Last month, I finished with the quote from Musashi, “It is generally accepted that the warrior’s path is the resolute acceptance of death.” I had also said, that this is a sentiment deeply rooted in Japanese culture and somewhat foreign to us, yet there is much truth in it, even if one steps into the list field of an SCA tournament.
Now let’s examine what Musashi might mean by this.
For one thing, despite its darker side, it is a positive statement. Those
who accept death fully, cannot fail. So, you may be worried about stepping
out onto the list field, about a particular fighter, because he might beat
you. Well, he might, but if you are relaxed, because you have fully
accepted your “death”, you may just find yourself to be unhindered by any
thoughts of losing, thereby performing to your best potential.
This is especially important for that ever present specter of “tourney
choke”, that feeling of butterflies and nervousness that some of us are
afflicted with before entering a tourney.
Again, if you step out onto that list field, having fully accepted your
“death”, you may just perform well and enjoy the tournament. After all,
dead fighters have nothing to prove.
In this same section Musashi also speaks of how a warrior must build an
indomitable spirit and iron will, a belief that he cannot fail in anything.
This is the way of the warrior.
If we look at those two statements, resolute acceptance of death and the belief that one cannot fail at anything, together then we see a warrior who steps onto the list field with a confidence and a certain degree of arrogance, that can best the opponent before the first blow is struck. If you are a beginner, you may wonder how you should develop this attitude, while going up against experienced fighters. Actually, this comes back to something else that both Musashi and Sun Tzu, a Chinese general who wrote “The Art of War”, say. You must know yourself and your opponent. Only then can you be successful. Therefore, if you are a beginner, realize your weak points as well as your strong points, but also be aware of your opponents strengths and weaknesses. In other words, when you step out onto the list field, believe that you can succeed within the framework of your skills. Rather than succumbing to the mental strength of your opponent, think of your strengths and of your possibilities. If your skill in pure swordsmanship does not match that of your opponent, then don’t be there when your opponent wants to strike you. Be mobile. Even the best fighter cannot kill empty space.
By accepting death or, in our terms, the fact that you may lose, you free yourself from the worry about it. By believing in yourself, your abilities and selling your hide as expensively as you can, you will succeed. Next time we will speak of carpentry. Musashi describes how there are four ways of making a living in medieval Japan: As warrior, as peasant, as artisan and as merchant. This is the social structure that existed at the time. He uses the skills of a carpenter to explain the way of the warrior.
Back to part 1
Continue to part 3
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