THE SWORD AND THIS WOMAN'S MIND is a reflection about the short time I was in 'Lessons' with Scott Flint, one of the most powerful Martial Arts Persons in our Country. This was an honor for me...and taught me more, much more, than I ever expected....

THE SWORD AND THIS WOMAN'S MIND


Iaido. This is the name of the Japanese Sword Martial Art Form that I haD chosen to learn at my son's Karate Dojo...his is a Taiwan-ranked Black Belt in Karate, but he also wears the beautiful clothing of an Iaido Swordsman, with a Japan-tested Credential as an Instructor in Iaido.

Even before I came to work for him, to help him to set up his Day School, West Wind Academy, in his West Wind School Systems (three school sites), my son had encouraged all of his family members to learn the Martial Arts in his schools. All of us except the littlest children at present, did take lessons at one time or another during the twenty years he has owned West Wind Schools. Everybody else did Karate. I decided to try Iaido, after watching a beautiful Demonstration he gave our family of this ancient and beautiful Martial Arts Form...

Even though he assigned the true Master of his System, a patient, good-hearted, internationally-high-ranking Instructor, as my teacher, I was lazy and fitful about the lessons. practically ungrateful! sometimes. about making it to class and so on, even rude. I was pretty passive-aggressive about the whole experiment. I just couldn't get into wielding a sword to pretend to slash at an imaginary opponent, with such decisive, vicious strokes as well! I am not sure why my wonderful, expert teacher was at all patient with me. When I asked my son why, he said, "O, Mr Flint thinks you will be a good student some day." This was said with no trace of sarcasm or cynicism at all....Hmmmmmm, I thought...

I discontinued the lessons, blaming, partly-honestly, severe health problems....

Then, five years ago, I came to work, as I mentioned, as the English and Social Studies Teacher for thirty students ages three through eighteen. The six-hours straight of the work day with the 'kids', and all the prep time and so on, were exhausting! Still, my son requested that I get back into some form of martial arts training again. I agreed to try Iaido again. Same Teacher. Same Problems. The students were impressed, being Karate, and not Iaido students. Plus, none of them had the famous Mr. Flint as their Instructor! I must be special! O, I was 'special' alright!....

See, I would practice and then, due to illness and pain and so on, I would not practice. Mr. Flint would teach me all the terminology, patiently and very well, and I would forget it (I am NOT good at languages either...) (especially Japanese!)...I would make feeble attempts at striking with the sword. I would be accurate. then careless. He taught me warm-ups and stretches to help my back. His patience was, and is still, endless, completely, and relentlessly... endless!....Still, so little progress made! How could he keep on teaching me, when I resisted every move! I found them all, every one, Violent! Simply Violent!

Every single Iaido form, every stroke of the sword, is meant to kill. Every one. This, for a person who had trouble killing flies! Quite literally! This, for a woman who could not whip a horse effectively At All! Ever! This, for a mother who had never been able to spank her kids! She had only made them laugh, when she once tried! I Was Not Capable Of This Violence! So why was Mr. Flint still being so patient with me?

Then, one day, not that long ago...
He asked me if I had ever cast a line in...fishing!...I had! Use that cast, he told me, when you strike with the sword. I did. it came back into my wrist, into my arm, into my shoulder. The sword flew through the air like line with the weight and hook at the end...to catch a fish. to cause the fish pain...even for just a little while. Violence, of a nature. of a natural sort....

Suddenly, everything fell into place: Mr.Flint's calm approach to the Violence of the Martial Arts of which he is a True Master. It is all One Piece to him! The Wonder of the Natural World and the Violence of the Natural World: They are One Experience. I could see now why he is also such a fine Science teacher for our school. For him, there is no Either/Or...only Human with Nature: Human Nature: What Humans really do....the Sword is simply an Extension of that truth....

I could do that. I knew, all at once. I could do that. If I had to, I could wield a Sword. I could slash another human being in half, if I or mine were in harm's way. I could kill. I am as we all are naturally: human. I am Human.

This Sword. this foreign, heavy, sharp, unspeakable Sword. this is no Object for Play. This is no Object for Art. Still...

I bow to the Sword.
I bow to my Good Teacher.

My Beginners Sword is merely Wood.
My Beginners Mind is merely Wood.

I raise it. I bring it down.
it whistles through the air like Fire and Steel.

the Kindest Cut of All....