John Maki Evans

by Kurikara: The Sword;the Serpent

  When new movements are learned, they are performed clumsily and unevenly. For example, when beginners first perform kirioroshi (the vertical cut), their swords zigzag through the trajectory and bounce at the conclusion. The beginner is aware of individual muscles tensing and pulling during different phases of the movement. Through the slower tanren movements, the student learns to spread effort and load throughout the tissues until a smooth, unbroken transfer of power through body and sword is achieved. At this point, sensations of tensing and pulling are replaced by the feeling of a wave traveling through the body. When the same action is then performed with normal load and speed, the sensation is closer to a gust of wind sweeping through the limbs. The cryptic and symbolic terminology of internal systems is the outcome of practitioners wrestling with language to describe such experiences. Until one begins to experience these phenomena, such descriptions are impenetrable to the intellect. Weaker and greedier minds may create fantasies from them that push the reality even further away.

  To the inexperienced observer the ease of the refined movement may appear weaker than the forced version. However, when one receives a blow from such a swing, the impression is quite the opposite. An uncultured mind can nevertheless be reluctant to give up the satisfactions of grosser effort. It is the teacher’s responsibility to demonstrate the advantages of this refinement.

  Slow, loaded movements allow one to identify the empty, jagged, or clogged parts of an action and consciously equalize them. As the body learns to integrate actions and maintain an even tone, the ability to move spontaneously arises. Since unconscious resistance is reduced, stamina improves as expenditure of energy is greatly decreased. It is only when this breakthrough is achieved that one realizes how much the “brakes” have been locked on until this moment.

  Because muscular contractions are moderated, tanren spreads the effects of the increased circulation of exercising beyond the bulky portions of muscles into the tendons, joints, bones, and bone marrow. These matters are the subject of the Chi Gong classic Yijin Jing—“Muscle and Tendon Changing.” Over time this gives great resilience to the limbs, increases the power of the body with minimal increase in weight, and confers great agility.

  These refinements can only take place when there is a shift in the way the mind relates to action. As long as there is a fixation on attaining, the engagement of the body will be partial and uneven. Fullness of movement and fullness of concentration are inseparable. Tanren trains the mind to slow down so that it observes process rather than projects outcome.

  Without kan or deep seeing, it is possible to mimic authentic, spontaneous action through manipulation without understanding the distortion taking place. To avoid this, one must develop the capacity to give up the fruits of action so that they do not obscure the field of awareness. This should always be attended to when sitting after practice.

  Purification

  This has nothing to do with moral prohibitions but refers to the removal of all excess, whether fat, fluid, toxins, excessive muscle, or superfluous mental activity. All these inhibit the flow of energy or inner “wind.” Impurities in the sword similarly impair the smooth transfer of forces through the crystalline structure of the metal and result in points of stress that lead to fracture. For the same reason, injuries occur in the body where stresses build up around blockages.

  Some students are initiated through a period of near starvation, during which they lose a considerable proportion of their body weight. This is undertaken to reduce excessive and inappropriate musculature. Much good training is wasted because the stimulation does not reach the targeted areas of the body but is absorbed by areas already disproportionately developed.

  Bulky thighs inhibit the development of the inner hip strength that links the tanden with the legs, while heavy shoulder muscle is a particular handicap when learning swordsmanship. Another approach to these problems is to undergo intensive daily massage for one or two months before beginning training; this is advocated in many traditional Chinese and Indian martial arts schools.

  Because of its deep effect on the tissues and the abdominal contractions involved in deeper breathing, tanren is very effective in stimulating and cleansing the internal organs. The digestive system responds particularly quickly, which is crucial since this is the source of the inner heat that drives the changes in the body.

  Training is useless if its benefits are outweighed by the intake of inappropriate foods. This does not mean that any foods or drinks should be prohibited but that the intake of toxins should be moderated so that they do not accumulate. On the contrary, if training is arduous, it is essential to rest and relax one full day a week, and on that day, rich food and alcohol are beneficial.

  Unfortunately, for many martial artists, training becomes inextricably linked to the consumption of alcohol. After a while the drinking becomes more important than the training that precedes it. Combined with the aging process, chronic injuries, and reduced exercise, the body quickly degenerates.

  The purification of the body and the purification of the mind are indivisible, since the impurities that stifle the inner wind prevent the mind sensing those same forces. To overcome this, there must be a shift away from the dominance of the external senses. Many internal cleansing techniques, like the swallowing of cloth in hatha yoga, are performed as much to encourage the mind to penetrate the surface body as they are to clean the tissues. In overcoming the gag reflex, the mind has to repeatedly turn inward and begins to interact with inner forces that are normally unconscious. Over time, the enhanced sensitivity to inner signals this brings is more beneficial than the cleansing of the stomach itself.

  A similar response is evoked during takigyo (waterfall training). If one tries to endure the cold by willpower alone, the muscles of the upper torso and neck engage, the shoulders go up, and the ribcage and diaphragm are paralyzed—and if one is foolish enough to persist, the heart will stop. In takigyo, after the preliminary exercises, the torrent of the waterfall is taken on the head, and the blood supply to the brain is vastly increased as it is diverted from the other organs (to prevent irreversible damage to brain cells). The goal is to accelerate the flow of energy in the central channel, which we will examine later. However, if fasting is not carried out before takigyo, and especially if alcohol remains in the system, the circulatory system cannot cope with the demands placed on it, and the danger of serious injury is very real. I have come across one case in which a practitioner suffered multiple minor strokes following takigyo, resulting in memory loss and dementia.

  Integration of Soft and Hard

  One can assess the quality of any martial art by the degree to which it integrates these two aspects. A blade that lacks a soft elastic core will chip or fracture when a heavy cut is attempted, while a blade that lacks a hardened shell will not take an edge or will lose its edge with the first cut. Most schools tend to cultivate one quality at the expense of the other. The bodies of those who train hard without cultivating the inside stiffen, dry up, and break down. In middle age they are left with an empty shell of machismo and bravado. On the other hand, those who spend their time sensing the life force without testing it physically lose firmness in both body and mind. The belly swells, the organs prolapse, the spine becomes humped, and the mind diffuses in fantasies. In both cases there is a premature loss of power and health.

  In living tissues the soft and hard regions change according to the demands of the moment. For example, the core is firm and the limbs soft during movements between cuts, while at the moment of striking the core softens and the limbs harden. These changes occur at great speed and manifest only for very short periods. They cannot be achieved through conscious manipulation but manifest spontaneously as a result of correct tanren. The many stories of swordsmen training alone in mountains and receiving secret knowledge and advanced techniques of swordsmanship from the tengu (mythical half-bird, half-demon creatures) reflect the nature of this transmission.

  Three Factors in Successful Forgi
ng

  1. Heat

  The critical factor in sword-making is temperature. The right temperature is achieved by the combination of the right heating, a suitable vessel, and optimum delivery of air. In a similar manner, the inner alchemy of tanren requires right diet, right breathing, and right containment through the application of bodily seals or locks. This combination produces a specific kind of heat, primarily in the hara (abdominal area; see glossary). The heat produced in tanren training does not result in profuse sweat but rather moistness on the skin. Although there is a place for profuse sweating, if this is done excessively (especially after the age of thirty), the tissues dry up and age prematurely.

  2. Hara—The Vessel

  In the sword maker’s forge the shape of the vessel contains and channels the air pumped from the bellows. The charcoal pile itself must be constantly fed and adjusted so that heat is applied evenly to the blade. In the body, the alchemical vessel for inner transformation is the hara, and the right shape is critical here if the right heat and balance of forces are to be achieved.

  The shape and the qualities that spring from such a practice are potently expressed in the statues of the Kongo Rikishi that stand at the entrance to Todaiji temple in Nara. These guardian figures exude a fearsome power. Agyo, on the left (see photo), with mouth open, wields a huge vajra weapon and represents the moment of creation. Ungyo, on the right, mouth closed, holds a shakujo club. Together they symbolize the birth and death of all things through the perfection of inhalation and exhalation.

  The shape of the abdomen in both figures combines the muscular strength of the external budoka with the pliability and fullness of the internal practitioner. According to Ampuku (traditional Japanese abdominal diagnosis and massage), a healthy belly or hara combines specific attributes. The upper third, in the area of the solar plexus, should be soft and slightly hollow; the middle third, around the navel, should be elastic; and the lower third should be rounded and firm. All these features are clear here. In addition, the powerful connection between the hara and powerful legs that this shape affords is conveyed by the sweeping folds of the hakama. The looming power of the back muscles grows from the dynamic core. The fluidity of the waist and flexibility of the spine is conveyed by the serpentine curve through the legs and torso.

  Figure 7. Agyo: portrayal of inner power

  The intricate shapes of the forehead area indicate the complex function of this area when the inner energy reaches it. The furrowing of the brows conveys willed concentration. The, half-moon shape between the brows conveys the relaxed breadth of peripheral vision, while the mound above shows the projecting power of the daisan-no-me (the third eye). This area is termed the jotanden (upper tanden) in some sword schools, and the balance of shapes in this figure mirrors the portrayal of the abdominal tanden.1

  3. Omoni-kokkyu—The Heavy Loaded Breath

  The delivery of oxygen to the forge through the bellows must be timed to feed the flames until the necessary temperature is achieved. Although transforming the breathing process is central to tanren, it is not increased intake of oxygen but intensification of the energy or inner wind associated with breathing that is required. In fact, as we have noted earlier, success in tanren leads to a reduced requirement for oxygen. Although the movement of inner wind is initially triggered by the process of inspiration and expiration, it is most potent when breathing is suspended. A full description of this subject is beyond the scope of this book, but some points must be clarified since this subject has given rise to much confusion and bad practice.

  However “abdominal” one’s breathing becomes, air moves in and out of the lungs and does not enter the abdomen. Yet the pressure changes caused by the filling and emptying of the lungs affect the pressure in the abdomen. This in turn affects the circulation to the limbs, brain, and organs. It is manipulation of this pressure that localizes heat in the belly, increases blood return to the heart, stabilizes the forces in the trunk, increases power to the back and limbs, and strengthens the nervous system. It is the skillful enhancement of these natural patterns that creates the shapes displayed in the images of the Kongo Rikishi. Musashi uses the term “squeezing the wedge” to describe this, meaning that the firm fullness of the lower hips squeezes the scabbard of the swords against the obi (belt).

  Figure 8. Uddiyana—empty phase of omonikokkyu

  One component of the shugendo training I was taught was an exercise called omoni-kokkyu (literally, “the breath of the heavy burden”). This utilized the hollowing of the abdomen after full exhalation (termed uddiyana in hatha yoga). This is created by decreasing the pressure in the lungs and mimicking the movement of inhalation while keeping the airway closed and lungs empty. This creates a deep hollow in the abdomen that extends up under the ribs and also deep into the groin area (see photo). “Flying up,” the literal translation of uddiyana, does not refer to the lifting up under the ribcage but to the raising of the energy within the spine. The action should be even above and below the navel to trigger correct inhalation (not easily accomplished).

  Performed correctly, the downward pressure of the subsequent inhalation is increased. This maximizes the pressure from the hara into the legs and then into the spine. This practice leads to the more intense practice of nauli kriya (abdominal cleansing; Sanskrit), the alternating contraction of and release of the left and right rectus and oblique muscles during the empty phase. Hundreds of repetitions of this exercise formed an important part of our preparation for takigyo.

  The Tools of Tanren

  Many tools have been utilized to provide external loading in tanren. Tanren tools used in this way include the wooden log or iron bar that is rolled along the arms and back, the heavy stone ball that is rotated in front of the abdomen, and the wide range of devices utilized in the Goju (“hard and soft”) school of Karate.

  The preeminent tanren tool for the swordsman is the tanrenbo. Fushi Sensei introduced me to tanrenbo practice after a few weeks of training. While sumo wrestlers use a 9-pound pole, a pole of 4–5 pounds is sufficient for the swordsman. My understanding of this practice deepened after I started to train with Nakamura Taisaburo. One of Nakamura Sensei’s many contributions to the understanding of swordsmanship was his advocacy of tanrenbo training in his numerous publications. A sumo champion in the army, he was familiar with many of the systems of physical culture and kiko (chi gong) that arose in Japan in the early twentieth century as traditional practitioners were exposed to Western as well as Chinese methods.

  The most influential of these was the Hidashiki Kyoken Jutsu (Hida Method of Health Strengthening), a system of tanden-tanren developed by Harumichi Hida, a unique martial artist–philosopher and favorite of Nakamura Sensei. A frail and sickly youth (nicknamed “the stalk”) who was twice given up for dead by his doctors, the eighteen-year-old Hida determined to train himself to health. His first attempts using the heavy weights and methods of Western bodybuilding brought muscular bulk but further weakened his internal systems. As a result he researched traditional methods, used lighter weights, and targeted the tanden area—with prodigious results.

  While bodybuilders isolate and stress individual muscles to the limit to produce muscle growth, in tanren training iron rods, bows, and hand weights are used to strengthen the core and the lines of strength through the body. Since the movement must be slow in order for the subtleties of each action to be perceived, the weights are correspondingly lighter than those used in bodybuilding.

  Figure 9. Tanrenbo training

  Coordination of the limbs is of great significance. Exact coordination of shoulders with hips, knees with elbows, and hands with feet is considered an advanced attainment in Chinese internal systems. This is because of the way this unifies action in the tanden. Although the movements are slow, they manifest subtle rhythms when attuned to the tanden. If you are sensitive to the response from the tanden and the energetic system, your physique will develop in harmony with that inner structure. If you don’t, you will only build musc
ular blockage.

  Merely swinging a heavy pole is meaningless; swinging it slowly, less so. Swinging it and engaging the legs is better, and doing so with the mind focused on the tanden is better still. However, substantial change begins when one is able to recognize the moment in which the tanden is involved and maximize that involvement. Only when the phases of breathing are timed to meet these moments does conscious breathing become a real aid to strengthening the tanden and triggering the energy of the spine in suburi.

  Tanren Kata

  The nature of tanren requires that it be performed daily and in a fixed sequence. Only through daily repetition does the mind begin to recognize the inner cues of power. For the beginner, the entire sequence should be performed standing. Slow suburi is repeated in shoulder-width stance and then while moving in and out of wide horse stance (see figure 9). Correct breathing is learned spontaneously through the coordination of the squatting action with the swinging of the tanrenbo.

  When this is achieved (and not before) the sequence starts in a seated position, using two tetsubo (steel rods of 2–3 pounds each; see appendix I). It is easier to establish a deeper connection between the hands and the tanden while sitting, and the use of the tetsubo allows full expression of the spiraling channels within the arms. It is also convenient for practice indoors and develops the coordination required for nito (the wielding of two swords). This is followed by abdominal exercises that connect the actions of the legs to the abdominal “pump” (Eizoku—swimming legs—and Kaizoku Gyakuten—reverse circling legs).

  Shumisen (shoulder-width) squats performed with omoni-kokkyu begin the standing part of the intermediate sequence.2 This grounds the legs and connects them to the energy of the spine. The practitioner then assumes a wide horse squat and performs the large sword movements, spiraling in and out of deeper stances to the front and to the sides, with increasing turning of the waist.