Fighting and Sewing...

Hi.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble Zen Priest, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about fighting and sewing.

So please read along.

There's Three rules i'd take to a fight.

First, Never take an opponent lightly.

Respect doesn't cost anything and nothing gets a man beat faster than confidence.

Second, Look like a weakling, a coward, a fool.

Look like it but don't be one.

I once heard ”Silence is a combatants best defence”, maybe it is true, i've seen alot of talkative people loose.

Third, Watch your opponent, listen to advice and opinions you're given, but once you set your plan in action, fix on it and don't stray.

When the time comes to act, act with no backward glances.

Now you are halfway through, the rest is luck and smiles...

There is alot of similarities between fighting and sewing.

And i believe i would say the same things above about sewing, just switching some words to fabric, sewer, sew asf., ...

When all goes according to plan, you are in ”the zone”, all is good.

When you miss the beat in a fight you stray and sometimes get beat.

I did my first Kesa while my life was in utter turmoil, and you can see that in it.
I don't think there is one like it anywhere. 

Like an drop of water in the river.
In that you actually see where i have been totally in "the zone". 

No distractions. 

No entangelments. 

Perfect stitches.

Just acting.

Then suddenly someting happens, and the thread goes astray.
Missing the pace. 

Not going straight.
Getting entangled in life; sewer, thread, fabric.

All the while, the kesa is perfect, just as it is.
Perfectly sewn, perfectly viewed, perfectly worn.

A difference between the two, fights and sewing, might be a bloody nose...

But we'll see as i'm about to start another fight, this time with a ninestripe Kesa...

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Ps the three rules above is from the character Logen ninefingers in Joe Abercrombes trilogy "The first law" the sewing and the smiles are on me.