The Principles of Shooting

The Principles of Shooting

From the outside, kyudo seems exceedingly simple, but shooting embraces the three spheres of the heart, body, and thought. These spheres, being linked together one to the other, bring a thousand upon ten thousand changes to the inner workings of the art, making it difficult to strike the centre of the mark.

That which is captured in the morning is lost in the evening. If you look to the target, it is unmoving and without delusions. If you look to the bow and the arrow they are without intention, being of no mind.

Look only to yourself. Cleanse your mind and correct your body, and, with singleness of purpose, nurture the proper spirit, train yourself in proper technique and throw yourself into your training with all the sincerity you can muster.

This is the only way.

Yoshimi Junsei

c. 1730

From the outside, kyudo seems exceedingly simple, but shooting embraces the three spheres of the heart, body, and thought. These spheres, being linked together one to the other, bring a thousand upon ten thousand changes to the inner workings of the art, making it difficult to strike the centre of the mark.

That which is captured in the morning is lost in the evening. If you look to the target, it is unmoving and without delusions. If you look to the bow and the arrow they are without intention, being of no mind.

Look only to yourself. Cleanse your mind and correct your body, and, with singleness of purpose, nurture the proper spirit, train yourself in proper technique and throw yourself into your training with all the sincerity you can muster.

This is the only way.

Yoshimi Junsei

c. 1730