KYUDO: FROM A BEAUTIFUL HEART
For Zen practitioners in Japan, archery, or kyudo, is a form of meditation, a deeply mystical exercise. Its aim is to forge the spirit -- to give oneself completely to the shooting and to focus attention on one's inner center. In doing so, the archer aspires to achieve the state of emptiness – "of no thoughts and no illusions," which enables them to come into contact with the divine.
Portrayed in my series is a group of archers -- men and women of different ages and professions -- whom I had a chance to observe for more than a year during their weekly practice sessions in a Buddhist temple of Kamakura.
I first arrived there inspired by Eugene Herrigel's “Zen and the Art of Archery," a seminal book which helped to popularize Zen in the West. The German philosopher, who studied kuydo in the 1920s under famous master Kenzo Awa, referred to kyudo as “the contest of the archer with himself." Herrigel regarded it to be one of key manifestations of "the Way," a core Zen concept profoundly influencing practically all aspects of Japanese culture and daily life – from spiritual attitudes of the Samurai, through the arts and aesthetics, to moral and intellectual values.
Photographing in the dojo which the archers consider a sacred space (white socks are required to step inside) posed its challenges -- I was only able to use available (scant) light and silent shutter (no continuous shooting to catch the movement of the arrows). But I treated photographing in there as a form of my own meditation.
Kyudo, which engages the mind, body and spirit into a unified practice, requires high discipline and endurance. Archers spend years learning techniques, steps, sequences which are then endlessly repeated. There is a spiritual rhythm emanating from this discipline which frees them from the chaos of daily life, with its endless choices, dilemmas and distractions. It’s this rhythm, discipline, and focus, which helps the archer to still his inner core and which I found beautiful. I hope that my photographs attest to that.
“Archery is not an art, it is a Way. When you practice the Way, it is not just training in technique; it is spiritual forging.
Forging your spirit is to become empty, and to focus on your center. To become empty is to become one with the divine - this is the Way. ”
“Aim with your mind, shoot with your hands
Do not let your mind wander
Do not let worries distract you
Do not be in a hurry
Do not be intoxicated
Do not be hungry
Do not overeat
Do not be angry
Do shoot when you lack enthusiasm
Do not shoot obsessively
Do not compete with others
When you hit the target do not be elated; when you miss do not be crestfallen. Concentrate naturally on the target and use your mind to shoot. In your daily life as well, always aim for the center and avoid extremes in all activities
”