7/27/2019 Encounters with Notable BLades.doc

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/encounters-with-notable-bladesdoc 1/3

ENCOUNTERS WITH NOTABLE

BLADES

In Chapter Five of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling, one reads thestory of a prospective young wizard getting his first wand (pages 82-85 in my copy). I'vehad fun comparing the fanciful tale of shopping for wands at Mr. Ollivander's store withmy own actual experiences meeting blades at Angel Sword.

In this spirit of fun is the following series of articles describing my own Encounters withNotable Blades. Not only does that title express my attitude on the subject, but it sounds(to my ear) like the title of a book Harry Potter might find in the library at HogwartsSchool of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

 The beautifully crafted blades I am describing in this series are serious weapons. They arealso pieces of art. With this unique mixture of artistry, craftsmanship and combatreadiness comes a certain magic.

Perhaps, ultimately, the appreciation of art and of magic must both remain forever in theeye of the beholder. In the stories that follow, the line between magical art and artfulmagic might just become a little blurred along the way. That would be fitting, for such isalso true of the blades about which I write.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

My present journey of discoveries in realms of blades had earlier antecedents than those Imentioned here. Yet, in the interest of brevity, I will save the telling of those tales for

another time. For now, I will mention only these four pre- Angel Sword occurrences:

About ten years ago, I became intrigued with a line of folding knives by Boker. Thehandles were of titanium. The blades were ceramic. There were two sizes, one with a fourinch blade, and a smaller one with a two inch blade. When I clicked open the larger knife,it seemed too big, too powerful, too dangerous and menacing for me to own it. I admiredit, but I was appalled by its power. I feared the power symbolized by this knife, andliterally envied the image of those who could wield it properly. I intended to return to thisone later, some day when I could handle it. The smaller knife was good enough for me. Ikept it, and often carried it my pocket for the next several years.

About five years ago, while I was practicing a simple Chi Kung exercise, my thoughtswere drawn to that small knife, which was in my pocket at the time. I drew out the knifeand opened it. What a revelation! It was as if the very tip of this sharp, ceramic bladepointed directly to a spot where two different worlds (the material world, and the otherworld) make contact with each other. Out of the experiences that ensued, I eventually didreturn to the larger knife mentioned above, and found it to be a fine companion.

About a year after that, a friend showed me an officer's sword which his father hadreceived decades ago, upon graduation from West Point. The instant I held it, I noticedhow lively this blade felt, as if it were living thing. In my imagination, it was almost as if could cast a mark on any object in the room, simply by pointing the blade. But the beamit cast could reach to objects in the other world as well. It was then that I first knew, withcertainty, I would one day seek to possess a sword.

Last year, while looking somewhat absentmindedly at a picture of a men's full lengthblack leather coat, I was struck with an intensely numinous image. I have an excellent

7/27/2019 Encounters with Notable BLades.doc

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/encounters-with-notable-bladesdoc 2/3

imagination, but it is rare to such a gripping image. I fancied myself wearing that coat,and holding a sword. This blade felt every bit as powerful as I could imagine a swordcould be. I was at the center this image. Surrounded by a mild setting of rain anddarkness, I myself was radiant with vital energy that crackled and emanated in countlesswhite glowing streams, ranging in form from lightning bolts down to the finest threadsand filaments of living energy. The sword was a powerful focusing instrument. It was such

a serious instrument that merely thinking of this object gives one the ability to directgreat energies at will. The coat served dual functions, providing containment so thatthese intense energies could be managed, and also providing a visual sign of authority. The image was captioned, as it were, with in impression of the word "Highlander".

I described the "Highlander" experience my friend, Lyle. At his suggestion, I found theAngel Sword website.

THE RED KATANA

"...It's really the wand that chooses the wizard."

-Mr. Ollivander, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 

On my first trip to the Forge, I found myself standing before a rack of swords, ready toexplore this new world of blades. I'd been invited by someone on the staff to explore, andadmonished by a sign to "Keep Thy Blood to Thyself (these blades are sharp)." Passingmy hand near the handle of each sword, and being careful (for some unexplained reason)not to touch any of them yet, I waited for something unusual or interesting to happen.Hmmm. So were so many choices. Which one should I pick up? Where should I start?

Averting my glance, I made another pass over the swords. There it is! One of the bladesseemed, somehow, different. Imagination? Perhaps: far be it from me to say such magicis not in the mind. But the effect, whatever its origin, provided the sign I was seeking.

Now looking at this sword, I saw the guard appeared to be made of bright, shiny copper;the wooden scabbard and handle seemed to have a naturally red color. Carefully, with abit of reverence, I picked it up and held it. Why am I drawn to this sword? I asked silently. The answer was a subtle internal movement that flashed a single instant's worth of sheer joy through my being. The flash was gone too quickly to understand it in detail. Yet itspassing left me standing, still holding the sword, laughing out loud and hoping I did notlook too silly, standing there and laughing with a red katana sword bedecked with acopper guard.

Less than 48-hours prior to meeting this sword, I had slipped on the kitchen floor andfallen on my back. A subsequent intervention by a chiropractor had helped with some of the dislocated vertebrae, but I still had plenty of sore spots.

With the sword still in its scabbard, I found I could work on the sore places just by holdingthe sword in different positions. The sensation was a little like finding the place where ayoga stretch is just right, or like having a skilled body worker find and touch that certainspot that brings to awareness many other connected points on the body.

Eventually I unsheathed the sword and examined the blade. The surface of the blade wasfinely textured. The metal had a bright, silvery-white color. The words Bright Knight wereetched on one side of the blade, near the guard. I had the impression it was extremelysharp. (This impression was later confirmed when one of the staff showed by how hecould use it to shave away the surface of a business card).

I took it outside where I could move more freely with less fear of skewering bystanders,innocent or otherwise. There I found this blade had an extraordinary, clean sharp focus as

7/27/2019 Encounters with Notable BLades.doc

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/encounters-with-notable-bladesdoc 3/3

I wielded it like a wand or staff. The feeling was not only "clear and laser-like" but alsolight, easy-going and friendly. There was no question that this was a full-fledged swordable to pierce and cut with ease. Yet it did not seem the least bit dark or menacing. Ifound its presence to be calming and reassuring.

A few hours later, with the blade safely sheathed, I was sitting in a chair, holding the

sword and contemplating my next step. I had seen many blades that afternoon. I hadmany choices before me. I knew I was destined to begin working with blades as animportant step in the unfolding of my own inner work. This, of course, was not a newrevelation; I had known for at least five years this step was coming. Two years ago, thesword was a key symbol in my experience at Coyote's Long Dance (an annual ritualdescribed at http://www.spiritpath.net/dances.html). A year ago, I had known it wasnearly time to begin actively seeking a sword. What I have stated here is the shortversion of the story. A full telling of the journey to this point would be much longer.

In fact I knew that this sword was not The Sword that had appeared in an image a yearbefore. Yet it was clearly a sword which could be a great friend.