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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2010 14:54:38 GMT
I vote for "Tiger Fang" or "Unstoppable Force", as those seem the most traditional and the coolest, respectively. ~wp
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Post by whitefeathers on Nov 21, 2010 16:08:52 GMT
some my swords have names of course the ones I handle the most and care about the the most. I don't really go searching for names, I let the name come to me as I get to know the sword and our bond strengthens. I search for the translation to Japanese and if it sounds 'right' and its easy to say/remember I'll try it. You'll know when its the right one.
Here is an article from an online magazine. sorry for the length but I thought it was interesting.
A Basic Sword Naming And Purification Ritual By Taran McCarnun Do I Have To Name My Sword? Well the simple answer is no. A sword is at its most basic no more than an extension of your body. A sharpened tool with which to you can more effectively wound an opponent whilst remaining at arms reach. Even in Japan the vast majority of modern Iaido, Iaijutsu, Kendo, Kenjutsu and Batto students will never even consider the possibility of naming their swords. Why? Well the answer is simple; most of us stop believing that magic, ghosts and the spirits of the land at an early age. If you count yourself in this number, then ritually naming and purifying your sword may not be for you. However bear this thought in mind, if you can accept that a name awards certain characteristics; why not give your sword a name that indicates its purpose as a protector, defender and tool of enlightenment? Unusually people think nothing of naming their cars, boats or even their genitalia, but the suggestion of naming a piece of their weaponry strikes many folk as a little odd. Why Should I Name My Sword? You should name your sword if you wish to create a bond between yourself and your chosen blade; more than just that of a workman and one of his favorite tools. The Principles Of Naming A Sword? The first step you need to consider regardless of your individual philosophical -upbringing be it Pagan, Shinto, Buddhist, Christian etc, is a belief in the principle of Kami; that everything in creation holds within it a spark of the divine. You must accept belief that the indomitable mountains and ancient trees grow stronger as they age, both in strength and in spirit. If you cannot accept this fundamental idea then any ritual action would merely be for show. Just like an atheist attending church. The second factor in which you must believe is the power of the spoken word. A belief that the things you say can and are heard by others, both physical and spiritual. As such you should always consider the things you say very carefully, especially during ritual or following meditation. You must endeavour to never speak harsh words or make idle threats without giving thought as to the consequences. Your word is your bond and any oaths you make must be followed through. “The Power Is In The Word, So Be Careful What You Say”. The third factor one should consider is the belief in the power that a name can hold. For example when one names a child the majority of people just pick a name they like the sound of. Some make the effort of looking into what that name means; but very few think about the consequences of giving their child that name. Take the name AIDEN, which means ‘Flame’ or ‘Fire’ and which originates from the Gaelic AODH, which carries the same meaning. Now it seems obvious to name a boy with auburn hair Aiden, as their hair resembles flame. The name itself carries great strength in the fact that fire warms, represents life and protected our ancestors against the cold and wild animals. However fire is also single-minded, destructive and will continue to burn until it either runs out of matter to consume or it is physically extinguished by another force. The name you choose for your sword must carry real meaning and thought as to the consequences of the name. An old friend of my mother who was a devout Asatru (Norse Pagan) ritually named his sword Blood-Letter because he was determined to give it a fighting soul, with strength and warrior instincts to match his own ideals. In the months that followed he cut himself each and every time he drew the sword from its sheath both in practice and in ritual. Your Sword Amongst Others? The name of a sword awards a degree of control and it is generally accepted that others should not know the name you choose. This idea is taken from the belief that if another person knows the name of your sword they can also call to it, confusing your subconscious movements with the sword during combat. There are of course exceptions to this rule and many weapons of great strength and character can increase their potential Kami each and every time their name is spoken aloud. Undoubtedly the most famous sword in Japan is Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi 草薙の剣the legendary blade that along with an ancient mirror and Tomeo shaped gem form the Japanese Imperial Regalia. Originally named Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi 天叢雲剣(The Heavens Gathering Clouds Sword) it was renamed Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (Grass Cutting Sword) by Yamato Takeru the 12th Emperor of Japan after he discovered the sword had the power to control the movement and direction of the wind in time with the cuts made with the sword. Another example is the spear Tonbogiri wielded by the Daimyo Honda Tadakatsu (1548 – 1610) which was awarded its name after a dragonfly landed upon the edge of the blade and was instantly cut in two; hence the blade is named Tonbogiri – The Dragonfly Cutter. Now whilst the spear itself -carries no associated mystical or magical properties, its naming has awarded it a degree of power and propelled it into legendary status amongst the weapons of Japan. In my opinion the best way to announce your swords name to other is to omit one part of its name when speaking it aloud. Thus a sword named ‘Defender of Truth’ could be abbreviated to ‘Defender’ when in the company of others. Thus the sword may gain strength from having part of its name spoken aloud, whilst its full name is withheld, allowing just its owner full control. In my personal experience I find talking quietly to my sword (either vocally or in just in thought) during its daily cleaning awards me a few quiet moments within which I can reflect on my thoughts for the day. It also allows me time to focus on the sword itself, and notice the gradual changes to the blades appearance and feel the many years of cleaning and handling award. What Does The Ritual Entail? The ritual purification of any item will naturally vary from region to region, and country to country. It is a common fact that rural Japanese towns only separated by a couple of miles frequently perform slightly different cleansing and purification rituals in their day-to-day Shinto and Buddhist venerations. This is not to say that one way is any better than another way, just that the reasoning behind the ritual differs slightly. One should always remember that “A thousand paths lead to heaven” and that the shorter path is not necessarily any easier to walk than another. In order to perform any ritual action each of the elements of creation must be present. That is there must be Fire, Earth, Water, Air and Spirit (Sometimes named as metal). Rituals are in my opinion best performed in outside and at either dusk or dawn at the-nor night and when the clamour of the modern world is dulled to a gentle hum in the distance. Choosing Your Ritual Space: In the perfect world we would all have access to purpose built shrines and temples amidst the hills and mountains in the countryside around our towns and cities. However as such sacred places are rare, you should seek out the following features in your ritual area. A body of water be it a pond, lake, river, stream or the sea. A hill or mountain An area of wilderness such as woodland, forest, moor or open fields. If you are lucky enough to find such a location the geographical features listed above should be found in their attributed compass directions. North – Water East – Woodland South – Fire West – Mountain / Hill / Metal What You Will Need: • A Sharp Hand-Axe Or Billhook • A Branch From Near The Ritual Area • A Container Of Pure Water • A Piece Of Paper • Incense (Granular Or In Sticks) • Fire-Striker (Or Matches, Lighter) Some Sample Names In Japanese: The following short list is designed purely as a suggestion of the sort of names one could incorporate into the name of your sword. Each has the benefit that the positive associations of the name far outweigh any of the negative ones. You should also consider combining a number of names together in order to create a name with the combined meaning you may be looking for. Just make sure that you can easily remember it and that it rolls off the tongue with relative ease. Amaya – Night Rain (Evening Rain) Chiyoko – Child Of 1000 Generations Daisuke – Great help Hogosha – Guardian Hotaru – Firefly Isamu – Courage Kazuko – Child Of peace Kazumi – Harmony And Beauty Kouhei – Calm Peace Makoto – Sincerity Natsuki – Summer Hope Onigiri – Demon Cutter (Cutter Of Demons) Ryoshi – Hunter (Huntsman) Shizukesa – Serenity (Silence, Calm) Suzumebachi – Hornet (Wasp) Tadashi – Righteous Tomoko – Child Of Wisdom Yogosha – Defender (Champion) Yukifuri – Snowfall One should also bear in mind that the power of a word not only comes from its spoken form but also from the meaning and connotations of the name behind it. Therefore a sword named “Onigiri” could also benefit from being referred to in English as “The Demon Cutter”.Some Sample Names In English: Defender – Defender Of Justice – (Justice Defender) Guardian – Harmony – Protector – Seeker – Seeker Of Truth – (Truth Seeker) Sincerity – Speed Of Thought – The Ritual Itself: When you have chosen your ritual space, gently sweep away any loose twigs, branches or debris, so that the ground may clearly be seen. This action fulfills the element of Earth. By lighting a small fire at the centre of your chosen ritual area you bring warmth and light unto that place. By the carrying of a burning branch (or incense) you make visible the element of air. By the pouring of water on the ground you bring nourishment to the plants and trees about you. Once these elements are in place any your mind is settled either through meditation or centering allow yourself to become open to the influences of the Kami. You may find that on a calm night that the moon is shining particularly brightly, that the wind suddenly begins to blow, or the unexpected call of an owl breaks the silence. These things can all be added into the naming equation in that they can be taken as the voices of the Kami. Once the correct name has been chosen, one that feels right when spoken aloud and fits your chosen sword. You should ritually cleanse the blade. One simple form of purification is as follows. Kneel before your fire and pass the sword backwards and forwards through the flame (rapid enough that the blade is undamaged, but slow enough so as not to be cutting the flame) whilst saying in your native tongue… “Sacred Flame that warmed my ancestors, cleanse this blade” Pass a smoking branch / Incense across the blade saying… “Sacred element of air that roars amidst the heavens cleanse this blade” Pick up a handful of dirt or ash and sprinkle it across both surfaces of the blade saying… “Sacred element of earth that it the lands foundation cleanse this blade” Picking up your container of water, rinse the dust and dirt from the sword saying… “Sacred element of water, from which all life came, cleanse this blade” Then you should carefully raise the sword above your head (held horizontally in both hands: aka Torii No Kamae) whilst saying… “Sacred Kami of the sky and of the mountains, of the trees and of the rivers, of beast and of man, I ask that you cleanse this blade and recognise its name as (Insert name here)” You should then gently place the sword on the ground before you with its blade tip towards your left knee and its handle to the right diagonally away from you (Blade edge facing you). You should then take three slow deep bows to your sword each time saying… “I welcome you into this world (Insert name here) may we serve and protect one another always” Endnote: I sincerely hope that this ritual is of some help, and although it is rather simplified it should more than suffice for any genuine believers. All being well I will include additional Rituals and Rites in future issues of Junsei magazine.
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Post by etiennehamel on Nov 21, 2010 18:29:31 GMT
interesting whitefeathers the ritual seem nice and the names too. quite informative thanks
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2010 21:54:41 GMT
Whitefeathers-Neat article. I (for obvious reasons) like that the ritual is easily adaptable to other cultures and/or religions, too. As a priest and a writer, I believe strongly in the power of the written and spoken word and, while some may want to change, abbreviate, and/or omit parts of the suggested form, I think there is something there for anyone who does feel a deeper connection to their weapon. I have been an anthropomorphizing fool since early childhood, and I continue to name practically EVERYTHING that I use regularly or has some special meaning. (Never did get that bit about naming your genitalia, though...). I also agree that most often, I don't have to work too hard to "come up" with a name for these special items. No matter the "source" of the intuition, it just comes very easily; sometimes right away, others only after having lived with the article for a bit. Anyhoo, I think this was an interesting and nice contribution. Thank you! Blessings, ~wp
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2010 6:41:19 GMT
I have a few words about astrology. So I want to learn horoscopes, for that I am look for astrology guide. Thanks for your post. I learned something from here. I have a question to you guys who knows astrology well. Is there any significance to the December 31st? UK Horoscopes
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Post by Lobster Hunter on Dec 8, 2010 10:39:23 GMT
Whitefeathers, that's a very interesting article. I especially like the notion of keeping the name of your sword secret so that your enemy wouldn't have power over it. I name all my swords and there's really no method to it. A few times I have named a new sword even before it's arrived at my door but in most cases a name will come to me after getting to know a sword for a while.
For example, I named my Cheness Tenchi 'Coronado' after the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado who had led a grueling and fruitless expedition in search of the fabled seven cities of gold. At the time, the sword felt very forward balanced and stubborn (like Coronado). I named my Hanwei Practical Plus XL Light 'Luciano' because the blade is very wide and sings beautifully and loudly (tachikaze) like Luciano Pavarotti.
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Post by Anders on Dec 8, 2010 12:24:11 GMT
Nothing wrong with a bit of sword naming. I call my o-katana "Samidare", myself.
Raion is a lone word, basically the way a Japanese person would pronounce the English word "lion." I really, really wouldn't use that because that sort of misses the point of giving the sword a Japanese name to begin with.
The Japanese word for "lion" is shishi, and the star sign Leo is shishikyu. "Bite" is tricky - definitely not kuchi. "To bite" seems to be kamu, though I can't seem to find it as noun.
Also, I'd drop the possession indactor particle entirely since it's not strictly needed and I think it makes it sound a bit stilty. (Sort of like naming the sword "The Bite of the Lion.") So, something like Shishikamu, I guess. Literally "Lion Bite."
Possible variants would be Shishikiba (Lion Fang) or Shishitsume (Lion Claw.)
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Post by whitefeathers on Dec 8, 2010 13:47:38 GMT
Thanks. I too like the keeping the name secret from the enemy. Kinda a personal thing anyway. I'm glad the article was enjoyed. I liked it. Made you think of the deeper reasons why our swords are given names. You feel especially connected to the one you spend hours upon hours training with.
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Post by etiennehamel on Dec 8, 2010 18:10:09 GMT
i thought about another name this week like ''unholy purifier'' could prove useful if there's an exorcism to practice (couldn't resist )
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Post by Aaron W on Dec 10, 2010 8:26:08 GMT
Since we're on the subject of naming katana, would anyone who's far more versed in the language care to translate this for me?
Chikyū no ken
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2010 9:18:58 GMT
Well igoogle translated Chikyū no ken to 地球の拳 (Chikyū no ken returned no definitions)
Romaji.org translated 地球の拳 to chikyuu no kobushi
and igoogle translated chikyuu no kobushi to Fist of the Earth
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Post by Aaron W on Dec 10, 2010 21:19:01 GMT
Interesting....that seems like a great name for a hammer, but with a katana it seems a little off . I actually ask because I also used google translate for 'sword of the earth' and it came back with what you translate to 'fist of the earth'. Essentially, I'm trying to get a 100% translation of 'sword of the earth'. Any help?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2010 21:23:43 GMT
I actually can help with that lol
地球の剣 is Chikyuu no tsurugi Chikyuu no tsurugi is Sword of the Earth
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Post by Aaron W on Dec 10, 2010 21:39:51 GMT
Thank you very much . That nags the question though, with google translate, 'ken' means sword, so why is it tsurugi in the translation for 'sword of the earth'?
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Post by etiennehamel on Dec 10, 2010 21:43:14 GMT
i sent a message to a fellow forumite of myarmoury who lives in japan (a real japanese guy ) so he could share some light on the subject. if i'm lucky i should have an answer tonight
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Post by Krelian on Dec 10, 2010 21:57:40 GMT
Because kanji is derived from Chinese writing and so can be read in Chinese-ish pronounciation (on'yomi) or as Japanese (kun'yomi). Obviously this is a simplification and there are more reasons, nuances and history to it but there's your core answer.
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Post by randomnobody on Dec 11, 2010 0:49:24 GMT
The easy answer is "ken" can mean either "fist" or "blade" and generally refers to a striking implement, to oversimplify. Also, "tsurugi" is one of the many words for "sword" in Japanese. Basic answer to Krelian's, which may be a bit much for some. :x Kind of like the difference between "kenpo" and "kendo" and what not. But "Chikyuu" (and its variants) definitely refers to the Earth.
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Post by Aaron W on Dec 11, 2010 5:20:44 GMT
Thank you guys a ton, this all helps a ton. Yeah I asked about 'ken' because in words like 'Shinkendo', it means sword, so I was pretty confused :shock: . Chikyuu, how would one go about pronouncing that one? I'd rather not butcher it, lol
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Post by randomnobody on Dec 11, 2010 5:42:13 GMT
To put it most simply..."cheek you" should cut it. Sort of. Otherwise, try "ch Q" (the "ch" sound, then the (english) letter Q.) Somewhere between there would be about right. (Edit: www.saiga-jp.com/cgi-bin/dic.cgi ... 8908_11304 You'll want to play the first one on the far right. Forgot about this site again...) I'm currently trying to remember whether "ken" or "tsurugi" predate each other, and which way...
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Post by Aaron W on Dec 12, 2010 6:46:48 GMT
I actually have one final question. Obviously since katana are japanese weapons, most people choose to name their katana in the language. But is it sacreligious not to? To use a different language or just plain english?
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