Nest stop Mercia
Published: Fri, 09/02/16
I am off to the Mercian Gathering today for the weekend. Two years ago it had got to the point of having a thousand people attending and the organiser felt that it was getting out of hand. So, it didn’t happen last year and this weekend’s event will be for a maximum of 300 I think and everything is scaled right back. I am speaking tomorrow on what it means to be a warrior, as in live out the warrior archetype in the modern world. Not quite sure how it will come out but I will be using references from the Havamal and exploring the ethical bind rune. I have been getting some advice from Scandinavian contacts who know much more about old Norse than I do. This has been most helpful with translating the Havamal verses I will be quoting.
Is speaking at the MG outside my comfort zone? Probably not as much as is should be. I have done it on various occasions over the past 12 years and it has always been fine. (I did nearly come unstuck when I talked about Pareto’s Law as modern magic but I managed to turn it around. That is a story for another time.) I preach to congregations of varying size and composition on a regular basis so the idea of talking to a group about the ethical teachings of Stav doesn’t worry me. Doesn’t mean I don’t have to get it right but I am pretty sure I can handle it. Will let you know on Monday how it goes.
As I said yesterday, I am feeling more stretched by the idea of launching the HEMA based class. Two reasons really. One, I have not made the in depth study of the ancient manuals which seems to be the basis for most Historical European Martial Arts training. I trained directly with Ivar so I guess I felt I didn’t really need to. Two, there seems to be a very big emphasis on competition and scoring points in a lot of the HEMA I have seen. Personally I am just not a competitive person, so I am biased, but I am not sure that competition improves a martial art or develops a real martial artist. Of course a sport and a sports man or woman must compete to develop but I have always believed that there is a world of difference between combat sports and martial arts.
There is also a profound difference between group training and following a personal path in martial arts, I will pick up that thread on Monday. Now it is time to leave for my journey to Mercia.
have a great weekend.
regards
Graham
PS, Friday next I fly to Chicago, still time for anyone able to join us in Leaf River, Illinois to sign up. http://stavcamp.org/usasept16.html