[artofeyyy]

Since I started kendo, I found myself how I'm a weak. I'm not only talking about me with a sword. Of course I'm not a strong kenshi either though.

I think something relate to my life, character, weakness.... all these are the same as my kendo.

[feeshyLew]

I started Karate a a young age (12yrs) and that changed my life completely in a very positive way and eventually led me to Kendo and then Iai. I think practising the martial arts does show you how weak and vulnerable you actually are-especially when boxers come to your club and wipe the floor with the highest Dan grades in free sparring! You realise how hard it is to actually overcome someone who is resisting you rather than 'playing along'. You realise how even the hardest punch won't necessarily floor anyone unless you're very lucky! On the positive side though, you also realise that these things aren't important, but its the 'right practise' that is important, you become a calmer person, more reasoned, tolerant and compassionate. Learning the Japanese martial arts introduces you to other arts such as haiku, Japanese art and architecture, Zen, tea, theatre, calligraphy et al. which one grows to appreciate and love. The Japanese fighting arts have had a profound and overwhelmingly positive effect upon my life and not in an obvious way. I can't imagine a Japanese person learning boxing and that leading to getting tuned into Shakespeare or Tennyson-perhaps it does!

I thank the day back in 1981 when I saw Karate classes advertised in a local recreation centre and the day I started, Sunday 18th May. I still celebrate this day...

[Sheestgag]

No.

I'm basically the same person I was before the martial arts, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Thats not to say it hasn't changed other people, just not me. I did have an experience which drastically changed my opinon on budo, but thats beyond the confines of this discussion.

[Zdmlscid]

Like HL I too am basically the same person as I was before I started kendo.

[staisacic]

I'm much better at hitting other people with a big stick now....

Seriously, it's been such a long road it's hard to separate kendo from all the other things that have changed me over the last quarter century. I think I'm a better person for the experience but I couldn't prove it to you. I think my wife and kids have had a more profound influence on me as a person than kendo but that's not to say kendo isn't also a strong influence.

[mikefertynnz]

I think I know what akepenguin is getting at with regards to character weakness. Because I came to kendo after getting my ass kicked emotionally in my 20's, I'm not sure if kendo is such a sea change for me so much as reinforced or made some things I've experienced more clear. The mental and "spiritual" side of kendo is in a way about life in general. I don't want to go on a digression about specifics of my life so I'll just offer the two major points for me:

- You have to focus on yourself and worry less about what other people are up to. If you worry too much about others you hand them power over how you perceive yourself (i.e. fashionistas are neurotic about how others see them). In kendo this would be like practicing jigeiko with the aim to improve your abilities in a live situation rather than see it as a competition with your partner.

- A positive attitude is the path to success. I don't mean that in the hokey self-help seminar way but rather that those who want control of their lives take control of their lives rather than wait for someone to allow them that control (ok that still sounds like hokey self-help cheer leading). Whether you're in a business negotiation, internal politics or dealing with a help desk operator, if you give someone the slightest show of weakness they will exploit it (or try to). If you dominate the exchange you're more likely to get what you what. The only thing is, you have to genuinely know what you're doing otherwise you'll only get short term gains. If you're dominant but unreasonable people may relent now but the logic isn't sustainable so the effect won't last, at least not with this particular "opponent". In kendo this is like having the combination of strong seme, an attacking mind, correct waza and spot on timing. I am not a naturally domineering person so I tend to rely on appealing to people's logical side in day to day situations and in kendo I wait to use waza and timing. If I get wound up I can switch on the attacking mind but this isn't something I tend to keep up. In both cases I have to work a lot on being more positive on a consistent basis. This is where kendo is helpful as an analogy for things I need to work on for my life in general.

[Sdzqerty]

Kendo didn't change my life. I did. Kendo was a nice tool however.

[overavantstandard]

NO, but KENDO has been something that I'm very glad that I found, I only feel more focused. I had many years of experience in and out of the military. KENDO, is something that I really do understand, yet at the sametime I'm learning alot.

[UrUROFlS]

Kendo didn't change my life. I did. Kendo was a nice tool however.

can't say it better!

..and it's too much explnation to put it here! (regarding my experience)

[WrinnaArraple]

all of my experiences changed me even just in a bit fashion.
and kendo is one of those which makes me better.

[formobilagsw]

I wonder if the the age on taking up the a martial discipline makes a difference? Ones character is more malleable at a younger age and you are less entrenched in ones attitudes and beliefs so the ideas behind Kendo, Karate-do Iaido etc can exert a more profound influence. Also, I don't know what I would've been like without the Budo since I started at an early age. Who knows, I may have been the same person without its influence, but I doubt it. The knowledge, instruction and reading I've gathered from the Budo and associated Japanese arts have made me a much more rounded person.

[CoiI8XIj]

I started skipping more.

[Queuerriptota]

It did change my life, but it's hard to describe because it's a lot of vague not very tangible things.

Although one thing in particular, it significantly altered the way I look at competitive sports, both in participating and in coaching, to the point where I am bothered by many of the typical things I see in high school sports at my school.

[AlexanderDrew]

Very interesting! Arigato!!

I've been asking myself since I started kendo why kendo? I was more like a indoor parson, liked art and syuji.
Then I thought about ..... many people can do kendo, ageless, regardless of gender, no matter how good they are...I know an old man who has a limp practice kendo. One day, there was a match with my 7th dan sensei and him. Sensei didn't attack his legs at the tournament.
I asked 8th dan sensei" Where are you looking at during a game when you against an opponent?"..... "kokoro." he answered.

I like kendo, not as much as you like karate.
That's a nice things to do celebrate the day you crossed karate.

[ElisasAUG]

I started Karate a a young age (12yrs) and that changed my life completely in a very positive way and eventually led me to Kendo and then Iai. I think practising the martial arts does show you how weak and vulnerable you actually are-especially when boxers come to your club and wipe the floor with the highest Dan grades in free sparring! You realise how hard it is to actually overcome someone who is resisting you rather than 'playing along'. You realise how even the hardest punch won't necessarily floor anyone unless you're very lucky! On the positive side though, you also realise that these things aren't important, but its the 'right practise' that is important, you become a calmer person, more reasoned, tolerant and compassionate. Learning the Japanese martial arts introduces you to other arts such as haiku, Japanese art and architecture, Zen, tea, theatre, calligraphy et al. which one grows to appreciate and love. The Japanese fighting arts have had a profound and overwhelmingly positive effect upon my life and not in an obvious way. I can't imagine a Japanese person learning boxing and that leading to getting tuned into Shakespeare or Tennyson-perhaps it does!

I thank the day back in 1981 when I saw Karate classes advertised in a local recreation centre and the day I started, Sunday 18th May. I still celebrate this day...

Very interesting! Arigato!!

I've been asking myself since I started kendo why kendo? I was more like a indoor parson, liked art and syuji.
Then I thought about ..... many people can do kendo, ageless, regardless of gender, no matter how good they are...I know an old man who has a limp practice kendo. One day, there was a match with my 7th dan sensei and him. Sensei didn't attack his legs at the tournament.
I asked 8th dan sensei" Where are you looking at during a game when you against an opponent?"..... "kokoro." he answered.

I like kendo, not as much as you like karate.
That's a nice things to do celebrate the day you crossed karate.

[Anymnillulky]

Although one thing in particular, it significantly altered the way I look at competitive sports, both in participating and in coaching, to the point where I am bothered by many of the typical things I see in high school sports at my school.

Actually I had the opposite experience, I had bad experiences with sports in high school, now I see all kinds of value in it. Helps my kids are participating, I go to events and like a lot of what I see.

[Obgrfbke]

I think I know what akepenguin is getting at with regards to character weakness. Because I came to kendo after getting my ass kicked emotionally in my 20's, I'm not sure if kendo is such a sea change for me so much as reinforced or made some things I've experienced more clear. The mental and "spiritual" side of kendo is in a way about life in general. I don't want to go on a digression about specifics of my life so I'll just offer the two major points for me:

- You have to focus on yourself and worry less about what other people are up to. If you worry too much about others you hand them power over how you perceive yourself (i.e. fashionistas are neurotic about how others see them). In kendo this would be like practicing jigeiko with the aim to improve your abilities in a live situation rather than see it as a competition with your partner.

- A positive attitude is the path to success. I don't mean that in the hokey self-help seminar way but rather that those who want control of their lives take control of their lives rather than wait for someone to allow them that control (ok that still sounds like hokey self-help cheer leading). Whether you're in a business negotiation, internal politics or dealing with a help desk operator, if you give someone the slightest show of weakness they will exploit it (or try to). If you dominate the exchange you're more likely to get what you what. The only thing is, you have to genuinely know what you're doing otherwise you'll only get short term gains. If you're dominant but unreasonable people may relent now but the logic isn't sustainable so the effect won't last, at least not with this particular "opponent". In kendo this is like having the combination of strong seme, an attacking mind, correct waza and spot on timing. I am not a naturally domineering person so I tend to rely on appealing to people's logical side in day to day situations and in kendo I wait to use waza and timing. If I get wound up I can switch on the attacking mind but this isn't something I tend to keep up. In both cases I have to work a lot on being more positive on a consistent basis. This is where kendo is helpful as an analogy for things I need to work on for my life in general.

That was exactly I meant to be.
You expressed deeply. Those are my goals. I need to work on everyday.
Arigato!

[soyclocky]

I wonder if the the age on taking up the a martial discipline makes a difference? Ones character is more malleable at a younger age and you are less entrenched in ones attitudes and beliefs so the ideas behind Kendo, Karate-do Iaido etc can exert a more profound influence. Also, I don't know what I would've been like without the Budo since I started at an early age. Who knows, I may have been the same person without its influence, but I doubt it. The knowledge, instruction and reading I've gathered from the Budo and associated Japanese arts have made me a much more rounded person.

When I saw my daughter and other children, I could see your point.
In the other hand sometimes Japanese parents say too much about what children suppose to do at doji. They think that is "shituke or reigi". If the children weren't well‐mannered, someone should teach them, although someone attach great importance to propriety themselves, not just yell children.
I think kendo children learn patience more than their parents including me.

[truck]

Yes, I changed. I started becoming Japanese. I ate sushi and ramen noodles. I started learning the language, nihongo. I watched Japanese movies and anime. Finally, I wore a ninja uniform every night as my pajamas. Ha ha. Just kidding.

[Jeffery]

Yes, I changed. I started becoming Japanese. I ate sushi and ramen noodles. I started learning the language, nihongo. I watched Japanese movies and anime. Finally, I wore a ninja uniform every night as my pajamas. Ha ha. Just kidding.

You are so kawaii. I didn't image someone reply like this.
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