ABOUT SEISHINKAN AND IAIDO

清心館と居合道について

Seishinkan Iaido is based in Australia, with dojos on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, Queensland; in Sydney, New South Wales; and in Melbourne, Victoria. Seishinkan Iaido also a dojo in Tokyo, Japan and is currently in the process of establishing a dojo in New Mexico in the United States of America.

The style of iaido practised in Seishinkan is Musou Jikiden Eishinryu, and it is the only dojo in Australia affiliated with the All Japan Iaido Federation (the "Dai Nippon Iaido Renmei"). The All Japan Iaido Federation is headed by His Imperial Highness Munenori Kaya.

The head of Seishinkan Iaido, Glenn Stockwell Kancho, is the first non-Japanese in history to receive the rank of 7th Dan from the All Japan Iaido Federation, having completed all requirements including the Japanese written examination. The Dojo is the only division of the Federation based outside of Japan, as the "Australian Division". Students of Seishinkan are able to compete in the Kyoto Championships each year, which is recognised as the World Championships for the art.

Glenn Stockwell Kancho was trained directly by Meishinkan's Yasuyoshi Kimura Kancho ("Juudan Hanshi" - 10th Dan Grand Master) in Osaka. Seishinkan Iaido was started in January 1993 by Glenn Stockwell, originally as a subsidiary of the Meishinkan Dojo, until Kimura Kancho's death in January, 1999.  Seishinkan practises the waza (forms) in exactly the same way that they were taught by Kimura Kancho, with the objective of preserving the art.

グレン・ストックウェル館長は大阪の明心館の故・木村泰嘉館長（範師十段）の弟子です。清心館はストックウェル館長によって1993年に明心館のオーストラリア支部として創立され、1999年1月木村館長の死去後、木村館長の居合道の心を清く引き継ぐという意味で、「清心館」と名づけられました。清心館では、木村館長の技をそのまま守ることを前提として、同じように稽古を行っています。

Sword practice includes bowing, drawing, parrying, cutting, and returning the sword to the scabbard. The first step in learning Iaido is to practice traditional forms, known as kata or waza. Each form teaches principles about how to handle the sword correctly. Many of the forms listed in the following training schedule are hundreds of years old, and tens of thousands of students have practiced these forms through the centuries. Iaido holds a great tradition.

Swords were primary weapons of the Samurai (Japanese warriors) from about 1113 AD to 1868 AD. They wore two swords (daisho), one was long (katana) and the other was short (wakizashi). Most Iaido training today is with the katana, although some forms do include use with the wakizashi and tanto (knife).

Reishiki includes knowing how to wear the practice uniform, how to care for the sword and wear it properly and how to bow (rei) in order to show respect to the art, one's teacher, fellow students and the sword.

Care of the sword includes a cleaning kit and oil. Wipe off the iaito blade after every practice and apply a light coat of oil. It allows the blade to glide smoothly through your fingers during practice. It will gradually build up in the scabbard and make drawing the sword smooth and quiet. Wipe and oil the blades of real swords (shinken) to prevent the metal from tarnishing or rusting. Shinken blades, although amazingly sharp and strong for cutting, are surprisingly weak to the elements, and must be regularly oiled.

Always keep this in mind as you progress, and never give up. Perfection only comes to those who try and continue. Another expression that I feel is accurate in this situation was written in the early 1800's by Issai Sato. He writes:

On using the sword, the following was written by a Zen monk called Takuan, a confidant of the master swordsman of the House of Tokugawa in the late 16th century:

While maintaining a physical aspect, Iaido also allows for a calming of the spirit, and strengthening of the mind, which makes it an art that can be performed throughout one's life, helping in many aspects of everyday health.

Traditional Iaido practice begins with rei (a bow). It is a demonstration of respect for the traditions of the art and your instructor. Eishin-Ryu Iaido has three types of rei: the seated bow to your teacher or fellow iaidoka, the standing bow to the shomen (front of the room), and the seated bow to the sword. In each of these bows, you will move your sword from a "live" position (one where you could easily draw the sword and cut an opponent) to a "safe" position (where it is more difficult to draw the sword). That demonstrates your intent to show respect rather than use it as an opportunity to draw your sword and attack. Your instructor will show you how to perform each bow properly.

The proper way of placing your sword on the wall or display rack is to have the handle pointing to the left with the blade facing upwards. That demonstrates your proper respect for the art. Placing the blade upwards was also intended to reduce the pressure on the cutting edge of the blade, by removing the weight from it. Leaving the katana in a horizontal position was intended to reduce the possibility of oil running down from the blade. This is all part of reishiki (etiquette).

Iaido may then be translated literally as "the way of meeting life." It had its beginning in the ancient martial art of Kenjutsu. The Japanese Samurai developed Iaido into a system of quickly drawing the sword from its scabbard, killing an opponent with one cut of the blade, flipping the blood from the blade and returning the sword quickly to the scabbard. This was the way samurai dealt with surprise attacks. The faster a warrior could draw the sword and cut his opponent, the more sure they were of victory. The swords were razor sharp and even the slightest cut could cause death. The cuts were developed to be several inches long and go two-to-four inches below an opponent's skin, that caused bleeding almost impossible to stop. Many of the cuts were practiced to slice major arteries, puncture vital organs and even sever limbs of the body. The intent was very simply to kill an opponent with one cut.

The fact that techniques are performed with a calm spirit is the secret of Iaido. One master of the art said: "With a tranquil heart you put your hand on the hilt of your sword. In a split second your hand moves to cut down the opponent and resheath the sword. Then, return to your composed mind." Practice of Iaido includes a solemn spirit, skill and concentration. It takes a lifetime to master the art.

There are a few pieces of equipment that you will be required to have in order to train in Iaido. These are listed below: