese martial arts." (148-49)
The zen and archery that many refer to today (the name of the author
escapes me at the moment) was post Sekigahara and hence focused more on
the self-improvement aspects of the art than one might find in kyujutsu
prior to the battle of Sekigahara and the two hundered years of peace.
For most people today their experience with Japanese martial arts is with
the moder cognate arts (e.g. aikido, karate, judo, etc.), and hence
believe that martial arts developed as a means for developing better
people. However, this is inaccurate. Martial arts schools (ryuha) were
created for the sole reason of making more efficient killers/soldiers.
However, most schools developed different esoteric disciplines that were
designed to enhances one's chances of survival in battle, but also had
ancillary benefits of self-improvement of the practitioner.
Also, the primary reason that Japanese martial arts use kata is that for
the classical systems (koryu), the techniques that are practiced are
designed to kill the opponent and hence only kata can allow one to train
safely. Moreover, the kata for many classical systems is one of the
primary methods for passing on the knowledge of the school to the student.
In fact, only by practicing the kata can one really understand many of
the facets of the school. Thus, I think it is inaccurate to imply kata
are not much more than a sort of moving meditation exercise.
Steve Verdon
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