My thoughts on Kaname かなめ

Soke has said this year that a main theme is this idea of 'kaname'. So far, I have heard it explained as pertaining to connections, transitions, and such things. I'm not going to pretend to even know what Soke means by such words. However, in my own study I have found an important meaning and, in my own current state of development in my budo path, it has come at an important time.

The kanji for 'kaname' is かなめ. The conventional interpretation is 'pivot' and 'vital point'. Now, I know by 'vital point', we aren't talking about kyusho, or the weak points of the body. Rather, this has more to do with a deeper meaning within a technique.

Every technique has actions, or sequence of specific movements. Those movements often are dependent on certain conditions to exist that make those movements logical and fitting to work properly. If those conditions change, the movement may no longer be appropriate. So, in the beginning training, it becomes important to focus on the correct attack so that the conditions are correct for the technique.

But, there is a deeper, more significant point here. In every action, there are points which are optimum for a counter or response. Every action has a weakness, or hole. Every action has a beginning and ending (timing). Every action has a line of force (angling). Every action has a range of effectiveness (distancing). Every time the body moves, there are always points it is balanced and not so balanced (kamae). And, when combined together, every attack by an uke has a specific 'kaname' when they are most vulnerable and the tori is most safe.

Even as an attack unfolds, you will see there is a specific point when the attack can be interrupted, manipulated, destroyed, and drained of power. Finding this moment is a search for 'kaname', the 'vital point'. It can also be another way to look at something else Soke has mentioned this year - the 'kyusho in the kukan'. But, although related, that's another topic for exploration.

When one looks at training from the perspective of finding that 'kaname', the techniques aren't what is seen anymore. The vision changes to present a different image. It's like the famous picture by the unknown artist where it is either a beautiful woman or an old woman depending on which you see first, but after a few minutes or so you can then see the other. The picture is the same, but your perspective now can see two pictures. Its not about the ink on the page (technique), but something deeper. It becomes a study of our own perspective instead.

For me and where I am at with my own training, I believe I am at my own 'kaname'. My vision is pivoting between technique and that mysterious place beyond technique. In class, because many of my students are new, I am focused on teaching them techniques, the tools they need their bodies to learn. But, for those who are more advanced, and especially for my own training, I want to develop a stronger sense to find this 'kaname' on an instinctual level - and develop my own taijutsu to operate within this 'vital point'. This last part is important, as it involves always being in this 'kamae', always in position to keep moving (tsugi), and constantly adjusting without sacrificing balance and power.

It's a challenging goal ahead for me and I'm looking forward to taking it on.

Gambatte!