Not Yet Nirvana

This brings us to the end of the ten week series of articles attempting to apply martial art principles and mental attitudes to non-martial situations in everyday life. And it's appropriate that the series ends with the beginner's mind set. Soshin , refers to what is called, “the beginner’s mind”. This is the act of maintaining an open, inquisitive and eager mind when learning martial arts even at an advanced level. The concept is to approach each subject as a beginner with no pre-conceptions.  Personally, I have found this to be the hardest task to attempt. Ego always gets in the way. In training in three different disciplines, Shotokan karatedo, the hard techniques of Soke Morris’s JJI syllabus, and the efficient techniques of Hakkoryu, which shares the same root art, Daito-ryu, with Aikido and Hapkido, I had some difficulties emptying my mind.  I would want to throw uke in karate class, kick uke in aikijujutsu class and finesse uke in JJI class; I was very mixed up

Zanshin, is considered to be the stillness after the technique has been executed.  It is in martial arts circles, considered as controlling the attacker after the attack. A cinematic example and favourite of mine is a sequence in the movie; The Last Samurai.  Tom Cruise has sided with a samurai clan and a political battle ensues eventually resulting in the hiring of assassins by the Meiji inspired politician. Their target is Cruise who leaves his hotel room and walks into the night unarmed. He is immediately surrounded by katana wielding attackers. A fight sequence (one of the better scenes I have yet seen filmed in which traditional martial arts are used) ensues ending with Cruise the lone survivor and in the state of Zanshin.  The scene continues and you watch as the fight is replayed in slow motion and black and white. Suddenly a “dead” guy moves and Cruise finishes him because he was able to react due to the state of stillness and mental clarity he maintained after the

Mushin , for the martial artist, refers to the reaction time or process used to react to any situation. The word is translated as “ no-mindedness ." The instantaneous reaction to a deadly situation by a professional soldier would qualify as mushin .  This is the result of cultivating a mental preparedness by “ triggering ” the so-called “ reptilian brain ”. Considered the most primordial region of the brain, the reptilian brain or R-Complex is part of the triune model of the brain as proposed by Paul D. MacLean.  The other two parts that make up the triune model of the brain are the Limbic System that controls emotions including remorse, compassion and empathy along with fear, love, hate and aggression.  The Limbic System developed around the existing R-Complex. The Neo-cortex developed around the Limbic System and is responsible for what we call the higher brain functions including the ability for future context and planning.  The R- Complex controls reflex an