Seeing and Perceiving
- mjersg
- Jun 28
- 2 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
Iaido often draws attention for its precise draws and graceful movements. Benetah these externals lies something less obviously but equally important: the art of observation and perception.
The kanji,「見」means "to observe", one that involves the heart. We invite you to walk alongside the length of this post with us, and explore how Iaido encourages not just the observation of form and others, but perceiving to connect the visible with the unseen - the outer form with the inner heart.
In Iaido, generally speaking, there's an emphasis on (the visible):
body posture
metsuke (way of looking)
te no uchi
Completing the above are qualities carried individually, unseen but can be deeply felt:
heart (kokoro; sincerity and intent behind every ovement)
qi (energy one brings to practice)
connection to lineage and teacher
Like many martial arts, Iaido offers both form and feeling - structure and spirit.
Training becomes meaningful when the above begin to support each other - when one's movements are shaped by sincerity, and the sincerity is given structure by form.
Sometimes, what one expresses in motion during practice reflects something deeper.
Other times, it is through practice that we discover the deeper meanings behind the movements (waza).
Thank you for the brief walk together, until the next time.
This is the second instalment in the series following the first article. Please look forward to other upcoming articles in this series. If you're curious about iaido or considering joining our practice, we warmly welcome enquiries about our classes and training schedule. Feel free to reach out — we'd be happy to hear from you.
Singapore Genyokan (厳洋館) is an official dojo of the World MJER Iaido Federation 正統正流無雙直傳英信流居合道国際連盟
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