Читать книгу Kendo. A Comprehensive Guide to Japanese Swordsmanship онлайн

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When one becomes 60 years old, the legs are not as strong as they once were. It is the spirit that overcomes this weakness. It is through a strong spirit that one can overcome the inevitability of the body becoming physically weaker.

When I became 70 years old, the entire body became weaker. I found that the next step is to practice the concept of not moving one’s spirit when practicing kendo. When one is able to achieve the state of an immovable spirit, your opponent’s spirit will manifest itself to you. I tried to achieve a calm and immovable spirit at this stage in my life.

When I became 80 years old, I achieved the state of the immovable spirit. However, there are times when a random thought will enter my mind. I am striving to eliminate these random thoughts.

Cross generation Kendo—the late Oshima Hideharu Sensei with his grandson

Very few of us will come close to Mochida sensei’s level of accomplishment, but we can take comfort in the fact that kendo does not need to be abandoned as we get into our later years. In fact for many kendoka, their kendo career really takes off after retirement.