Key Concepts

Ki-Ken-Tai no Ichi

Spirit-sword-body as one. This concept is an important foundation for good Iaido and Kendo. However, this is not something that can be grasped easily, so do not feel discouraged if you have not yet achieved this.

Shin-Me-Koshi-Te

AKA Me-Koshi-Te; Shin-Me-Koshi-Te means spirit-eyes-hips-hands. This concept reflects the order in which we should cut. First using your spirit to feel for your surroundings, and then use your eyes to show your attention to the opponent and seme. Moving your hips towards them, your feet will follow as you move your hips. Then the arm moves in to do furikaburi (rising over the helmet) and cut. Although this concept is more used in Iaido, it can be clearly translated into Kendo as well as to how to do a proper cut.

Sesetakuma

This originally is use as a term to rub and polish, likewise, while practicing with each other we must polishes each other so that everyone can improve together. It is a teamwork attitude that needs to be adapted while doing Iaido and Kendo, and of course this directly relates to how we interact with people outside of the dojo. We do not come together to compete or compare with each other, sensei wouldn't, and likewise we shouldn't. Instead, while watching others practice, see what they do well, and try to do that; see what they don't do as well, and reflect to see if you do the same thing. This can be very useful for watching practice.

Ichijou Ichie

One life, only once (AKA One life, one cut, when applied to us). This concept encourages us to commit fully in our cuts. This is more often thought of in Iaido since each cut have a distinct target. However, it is very important as well in Kendo. If we don't focus on our cuts in Kendo as well, we lose a sense of target, and thus our seme will not be its fullness.

Jou-Ha-Kyuu

Slow-medium-fast. This is often used in Iaido more because the cuts are complete cuts back to kamae. The idea of Jou-Ha-Kyuu allows us to: 1. save energy on parts of the furikaburi, 2. having clearer, cleaner, and more powerful cuts, 3. provide a sense of flow through out the practice. Hence, on a cut, slow while going up, medium speed while going under the sword, and quick right above entering the target. This concept can be applied not just to the cut itself but very powerful when applied in kata. By showing Jou-Ha-Kyuu in kata (both Iaido and Kendo), it becomes more obvious to observers of the connection between you and the opponent, thus adding dynamic to the scenario.

Sen, Sen no Sen, Sen Sen no Sen

The mindset of targetting and striking the target, the mindset of being aware of your opponents attack and acting before it, the mindset and execution of trapping your opponent and forcing them to attack a specific target while taking advantage of it. Sen is the most important for beginners in bogu (armour). Thus, we practice so much ji-keiko with each other. Then as we are able to start to tell when the opponent is going to open up a target, we practice sen no sen through kakari-keiko and regular keiko. Then sen sen no sen is most often practiced in high level keiko... that is, the ultimate goal during keiko is to be able to read your opponents mind and "pull the strings" by projecting one's mind to the opponent.