Spirit
Spirit and Mind are similar and related, however, Spirit refers most to the 'will' -
the desire to overcome.
Ki
Words such as "determination", "willpower", "power", "decisiveness"... "Ki" is the desire
and the power "brought to the surface" in the body. Anyone watching would be able to observe
a difference in the posture and lines of the body and in the face and eyes - it becomes
obvious the person is ready to "do battle".
Lifting/raising your "ki" requires changing your state of mind. Any activities
that are performed before going into battle - e.g. all New Zealanders (or watchers of NZ
All Black Rugby games) will be familiar with the Maori "Haka" or war-dance performed
specifically to heighten a warriors courage, sense of perception/awareness and general
"keenness" for battle. During the World Wars, Officers and troop commanders used all sorts
of methods to motivate the men to fight and win. Sometimes drugs were used. The challenge
for the Kendoka is to do this by concentration and mind power alone.
Kiai
"Kiai" is the vocalisation of "Ki". Again, the Haka watchers will be familiar with this.
For the Kendoka, Kiai is voiced at any time during a match to increase ones own fighting
spirit and simultaneously demotivate the opponent, but it is especially important at the
moment of the cut - where Ki-Ken-Tai/Kikumche - Mind, Body, Spirit and sword come together
as one. What is cried out is not so important as the intensity and the timing. Most Kendoka
start by calling the cut by the target name (e.g. "Meuri").
Zanshin
Zanshin is "alert watchfulness", continued readiness for anything an opponent or life might
throw at you.
Zanshin is referred to most often in terms of the alertness at the end of a Kendo cut
that demonstrates that you are ready, willing and able to cut again. However, Zanshin
is the alert watchfulness demonstrated all the time. The height of demonstrated Zanshin
fills the opponent with the knowledge that launching an attack would result in being
soundly beaten and as such a fight is avoided.
Willpower
How to tell someone how to increase their Ki/willpower/determination? Hmmm!
I suspect that all we can do is refer you to observe/study people you know who stand out from
the crowd in ways that you admire. Work out what it is that makes them different and try to
adopt the same values/characteristics. At the end of all the study and investigation, you
HAVE TO WANT TO CHANGE. You must have a "purpose", a "desire", and the "will" to make any
change in your behaviour. Quite probably effecting a change first requires discovering and
realising your own personal purpose.
