How does it feel?

When I took my shodan test, one of the questions that they planned on asking was "How do you feel when the arrow hits the target?"

This is a loaded question and I know it. As I have said in earlier posts, Kyudo isn't about hitting the target, it's about correct form... At least not until much, much later.

In practicing for the Shodan test, I got to actually fire on the target a little... the only time I hit the target was when my arrow hit the next target over... most of the time the arrow flew high or low (Remember, the targets are 28 meters away... that's a looooong way away). I've never hit the target...

Now, I'm preparing to go for my Nidan (Second Degree Black Belt), so tonight Sensei says "Guy-chan, go one more round on the makiwara (The practice target), and then you are going for the targets."

OooooooOOOooooOOOOooooooo.... Says me... (Mostly because my stomach just clenched up and forced all the air out of my lungs...) Great... I know I have to practice this, but I liked it better when the target was less than a meter away...

I get up to the line... and fire my first arrow....

Let's say, I'm glad I can recover that arrow...

The second arrow is fired... it hits the curtains way above the targets and sticks there, shaking loose all the cicadas that are sqweeeeee-sqwee sqwee sqweeeing.... (When you shoot an arrow near them, they chatter... kinda like really mad Jawas or something... betcha didn't know that... I didn't)

Then it's time for round 2... First arrow; waay to the left... but hey! In the dirt near the targets at least!

Then the second arrow: waaay right... I'm trying so hard to remember where my bow was when I released... I keep forgetting... it's really irritating... I can't seem to sight in on anything (A Yumi doesn't really have much in the way of sights).

We go to tea (Which, since it's 7,000 degrees in the dojo is actually Mitsuya cider on ice). Sensei talks about our trip to Kyoto.

"Guy-chan, where do you want to go in Kyoto?"

"Shin-kage-school dojo" I say. Appreciative eyebrows raise, I continue, "Yagyu Castle, where Yagyu Jubei lived."

Sensei smiles at me, "Yosh!" he says, "Guy-chan, only one more year, ne? Then you go home..." He sips his cider, "Only one more year... I'm going to miss you."

Heads nod around the circle.

"Okay, back to shooting! Last round! Guy, you're up, again!"

So here I am, back on the line. I draw back the bow... I let the arrow go...

And I make more cicadas mad...

I don't know... this is a lot harder than it looks.

I nock my last arrow...

The cicadas are looking at me with evil eyes... they have just settled in...

I let the arrow go..

THAK! -- the sound of arrow hitting bamboo and paper.

everyone in the dojo yells "YOSH!"

"Of course, the last one..." Sensei says, grinning, "Last Samurai...."

How do I feel?

Relief.