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Tsune ni ite, Kyu ni awasu-
This is the expression from which Iaido draws it's name.
It means simply that one, in everyday life, must always be ready to instantaneously blend with any situation- be it a physical attack or any surprising circumstance.
This focus on awareness and mental acuity is the hallmark of a true martial art. Though Martial Technique offers much of mental and pratical value, one need only look to their weight classes to see a bias towards mass and strength.
For a martial artist strenth is not exclusively of the body and a fight is often decided before and even without a single blow landing. One of my favorite Aikido stories is of a sensei who was attacked on the street. He threw his assailant (in honbu Aikido atemi (blows) are rarely used), but at the last moment stuck his foot out to cusion the man's head before it could hit the pavement.
Constant vigilance, flexibility, and compassion.
The Philosophy and Attitude for Swordsmanship
AKA The passage you must memorize for the Iaido black belt tests
Names of kata, their literal translations, and relation to the form
You need to be able to write these too, for the belt test. You can get away with writing them in romaji, but why would you want to do that?
What to expect at an Iaido belt test
Specific to the Japanese Kendo Federation
What to expect at an Iaido tournament
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