As I walk into the dojo, I hear unfamiliar voices. There are students from other dojos here to attend today’s seminar on Iaido and Aikido. Exciting stuff; this seminar is one we’ve been anticipating for a while now, and I’m pumped it’s finally here. I set my bag down in the change room and start changing into my gi.
When I walk into the dojo, I’m caught off-guard when I see that Sensei Dixon, who is leading the seminar, is already in the dojo. I go and introduce myself, but I can’t think of anything else worthwhile to say. Frikkin nerves! I walk away and start warming myself up. Some of the other black belts are warming up with some practice cuts, and I try to jump in. It’s only once I’m following along that I realize they’re doing cuts that are more complicated than what I’m used to. My wooden sword, called a bokken, hangs uselessly at my side as I try to figure out what the others are doing.
Thankfully, I’m spared the embarrassment before much longer, as Sensei Dixon heads to the front of the dojo to begin the seminar. We start with a formal bow in. Those with a bokken are taught how to bow with all the etiquette of a swordsman. We kneel in seiza for a bow, with the bokken out in front of us. The ritual has a way of quieting and aligning the 30 or so adults that have come together for the seminar.
The Iaido Part
We start by practicing a few simple empty-hand cuts. We cut horizontally across the body, and vertically from head to toe. So far, so good. Then it comes time to grab a bokken. The range of the makeshift weapon takes a bit of getting used to, since I’m used to the reach of my arms without a wooden sword in my hand. A couple of close calls later, I’ve figured it out and have it pretty much down.
Once we’ve covered the basics, we move into the Seitei Gata: a series of 12 pre-defined sequences of cuts that are common to all styles of Iaido around the world. The cuts range from the relatively simple to the more complex, and I find myself deeply focused on getting the general form of the techniques right. As I’m doing the cuts, I notice there’s something meditative about the process; time seems to melt away, and my mind stops its usual habit of wandering like a stray cat looking for a meal.
It feels like I’ve only just blinked once or twice before the Iaido portion of the seminar is over, and we move on to Aikido.
The Aikido Part
The Aikido section of the seminar starts with a brief explanation of what Aikido is. I knew that Aikido was designed especially for defense against someone with a sword or other weapon. What I didn’t realize, though, is that many of the movements in Aikido share common ground with those in Iaido and Kendo. In other words, according to Sensei Dixon, Aikido started out as a system of techniques that work especially well for defending against armed swordsmen when used by a swordsman who has been disarmed. How cool is that??
After working our way through the first series of locks and throws, I’m caught off-guard when I’m given the honour of being selected as the uke for Sensei Dixon to demonstrate the next technique. My excitement quickly gives way to pain though, as he showcases just how effective Aikido can be when combined with a little bit of karate. It was a glorious pain though, and I finally understood what John Mellencamp sang about when he said it “hurt so good.”
After a few more takedowns and locks, it’s time to wrap up the seminar. We bow out the same way we bowed in, and as we do so I reflect on how quickly four hours has flown by.
Wrapping it Up
I leave the dojo with a newfound appreciation for both Aikido and Iaido, two martial arts I’ve had very little exposure to up to this point in my training. Iaido in particular struck a chord with me though; there’s just something about the calmness and refinement that goes along with learning not just how to cut with the sword, but the etiquette surrounding it. I can’t put my finger on it, but I find myself mesmerized by the art. It’s something I’m going to have to explore further at some point during my training!
