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Mushin [無心] "empty mind, heart, spirit or soul." It is also defined as, "Free from obstructive thoughts - a Buddhist definition or term." It is also considered very closely related to another state of mind known as heijoshin, wherein a complete balance and harmony is attained in one's life through mental discipline." Often the terms are associated that apply to the word "mu" like, "muga-mushin."
A simple yet complex concept that speaks to present moment state of mind or mind-state. Coupled with appropriate reality based self-defense karate and martial arts training one can achieve a mystic state of mind devoid (in reality no none can be devoid of these trait but if one can actually push them from present moment mind they can achieve success) of ego, pride and cluttered random monkey brain type thinking while setting the human brain, the slower one, into a stasis that allows our lizard brain do instinctively what is needed in each and every changing moment.
The karate and martial arts communities tend to adhere the concept of “one” or “oneness” or “wholeheartedness” to that state of mind. This is about bringing the mind, body and spirit into that oneness that makes for mushin, or so it is said.
We have the goal in SD MA to achieve a mind-state that is a mind, body, and action that is one, where our awareness of self is separated from out actions in conflict and violence yet allows its presence and veto ability to remain.
The MA community use sound bites like, “Letting go of ego.” This is impossible since the ego is a part of us (an important part of brain function really), who we are and how we live life but it can be trained and practiced to take a back seat in conflict and violence (actually, it allows the ego to make a more logical appropriate choice and decisions).
A goal in training is to allow our minds to achieve a state that allow our responses to be instinctive (i.e., a zombie sub-routine encoded in the brains procedural memory), reflexive, and devoid, as could be humanly possible, of conscious thought. This is not the often ROTE, inappropriate, and unresponsive model most train toward especially after encountering a conflict/violent attack. This is why reality based adrenal influenced training is mandatory to achieve true self-defense karate and martial arts ability.
It should be kept in mind that, “The mind rights the body, forcing it into proper position so that the mind can flow freely.” This regards the oneness of principles in martial disciplines that advocate self-defense because any violation of principles and sub-principles takes energy that directs the mind toward that fault in lieu of toward the need for defense.
It also must be remembered that most of this applies to a limited aspect of self-defense, the application of the physical. Mushin shall also promote the human brain toward the forefront of thinking so that awareness provides us time and distance to avoid, de-escalate or escape and evade making the physical less likely. The phases leading up to the physical require a mind-set, mushin if you will, so that the monkey is controlled to the point that the human and lizard brain can activate appropriate strategies and tactics that stop the need to apply karate and martial arts physical methodologies, etc.
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