Cultivating Mindfulness Through The Practice Of Iaidō

Abstract

Iaidō is a Japanese swordsmanship art that teaches the practitioner, iaidokan, a series of sword techniques known as kata. The number, and severity of [sword] techniques increases as the practitioner achieves higher grades (kyu and dan). To understand and conduct the [spiritual] core of iaidō, the iaidoka must learn how to be attentive and bodily and mindfully present when carrying out these [sword] techniques. In this respect, mindfulness training could be of great help by enhancing the ability of the iaidokan skills in this regard. Additionally, mindfulness training may be used to teach the practitioner of iaidō how to develop a being-mode. This article discusses, from both an outside-in perspective, as academic researcher and an inside-out perspective as a mindfulness and iaidō practitioner, the meaning of iaidō in terms of attention, [mindfulness] meditation and a being-mode. This discussion may prepare the way for a new and inspiring understanding of Asian spiritual practices in a Western guise.

Notes

1. The word ‘sympathizer’ refers to a type of person who embraces an amalgam of popularized Buddhist and Hindu teachings and generally accepted scientific ideas. The supernatural and soteriological contents do not play a major part in their life (McMahan 2008).

2. The SAM system is under the regulatory influence of the sympathetic nervous system as well as the adrenal medulla. Understanding the workings of the adrenal glands is vital for those that are endeavoring to understand the physiology of stress response – i.e., both the SAM and HPA stress response systems (Jones and Bright 2001).

3. In their article, Barnhofer and Crane (2009) argue from a perspective influenced by Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT). Their contribution to mindfulness as an intervention and therapy method is therefore based on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).