Lars Andersen: A New Level of Archery

[Wind]

I have to admit, I have always admired people with good marksmanship and archery skills. Peaceful warriors, those are great! Like Robin Hood and such.

In the beginning of this clip Alan Watts talks about his love of archery.

"I happen to be a lover of archery but I don't like archery for killing things.

I like it as a sport but what I like most of all, is to set an arrow free, like it were a bird and now, when you get far up in the sky. You watch it and it suddenly turns and drops.

What is it that fascinates us about that? Because it's not useful, it doesn't really achieve anything that we would call purpose at work. It simply is what we call play."

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=YiEzxNqw6_0

[Robin]

Here is a good PDF read:

"It is almost impossible to understand Zen by studying it as you would other intellectual pursuits. The best way to understand Zen is, simply, to Zen. This is what author Eugen Herrigel allows us to do by sharing his own fascinating journey toward a comprehension of this illuminating philosophy.

In Japan, an art such as archery is not practiced solely for utilitarian purposes such as learning to hit targets. Archery is also meant to train the mind and bring it into contact with the ultimate reality. If one really wishes to be master of an art, technical knowledge of it is not enough. One has to trancend technique so that the art becomes an "artless art" growing out of the Unconsciousness. In this way, as the author simply, clearly demonstrates, archery becomes a path to greater understanding and enlightenment."

Zen in the Art of Archery

[aviators]

Archery in its finest and original technique.
Another part of history that's almost been forgotten.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=BEG-ly9tQGk

Mod edit: I have merged this thread with the existing thread.

Billy.

[Constance]

The gift, the talent, the skill! Watch as a blindfolded Lars Anderson shoots an arrow from behind his back through a keyhole and a piece of hanging string whilst jumping.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=aosxdmhXQ-Q

World's Most Difficult Trick Shot!

[meeradas]

This guy is awesome...
in another vid, he's catching an arrow shot at him and immediately fires it back

[pueblo]

The machine gun of the medieval archery world.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=TcDP9jN_FFQ

[Johnnycomelately]

This vid of the older southern gentleman (USA, southeast), is what first came to mind as a parallel to Lars’ skill with his bow (seen by me first in 2023 iirc, on another forum). Same kind of aiming by body, like stepping back from an intellect approach, to one that affirms the smarts of the body. “Lizard-brain”, whatever.

Wildland slingshot battle with my buddy, ~11 y.o., I took a stone to the teeth. Just as I poked my head around the side of my tree-defence position. Lucky I was in laughing-mocking mode, big wide and open grin, and only lost ~1 mm off the lower teeth. The paste that the dentist had me put on that, for the next month plus, that was where the pain came in.

Have made bows and made and shot arrows, back as a kid, tho none at friends or foe. Later I bought proper bows and arrows, and salvaged a wack of broken arrows from my HS archery club.

Posted by Robin (here)
I'm an archer myself and can attest to the difficulty in being a good shooter. Archery is an ancient tradition that also taught one how to retain self-control and patience, and it is a humble art with interesting history. Really, it is a form of yoga. Here's a photo of me shooting:



If you think that this is beholding, check out this video of Rufus Hussey, an elderly slingshot marksman:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=9ieWrWLjii0

Thanks, Bill, for your post referencing this thread.

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)

Many thanks[/U], and this absolutely belongs on this thread. The video has to be seen to be believed, and it's all totally real.

For those who'd like to know more, we do have this thread from quite a few years ago:

• Lars Andersen: A New Level of Archery