Post by aribjorn on Oct 31, 2011 16:10:13 GMT -5
Student Introduction
Greetings,
My name is Scott and I am new to Stav.
I am a Norse enthusiast who has been doing period combat, archery, weaponsmithing, armorsmithing and have participated in building and sailing period ships.
I am an active member of the SCA along with my girlfriend and we also play in a larp with my two adult children.
I had studied Ju Jutsu many years ago in the Riverside Drive Budist temple near were I was attending college. We were also taught the fundamentals of Kenjutsu and Hykujutsu (I think I am spelling that right it has been a while) which are of course the study of the katana and the Yumi bow.
When I was doing some security work I had even taken some courses with Stephan Hayes in Colorado in practical ninjutsu.
Unfortunately the responsabilities of a family took precidence over many of these interests and now after many years, extra pounds and some health issues I find myself with the time and motivation to pursue a course of study that would help my overall health and wellbeing and that would also coincide with my life interests.
Though I was at one time very much into the Japanese martial arts I had always wanted to move toward a more meditative art such as Ti ch. I never could really get off the ground as my devotion to medeival combat and recreation was so very consuming.
When I was looking up some information on Viking axe fighting I found myself carried off to the wonderful Stav videos done by Grahm and was fascinated...I could not believe that here was a practice of Scandinaviam martial arts utilizing the culture, phylosophy and weapons I already was familiar with, yet had the additional benefit of a discaplined and systematic presentation very much like the oriental arts I had already studied.
I have sent to England for the begining books to read over(for some reason the US group was out of them) and I have viewed every bit of info I could find on the web. I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of the liturature so I can get a better understanding of Stav and take the next steps.
I had two questions initially,
1- Is there any place I can find info on the construction of the Stav weaponry, such as the axes, that were shown in the video, or some of the specs of the equipment and background of why these particular ones are used?
2- Is there anyone that I can get in touch with that practices the art here in central Florida?
I look forward to launching out on this new journey and any information you can share.
Scott Brown
Masters Reply
Hi Scott
Thank you for your order, I will get the books to you asap. I will also send you details of how to make the training axes, it sounds like you shouldn't have any trouble constructing one.
I am coming over to the states to teach a weekend course in Maryland on the 30th of April until the 2nd of May. I know it is a long way from Florida but I do have a student in North Carolina who can teach which is a bit nearer. We were hoping to hold a second course on the 7th and 8th of May in Asheville NC but lack of support means it makes more sense at this stage for the two people who would have hosted it to come to MD for the first weekend. We may be able to schedule a course in NC in the autumn if there is enough support. Details of the MD course at www.iceandfire.us
regards
Graham
The Stavian Epistles
Hi Scott
Thanks for signing up for my list. You can access the Web of Wyrd
Magazine archive from here clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9vNN2&m=LrtQ.niXUknSVw&b=xbZ9VNWomch8e8XEiwHdkQ
To welcome you three messages will be sent to give you a bit more
idea what Stav is about. You will also be receiving my regular updates
and links to my blog. Please feel free to pass these messages on to
anyone else who may be interested.
I suppose the key for me is that Stav provides a manageable daily
practice in the stances. If I needed a particular space and
environment and special clothes and equipment and a minimum of an
hour to do a full routine I would have major problems maintaining
any kind of regular practice. I travel a lot for work and sometimes
put in very long hours, I often don't have access to equipment or
even the opportunity to change into training clothes. But so long
as I can get some space, preferably out of doors but not necessarily,
I can do the stances in 4 to 5 minutes for each side. And I can
honestly claim that I fail to do the stances about once a year,
every other day I will have done them. Maybe that makes me some
kind of obsessive fanatic but I want Stav to be part of my life and
if something is valuable you have to be willing to fight for it and
hang onto it.
The thing about Stav is that once you have learned the basics then
it becomes embodied in you, so wherever you are you have it to work
with, that could include being stranded on a desert island or held
in a high security prison cell, it can't be taken away from you.
That is not to say that when I have time and space and equipment
available I don't like to do a full training session with galdre
stances and weapon training and I do so as often as I can. But if
I am away from home and only have a few minutes I can still do the
basic stances and I don't lose the practice. It also means that I
have a few minutes of being centred in myself and rediscovering who
I am. When you are living and working in environments which are
transient and often unfamiliar then it is easy to become disorientated
and ungrounded, doing the stances will ground you and remind you that
wherever you are you are always centred in your own web. Not that you
can actually ever be anywhere else, but we easily forget.
In your next message I will write about how and why I benefit from
doing the stances in other ways.
For details of workshops and courses visit
clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9vNN2&m=LrtQ.niXUknSVw&b=gx0K.WUThlC2J.ZPv0KDtw
regards
Graham Butcher
Hi Scott
Thanks for being one of the guineapigs who signed up for my list in the last 24 hours. Sorry for the confusion regarding broken links and thanks for your patience. I have now ironed out the teething problems and the whole signup process now seems to be working fine.
I will be mailing again regularly soon, just need to finish some articles for the next edition of the Web of Wyrd first.
Thanks again and will be in touch soon.
regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Lets look at why I think doing the stances is beneficial. I have
been doing them daily for nearly 20 years now so I am pretty well
qualified to comment on the matter. You can consider the benefits
in several aspects, physical, mental, energetic, psychic and as a
basis for doing other activities such as martial arts. For today I
will consider the basic physical experience of daily performing the
stances.
The emphasis on daily is very important. Sometimes people who have
just done the stances once will report feeling more relaxed and
sleeping well afterwards but that experience, no matter how pleasant,
cannot continue without a regular practice. The stances promote deep
and natural breathing and enable gentle toning and stretching on the
muscles, tendons and sinews. Thanks to the slow and deliberate way
in which they are performed the muscles have time to fully extend and
the joints to achieve their full range of movement. The stances which
involve standing on one leg, Rei and Bjork develop balance and strengthen
the stabiliser muscles in the leg you use to stand on. The turns between
some of the stances also develop stability and balance.
Core strength is developed and maintained too through the deep,
controlled breathing, especially in the galdre versions. Breath
control is actually the most effective way of developing core strength
since it is the best way to exercise the muscles in the lower abdomen.
Correct posture is developed through practice of the stances. This
comes from an awareness of being centred and balanced and through
developing core stability.
Even if you are physically active in work or sport it is unlikely you
will be maintaining balance in your body. Practice of the Stances
will bring the body back into balance. If you are injured then
practising the stances appropriately will enable you to make a speedier
recovery. Occasionally I strain my back, usually through a combination
of excessively heavy work and becoming over tired. When this happens
it does make doing the full set of Stances rather difficult, especially
Ur. However by persisting and doing the stances gently my range of
movement recovers and I am helped by knowing the full range of movement
I should have and the practice ensures I recover it. Otherwise it
can be too easy to decide that you cannot risk hurting yourself and
soon lose your full range of movement.
All these benefits require regular practice to achieve and maintain
them. But the most fundamental reason for long term practice is that
the human body is constantly renewing itself and this renewal happens
in accordance with the experience the body undergoes. As far as the
stances are concerned this means that every day the body is correctly
aligned, balanced and stretched and undergoes pretty much its full
range of motion. This seems to affect the long term structure of
the body. Ivar Hafskjold is in his mid 60s now yet is fitter than
many half his age. I am in my early 50s now but find I can cope with
heavier work and more demanding training than I could 25 years ago.
I am not intending to boast, but Stav works for me and I firmly
believe it can do the same for anyone else who is willing to make
the effort to learn how to do the stances, and more important, do
them regularly.
regards
Graham Butcher
Hi Scott
In my last message I wrote about the benefits to your body of performing
the stances. In this message I would like to consider the potential
effects on the mind of this practice.
Doing the stances is a form of meditation and the basic purpose of
meditation is to calm the "monkey mind" as the Buddhists put it.
Buddhists use the term monkey because this particular tradition
originates and is widely practised in places where monkeys are a
familiar sight. In the Stav tradition we might better use the term
"Squirrel mind" and reference Ratatosk who runs up and down the
Yggrasil tree carrying malicious messages between the eagle which
lives at the top and Nidhogg, the dragon who lives at the base.
The Ygrasill tree can be seen as representing the self with the Eagle
as the higher self and the dragon as the most primitive aspects of
ourselves. Neither aspect is better than the other, to be complete
we have to accept ourselves as both beast and angel. The higher and
lower, or however you want to describe them, aspects of ourselves are
both essential aspects of our whole selves. Each aspect has its own
kind of innate wisdom which we would do well to learn to listen to.
The problem is our conscious, everyday mind which seems to forget how
to listen to either what our body has to tell us about our fundamental
needs or our conscience which can guide us to our higher purpose. For
some perverse reason our squirrel mind just wants to set one off against
the other and sabotage our chances of either happiness or fulfilment.
So, when performing the stances we are looking to focus, calm and open
the mind. We are not looking to receive some great insight or wisdom,
that may come, but only in its own time. What matters is that we clear
away chatter and distraction, learning how to ignore the incessant
chatter of the squirrel.
How to do this? The galdre stances have the advantage of bringing
sound into practice and this certainly helps block out the chatter
of the squirrel mind. I would recommend doing galdre stances once or
twice a week for this reason as well as the way it will enhanced your
breathing. When doing silent stances in the trel or konge versions
you can try disciplining the mind to be clear and if you have a gift
for meditation, if there is such a thing, you should be able to clear
your mind as you do the stances. I personally don't find this easy
and my inner squirrel is large, energetic and of the high decibel
variety. So, rather than fight him I recite the rune poems to myself
as I do them, one half as I breath in, the other as I breath out.
It works for me and it is a good way of learning the rune poems and
making sure you don't forget them.
I can't promise that doing the stances will change your life over
night but it does bring an awareness that we can take control over
our own body and decide, at least for a few minutes what thoughts
occupy our minds. This is actually a pretty big step towards
genuine freedom.
regards
Graham Butcher
Hi Scott
We had a good day on Saturday in Bletchingley which is in Surrey near Redhill. We used a school room in a church hall which was built about 100 years ago as a gymnasium for the benefit of local youths. So it was quite an appropriate place for Stav training. Guy Arnold organised the event and it was a chance to introduce Stav to some complete beginners although most of those training had done at lest one session before. We are going to arrange another session there at the end of October. So if you live in that area watch this space for notification of dates.
We like to think Stav is a simple system to learn and practice and we try to keep it that way. But these things are all relative and all we managed to cover in one day was staff exercises, introducing the Trel Stances and working with the five staff against staff five principles basics. We did do a little bit of self-defence at the end of the day but only for about half an hour which meant no more than introducing the Trel response to a knife attack. We did work in some depth with the staff exercises so it was worth doing and it lays a solid foundation for further training but it would have been nice to introduce the axe, try out the nine guards with the staff. Then train with the sword and perhaps use the nine guards with the spear to counter that. To say nothing of the basic nine exercises for self-defence I have been working on and would have liked to introduce on Saturday.
There is an argument that all you need to do in Stav is the stances, have some exercise for working with the lines which can be as minimum as two or three cutting exercises and simple drills for practising the five basics. In a sense this is true. If you apply the 20/80 rule to Stav training then 20 percent of the training you could do is going to bring you 80 percent of the benefits you are going to get from your training. When you have been training long enough to have a wide range of options then you can select the specific drills and practice which you get the most benefit from. But you need a wide range of options to know which ones are the most important ones to you. You have to learn a lot so that you can select a little. Even then the stuff that doesn't necessarily bring the greatest benefits with the least effort will still be worth knowing, especially if you are a teacher. Your students selection of 20/80 may well be different to yours so they need the choice.
Later this year I will be selective on courses and plan each one on a particular theme so it can be covered thoroughly on that day. So one day will be devoted to staff, another self-defence and another axe training. You are learning the same basic principles by each method but discovering different ways of doing it. By seeing these different approaches you will hopefully gain different insights.
So over the next couple of weeks I will be posting new material to You Tube showing various training methods. I have got some great footage of the nine guards we filmed in Sheffield a few weeks ago. But of course there is no substitute for coming to proper training. Warrior Camp on 18th and 19th of June when I will cover as much weapon training as I can and give a substantial amount of time to unarmed training. Then you can train with Ivar himself on the 20th to 24th of July. If you haven't already booked for this then you have missed the early booking discount but I am prepared to offer both camps for £220 (or £205 if you are a member of Ice and Fire.) So no excuse for not being there.
regards
Graham
Hi Scott
How do you cope with training when one is physically exhausted? For most people in our sedentary society the problem is not getting enough activity. They may be very busy and mentally active but the amount of physical exertion they undertake is minimal. Hence the massive fitness industry of gyms and health-clubs where people are supposed to be able to maintain some level of fitness albeit at huge expense. In my case I use Stav training and related activities to enable me to cope with a high degree of physical stress. For example last week we were painting the woodwork on a three storey building. To gain access this means erecting and dismantling six or seven metre high scaffolding towers. Later in the project there will be sections where we will have to operate up to ten metres. The towers are made of aluminium which makes them manageable but some of the sections are still about two metres high by 0.6 wide and weigh quite a lot. On the ground this isn't such a big deal but hoisting the pieces up to a height of several metres and then dropping them into place requires balance and control to do it safely.
The stances teach balance and awareness of one's centre which is certainly important when constructing a scaffold tower. Also in preparation I have been using a pull up bar to help me get used to the climbing involved and working with a kettle bell to improve strength for handling the big sections while balancing on a couple of horizontal pipes before the platforms are in place. So far it has worked and I have been able to manage the towers and the work with no ill effects.
However when we are on the job there is little time and frankly little energy for training before or after work. So I do the stances each morning and evening and that keeps things balanced and maintains my foundation for the periods between jobs when I have got time and energy for concentrated training.
I know I have a rather different lifestyle to many modern people in that I make a major part of my living by physical effort and application of manual skill. But that is the environment that Stav originated in and it still works today.
I will be looking at the issue of how to develop the right training system for you at the Warrior Camp this weekend, it isn't too late to sign up.
regards
Graham
Hi Scott
We had a good weekend for the Warrior Camp. I had to set up in the rain on the Friday but the weather on Saturday was better than forecast and pretty good on Sunday. So we were able to get some good training in. Shot quite a lot of video so there will be some new stuff on You Tube as soon as I have time to get it edited.
We did some unarmed training on the Sunday but most of the time we worked with the staff, axe, cudgel and sax. These are weapons which are pretty much unique to Stav. Although a lot of systems use a staff it may be smaller than the one we use as in the jo or bigger as in the bo. Others such as the axe are completely unique as a martial art weapon although obviously re-enactors use them for displays. So over the years I have had to make my own equipment and supply people I have been training.
I am currently in the process of creating an online course in making Stav training weapons. This programme which will eventually include instruction sheets on how to make all the ones we commonly train with. It begins with a report on the seven main things you need to know before making martial arts weapons. The second one will explain how to mark out and shape a piece of wood so that you can get the right profile for a sword, spear or training knife. The first actual project is making a training knife.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
I am sorry if you received messages with links that didn't work, I don't know why, they are definitely there on the server and opened when I tested them. However I am working away from home at the moment and don't have access to a computer to sort things out. So if you would like to see the weapon making instructions these files are located on a different server so you should get them. I am still getting the hang of this system so thank you for your patience.
clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9vNN2&m=3b4ghZuZV6knSVw&b=KuYnRSgDn1mtdP5iFx9HWA
Seven things to know before making your own weapons
Marking out and shaping technique
Making a training knife
Making an axe
Instructions for spear, axe and staff to follow when I am working at home again in a couple of weeks.
regards
Graham
Making your own Martial Arts Training Weapons
The Seven Essential Steps to Making your own Martial Arts Training Weapons
by Graham Butcher
Introduction: When Ivar Hafskjold started teaching Stav in the UK in 1992 he had
just returned to Japan with a 4th Dan in JoJutsu
and KenJutsu.
So for our weapon
training we used jo and boken as our equipment. This was fine to begin with but since
Stav is essentially a European tradition I wanted to train with European weapons
such as the axe, sax and spear. Even the European staff is different to a jo or bo being
about half way between the two in size and weight. Over the last 18 years I have
designed, constructed and extensively trained with the weapons described in the
design sheets I am going to share with you. I won't bore you with a complete design
and development history of the Stav training axe for example, I might do that as a
bonus article sometime, but trust me all previous designs were tested to destruction at
some time or another. So when I say this is the way to make it for efficient training,
durability and safety I know what I am talking about.
The weapons I will be showing you how to make are specific to Ice and Fire Stav, eg my
lineage of Stav teaching, Another Stav teacher may not teach all of them and may use
other weapons altogether, if you want to learn all of them then check first that the
teacher you have found is actually qualified to teach all of them.
If you do a different Martial Art, European or from other parts of the world then I am
not guaranteeing that these exact designs are going to be suitable. Of course the basic
principles of design, fabrication and finishing can be adapted to making any wooden
training weapons and feel free to experiment and apply what you have learned to other
design requirements. However I cannot be responsible for how well the resulting
weapon performs but I am sure you realise that. So, good luck with refining the
design until you get just what you are looking for, it took me well over a decade to get
my axe design just right so don't be in too much of a hurry.
Our objective is to make weapons which are effective and enjoyable to train with,
durable and long lasting and, very important, safe when in use. Lets consider the
seven essential factors in making such weapons.
1 You need the right wood. If you are going to make a staff from ready sawn
seasoned wood then I would recommend Oak. You can get a very nice staff from
cutting a Hazel wand and you might find an Ash or Yew sapling which is the right size
to make a staff but cutting natural staffs and walking sticks is a slightly different
subject which I will cover elsewhere. For all the other weapons described you really
need Ash. Hickory might be an option in North America but it is pretty heavy and
hard to work. You might have to search quite hard to find a stockist who can supply
Page 1 of 4
Making your own Martial Arts Training Weapons
what you need. The average timber yard in the UK does not stock hard woods. So ask
around and find one which supplies the specialist furniture making trade or similar
and they will be able to help you.
When selecting the wood it needs to have straight grain running along the length of
the piece and preferably no knots. If you explain to your stockist what you want and
why it matters he should be able to help you. If you can build a good relationship with
your timber supplier he may even put pieces aside for you which are suitable for your
needs.
Last point here, do not train with anything made from softwood. Even if it is good
quality joinery grade timber it will not stand up to being practiced with. On impact it
will almost certainly splinter and the sharp points resulting will be very dangerous.
Having said that the proper hardwood is going to be relatively expensive and harder to
work than the softwood so it would be a good idea to test out your skills on scraps of
joinery timber to build up your skills, just don't be tempted to do serious training with
the results.
2 You need some basic tools. Most households should have the basic tools you need
somewhere. If not you can borrow them or if you shop around buy them for a
reasonable sum. Once you have a kit for making training weapons and the skill to use
them you will be well set up for doing basic woodwork repairs and projects around the
house so it will be a good investment. Obviously if you have access to a good range of
tools for your work or DIY projects then you will probably have everything you need
and more.
Lets divide the tools into categories depending upon what we are going to be using
them for:
Measuring and marking out tools Tape
measure, set square, rule/straight edge and
hard pencil.
Cutting tools – Basically a good saw. If you are buying one for the job then a good
quality rip saw with fairly fine teeth is probably your best choice. If you have access to
a cutoff
saw then that will be useful.
Shaping tools Basically
plane and rasp. Planes come in all shapes and sizes. Ideally
I would recommend one full sized jack plane and a small block plane. If you are
starting from scratch then you will be able to start just with a small block plane. On
the other hand if you are well equipped then an electric plane can save a lot of time on
the major removal of wood. Get a fine rather than a coarse rasp. Again, if you are just
starting out then a piece of coarse abrasive paper wrapped around a piece of dowelling
will serve well enough.
Page 2 of 4
Making your own Martial Arts Training Weapons
Holding tools – Basically a vice and clamps on a reasonably stable workbench. To
make a wooden knife you will probably get away with using a workmate type folding
workbench. For shaping longer weapons such as staffs and spears I made a veeblock
bench which is a piece of two by four which clamps edge on onto a multi position ladder
in its bench form. A Veegroove
has been planed into the top edge and a beechwood
stop fitted at one end. A long work piece can be laid in the groove and easily and
safely planed until it is round. At the least you will need some Gclamps
and scraps of
wood to make locating stops on a strong table.
Other tools – for making the axe you will need a drill and 8mm bit, any kind of drill
will do, electric, cordless or even a hand drill, you will only be making three holes. To
cut out the notches in the sword hilt you will need a chisel and an mallet to hit it with.
It would also be a good idea to have an oil stone for sharpening the plane blades when
necessary.
If you are a complete beginner I would recommend taking this article to a friend or
relative who does know wood working, ask them to read this section and then show
you the tools listed. Then see if you can get them to give you a lesson on how to use
them. None of the tools listed are massively dangerous but you can give yourself a
nasty cut if you are careless with the sharp ones.
3 Measuring and marking out are essential skills. There is always the
temptation to dive in and start hacking away at the wood you have just bought. Don't
be. The first lesson is how to mark out your wood using measure, square and rule.
Practice this on some scrap wood first and then cutting and shaping to your marks.
Details of measurements and marking are clearly explained in the instructions for
each weapon and you will only really get the results you are looking for if you follow
them.
4 Learn how to read the grain of the wood. I have mentioned this above in the
section on choosing your wood. If the grain doesn't run the length of the weapon then
it is going to break when used, guaranteed. So check this when selecting a piece to
use, obviously the longer the weapon, especially a spear, then the better the run of the
grain has to be. Explain to your timber stockist what you are making and why it
matters and he should be able to help you select the right piece for the job.
When shaping the wood, especially with a plane you need to be working with the grain
or the wood will simply tear leaving grooves which may be too deep to sand out later.
You will learn to see this with practice and when the wood is showing signs of tearing
in one direction simply plane in the other direction.
Page 3 of 4
Making your own Martial Arts Training Weapons
5 Learn how to use a saw and plane correctly. The saw and plane are your
essential tools when doing this kind of work, get some one to show you how to use
them correctly and practice on scrap wood. Also get someone who knows what they are
doing to show you how to sharpen and set a plane correctly, it will make all the
difference to your finished results.
6 Be prepared to put the time and effort into getting a good finish. If you are
working with Oak and you can plane with the grain you may well be able to get a good
finish just from the blade and not need abrasives at all. If you have sanded it finish
with a very fine paper, 120 grade and don't treat it with anything. As you train with it
the oil from your hands will gradually build up a nice patina on the surface.
This principle doesn't seem to work quite the same way with Ash which just gets dirty
if the surface isn't sealed in some way. Finish with Aluminium Oxide paper, the green
one, starting with 60 grade, then some 80 grade and finish with 120 grade. Then treat
with Danish Oil or similar.
7 Safety considerations. As far as the weapons themselves are concerned make sure
they are made so that they are not going to break into sharp splinters. These make
great stakes for killing vampires, not so good when working with a normal human
being. Make sure the surface is well finished as described above to minimise the risk
of smaller splinters breaking off. Also, maintain your weapons so if they get slightly
damaged in training (they shouldn't break if made correctly) then sand down the
damaged area and apply Danish oil before any splinters break off.
Please pay attention to the measurements and marking out in the instructions. Your
training weapons need to have blunt ends and edges to be safe so for example, the axe
blade edge should be at least 1 cm wide and the point on a sword or spear should have
an area of about 1 cm by 1.5 cm, don't be tempted to sharpen them to more of a point
than that. Also make sure you sand off all sharp corners, this is important for
durability as well as safety.
Finally get properly trained in using your weapons, especially if you are going to work
with a partner.
Happy wood working
Graham Butcher
© Ice and Fire Ltd. June 2011
Hi Scott
It has been a while since my last posting, sorry about that, it is mainly because I have been away and usually camping for most of the past two months. I have been working away from home and staying on a rather beautiful camp site on the bank of the river Thames in Oxfordshire. After that we had the Warrior camp when we were able to do some serious and advanced training. I recorded quite a lot of video there which will form the basis of a new DVD which ready quite soon. Then there was the Rural Crafts Camp where I did some teaching but also managed to pick up some interesting idea from both Systema and Tai Chi workshops which were held there. Then it was our Summer Stav Camp with Ivar which went very well. Then in the past week I have been to Druid camp which was a wonderful experience as it usually is.
So, I have seen a lot of the outdoors, but not much of my computer. Yes it is technically possible to post from my Black Berry and much as I love mine doing any really serious writing is really too tedious. The good news is that I have been inspired to write again so I shall try and make up for it over the next few weeks. First will be an extensive article on Stav as a path of self-development which you get to read in several episodes. Later it will form the basis of a pdf download. To follow there will be a 7 part article on Stav as a martial art.
Just before you start on that though you might like to put the dates for next year's summer camp in your diary. It will be on the 10th to 15th of July 2012 on a new site in the Midlands. There will be a new format to the programme too. More soon.
The Path of Stav - Part 1
It is now getting on for 20 years since I met Ivar Hafskjold and began learning Stav. At first I saw it mainly as a martial art. After a period of time I began to see it more as a way of life and a path to personal growth and greater self knowledge. I guess I could use the term 'path to enlightenment' but to me that sounds a bit pretentious and belongs to a different tradition. But if that term works for you then that's fine with me.
I know that Stav is right for me for several reasons. I am European so its language, symbols, culture, heritage and history belong to me and I am made more complete by knowing and trying to understand them. This in no sense denigrates the oriental traditions which have become so popular in the West in recent decades. Indeed we have drawn heavily on the Budo and Taoist arts to develop an effective form of martial training within which to explore the principles of Stav. However I do believe that there is a limit to our development within a system of training and practice which we are not linguistically and culturally equipped to understand. I once asked Ivar why he came back to Europe after 14 years in Japan and decided to concentrate on Stav instead of the Budo arts in which he had immersed himself so deeply. His answer was that he had realised that he was never going to become Japanese. I believe that we can and should learn a great deal from any source of wisdom that comes our way. But we should also be true to our roots and remember our own heritage.
In this series of postings I have concentrated on the stages of personal development that should come through a serious practice of Stav. These stages have traditional names and I have attempted to explore what these names mean and some of their implications. There is not much detail on the actual practices and methods which we use, but that is the subject of a much longer piece of writing.
A couple of things may be helpful at this stage:
Firstly, the names of the levels or stages described below come from the Lay of Rig in the Elder Edda. This poem tells the story of how the classes of mankind, the Trel, Karl, Herse, Jarl and Konge came into being and suggests something about their roles. There are many ways of interpreting this story and here it provide us with a model for self-development and building self- awareness.
Secondly, Stav is about learning to work with the Web of Orlog, the fundamental structure of the universe and to live out our own personal web of wyrd, in other words discovering and following our unique purpose in life.
Stav isn't for everyone, but if you are reading this you must have been led this far for some good reason. So I hope that what you read over my next few postings will help you understand a little more about the path of Stav.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Here is the second part of my article on the path of Stav.
The Trel
The first stage of changing our lives and moving forward comes from realising where we are bound and stuck. We call this first level the Trel level which is the Norse word for the Anglo-Saxon 'Thrall'. The word Thrall means someone who is in some kind of bondage to another person. In Feudal times it meant a bonded labourer who had no freedom of movement or choice in what work he did for his master. These days we are most likely to come across the word in a positive usage. E.g. "I was enthralled by that wonderful movie." Or some other uplifting experience. That is fine when it is a matter of enjoying a special experience but we also need to be conscious of the less positive things to which we are enthralled. I could go into a long list of the things which commonly enthral people, some are inherently unhealthy or destructive and some basically benign yet still a distraction from our true path. This morning I got up at six o'clock with the intention of writing this and another article. I made up my mind that as soon as I had done my stances I would sit down at my computer with my porridge and begin to write. Yet before I brought up the word processor I visited two of my favourite alternative news sites and read two articles. They were excellent pieces of writing and I am glad I have read them but it could have waited until after I had done this. I admit I struggle with being enthralled to reading alternative news on the internet. Not a bad thing in itself but easily a trap if I don't manage myself carefully.
I am not going to try and guess what you are enthralled to. I expect you have your suspicions anyway. If you want to test what has you in its grip then simply try going without for a minimum of three days and see what happens. It can be quite surprising to discover what is really holding us in its grasp. The three day abstinence test can provide quite a shock. Sometimes we realise that some things are just a habit which we can actually let go of quite easily. But just the idea of being without something else can really panic us. My aunt was born around 1915 and I remember asking her as a child why she didn't smoke when most of her generation did. She replied that she had done so as a matter of course when younger. But when the health risks started to become apparent in the 1960s it provided her with an excuse to give up because she had always hated smoking anyway. On the other hand many of her generation tried to give up repeatedly but in fact smoked until the day they died. This example shows that we should always test our habits and routines if we are to create the lifestyle and destiny that is really meant for us. Some things may prove to be a tough addiction to break, but many other personally destructive habits may turn out to have a relatively loose grip on us. Either way we need to know.
We also need to acknowledge that external factors are not what imprison us nearly as much as what is in our own minds. It is very easy to blame family, relationship, job, debt, religious upbringing or a thousand other circumstances for our lack of perceived freedom. But if we haven't freed our mind and started on the path to discovering our true Wyrd then we will just find ourselves trapped in endless cycles of running away and starting again. A friend of mine served a couple of prison sentences before he became the reformed character he is today. He told me that he realised that in prison he was actually freer than in any other circumstances in the sense that he had no responsibilities or duties to bind him. With this realisation that freedom was actually a state of mind came the start of freeing himself from criminal behaviour which had put him in prison in the first place.
The first stage of Stav practice is learning and daily practice of the stances. Stav literally means 'knowledge of the rune-staves' and the practice of the stances is the daily embodiment of the runes. The doing of the stances is a daily act of personal empowerment during which you are in control and totally responsible for what happens. By knowing, as opposed to needing a class or depending upon a book or dvd to remind you how to do the stances, your Stav practice cannot be taken away from you. So, even if you get washed up on a desert island with nothing or locked in high security prison cell you will still have your knowledge of the rune-staves and the ability to do the stances. Then the doing of them will maintain your sense of retaining some freedom and sense of purpose in your life. I hope nothing as extreme as shipwreck or incarceration ever befalls you but it makes the point. The world is full of people who actually have a decent place to live, an adequate income, relationships with perfectly worthy people and yet are still desperately unhappy and frustrated with life. If you are in this situation then you need to find a way of taking control and accepting that you can live out your Wyrd if you are prepared to see it for yourself and follow where it may take you.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Here is the next of my postings on the levels of Stav, the Karl.
Karl is the Norse for the Anglo-Saxon 'Churl'. This is another word we use today in a strange context when we talk about someone being 'churlish' or mean spirited. Originally the word Karl meant 'freeman' or 'farmer'. The implication being that someone who farmed his own land was free agent. Free in the sense that he had the means to support and feed his family and he took responsibility for the success or failure of his ventures. Also in Norse terms Karl is the second child who results from Rig's visit to Midgard. Karl and his descendants become skilled in building houses and barns, making carts, managing animals such as Oxen and growing crops.
This level is about taking responsibility for ourselves on a material and practical level. It is good to free ourselves from that which binds us but we must equally know how to equip ourselves to progress in life and be self-reliant. We can never really achieve freedom so long as we remain dependant upon others. This is not to say that we don't recognise the importance of interdependence. The farmer, the craftsman and all other forms of business are about supporting one another and seeking to create a sustainable and prosperous society. Just as our personal circumstances can seem to be a trap from which escape seems impossible on the Trel level. So economic and social situations can make doing business and making a living seem very difficult too. The difficulties are real enough but they shouldn't be insurmountable. As always it comes down to learning to see the realities with which we are having to work. On the Trel level we need to discover our inner demons and blocks and learn to release them. So on the Karl level we need to learn to see clearly what opportunities are present around us. On a traditional level it was knowing the trees, plants and animals present in your location. This is still a very good exercise to do today. As the next stage from knowing the names of the rune-staves and the stances it is a good idea to learn the plant, tree and animal associations. Then go out and learn how to recognise them in your locality. Knowledge of trees provides access to fuel, building and craft materials, some forms of food, medicine and ritual materials. Wood and other resources that trees provide are by no means redundant in our modern world. Even today people make their living as carpenters and joiners, making paper, growing fruit, laying hedges, basket weaving and making charcoal and much else. Even if you are not going to earn a living from working with the products of trees it is a very good Stav training in learning to see what is around you. This will also make you aware of the resources that are readily available to us if we can recognise them in their raw form. Once we can identify trees we can then learn how to convert their products into something useful.
Learning how to recognise resources and grasp opportunities is a lifelong process. When I was a child Dutch Elm disease arrived in Britain. In a short while it killed all the magnificent Elm trees which had dominated the landscape for generations. After that we assumed that the Elm was now gone from this island. However a few weeks ago we were holding our Summer Stav Camp at a site we have used several times before. I had always seen the hedges surrounding the site as mainly comprised of Hazel. But when I did a tree recognition walk and started by saying that we would look at the Hazel trees in the hedgerow next to where we were camping one of my students (who knows a lot more about trees and plants than I do) pointed out that the small trees in question were in fact Elm. Since I became aware of this I have been seeing Elm trees in hedgerows everywhere. Far from becoming extinct this species has become a hedgerow plant. It lasts up to about 20 years before the beetles find it and eventually kill it. It is sad that we no longer see the magnificent Elms I remember from childhood but this tree is still with us, albeit in a very different form. The Karl learns to see and be aware of things which have probably escaped the notice of most other people. This is a lifelong process and new awareness can come suddenly and unexpectedly, as did my awareness of Elm trees. But once you have opened your eyes you will see possibilities and opportunities everywhere. This is the beginning of awareness on the Karl level.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Here is the fourth part of my postings on the principles of Stav, The Herse.
Herse variously translates as 'warrior' or 'chieftain'. Herse isn't one of the sons of Rig, rather Jarl's father in law and we will come to Jarl next. Whether Herse is his name or his role isn't really clear from the Mythology and traditionally the distinction between role and name could be pretty blurred anyway. It is very likely that one of my ancestors practised the craft and trade of butchery and some stage and the name has remained in the family. Interesting to know if it does come via a tradesman or from the reputation of some particularly bloodthirsty warrior, but I digress.
The Herse is concerned with law, honour, justice and what we would now call civic society. Societies can exist just on a Karl level. Social groupings will be based on kinship or extended family and social discipline enforced by peer pressure and tribal elders. Loyalty to the tribe becomes the major social imperative and in a primitive setting it is the basis for survival and even a degree of prosperity. This mentality is still very common all over the world and even within our own society. We find it in any situation where gang or family loyalty takes precedence over the law of the land. Some immigrant communities can have this attitude, especially if they have come from a country where government is weak and not widely respected. Those who get involved in criminal enterprises such as dealing drugs may quickly find themselves unable to look to the police or other authorities for protection or support. The only people they can then rely on will be others involved in similar activities and they will quickly become aware of the disadvantages of becoming an outlaw. It does confer a certain kind of freedom but it carries enormous risks too.
Of course society is never perfect either and the law is always full of moral dilemmas where a perfectly well intentioned law may easily create very bad situations. A classic example is laws on self-defence which are intended to preserve life and minimise risk of unnecessary injury. In the UK ownership of firearms for self-defence purposes is almost impossible legally. This does reduce the number of guns in circulation which will in turn reduce the accidents and availability of such weapons to casual criminals. However, it also means that should you ever find yourself in a situation where a gun is going to be the only effective means of self-defence then you are going to be helpless. Of course many criminals simply own illegal firearms and rely on their associates not to inform on them. This may seem extreme to you but if if you purchase illegal drugs, even marijuana, you are involving yourself in an illegal enterprise and supporting the profits of crime. You may believe that some drugs should be legalised and the government is at fault for maintaining their prohibited status. This is a perfectly valid point of view, but it is another step entirely to decide that as a result there is no reason to obey the law. If you do so you are operating at the level of the tribal gang with all the risks that that entails.
Gaining knowledge and awareness on the Herse level is about observing how society really works. It is also about being familiar with the Ethical bind-rune and using it as a model for responsible and ethical living. As with all aspects of Stav gaining knowledge and awareness is a life long process. We will never know all there is to know about society or get a perfect understanding of how people think and behave. But I do believe that on the Herse level we have three responsibilities: Firstly, to acknowledge and uphold the law and behave as a responsible citizen. Secondly, to always seek justice and fairness and to hold the authorities and those who should uphold the law to account. And Thirdly, accept that law and its application is never perfect so learn as much as possible and speak out for changes and improvements in the way that civil society is organised and run. Of course in different times of our lives we will have more or less time and energy to devote to politics in either a large or small sense but it is an aspect we should always be aware of.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Part Five, The Jarl.
Jarl is the third son of Rig and as such he is born and raised to be a warrior and leader of men. His father in law is Herse or Chieftain as we saw above and his son is Konge, the first King of Denmark. The Anglo-Saxon for Jarl is Earl or the Latin equivalent is 'Count'. On a social and political level it is someone who can lead and preside over an area the size of a county. This concept is still very much with us in the sense that the Earl of a county may well have a seat in the House of Lords. A Bishop has a diocese which roughly corresponds to a County and even organisations such as the police are organised into county forces with a chief constable who could be referred to a the Jarl or Earl of Police for a particular county. Although you would need to know Stav or have a good grasp of history not to find the title rather archaic.
In terms of our development in Stav the Jarl level is one of detachment and spiritual growth. Spiritual growth doesn't necessarily have anything to do with religion, particularly organised religion. Which is not to say that following a faith may not be a very effective way to grow and develop as a person if you are that way inclined. The subject of Stav and religion is a matter for another time. Better to say that on the Jarl level we are looking for compassion, detachment and observation. Another way of looking at it is say that we are looking to see people as they really are and, when it applies, help them to know themselves too. This also means not being concerned what they think of us or needing their presence and attention to validate our existence. This means not disregarding them as friends but being able to enjoy them for who they are rather than what they do for us. We can also learn to leave judgement behind and cultivate observation. Judgement is what we do when have insufficient knowledge to really know something. Once we really know how to observe then judgement is unnecessary. A nice example, if you will forgive its political context, came over decade ago when William Hauge was leader of the Conservative party. When pressured to say what his party would do about the Euro currency he said that in ten years time it will so obviously be successful that it will make no sense not to join or will clearly be a disaster in which case the country will be glad it hadn't done.
In Stav martial training working with the Jarl level is about being able to respond spontaneously to an attack without having to use conscious judgement. This is built on the awareness of self and the potential of the body that comes on the Trel level, on the awareness of boundaries and how to protect them which develops on the Karl level and then by discovering how control of our own mind and body enables us to control an attacker on the Herse level.
The training needed on the Jarl level depends upon cultivating the same practice of observation and awareness that begins with the self-observation at the trel level but taking it to the level where we have no need of judgement.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Here is part six, the Konge principle.
Konge, the king or cunning man. We tend to think of Kings and Queens as rich people in big palaces who have inherited the title by accident of birth. In Stav terms the Konge level is when we realise that the Trel level, when we though had nothing, is actually the place of true freedom. Having gained awareness of self, of the material world, the social world and learned to observe without judgement we may, occasionally, reach a place of being totally aware of being in the now. We know we are centred in our web because there is simply no other place we can be, yet that is absolutely as it should be.
On the Konge level there need be no fear of death because one is so alive to the moment. In a combat situation the Konge state of mind can stare an enemy straight in the face and be willing to accept that in a few seconds time either they will be dead or the opponent will be and be completely at peace with that. Our martial training exercises explore this concept and we hope we never find ourselves in that situation for real. But if you can achieve that mindset when dealing with difficult situations of day to day life, then overcoming problems becomes quite simple because we have conquered our fear.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Here is the final part of my postings on the Five Principles of Stav.
Continuing on the path of Stav: I hope you have found this series of posts interesting and useful. The ideas contained with it are more or less universal in that all paths of self-development need to take into account the same basic realities and follow roughly the same steps. If you found yourself drawn to read this and it has resonated with you then you may like to to take it further. As you will have gathered Stav teaches the use of certain specific tools, notably the 16 rune-staves of the Younger Futhork, the five principles, which formed the structure of this series of postings and working with our personal web of wyrd and the universal web of orlog.
All human beings are striving to discover the eternal and fundamental truths of existence. Some don't seem to be making much effort in their present incarnation but they will still be learning something. Either way it isn't for us to judge others, our only responsibility is to our own path and in helping those who ask for our assistance. Stav provides a set of tried and tested tools which you may feel drawn to adopt for as long as they are helpful. If this is the case then I will be very happy to assist you in learning how to use them.
Please note that the dates for the 2012 Summer Stav Camp are the 10th to the 15th of July and the venue is in Northamptonshire. Full details to be posted soon.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
In over thirty five years of learning, practising and teaching martial arts I have come to realise that there are certain essential qualities that need to be cultivated. When I first started when I was fifteen I had no idea what I was letting myself in for but looking back I was looking for the qualities listed here. As a child I was dispraxic, had weak ankles and was always short of breath to the point that even a family walk was agony because of a continuous stitch. I don't think I was all that worried about violence. I knew that most of the time it could be avoided if you kept your wits about you. If the issue was really pushed then it is quite easy to hurt someone enough to make bullying a less than rewarding occupation, especially if they are lulled into a false sense of security by an act of fear and distress until the antagonist is close enough to be hit somewhere vulnerable.
So my interest in martial arts has always been much more in overcoming my own limitations rather than defeating anyone else. Now that I am in my early 50s my interest is in the extent to which the typical signs of old age can be held at bay by appropriate practice. Of course we all die one day, but until then I believe we have a lot of choice in the degree of health, well-being and vigour which we can enjoy. I am following the example of my teacher Ivar Hafskjold, by testing it out for myself and teaching others to enjoy the same benefits throughout their lives.
Not everyone would agree with my choice of the six key qualities to be cultivated through martial arts training which I will describe in the messages to follow over the next few days. But at least I hope it will give you something to think about.
regards
Graham
Greetings,
My name is Scott and I am new to Stav.
I am a Norse enthusiast who has been doing period combat, archery, weaponsmithing, armorsmithing and have participated in building and sailing period ships.
I am an active member of the SCA along with my girlfriend and we also play in a larp with my two adult children.
I had studied Ju Jutsu many years ago in the Riverside Drive Budist temple near were I was attending college. We were also taught the fundamentals of Kenjutsu and Hykujutsu (I think I am spelling that right it has been a while) which are of course the study of the katana and the Yumi bow.
When I was doing some security work I had even taken some courses with Stephan Hayes in Colorado in practical ninjutsu.
Unfortunately the responsabilities of a family took precidence over many of these interests and now after many years, extra pounds and some health issues I find myself with the time and motivation to pursue a course of study that would help my overall health and wellbeing and that would also coincide with my life interests.
Though I was at one time very much into the Japanese martial arts I had always wanted to move toward a more meditative art such as Ti ch. I never could really get off the ground as my devotion to medeival combat and recreation was so very consuming.
When I was looking up some information on Viking axe fighting I found myself carried off to the wonderful Stav videos done by Grahm and was fascinated...I could not believe that here was a practice of Scandinaviam martial arts utilizing the culture, phylosophy and weapons I already was familiar with, yet had the additional benefit of a discaplined and systematic presentation very much like the oriental arts I had already studied.
I have sent to England for the begining books to read over(for some reason the US group was out of them) and I have viewed every bit of info I could find on the web. I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of the liturature so I can get a better understanding of Stav and take the next steps.
I had two questions initially,
1- Is there any place I can find info on the construction of the Stav weaponry, such as the axes, that were shown in the video, or some of the specs of the equipment and background of why these particular ones are used?
2- Is there anyone that I can get in touch with that practices the art here in central Florida?
I look forward to launching out on this new journey and any information you can share.
Scott Brown
Masters Reply
Hi Scott
Thank you for your order, I will get the books to you asap. I will also send you details of how to make the training axes, it sounds like you shouldn't have any trouble constructing one.
I am coming over to the states to teach a weekend course in Maryland on the 30th of April until the 2nd of May. I know it is a long way from Florida but I do have a student in North Carolina who can teach which is a bit nearer. We were hoping to hold a second course on the 7th and 8th of May in Asheville NC but lack of support means it makes more sense at this stage for the two people who would have hosted it to come to MD for the first weekend. We may be able to schedule a course in NC in the autumn if there is enough support. Details of the MD course at www.iceandfire.us
regards
Graham
The Stavian Epistles
Hi Scott
Thanks for signing up for my list. You can access the Web of Wyrd
Magazine archive from here clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9vNN2&m=LrtQ.niXUknSVw&b=xbZ9VNWomch8e8XEiwHdkQ
To welcome you three messages will be sent to give you a bit more
idea what Stav is about. You will also be receiving my regular updates
and links to my blog. Please feel free to pass these messages on to
anyone else who may be interested.
I suppose the key for me is that Stav provides a manageable daily
practice in the stances. If I needed a particular space and
environment and special clothes and equipment and a minimum of an
hour to do a full routine I would have major problems maintaining
any kind of regular practice. I travel a lot for work and sometimes
put in very long hours, I often don't have access to equipment or
even the opportunity to change into training clothes. But so long
as I can get some space, preferably out of doors but not necessarily,
I can do the stances in 4 to 5 minutes for each side. And I can
honestly claim that I fail to do the stances about once a year,
every other day I will have done them. Maybe that makes me some
kind of obsessive fanatic but I want Stav to be part of my life and
if something is valuable you have to be willing to fight for it and
hang onto it.
The thing about Stav is that once you have learned the basics then
it becomes embodied in you, so wherever you are you have it to work
with, that could include being stranded on a desert island or held
in a high security prison cell, it can't be taken away from you.
That is not to say that when I have time and space and equipment
available I don't like to do a full training session with galdre
stances and weapon training and I do so as often as I can. But if
I am away from home and only have a few minutes I can still do the
basic stances and I don't lose the practice. It also means that I
have a few minutes of being centred in myself and rediscovering who
I am. When you are living and working in environments which are
transient and often unfamiliar then it is easy to become disorientated
and ungrounded, doing the stances will ground you and remind you that
wherever you are you are always centred in your own web. Not that you
can actually ever be anywhere else, but we easily forget.
In your next message I will write about how and why I benefit from
doing the stances in other ways.
For details of workshops and courses visit
clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9vNN2&m=LrtQ.niXUknSVw&b=gx0K.WUThlC2J.ZPv0KDtw
regards
Graham Butcher
Hi Scott
Thanks for being one of the guineapigs who signed up for my list in the last 24 hours. Sorry for the confusion regarding broken links and thanks for your patience. I have now ironed out the teething problems and the whole signup process now seems to be working fine.
I will be mailing again regularly soon, just need to finish some articles for the next edition of the Web of Wyrd first.
Thanks again and will be in touch soon.
regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Lets look at why I think doing the stances is beneficial. I have
been doing them daily for nearly 20 years now so I am pretty well
qualified to comment on the matter. You can consider the benefits
in several aspects, physical, mental, energetic, psychic and as a
basis for doing other activities such as martial arts. For today I
will consider the basic physical experience of daily performing the
stances.
The emphasis on daily is very important. Sometimes people who have
just done the stances once will report feeling more relaxed and
sleeping well afterwards but that experience, no matter how pleasant,
cannot continue without a regular practice. The stances promote deep
and natural breathing and enable gentle toning and stretching on the
muscles, tendons and sinews. Thanks to the slow and deliberate way
in which they are performed the muscles have time to fully extend and
the joints to achieve their full range of movement. The stances which
involve standing on one leg, Rei and Bjork develop balance and strengthen
the stabiliser muscles in the leg you use to stand on. The turns between
some of the stances also develop stability and balance.
Core strength is developed and maintained too through the deep,
controlled breathing, especially in the galdre versions. Breath
control is actually the most effective way of developing core strength
since it is the best way to exercise the muscles in the lower abdomen.
Correct posture is developed through practice of the stances. This
comes from an awareness of being centred and balanced and through
developing core stability.
Even if you are physically active in work or sport it is unlikely you
will be maintaining balance in your body. Practice of the Stances
will bring the body back into balance. If you are injured then
practising the stances appropriately will enable you to make a speedier
recovery. Occasionally I strain my back, usually through a combination
of excessively heavy work and becoming over tired. When this happens
it does make doing the full set of Stances rather difficult, especially
Ur. However by persisting and doing the stances gently my range of
movement recovers and I am helped by knowing the full range of movement
I should have and the practice ensures I recover it. Otherwise it
can be too easy to decide that you cannot risk hurting yourself and
soon lose your full range of movement.
All these benefits require regular practice to achieve and maintain
them. But the most fundamental reason for long term practice is that
the human body is constantly renewing itself and this renewal happens
in accordance with the experience the body undergoes. As far as the
stances are concerned this means that every day the body is correctly
aligned, balanced and stretched and undergoes pretty much its full
range of motion. This seems to affect the long term structure of
the body. Ivar Hafskjold is in his mid 60s now yet is fitter than
many half his age. I am in my early 50s now but find I can cope with
heavier work and more demanding training than I could 25 years ago.
I am not intending to boast, but Stav works for me and I firmly
believe it can do the same for anyone else who is willing to make
the effort to learn how to do the stances, and more important, do
them regularly.
regards
Graham Butcher
Hi Scott
In my last message I wrote about the benefits to your body of performing
the stances. In this message I would like to consider the potential
effects on the mind of this practice.
Doing the stances is a form of meditation and the basic purpose of
meditation is to calm the "monkey mind" as the Buddhists put it.
Buddhists use the term monkey because this particular tradition
originates and is widely practised in places where monkeys are a
familiar sight. In the Stav tradition we might better use the term
"Squirrel mind" and reference Ratatosk who runs up and down the
Yggrasil tree carrying malicious messages between the eagle which
lives at the top and Nidhogg, the dragon who lives at the base.
The Ygrasill tree can be seen as representing the self with the Eagle
as the higher self and the dragon as the most primitive aspects of
ourselves. Neither aspect is better than the other, to be complete
we have to accept ourselves as both beast and angel. The higher and
lower, or however you want to describe them, aspects of ourselves are
both essential aspects of our whole selves. Each aspect has its own
kind of innate wisdom which we would do well to learn to listen to.
The problem is our conscious, everyday mind which seems to forget how
to listen to either what our body has to tell us about our fundamental
needs or our conscience which can guide us to our higher purpose. For
some perverse reason our squirrel mind just wants to set one off against
the other and sabotage our chances of either happiness or fulfilment.
So, when performing the stances we are looking to focus, calm and open
the mind. We are not looking to receive some great insight or wisdom,
that may come, but only in its own time. What matters is that we clear
away chatter and distraction, learning how to ignore the incessant
chatter of the squirrel.
How to do this? The galdre stances have the advantage of bringing
sound into practice and this certainly helps block out the chatter
of the squirrel mind. I would recommend doing galdre stances once or
twice a week for this reason as well as the way it will enhanced your
breathing. When doing silent stances in the trel or konge versions
you can try disciplining the mind to be clear and if you have a gift
for meditation, if there is such a thing, you should be able to clear
your mind as you do the stances. I personally don't find this easy
and my inner squirrel is large, energetic and of the high decibel
variety. So, rather than fight him I recite the rune poems to myself
as I do them, one half as I breath in, the other as I breath out.
It works for me and it is a good way of learning the rune poems and
making sure you don't forget them.
I can't promise that doing the stances will change your life over
night but it does bring an awareness that we can take control over
our own body and decide, at least for a few minutes what thoughts
occupy our minds. This is actually a pretty big step towards
genuine freedom.
regards
Graham Butcher
Hi Scott
We had a good day on Saturday in Bletchingley which is in Surrey near Redhill. We used a school room in a church hall which was built about 100 years ago as a gymnasium for the benefit of local youths. So it was quite an appropriate place for Stav training. Guy Arnold organised the event and it was a chance to introduce Stav to some complete beginners although most of those training had done at lest one session before. We are going to arrange another session there at the end of October. So if you live in that area watch this space for notification of dates.
We like to think Stav is a simple system to learn and practice and we try to keep it that way. But these things are all relative and all we managed to cover in one day was staff exercises, introducing the Trel Stances and working with the five staff against staff five principles basics. We did do a little bit of self-defence at the end of the day but only for about half an hour which meant no more than introducing the Trel response to a knife attack. We did work in some depth with the staff exercises so it was worth doing and it lays a solid foundation for further training but it would have been nice to introduce the axe, try out the nine guards with the staff. Then train with the sword and perhaps use the nine guards with the spear to counter that. To say nothing of the basic nine exercises for self-defence I have been working on and would have liked to introduce on Saturday.
There is an argument that all you need to do in Stav is the stances, have some exercise for working with the lines which can be as minimum as two or three cutting exercises and simple drills for practising the five basics. In a sense this is true. If you apply the 20/80 rule to Stav training then 20 percent of the training you could do is going to bring you 80 percent of the benefits you are going to get from your training. When you have been training long enough to have a wide range of options then you can select the specific drills and practice which you get the most benefit from. But you need a wide range of options to know which ones are the most important ones to you. You have to learn a lot so that you can select a little. Even then the stuff that doesn't necessarily bring the greatest benefits with the least effort will still be worth knowing, especially if you are a teacher. Your students selection of 20/80 may well be different to yours so they need the choice.
Later this year I will be selective on courses and plan each one on a particular theme so it can be covered thoroughly on that day. So one day will be devoted to staff, another self-defence and another axe training. You are learning the same basic principles by each method but discovering different ways of doing it. By seeing these different approaches you will hopefully gain different insights.
So over the next couple of weeks I will be posting new material to You Tube showing various training methods. I have got some great footage of the nine guards we filmed in Sheffield a few weeks ago. But of course there is no substitute for coming to proper training. Warrior Camp on 18th and 19th of June when I will cover as much weapon training as I can and give a substantial amount of time to unarmed training. Then you can train with Ivar himself on the 20th to 24th of July. If you haven't already booked for this then you have missed the early booking discount but I am prepared to offer both camps for £220 (or £205 if you are a member of Ice and Fire.) So no excuse for not being there.
regards
Graham
Hi Scott
How do you cope with training when one is physically exhausted? For most people in our sedentary society the problem is not getting enough activity. They may be very busy and mentally active but the amount of physical exertion they undertake is minimal. Hence the massive fitness industry of gyms and health-clubs where people are supposed to be able to maintain some level of fitness albeit at huge expense. In my case I use Stav training and related activities to enable me to cope with a high degree of physical stress. For example last week we were painting the woodwork on a three storey building. To gain access this means erecting and dismantling six or seven metre high scaffolding towers. Later in the project there will be sections where we will have to operate up to ten metres. The towers are made of aluminium which makes them manageable but some of the sections are still about two metres high by 0.6 wide and weigh quite a lot. On the ground this isn't such a big deal but hoisting the pieces up to a height of several metres and then dropping them into place requires balance and control to do it safely.
The stances teach balance and awareness of one's centre which is certainly important when constructing a scaffold tower. Also in preparation I have been using a pull up bar to help me get used to the climbing involved and working with a kettle bell to improve strength for handling the big sections while balancing on a couple of horizontal pipes before the platforms are in place. So far it has worked and I have been able to manage the towers and the work with no ill effects.
However when we are on the job there is little time and frankly little energy for training before or after work. So I do the stances each morning and evening and that keeps things balanced and maintains my foundation for the periods between jobs when I have got time and energy for concentrated training.
I know I have a rather different lifestyle to many modern people in that I make a major part of my living by physical effort and application of manual skill. But that is the environment that Stav originated in and it still works today.
I will be looking at the issue of how to develop the right training system for you at the Warrior Camp this weekend, it isn't too late to sign up.
regards
Graham
Hi Scott
We had a good weekend for the Warrior Camp. I had to set up in the rain on the Friday but the weather on Saturday was better than forecast and pretty good on Sunday. So we were able to get some good training in. Shot quite a lot of video so there will be some new stuff on You Tube as soon as I have time to get it edited.
We did some unarmed training on the Sunday but most of the time we worked with the staff, axe, cudgel and sax. These are weapons which are pretty much unique to Stav. Although a lot of systems use a staff it may be smaller than the one we use as in the jo or bigger as in the bo. Others such as the axe are completely unique as a martial art weapon although obviously re-enactors use them for displays. So over the years I have had to make my own equipment and supply people I have been training.
I am currently in the process of creating an online course in making Stav training weapons. This programme which will eventually include instruction sheets on how to make all the ones we commonly train with. It begins with a report on the seven main things you need to know before making martial arts weapons. The second one will explain how to mark out and shape a piece of wood so that you can get the right profile for a sword, spear or training knife. The first actual project is making a training knife.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
I am sorry if you received messages with links that didn't work, I don't know why, they are definitely there on the server and opened when I tested them. However I am working away from home at the moment and don't have access to a computer to sort things out. So if you would like to see the weapon making instructions these files are located on a different server so you should get them. I am still getting the hang of this system so thank you for your patience.
clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9vNN2&m=3b4ghZuZV6knSVw&b=KuYnRSgDn1mtdP5iFx9HWA
Seven things to know before making your own weapons
Marking out and shaping technique
Making a training knife
Making an axe
Instructions for spear, axe and staff to follow when I am working at home again in a couple of weeks.
regards
Graham
Making your own Martial Arts Training Weapons
The Seven Essential Steps to Making your own Martial Arts Training Weapons
by Graham Butcher
Introduction: When Ivar Hafskjold started teaching Stav in the UK in 1992 he had
just returned to Japan with a 4th Dan in JoJutsu
and KenJutsu.
So for our weapon
training we used jo and boken as our equipment. This was fine to begin with but since
Stav is essentially a European tradition I wanted to train with European weapons
such as the axe, sax and spear. Even the European staff is different to a jo or bo being
about half way between the two in size and weight. Over the last 18 years I have
designed, constructed and extensively trained with the weapons described in the
design sheets I am going to share with you. I won't bore you with a complete design
and development history of the Stav training axe for example, I might do that as a
bonus article sometime, but trust me all previous designs were tested to destruction at
some time or another. So when I say this is the way to make it for efficient training,
durability and safety I know what I am talking about.
The weapons I will be showing you how to make are specific to Ice and Fire Stav, eg my
lineage of Stav teaching, Another Stav teacher may not teach all of them and may use
other weapons altogether, if you want to learn all of them then check first that the
teacher you have found is actually qualified to teach all of them.
If you do a different Martial Art, European or from other parts of the world then I am
not guaranteeing that these exact designs are going to be suitable. Of course the basic
principles of design, fabrication and finishing can be adapted to making any wooden
training weapons and feel free to experiment and apply what you have learned to other
design requirements. However I cannot be responsible for how well the resulting
weapon performs but I am sure you realise that. So, good luck with refining the
design until you get just what you are looking for, it took me well over a decade to get
my axe design just right so don't be in too much of a hurry.
Our objective is to make weapons which are effective and enjoyable to train with,
durable and long lasting and, very important, safe when in use. Lets consider the
seven essential factors in making such weapons.
1 You need the right wood. If you are going to make a staff from ready sawn
seasoned wood then I would recommend Oak. You can get a very nice staff from
cutting a Hazel wand and you might find an Ash or Yew sapling which is the right size
to make a staff but cutting natural staffs and walking sticks is a slightly different
subject which I will cover elsewhere. For all the other weapons described you really
need Ash. Hickory might be an option in North America but it is pretty heavy and
hard to work. You might have to search quite hard to find a stockist who can supply
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Making your own Martial Arts Training Weapons
what you need. The average timber yard in the UK does not stock hard woods. So ask
around and find one which supplies the specialist furniture making trade or similar
and they will be able to help you.
When selecting the wood it needs to have straight grain running along the length of
the piece and preferably no knots. If you explain to your stockist what you want and
why it matters he should be able to help you. If you can build a good relationship with
your timber supplier he may even put pieces aside for you which are suitable for your
needs.
Last point here, do not train with anything made from softwood. Even if it is good
quality joinery grade timber it will not stand up to being practiced with. On impact it
will almost certainly splinter and the sharp points resulting will be very dangerous.
Having said that the proper hardwood is going to be relatively expensive and harder to
work than the softwood so it would be a good idea to test out your skills on scraps of
joinery timber to build up your skills, just don't be tempted to do serious training with
the results.
2 You need some basic tools. Most households should have the basic tools you need
somewhere. If not you can borrow them or if you shop around buy them for a
reasonable sum. Once you have a kit for making training weapons and the skill to use
them you will be well set up for doing basic woodwork repairs and projects around the
house so it will be a good investment. Obviously if you have access to a good range of
tools for your work or DIY projects then you will probably have everything you need
and more.
Lets divide the tools into categories depending upon what we are going to be using
them for:
Measuring and marking out tools Tape
measure, set square, rule/straight edge and
hard pencil.
Cutting tools – Basically a good saw. If you are buying one for the job then a good
quality rip saw with fairly fine teeth is probably your best choice. If you have access to
a cutoff
saw then that will be useful.
Shaping tools Basically
plane and rasp. Planes come in all shapes and sizes. Ideally
I would recommend one full sized jack plane and a small block plane. If you are
starting from scratch then you will be able to start just with a small block plane. On
the other hand if you are well equipped then an electric plane can save a lot of time on
the major removal of wood. Get a fine rather than a coarse rasp. Again, if you are just
starting out then a piece of coarse abrasive paper wrapped around a piece of dowelling
will serve well enough.
Page 2 of 4
Making your own Martial Arts Training Weapons
Holding tools – Basically a vice and clamps on a reasonably stable workbench. To
make a wooden knife you will probably get away with using a workmate type folding
workbench. For shaping longer weapons such as staffs and spears I made a veeblock
bench which is a piece of two by four which clamps edge on onto a multi position ladder
in its bench form. A Veegroove
has been planed into the top edge and a beechwood
stop fitted at one end. A long work piece can be laid in the groove and easily and
safely planed until it is round. At the least you will need some Gclamps
and scraps of
wood to make locating stops on a strong table.
Other tools – for making the axe you will need a drill and 8mm bit, any kind of drill
will do, electric, cordless or even a hand drill, you will only be making three holes. To
cut out the notches in the sword hilt you will need a chisel and an mallet to hit it with.
It would also be a good idea to have an oil stone for sharpening the plane blades when
necessary.
If you are a complete beginner I would recommend taking this article to a friend or
relative who does know wood working, ask them to read this section and then show
you the tools listed. Then see if you can get them to give you a lesson on how to use
them. None of the tools listed are massively dangerous but you can give yourself a
nasty cut if you are careless with the sharp ones.
3 Measuring and marking out are essential skills. There is always the
temptation to dive in and start hacking away at the wood you have just bought. Don't
be. The first lesson is how to mark out your wood using measure, square and rule.
Practice this on some scrap wood first and then cutting and shaping to your marks.
Details of measurements and marking are clearly explained in the instructions for
each weapon and you will only really get the results you are looking for if you follow
them.
4 Learn how to read the grain of the wood. I have mentioned this above in the
section on choosing your wood. If the grain doesn't run the length of the weapon then
it is going to break when used, guaranteed. So check this when selecting a piece to
use, obviously the longer the weapon, especially a spear, then the better the run of the
grain has to be. Explain to your timber stockist what you are making and why it
matters and he should be able to help you select the right piece for the job.
When shaping the wood, especially with a plane you need to be working with the grain
or the wood will simply tear leaving grooves which may be too deep to sand out later.
You will learn to see this with practice and when the wood is showing signs of tearing
in one direction simply plane in the other direction.
Page 3 of 4
Making your own Martial Arts Training Weapons
5 Learn how to use a saw and plane correctly. The saw and plane are your
essential tools when doing this kind of work, get some one to show you how to use
them correctly and practice on scrap wood. Also get someone who knows what they are
doing to show you how to sharpen and set a plane correctly, it will make all the
difference to your finished results.
6 Be prepared to put the time and effort into getting a good finish. If you are
working with Oak and you can plane with the grain you may well be able to get a good
finish just from the blade and not need abrasives at all. If you have sanded it finish
with a very fine paper, 120 grade and don't treat it with anything. As you train with it
the oil from your hands will gradually build up a nice patina on the surface.
This principle doesn't seem to work quite the same way with Ash which just gets dirty
if the surface isn't sealed in some way. Finish with Aluminium Oxide paper, the green
one, starting with 60 grade, then some 80 grade and finish with 120 grade. Then treat
with Danish Oil or similar.
7 Safety considerations. As far as the weapons themselves are concerned make sure
they are made so that they are not going to break into sharp splinters. These make
great stakes for killing vampires, not so good when working with a normal human
being. Make sure the surface is well finished as described above to minimise the risk
of smaller splinters breaking off. Also, maintain your weapons so if they get slightly
damaged in training (they shouldn't break if made correctly) then sand down the
damaged area and apply Danish oil before any splinters break off.
Please pay attention to the measurements and marking out in the instructions. Your
training weapons need to have blunt ends and edges to be safe so for example, the axe
blade edge should be at least 1 cm wide and the point on a sword or spear should have
an area of about 1 cm by 1.5 cm, don't be tempted to sharpen them to more of a point
than that. Also make sure you sand off all sharp corners, this is important for
durability as well as safety.
Finally get properly trained in using your weapons, especially if you are going to work
with a partner.
Happy wood working
Graham Butcher
© Ice and Fire Ltd. June 2011
Hi Scott
It has been a while since my last posting, sorry about that, it is mainly because I have been away and usually camping for most of the past two months. I have been working away from home and staying on a rather beautiful camp site on the bank of the river Thames in Oxfordshire. After that we had the Warrior camp when we were able to do some serious and advanced training. I recorded quite a lot of video there which will form the basis of a new DVD which ready quite soon. Then there was the Rural Crafts Camp where I did some teaching but also managed to pick up some interesting idea from both Systema and Tai Chi workshops which were held there. Then it was our Summer Stav Camp with Ivar which went very well. Then in the past week I have been to Druid camp which was a wonderful experience as it usually is.
So, I have seen a lot of the outdoors, but not much of my computer. Yes it is technically possible to post from my Black Berry and much as I love mine doing any really serious writing is really too tedious. The good news is that I have been inspired to write again so I shall try and make up for it over the next few weeks. First will be an extensive article on Stav as a path of self-development which you get to read in several episodes. Later it will form the basis of a pdf download. To follow there will be a 7 part article on Stav as a martial art.
Just before you start on that though you might like to put the dates for next year's summer camp in your diary. It will be on the 10th to 15th of July 2012 on a new site in the Midlands. There will be a new format to the programme too. More soon.
The Path of Stav - Part 1
It is now getting on for 20 years since I met Ivar Hafskjold and began learning Stav. At first I saw it mainly as a martial art. After a period of time I began to see it more as a way of life and a path to personal growth and greater self knowledge. I guess I could use the term 'path to enlightenment' but to me that sounds a bit pretentious and belongs to a different tradition. But if that term works for you then that's fine with me.
I know that Stav is right for me for several reasons. I am European so its language, symbols, culture, heritage and history belong to me and I am made more complete by knowing and trying to understand them. This in no sense denigrates the oriental traditions which have become so popular in the West in recent decades. Indeed we have drawn heavily on the Budo and Taoist arts to develop an effective form of martial training within which to explore the principles of Stav. However I do believe that there is a limit to our development within a system of training and practice which we are not linguistically and culturally equipped to understand. I once asked Ivar why he came back to Europe after 14 years in Japan and decided to concentrate on Stav instead of the Budo arts in which he had immersed himself so deeply. His answer was that he had realised that he was never going to become Japanese. I believe that we can and should learn a great deal from any source of wisdom that comes our way. But we should also be true to our roots and remember our own heritage.
In this series of postings I have concentrated on the stages of personal development that should come through a serious practice of Stav. These stages have traditional names and I have attempted to explore what these names mean and some of their implications. There is not much detail on the actual practices and methods which we use, but that is the subject of a much longer piece of writing.
A couple of things may be helpful at this stage:
Firstly, the names of the levels or stages described below come from the Lay of Rig in the Elder Edda. This poem tells the story of how the classes of mankind, the Trel, Karl, Herse, Jarl and Konge came into being and suggests something about their roles. There are many ways of interpreting this story and here it provide us with a model for self-development and building self- awareness.
Secondly, Stav is about learning to work with the Web of Orlog, the fundamental structure of the universe and to live out our own personal web of wyrd, in other words discovering and following our unique purpose in life.
Stav isn't for everyone, but if you are reading this you must have been led this far for some good reason. So I hope that what you read over my next few postings will help you understand a little more about the path of Stav.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Here is the second part of my article on the path of Stav.
The Trel
The first stage of changing our lives and moving forward comes from realising where we are bound and stuck. We call this first level the Trel level which is the Norse word for the Anglo-Saxon 'Thrall'. The word Thrall means someone who is in some kind of bondage to another person. In Feudal times it meant a bonded labourer who had no freedom of movement or choice in what work he did for his master. These days we are most likely to come across the word in a positive usage. E.g. "I was enthralled by that wonderful movie." Or some other uplifting experience. That is fine when it is a matter of enjoying a special experience but we also need to be conscious of the less positive things to which we are enthralled. I could go into a long list of the things which commonly enthral people, some are inherently unhealthy or destructive and some basically benign yet still a distraction from our true path. This morning I got up at six o'clock with the intention of writing this and another article. I made up my mind that as soon as I had done my stances I would sit down at my computer with my porridge and begin to write. Yet before I brought up the word processor I visited two of my favourite alternative news sites and read two articles. They were excellent pieces of writing and I am glad I have read them but it could have waited until after I had done this. I admit I struggle with being enthralled to reading alternative news on the internet. Not a bad thing in itself but easily a trap if I don't manage myself carefully.
I am not going to try and guess what you are enthralled to. I expect you have your suspicions anyway. If you want to test what has you in its grip then simply try going without for a minimum of three days and see what happens. It can be quite surprising to discover what is really holding us in its grasp. The three day abstinence test can provide quite a shock. Sometimes we realise that some things are just a habit which we can actually let go of quite easily. But just the idea of being without something else can really panic us. My aunt was born around 1915 and I remember asking her as a child why she didn't smoke when most of her generation did. She replied that she had done so as a matter of course when younger. But when the health risks started to become apparent in the 1960s it provided her with an excuse to give up because she had always hated smoking anyway. On the other hand many of her generation tried to give up repeatedly but in fact smoked until the day they died. This example shows that we should always test our habits and routines if we are to create the lifestyle and destiny that is really meant for us. Some things may prove to be a tough addiction to break, but many other personally destructive habits may turn out to have a relatively loose grip on us. Either way we need to know.
We also need to acknowledge that external factors are not what imprison us nearly as much as what is in our own minds. It is very easy to blame family, relationship, job, debt, religious upbringing or a thousand other circumstances for our lack of perceived freedom. But if we haven't freed our mind and started on the path to discovering our true Wyrd then we will just find ourselves trapped in endless cycles of running away and starting again. A friend of mine served a couple of prison sentences before he became the reformed character he is today. He told me that he realised that in prison he was actually freer than in any other circumstances in the sense that he had no responsibilities or duties to bind him. With this realisation that freedom was actually a state of mind came the start of freeing himself from criminal behaviour which had put him in prison in the first place.
The first stage of Stav practice is learning and daily practice of the stances. Stav literally means 'knowledge of the rune-staves' and the practice of the stances is the daily embodiment of the runes. The doing of the stances is a daily act of personal empowerment during which you are in control and totally responsible for what happens. By knowing, as opposed to needing a class or depending upon a book or dvd to remind you how to do the stances, your Stav practice cannot be taken away from you. So, even if you get washed up on a desert island with nothing or locked in high security prison cell you will still have your knowledge of the rune-staves and the ability to do the stances. Then the doing of them will maintain your sense of retaining some freedom and sense of purpose in your life. I hope nothing as extreme as shipwreck or incarceration ever befalls you but it makes the point. The world is full of people who actually have a decent place to live, an adequate income, relationships with perfectly worthy people and yet are still desperately unhappy and frustrated with life. If you are in this situation then you need to find a way of taking control and accepting that you can live out your Wyrd if you are prepared to see it for yourself and follow where it may take you.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Here is the next of my postings on the levels of Stav, the Karl.
Karl is the Norse for the Anglo-Saxon 'Churl'. This is another word we use today in a strange context when we talk about someone being 'churlish' or mean spirited. Originally the word Karl meant 'freeman' or 'farmer'. The implication being that someone who farmed his own land was free agent. Free in the sense that he had the means to support and feed his family and he took responsibility for the success or failure of his ventures. Also in Norse terms Karl is the second child who results from Rig's visit to Midgard. Karl and his descendants become skilled in building houses and barns, making carts, managing animals such as Oxen and growing crops.
This level is about taking responsibility for ourselves on a material and practical level. It is good to free ourselves from that which binds us but we must equally know how to equip ourselves to progress in life and be self-reliant. We can never really achieve freedom so long as we remain dependant upon others. This is not to say that we don't recognise the importance of interdependence. The farmer, the craftsman and all other forms of business are about supporting one another and seeking to create a sustainable and prosperous society. Just as our personal circumstances can seem to be a trap from which escape seems impossible on the Trel level. So economic and social situations can make doing business and making a living seem very difficult too. The difficulties are real enough but they shouldn't be insurmountable. As always it comes down to learning to see the realities with which we are having to work. On the Trel level we need to discover our inner demons and blocks and learn to release them. So on the Karl level we need to learn to see clearly what opportunities are present around us. On a traditional level it was knowing the trees, plants and animals present in your location. This is still a very good exercise to do today. As the next stage from knowing the names of the rune-staves and the stances it is a good idea to learn the plant, tree and animal associations. Then go out and learn how to recognise them in your locality. Knowledge of trees provides access to fuel, building and craft materials, some forms of food, medicine and ritual materials. Wood and other resources that trees provide are by no means redundant in our modern world. Even today people make their living as carpenters and joiners, making paper, growing fruit, laying hedges, basket weaving and making charcoal and much else. Even if you are not going to earn a living from working with the products of trees it is a very good Stav training in learning to see what is around you. This will also make you aware of the resources that are readily available to us if we can recognise them in their raw form. Once we can identify trees we can then learn how to convert their products into something useful.
Learning how to recognise resources and grasp opportunities is a lifelong process. When I was a child Dutch Elm disease arrived in Britain. In a short while it killed all the magnificent Elm trees which had dominated the landscape for generations. After that we assumed that the Elm was now gone from this island. However a few weeks ago we were holding our Summer Stav Camp at a site we have used several times before. I had always seen the hedges surrounding the site as mainly comprised of Hazel. But when I did a tree recognition walk and started by saying that we would look at the Hazel trees in the hedgerow next to where we were camping one of my students (who knows a lot more about trees and plants than I do) pointed out that the small trees in question were in fact Elm. Since I became aware of this I have been seeing Elm trees in hedgerows everywhere. Far from becoming extinct this species has become a hedgerow plant. It lasts up to about 20 years before the beetles find it and eventually kill it. It is sad that we no longer see the magnificent Elms I remember from childhood but this tree is still with us, albeit in a very different form. The Karl learns to see and be aware of things which have probably escaped the notice of most other people. This is a lifelong process and new awareness can come suddenly and unexpectedly, as did my awareness of Elm trees. But once you have opened your eyes you will see possibilities and opportunities everywhere. This is the beginning of awareness on the Karl level.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Here is the fourth part of my postings on the principles of Stav, The Herse.
Herse variously translates as 'warrior' or 'chieftain'. Herse isn't one of the sons of Rig, rather Jarl's father in law and we will come to Jarl next. Whether Herse is his name or his role isn't really clear from the Mythology and traditionally the distinction between role and name could be pretty blurred anyway. It is very likely that one of my ancestors practised the craft and trade of butchery and some stage and the name has remained in the family. Interesting to know if it does come via a tradesman or from the reputation of some particularly bloodthirsty warrior, but I digress.
The Herse is concerned with law, honour, justice and what we would now call civic society. Societies can exist just on a Karl level. Social groupings will be based on kinship or extended family and social discipline enforced by peer pressure and tribal elders. Loyalty to the tribe becomes the major social imperative and in a primitive setting it is the basis for survival and even a degree of prosperity. This mentality is still very common all over the world and even within our own society. We find it in any situation where gang or family loyalty takes precedence over the law of the land. Some immigrant communities can have this attitude, especially if they have come from a country where government is weak and not widely respected. Those who get involved in criminal enterprises such as dealing drugs may quickly find themselves unable to look to the police or other authorities for protection or support. The only people they can then rely on will be others involved in similar activities and they will quickly become aware of the disadvantages of becoming an outlaw. It does confer a certain kind of freedom but it carries enormous risks too.
Of course society is never perfect either and the law is always full of moral dilemmas where a perfectly well intentioned law may easily create very bad situations. A classic example is laws on self-defence which are intended to preserve life and minimise risk of unnecessary injury. In the UK ownership of firearms for self-defence purposes is almost impossible legally. This does reduce the number of guns in circulation which will in turn reduce the accidents and availability of such weapons to casual criminals. However, it also means that should you ever find yourself in a situation where a gun is going to be the only effective means of self-defence then you are going to be helpless. Of course many criminals simply own illegal firearms and rely on their associates not to inform on them. This may seem extreme to you but if if you purchase illegal drugs, even marijuana, you are involving yourself in an illegal enterprise and supporting the profits of crime. You may believe that some drugs should be legalised and the government is at fault for maintaining their prohibited status. This is a perfectly valid point of view, but it is another step entirely to decide that as a result there is no reason to obey the law. If you do so you are operating at the level of the tribal gang with all the risks that that entails.
Gaining knowledge and awareness on the Herse level is about observing how society really works. It is also about being familiar with the Ethical bind-rune and using it as a model for responsible and ethical living. As with all aspects of Stav gaining knowledge and awareness is a life long process. We will never know all there is to know about society or get a perfect understanding of how people think and behave. But I do believe that on the Herse level we have three responsibilities: Firstly, to acknowledge and uphold the law and behave as a responsible citizen. Secondly, to always seek justice and fairness and to hold the authorities and those who should uphold the law to account. And Thirdly, accept that law and its application is never perfect so learn as much as possible and speak out for changes and improvements in the way that civil society is organised and run. Of course in different times of our lives we will have more or less time and energy to devote to politics in either a large or small sense but it is an aspect we should always be aware of.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Part Five, The Jarl.
Jarl is the third son of Rig and as such he is born and raised to be a warrior and leader of men. His father in law is Herse or Chieftain as we saw above and his son is Konge, the first King of Denmark. The Anglo-Saxon for Jarl is Earl or the Latin equivalent is 'Count'. On a social and political level it is someone who can lead and preside over an area the size of a county. This concept is still very much with us in the sense that the Earl of a county may well have a seat in the House of Lords. A Bishop has a diocese which roughly corresponds to a County and even organisations such as the police are organised into county forces with a chief constable who could be referred to a the Jarl or Earl of Police for a particular county. Although you would need to know Stav or have a good grasp of history not to find the title rather archaic.
In terms of our development in Stav the Jarl level is one of detachment and spiritual growth. Spiritual growth doesn't necessarily have anything to do with religion, particularly organised religion. Which is not to say that following a faith may not be a very effective way to grow and develop as a person if you are that way inclined. The subject of Stav and religion is a matter for another time. Better to say that on the Jarl level we are looking for compassion, detachment and observation. Another way of looking at it is say that we are looking to see people as they really are and, when it applies, help them to know themselves too. This also means not being concerned what they think of us or needing their presence and attention to validate our existence. This means not disregarding them as friends but being able to enjoy them for who they are rather than what they do for us. We can also learn to leave judgement behind and cultivate observation. Judgement is what we do when have insufficient knowledge to really know something. Once we really know how to observe then judgement is unnecessary. A nice example, if you will forgive its political context, came over decade ago when William Hauge was leader of the Conservative party. When pressured to say what his party would do about the Euro currency he said that in ten years time it will so obviously be successful that it will make no sense not to join or will clearly be a disaster in which case the country will be glad it hadn't done.
In Stav martial training working with the Jarl level is about being able to respond spontaneously to an attack without having to use conscious judgement. This is built on the awareness of self and the potential of the body that comes on the Trel level, on the awareness of boundaries and how to protect them which develops on the Karl level and then by discovering how control of our own mind and body enables us to control an attacker on the Herse level.
The training needed on the Jarl level depends upon cultivating the same practice of observation and awareness that begins with the self-observation at the trel level but taking it to the level where we have no need of judgement.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Here is part six, the Konge principle.
Konge, the king or cunning man. We tend to think of Kings and Queens as rich people in big palaces who have inherited the title by accident of birth. In Stav terms the Konge level is when we realise that the Trel level, when we though had nothing, is actually the place of true freedom. Having gained awareness of self, of the material world, the social world and learned to observe without judgement we may, occasionally, reach a place of being totally aware of being in the now. We know we are centred in our web because there is simply no other place we can be, yet that is absolutely as it should be.
On the Konge level there need be no fear of death because one is so alive to the moment. In a combat situation the Konge state of mind can stare an enemy straight in the face and be willing to accept that in a few seconds time either they will be dead or the opponent will be and be completely at peace with that. Our martial training exercises explore this concept and we hope we never find ourselves in that situation for real. But if you can achieve that mindset when dealing with difficult situations of day to day life, then overcoming problems becomes quite simple because we have conquered our fear.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
Here is the final part of my postings on the Five Principles of Stav.
Continuing on the path of Stav: I hope you have found this series of posts interesting and useful. The ideas contained with it are more or less universal in that all paths of self-development need to take into account the same basic realities and follow roughly the same steps. If you found yourself drawn to read this and it has resonated with you then you may like to to take it further. As you will have gathered Stav teaches the use of certain specific tools, notably the 16 rune-staves of the Younger Futhork, the five principles, which formed the structure of this series of postings and working with our personal web of wyrd and the universal web of orlog.
All human beings are striving to discover the eternal and fundamental truths of existence. Some don't seem to be making much effort in their present incarnation but they will still be learning something. Either way it isn't for us to judge others, our only responsibility is to our own path and in helping those who ask for our assistance. Stav provides a set of tried and tested tools which you may feel drawn to adopt for as long as they are helpful. If this is the case then I will be very happy to assist you in learning how to use them.
Please note that the dates for the 2012 Summer Stav Camp are the 10th to the 15th of July and the venue is in Northamptonshire. Full details to be posted soon.
Regards
Graham
Hi Scott
In over thirty five years of learning, practising and teaching martial arts I have come to realise that there are certain essential qualities that need to be cultivated. When I first started when I was fifteen I had no idea what I was letting myself in for but looking back I was looking for the qualities listed here. As a child I was dispraxic, had weak ankles and was always short of breath to the point that even a family walk was agony because of a continuous stitch. I don't think I was all that worried about violence. I knew that most of the time it could be avoided if you kept your wits about you. If the issue was really pushed then it is quite easy to hurt someone enough to make bullying a less than rewarding occupation, especially if they are lulled into a false sense of security by an act of fear and distress until the antagonist is close enough to be hit somewhere vulnerable.
So my interest in martial arts has always been much more in overcoming my own limitations rather than defeating anyone else. Now that I am in my early 50s my interest is in the extent to which the typical signs of old age can be held at bay by appropriate practice. Of course we all die one day, but until then I believe we have a lot of choice in the degree of health, well-being and vigour which we can enjoy. I am following the example of my teacher Ivar Hafskjold, by testing it out for myself and teaching others to enjoy the same benefits throughout their lives.
Not everyone would agree with my choice of the six key qualities to be cultivated through martial arts training which I will describe in the messages to follow over the next few days. But at least I hope it will give you something to think about.
regards
Graham