Karate’s Mushin, No Mind, the ability to keep calm during an attack has been called Karate beyond technique. But how important is keeping a calm mind in a street fight? Let me ask you a question: As a martial artist have you ever raised a hand in anger? If you are like most martial artists the answer is probably no.
If you have never thought about the question before then maybe it’s time you did. The most important lesson I ever learned in those rough and tumble early days of karate was that fancy kicks and moves being taught in the dojo just didn’t work in reality.
But hang on a minute I hear you say. Today people don’t want to learn all that fancy stuff such as Kata, how to keep a calm mind, meditation and so on. They say I just want to learn practical self-defence and how to fight. That may be true of most students but by no means all.
If you are one of the above? What you should know is this, being trained to move quickly, body evasion, keeping a calm mind, meditation and visualisation techniques are not only for karate practitioners. They are actually some of the fundamental principles of combat both armed and unarmed.
The fact is there is a lot of confusion surrounding this subject. So I want to give you some criteria that will enable you to drive a wedge into your attacker. In short, it’s an unpredictable world out there on the streets. The bad guy’s are getting wise at hand-to-hand combat which means, you are dead if you don’t understand how to stay one step ahead of them. Keeping a calm mind will help you do this.
To be proficient in any martial art takes years of dedicated practice. True. But in today’s high pressure society most people have neither the time nor the inclination for lengthy training sessions. So they opt for a practical self-protection, street fighting course which teaches them how to dispose of an assailant as quickly as possible using their own built-in weapons such as: elbows, feet knees and even teeth.
Because let’s face it that’s the best way to stop an attacker. And what’s wrong with that? Nothing at all, so long as it is within the law of the country in question.
On the other hand some people say that using your mind for things like visualisation is for oriental fighting in the dojo and doesn’t work in the street. Well, let me tell you it does work and work well. By training your mind to be calm under pressure hones your reflexes.
Unfortunately only pupils that have reached a certain level of training can fully understand and appreciate the underlying principles that keeping a calm mind can help and will help you win a confrontation. Not only physically. After all, why take the physical route as the first and only option?
To make my point, I’m reminded of the quote by Sun-Tzu in the book: The Art of War.
To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the highest skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the highest skill.
In other words, it’s fighting without fighting. Using your mind your brain and verbalizing your way out of trouble, if possible. Having the ability to keep calm and talk down your opponent is far more beneficial to all concerned than smashing the hell out of each other don’t you think?
In addition, using your mind is not just some old outdated traditional martial arts concept. Indeed, if it did not work then why do military Special Forces units around the world and other fighting men such as anti-terrorist teams involved in life and death situations use and put so much faith and preach in their teaching the importance of keeping a calm mind, visualisation and realty based scenario training? Simply put, because it works when the crap hits the fan.
Okay still not convinced? Let’s look at some facts shall we and maybe you’ll see why I say what I say. As most karate students know the traditional training session starts with Moksu (meditation) to calm the mind and prepare it for the physical training session ahead. Moreover, if you look at the historical concept of Moksu, you’ll notice it was originally a method initiated by the Samurai warriors of Japan, who were involved in Zen Buddhism in one form or another. They used Moksu for clearing their minds before and after battle.) Of course, that depends if they were still alive.
You see, clearing the mind helps you cut through the clutter that’s in your mind you’ll improve the way you act and respond to the best of your ability. Just as kata is a form of moving Zen it will help you focus on the moment (Mushin no mind) 100 per-cent concentration on the here and now which can be translated into ability, intention, spirit and aggression on your opponent without distraction to win.
Proper practice is aimed at transcending the untutored ego, drawing us into a higher state of awareness. Not just awareness of danger, but of ourselves that is Zanshin, meaning, calmness of mind and oneness with all things in other words, the ultimate way. As the saying goes: The power of the mind is infinite while brawn is limited. Kochi Tohei.
Stay safe.
Buzz Campion.