A Lesson from Kendo

Tsukahara Bokuden founded the school of Kashima Shinto Ryu in the 15th century. He was a well-respected man, known for his swordsmanship. Back then, it was customary for swordsmen to travel across Japan and learn techniques from different dojos. Lessons were learned, techniques were spread. Men who knew the art of the sword were treated well by everyone, and not because they could easily cut off your ears.

Tsukahara traveled with a large entourage of students. One evening, they were on a boat for a party, having a good time. A drunken ruffian walks up to Tsukahara and asks what style of sword he uses.

"I use the style of no sword," Tsukahara told him.

The ruffian didn't believe him. "I challenge you to a sword fight," he said.

They agreed that a fight could not happen on the boat, so they found an island nearby. The ruffian was the first to disembark, and Tsukahara ordered the boat to cast off without him. And so Tsukahara tricked the ruffian into spending the night on an island in the middle of the lake, without a fight.

In Kendo, you do not seek out fights. You only fight when you have to. Tsukahara didn't have to fight the drunk ruffian, so he didn't.

Destressing before Hell Week

You come home from Easter, and you catch the dialogue in a scene from How to Train Your Dragon coming from the living room downstairs. Think nothing of it because everyone in the house loves that movie and it's really no surprise that someone is watching it. Instead, trust your luck that the scene is in the final act. Of course it'll be close to ending! No use joining in if it’s ending in less than half an hour.

When your parents leave for home, you are left to your devices. Again, you catch wind of dialogue from How to Train Your Dragon. But you know that this piece of dialogue comes before the piece of dialogue you heard earlier. So you walk downstairs with homework in hand and you sit down.

"Are you watching How to Drain Your Dragon on repeat?" you ask.

"Don't judge me!" your roommate responds.

Fair enough. She's been stressing about that paper for five days already. You've got your own stress to deal with. 

And you finish the night by watching How to Train Your Dragon three more times before bed.


~ ~ ~


I've got more homework than should be legal, so you won't be seeing me for a while. Have fun and take care.