WholeHeartedNews.com

Reishiki or reigi, the etiquette we display in the start, end, and duration of the training session. When we perform a bow we are essentially “greeting” someone or something. This simple act, much like the simple “hello”, is an act of acknowledgment to the others existence. When we provide the “rei” when dealing with others we are letting them know of their importance to us, to their feelings, and responding in kind to the things they do for us.

A simple “hello” in our society is the most basic form of acknowledgment and we thus provide the same acknowledgment when we bow or rei upon entering the training hall, the kamidana, Sensei, Sempai, and Kohai. It is a conferral of honor to the masters who came before us and all of us who come to this training hall to work hard, train hard, learn and teach.

Though he following of reishiki/reigi we also validate. It is a form of expression such as to express to others we wish them well and to place them at ease with us as we continue the association in the training hall.

When we “rei” to each other we express our intent to do no harm and acknowledge our concern for the well being of others. We thus also invite others to look toward us in the same way as we look to them. We are saying to ourselves and to others we greet one another with civility and cordiality thus avoiding any type of rude behavior that would diminish one another.

There is more to the practice of reigi/reishiki yet this explanation is but one reason why we practice this form of greeting with each other as martial artists, comrades, and martial art community. To take this with us into the world and expressing it to others we meet with a hand shake (in lieu of the bow) and a friendly smile associated with a warm “hello” would go far in bringing us all together in a common goal of respect and humility.

Definitions from the Web:

1. Fighting postures/stances.
2. Guard or posture.
3. Attitude or posture. The stances; a general term found in all of the Japanese disciplines.
4. Attitude or spirit in the performance of techniques or kata.
5. Kamae may also connote proper distance with respect to one’s opponent.
6. A ready position or posture.
7. A Japanese term used in the martial arts. It translates approximately to “posture”. The Kanji of this word means “base”.

My definition or usage of kamae in practice is to take a posture and stance when engaged in combat. It is understood that there are esoteric traits or qualities a person must assume in order for it to function well and actually work in combat. Some of the esoteric traits/qualities can be:

Zanshin-mushin, chinkuchi, ma-ai, kime, rhythm, spirit, body mechanics, and so on.

When we refer to taking kamae we are referring to the assumption of the posture and stance, nothing more nor nothing less. The additional attributes some speak of and attach to the term and usage of kamae would be an elaboration of the terms use by that individual or group. Does this mean that kamae means all that, nope, it simply means taking a posture and stance.

An example, is in Ken-do, one can take a chudan-no-kamae, gedan-no-kamae, or jodan-no-kamae. This means middle, lower, or upper posture and stance. There are not specific rules that say one must take a particular stance such as heiko-dachi with a specific holding of the arms and hands. This is what makes “taking kamae” universal and unique in that what ever stance and posture you assume you are taking a kamae.

Understand that in my view kamae means just what I describe, posture and stance. I also want to elude to the fact that if you do not take on and practice those traits and qualities I partially describe here then that means your kamae is not effective or very good.

To assume that one solid and perfect kamae you must practice bringing all those other esoteric and exoteric traits and qualities into that one kamae.

I really enjoy reading posts and articles on such topics as kamae because although the term does not necessarily encompass the additional idea’s posed in such writings it does make one think and if that enhances the practice and training of a person then it is a good thing.

In my humble opinion it is not good to enhance meanings just to make them look and sound exotic. Just append the idea’s on to the meaning, true meaning, as an exercise in the possibilities. Much like teaching tuite in Isshinryu. It is not Isshinryu so don’t say it is so. Just say that you teach tuite in your Isshinryu training hall.

Accuracy is the hallmark of a true bushi. We practice for accuracy in history, the techniques, the kata, the wearing of the uniform for it reflects on our way and by osmosis reflects on those who trained us and has great effect on those we train and come in contact with in our journey.

Contributed by: cejames

There are six important area’s within training one must adhere to if training is to be most effective. They are observation, memory, experimentation, imagination, language, and broad-mindedness.

Observation:

This one is the most critical as this is the mainstay of learning waza or technique. All the verbiage in the world will not teach you the technique yet action does teach very well. What I mean by observation is the students ability to see the technique in the practice of others.

As students of budo we must be most observant when training by seeing others who are of equal skills, and especially those of superior skills, as they practice the waza we are currently learning.

To have a technique briefly explained helps us to relate the physical with the mental, initially, and then by practicing the waza four or five times, initially, causes the muscles and mind to store the waza in memory. Then we must continually practice with an eye on observing ourselves for improvement and thus when we observe others we have a point of reference to see ourselves and make appropriate adjustments.

This does not mean that Sempai and Sensei will not help you by physically adjusting what you do but also by their own actions in practice provide you with a frame of reference as to the path you should be taking in the practice of budo.

This requires a good deal of deep reflection.