I have had that wish of practicing a Martial Arts since forever. And my man being a Karate, Thai Boxing, Full Contact and Karate Contact teacher (among other stuff i can't remember just now), a lot of people seemed to assume i would go that way too. Things is, Karate and all these mentioned arts are HIS domain, not mine. That's his life, his passion, his leisure, his friends, and definitely not mine. Moreover, i didn't want, on top of it all, to become his wife at the dojo. So i said sod it, i'm not doing this.
That's when i realized i never really got attracted to Karate and kicking with my feet and hands. The only combat sport i considered once was boxing because i had just seen "Million Dollar Baby" and i was dying to get Hillary Swank's back!!!
No, what I've always found appealing, were weapons and in particular SABERS. The idea of learning how to properly use a saber to slice people up was definitely a turn on. Moreover, in Japan, it's the noble art. The art of the saber. So yeah, i was going to do just that.
So there i was, at my free try-out class of Kendo. And even though i don't actually slice people up (it's kinda hard with a bamboo saber!!!), i learn how to hold it, how to hit someone on the head (with the idea to cut him/her down to the eyes), how to cut people's wrist, how to stab someone in the throat, and more generally, how to slice someone vertically and horizontally. And in all honesty, it's freaking AWESOME.
There is something liberating in hitting someone with a saber. Especially since we have to shout at the time we actually do it. So you shout out your rage and physically hit someone on their armor like you're on for the kill.
Even though the way of the saber is considered the noble art, it still is a martial art hence subject to rules and protocol. You learn respect towards the elders or the higher ranked, obviously big respect to the Senseï, you salute your opponent, you respect in religious silence the moment each person suits themselves up with the armor, you thank your teacher and your fellow companions and you show respect to the dojo your practice into, every time you enter or exit it. All of this ceremony has something sacred in it. It's a feeling i find hard to describe, yet a feeling i truly like.
We all have some rage and anger inside us. And being able to lash it out is soothing. I get out of the class drained, both physically and emotionally and it feels goooood.
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