The 3 Stages of Japanese sword crafting are the same 3 stages of traditional Budo training, of any form of personal development. Namely; 1) shape, 2) sharpen, 3) polish.
- Shape: In shaping raw iron forged by extreme fire and hammered into a rough shape of a sword.
In this practice stage, your mind and body is forged into the forms of the art you are learning. The status quo of your mind rebels against being shaped (against change). But with discipline, patience, persistence, and a lot of trust, you will gradually conform to the forms of the art. At this stage, you are only an unrefined copy of the forms, but this is a necessary step that prepares you and sets you on the path toward the higher stages of the art.
- Sharpen: In this practice stage, the rough shape of the sword is smoothed out, creating a clear and effective form that functions according to its design. The edge is sharp, and it is able to cut the desired objects.
In sharpening, you learn to clarify the forms for optimal efficiency and effectiveness. All your rough edges get sharpened up, and all your unnecessary exertions get removed. This is the stage of technical mastery, of creating optimal effectiveness in the free application of the forms. This is the beginning of the embodiment of the art.
- Polish: In this stage, refinement of the sword is brought to the point where its true essence is brought out to shine.
This is the practice stage where your forms become internalized, and their outward expression is spontaneous and appropriate. You become a living expression of the art in ever-refined ways. The art is now a natural expression of who you are, responding in perfect conformity with reality.
From gross, to subtle, to highly refined. A masterfully crafted sword and may take months to create. Creating mastery in an art may take decades.
This is the WAY.
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