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Zanshin in Self-Defense
Caveat: this post is my interpretation of readings from Meditations on Violence therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. It is highly recommended one read his book for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the book.
Zanshin is explained in many ways by many systems and by many karate/martial practitioners. It is actually a combination of “both awareness and experience.” In order to expand this understanding you have to expand on “awareness” and “experience.” There are a variety of awarenesses one must understand, achieve and experience to get a state of zanshin.
Example: When confronted by the monkey dance one who acts bored and thoughtful can come across as a very powerful individual. It is a matter of not questioning your own status thereby making it harder for someone to challenge you regarding status. In the monkey dance, status and respect affects your status within the tribe, tribes are about survival. This type of posturing provides the adversary with indicators that you have power, confidence and your status to be unquestionable and impeachable. Your power is demonstrated by the calm you project and its aura of confidence.
This attitude and projection of zanshin comes across as a clear signal you are not going to fall into the monkey dance trap. This aura is zanshin, this aura of awareness and experience that creates a mind of zanshin, an aura cultivated by a combination of awareness and insight int and from experience.
As important as experience is toward zanshin, experience without the mindfulness is not zanshin. Mindfulness toward a self-analysis and self-appraisal as the experience provides a balanced whole that is zanshin. This is one aspect of self-awareness and awareness that builds that aura of zanshin. It is this type of awareness that provides you the tools to look inward and gain insight from and into experience.
To develop this zanshin you have to remain open to experience along with all its effects. In order to gain zanshin, “YOU have to have experienced experience.” It has to be allowed to become a part of you meaning you cannot hide your head in the sand and you cannot “ignore your experiences” no matter how ugly and distasteful it may feel. You have to examine it, much like professionals create and study their after action reports, and that means you have to seek to understand it completely and as thoroughly as possible. It is the lessons of experience that creates the awareness that is zanshin. This type of awareness and experience contributes greatly toward other aspects of awareness in self-defense that completes the circle that becomes zanshin.
Look to zanshin as the development of “cool and calm” that projects confidence that comes across with the aura of competence. That competence that is zanshin projecting the cool and calm that speaks to adversary’s and fundamentally obstructs their ability and will to act against you.
I quote, “A self-defense expert who has read DeBecker and Christensen and MacYoung and Strong and Blauer will be able to get good information to their students - in a very real sense, they will know the words, but not the music.” - Rory Miller, Meditations on Violence
The question here is, “How many of the self-defense instructors have adequate experience along with experiences awareness that allows them to properly teach self-defense rather than merely passing along the academic knowledge?” Even the type and amount of experience will lend a level of credence with more experience building on the instructors zanshin over mere knowledge, i.e., adding music to the lyrics.
Note: My personal experiences are not adequate to provide a completed song of self-defense. I have the lyrics with a few notes of music but the entire song is not adequate to convey the entire track. It is a bit like having good sight but the peripheral vision is blurred and veiled.
This post is meant to convey another aspect of the principles of karate and martial systems, i.e., sub-principle of zanshin under the principle of philosophy (mind, mushin, kime, non-intention, yin-yang, oneness, ZANSHIN and being, non-action, character, the empty cup).
Zanshin-Shoshin (ho-shin?) [残心 - 初心]
The characters/ideograms mean "holding the mind" and "letting go of the mind." Zanshin/characters/ideograms mean "follow-through (e.g., in archery)." The first character means, "Remainder; leftover; balance," the second character means, "heart; mind; spirit." Shoshin/characters/ideograms mean "original intention; initial resolution." The first character means, "First-time; beginning," the second character means, "heart; mind; spirit."
Zanshin is a mind that is relaxed and alert while Shoshin is a mind of no mind or a mind of no preconceptions much like the blank slate mind of a new born child.
Zanshin [残心]
It is interesting considering the perception of zanshin that when the characters/ideograms are defined it means, follow-through (e.g, in archery) in all probability in regards to Japanese art of archery. the first character means, "remainder; leftover; balance," and the second means, "heart; mind; spirit,"
In another definition: "Zanshin is the state of mind where one is able to proceed from the end of one movement to the next movement freely. It literally means being absolutely attentive to the next move right after the previous move. In zanshin the mind focuses completely on the body's movements. To be distracted by another's moves in a fighting situation is to lose zanshin; to stop one's mind from flowing from move to move while practicing is to lose zanshin." Essence of Okinawan Karate, page 100.
It is used to describe a "state of awareness." A mode of positive relaxation of both the body and mind. It is such total awareness of many things where the mind remains "present" with no distractions, it is being in the moment which is difficult when inundated by the adrenaline dump and all of nature's natural physical, chemical and mental responses.
I tend to think of the term as remaining mind, i.e. that mind that is left after removing all the extraneous distractions that hinder action and spontaneous non-thought. A mental and spiritual (non-religious) awareness that results in a positively relaxed alertness where the knowledge is utilized properly in all situations. It also has the completion of a vigilant attitude after action.
Zanshin [残心] is the state when the mind is fully vigilant and aware of its surroundings; when the mind remains still without being attached to anything and is totally present during every moment and action in the here and now.
Zanshin [残心]
It is interesting considering the perception of zanshin that when the characters/ideograms are defined it means, follow-through (e.g, in archery) in all probability in regards to Japanese art of archery. the first character means, "remainder; leftover; balance," and the second means, "heart; mind; spirit,"
In another definition: ""Zanshin is the state of mind where one is able to proceed from the end of one movement to the next movement freely. It literally means being absolutely attentive to the next move right after the previous move. In zanshin the mind focuses completely on the body's movements. To be distracted by another's moves in a fighting situation is to lose zanshin; to stop one's mind from flowing from move to move while practicing is to lose zanshin." Essence of Okinawan Karate, page 100.
It is used to describe a "state of awareness." A mode of positive relaxation of both the body and mind. It is such total awareness of many things where the mind remains "present" with no distractions, it is being in the moment which is difficult when inundated by the adrenaline dump and all of nature's natural physical, chemical and mental responses.
I tend to think of the term as remaining mind, i.e. that mind that is left after removing all the extraneous distractions that hinder action and spontaneous non-thought. A mental and spiritual (non-religious) awareness that results in a positively relaxed alertness where the knowledge is utilized properly in all situations. It also has the completion of a vigilant attitude after action.
Zanshin is explained in many ways by many systems and by many martial practitioners. It is actually a combination of “both awareness and experience.” In order to expand this understanding you have to expand on “awareness” and “experience.” There are a variety of awarenesses one must understand, achieve and experience to get a state of zanshin.
Example: When confronted by the monkey dance one who acts bored and thoughtful can come across as a very powerful individual. It is a matter of not questioning your own status thereby making it harder for someone to challenge you regarding your status. In the monkey dance status and respect affects your status within the tribe, tribes are about survival. This type of posturing provides the adversary with indicators that you have power, confidence and your status to be unquestionable and impeachable. Your power is demonstrated by the calm you project and its aura of confidence.
This attitude and projection of zanshin comes across as a clear signal you are not going to fall into the monkey dance trap. This aura is zanshin, this aura of awareness and experience that creates a mind of zanshin, an aura cultivated by a combination of awareness and insight into experience.
As important as experience is toward zanshin, experience without the mindfulness is not zanshin. Mindfulness toward a self-analysis and self-appraisal as the experience provides a balanced whole that is zanshin. This is one aspect of self-awareness and awareness that builds that aura of zanshin. It is this type of awareness that provides you the tools to look inward and gain insight from and into experience.
To develop this zanshin you have to remain open to experience along with all its effects. In order to gain zanshin, “YOU have to have experienced experience. It has to be allowed to become a part of you meaning you cannot hide your head in the sand and you cannot “ignore your experiences” no matter how ugly and distasteful it may feel. You have to examine it, much like professionals create and study their after action reports, and that means you have to seek to understand it completely and as thoroughly as possible. It is the lessons of experience that creates the awareness that is zanshin. This type of awareness and experience contributes greatly toward other aspects of awareness in self-defense that completes the circle that becomes zanshin.
Look to zanshin as the development of “cool and calm” that projects confidence that comes across with the aura of competence. That competence that is zanshin projecting the cool and calm that speaks to adversary’s and fundamental obstructs their ability and will to act against you.
I quote, “A self-defense expert who has read DeBecker and Christensen and MacYoung and Strong and Blauer will be able to get good information to their students - in a very real sense, they will know the words, but not the music.” - Rory Miller, Meditations on Violence
The question here is, “How many of the self-defense instructors have adequate experience along with experiences awareness that allows them to properly teach self-defense rather than merely passing along the academic knowledge?” Even the type and amount of experience will lend a level of credence with more experience building on the instructors zanshin over mere knowledge, i.e., adding music to the lyrics.
Note: My personal experiences are not adequate to provide a completed song of self-defense. I have the lyrics with a few notes of music but the entire song is not adequate to convey the entire track. It is a bit like having good sight but the peripheral vision is blurred and veiled.
Bibliography (Click the link)
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