Ky-Fi
05-08-2002, 06:50 PM
I know we've had this subject before, and some people try to get a lot of spirituality out of their arts, and some people don't like the idea of it playing a role in MAs at all. Kyudo has a reputation for being one of the more "spiritual" arts, but I thought this exerpt from "Kyudo---The Essence and Practice of Japanese Archery" by Hideharu Onuma is really great and simple--I think it applies to most martial arts in general, and I thought I'd share it:
"We all have a natural need for balance in our lives. Consequently, we spend a great deal of time searching for it along various paths: religion or philosophy, the arts, our work, recreation or family and friendships. Though they may seem diverse, these paths all share a common ground: They add value and purpose to our lives and provide us with love, security, hope and a sense of self worth. In short, they help us deal with the challenges of life.
Kyudo is also one of life's paths, and it too can help us find balance, but kyudo by itself does not solve our problems nor add anything to our lives---at least not in the beginning. Instead, the practice of kyudo methodically peels away the protective layers of ego that we hide behind, until our true nature is revealed. Simply put, kyudo exposes our shortcomings. It is then up to us to make a thorough self-examination and balance our character accordingly. Thus, kyudo works in perfect harmony with the other paths. It is not meant to replace any of them, but it very nicely compliments them all."
"We all have a natural need for balance in our lives. Consequently, we spend a great deal of time searching for it along various paths: religion or philosophy, the arts, our work, recreation or family and friendships. Though they may seem diverse, these paths all share a common ground: They add value and purpose to our lives and provide us with love, security, hope and a sense of self worth. In short, they help us deal with the challenges of life.
Kyudo is also one of life's paths, and it too can help us find balance, but kyudo by itself does not solve our problems nor add anything to our lives---at least not in the beginning. Instead, the practice of kyudo methodically peels away the protective layers of ego that we hide behind, until our true nature is revealed. Simply put, kyudo exposes our shortcomings. It is then up to us to make a thorough self-examination and balance our character accordingly. Thus, kyudo works in perfect harmony with the other paths. It is not meant to replace any of them, but it very nicely compliments them all."