Hi Raphou41, I was just "Zenning" and trying to achieve Mushin no shin that morning... no thought...
Mushin no shin (無心の心), a Zen expression meaning mind of no mind. That is, a mind not fixed or occupied by thought or emotion and thus open to everything. Mushin is achieved when a martial artist feels no anger, fear or ego. There is an absence of discursive thought, and so the martial artist is totally free to act and react towards an opponent without hesitation.
The mind must always be in the state of 'flowing,' for when it stops anywhere that means the flow is interrupted and it is this interruption that is injurious to the well-being of the mind. In the case of the swordsman, it means death. When the swordsman stands against his opponent, he is not to think of the opponent, nor of himself, nor of his enemy's sword movements.
He just stands there with his sword which, forgetful of all technique, is ready only to follow the dictates of the subconscious. The man has effaced himself as the wielder of the sword. When he strikes, it is not the man but the sword in the hand of the man's subconscious that strikes.
However, mushin is not just a state of mind that can be achieved during combat. Many martial artists, particularly those practicing Japanese martial arts such as aikido, train to achieve this state of mind during kata so that a flawless execution of moves is accomplished.
Hi Raphou41, I was just "Zenning" and trying to achieve Mushin no shin that morning... no thought...
Mushin no shin (無心の心), a Zen expression meaning mind of no mind. That is, a mind not fixed or occupied by thought or emotion and thus open to everything. Mushin is achieved when a martial artist feels no anger, fear or ego. There is an absence of discursive thought, and so the martial artist is totally free to act and react towards an opponent without hesitation.
aikirick 3 years ago
At this point, a person relies not on what they think should be the next move, but what is felt intuitively.
aikirick 3 years ago
The legendary Zen master Takuan Sōhō said:
The mind must always be in the state of 'flowing,' for when it stops anywhere that means the flow is interrupted and it is this interruption that is injurious to the well-being of the mind. In the case of the swordsman, it means death. When the swordsman stands against his opponent, he is not to think of the opponent, nor of himself, nor of his enemy's sword movements.
aikirick 3 years ago
Takuan Sōhō continued...
He just stands there with his sword which, forgetful of all technique, is ready only to follow the dictates of the subconscious. The man has effaced himself as the wielder of the sword. When he strikes, it is not the man but the sword in the hand of the man's subconscious that strikes.
aikirick 3 years ago
However, mushin is not just a state of mind that can be achieved during combat. Many martial artists, particularly those practicing Japanese martial arts such as aikido, train to achieve this state of mind during kata so that a flawless execution of moves is accomplished.
aikirick 3 years ago
hey Rick, you're supposed to be at least a little involved in what you're doing. Look at your face and your movements, you seem to be so bored...
raphou41 3 years ago