PUBLIC MARKS from Takwann with tags Shu-Ha-Ri & iaido

Like many Japanese cultural concepts, Shu-Ha-Ri packs a lot into a short phrase. Even those familiar with the concept often have trouble articulating it, as it exists in many layers. Basically, Shu-Ha-Ri is a map that lays out the potential progress of an individual involved in learning a traditional skill, whether dance, calligraphy, pottery-making, or traditional martial arts, such as iaido. Shu-Ha-Ri is progress divided into three stages. Though the stages often overlap, for convenience we will address each aspect in turn.

By Deborah Klens-Bigman, Ph.D. "Bound flow" refers to movement which is held in check by certain parameters, for example ballet or other highly codified choreography. Since I study both martial arts and Japanese classical dance, "bound flow" has a great deal of significance for me. To the untrained eye, both iaido and Japanese classical dance forms look much more "bound," than "flowing," or you might say, more like work than self-expression.