Aikido Institute Davis

There is an ancient Japanese samurai said: “If the battle is over, tighten the chin strap.” It refers to the constant awareness, preparedness and willingness to take risks. Japanese proverb focuses on the end of combat engagement when the mind to relax, think the danger is over, when in fact frequently. “The concept was brought to the dojo not only the training room, but a place where a certain awareness of the possibility of heavy fighting to be maintained,” said John Donohue in his article Kendo: Way of the Sword. However, for the serious martial artist high state of consciousness is a natural part of life, something that is automatically activated when awake and during sleep.

Students in practice karate and word completion will be expected to stand still for a few seconds. It is the practice of zanshin – maintain readiness to act, even though the physical aspects of a particular word is completed. In iaido, said partner practice with wooden swords. From the moment the players face each other until they cum together, zanshin trainees. Sense of awareness, movement potentially dangerous partner in security practices, to master the technique. Zanshin also supports a good technique in the word. The idea behind the partner practice that technique becomes second nature, while zanshin developed further. In aikido, Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu and other arts, when the technique is completed (often the attacker to the ground subject) defender carefully taught to his consciousness, and maintain a position of superiority readiness for action to proceed if necessary – zanshin.

“At one level, zanshin refers neutral, non-threatening substances or kneel in a way that is always ready for action Zanshin is the other side of the single-minded devotion to the art .. you have to learn not just to focus on your actions, but to be attentive and receive all activity around you, “said Donohue. It may seem contradictory, he continued, “but the two ideas are totally focused on the technology and the maintenance of zanshin to do with the transcendence of the subject object distinction through martial training unitary Void., For (Japanese swordsman famious) Musashi idiom to be used, resulting in the implementation of techniques that can be performed without consciousness. Similarly, good zanshin indicates that the sword is no discontinuity between the environment and individual experience. ”

Different martial arts have different ways of training to develop increasing zanshin. Opponents are sometimes allowed to attack from behind for almost intuitive sense of impending attack to develop. Other exercises are put back in the middle of the circle opponents fall one by one and sometimes in groups – defender with awareness and / or intuition to attack, often in combination with a motion for protection. In the style of karate (Seido) trains students to black belt test blind folded and then led through the streets of New York City to their senses and consciousness. Often students reported that the experience made them pop open senses, every sound, the source and direction, or the feel of the floor, the feelings of others around – all to increase and experience like never before.

There is an old Japanese story about a young man who wants to teach a great warrior. Once accepted, students have several years of personal service – cooking, washing and cleaning of the teacher. Then the class began, but did not practice with the sword. The teacher began staggering
him with a relentless attack with sword practice – when students are cooking, sleeping, at all times. Over time students reduce pain and bruising as he gradually learns to avoid and evade attacks. Finally, the students asked the teacher if a real sword training is to begin. The teacher then said that he learned all he needs to learn. This is total awareness zanshin as students can feel and avoid attacks.

Zanshin is what a lot of soldiers, policemen and advanced martial artists seeking to develop. In some forms of Zen meditation and, zanshin is a destination for students – a total of attentiveness as: focusing the mind (without thought or emotion) to everything around them.

Suenaka Roy, author of Aikido Complete, tells the story of the founder of aikido, which is a symbol of this concept. They sat on the floor face to face with tea and talking when Morihei Ueshiba, without turning his head, reaching behind and holding Suenaka something to see. “Ah, young cockroaches,” he said, before gently putting it on the side. Only then struck Suenaka meaning. How Ueshiba was well aware that, even when focusing on their conversation he could not simply the presence of something so small to feel, but you know exactly who it was so, that he was able to pick it up without watching?