Post by Jonathan Anderson on Apr 29, 2010 13:04:57 GMT -4
Many of you know that, with regard to Kendo training - that is to say, the more physical aspect of training - I highly recommend the book Kendo: The Definitive Guide as it is EXACTLY what it says on the tin. In fact, my statement on it is that if you only had money enough to buy one book to use as a reference (because we all know that it is impossible to learn any martial art from a book, right?) to aid in your understanding of Kendo, that would be the one you'd want to purchase.
While all that is very important, Kendo and Iaido are not the sort of martial arts you can entirely learn simply by coming in to class every practice, and training your hardest in the dojo. You can learn quite a bit that way, to be sure, and for some people what they learn and experience on the dojo floor is sufficient. If that is the case for you, very good - after all, martial arts are always a personal journey. However, if you are looking for something to give you a greater mental and spiritual insight into the mindset of a Japanese Sword Art practitioner, The Unfettered Mind is, I have found, a fascinating book. I've read my copy some 4 times or so, and each time, I discover something new. Some way of looking at the same words, and find a deeper meaning. The attached .pdf file is the entire book, as found here:
www.daikonforge.com/downloads/TheUnfetteredMind.pdf
Read it, or not, it's up to you, but if you do, you may find some new insight into some of the more esoteric concepts I mention from time to time. If you do decide to read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts/insights.
While all that is very important, Kendo and Iaido are not the sort of martial arts you can entirely learn simply by coming in to class every practice, and training your hardest in the dojo. You can learn quite a bit that way, to be sure, and for some people what they learn and experience on the dojo floor is sufficient. If that is the case for you, very good - after all, martial arts are always a personal journey. However, if you are looking for something to give you a greater mental and spiritual insight into the mindset of a Japanese Sword Art practitioner, The Unfettered Mind is, I have found, a fascinating book. I've read my copy some 4 times or so, and each time, I discover something new. Some way of looking at the same words, and find a deeper meaning. The attached .pdf file is the entire book, as found here:
www.daikonforge.com/downloads/TheUnfetteredMind.pdf
Read it, or not, it's up to you, but if you do, you may find some new insight into some of the more esoteric concepts I mention from time to time. If you do decide to read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts/insights.
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