The First Draw

There is a moment, before the sword leaves the saya, when nothing has happened and everything is already decided. The hips are set. The breath has settled below the navel. The left hand has already found the koiguchi.

My teacher does not speak of it as a movement. He speaks of it as a decision. Nukitsuke is not the drawing of a blade; it is the moment your intention becomes visible in the world.

For weeks I only practiced the seated bow. Then, for weeks more, only the placement of the hands. It felt absurd. It was, of course, the entire lesson.

The practice continues. There is no destination — only the next repetition, performed with the attention it deserves.