Cutting With The Japanese Sword

Most of my time in practice is spent cutting.

Nothing elaborate, as complexity is antithesis to the movement.

Keep it simple.

Jodan no kamae, shomen giri, hold the finishing posture for a moment.

Return and repeat.

The first few dozens of cuts are focusing on the physical mechanics, placing the attention of my mind on them and making those adjustment with full honesty in my movement.

Is my back straight?

Is my grip correct?

How are my feet moving?

Is my body in correct alignment with the sword?

Grip?

All the physical components so not only is my sword cut *correct*, but as I perform the cut, there are no openings.

Without pause, the next dozen or so sets take the attention internally.

Is my breathing correct?

Is my body relaxed?

Where are the tension points that need to be let go?

Am I still trying to hold the sword vs. just moving with it?

The mental shift from the first set to the second set it deliberate, it is the mental shift from the second to third set that just happens, and will happen in time.

At the point of this third set, mind, body, and form are set aside and there is just the movement, not sword movement, just movement. The correct feeling of the mind detached from the body, just watching the body move.