The Ultimate Form of Focus is Mushin 無心の心
Known as a swordsman who harbored no affinity to style, Musashi flowed with
his opponent's attacks and tried to find openings. But Sasaki Kojiro,
Musashi's strongest opponent yet, rigidly adhering to Chūjō-ryu sword style, was also focused on finding ways to cut him down.
It was a close battle as both men grasped for dominance, attempting to usurp
the other's sword art by taking calculated risks to fell the domino pieces of
each other's minds and bodies. Both of them would attempt to chisel the
other's body like sword artisans on stone. Their goal was to break the other's
body to fracture the other's mind and will. The longer the battle went, the
more they needed to protect their indomitable will and mind. So, they remained
intensely focused because one wrong move could lead to death, and only one
would survive.
As metal swords clanged, sparks rained. And every artisanal attack was
recorded in milliseconds, their body being the canvas.
It was a torturous "death by 1,000 cuts."
"Mushin no shin" translated to "the mind without mind" is the strongest attainable state of focus.
Mushin is a state of mind that removes the limitations of thought and emotion
but is open to everything. It is a state of "flow" where the mind
instinctively reacts to all forms of stimuli using every technique, weapon, or
asset at its disposal.
Like a computer in human form, Mushin is using only the information it
currently has but is expressing them without fear, prejudice, and bias.
What does this mean?
It means that the techniques both Musashi and Kojiro are using, are not being
watered down with their thoughts or emotions. It is being expressed in
real-time, with their bodies being the vehicle and their minds being the
headquarters that gives out commands.
Using the state of "no mind" yet still using their "minds."
Almost like an out-of-body experience, yet still being in the driver's seat,
Musashi and Kojiro are constantly receiving feedback and making real-time
adjustments without the bias of fear, emotions, and sometimes logic...
On autopilot.
Is Mushin the most effective?
It can be, but only if the technique is already precise. As mentioned earlier,
Mushin is a flow state that is almost akin to a computer where only the
information it stores is being used to process information in real time.
Instead, Mushin is a great way to get feedback
Similar to how people learn in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, each belt level
determines the efficiency of techniques, so the Mushin or "flow-state" of a
White Belt would look vastly different from that of a Black Belt.
How to test techniques using Mushin
So, this is where Bruce Lee's quote comes into play.
I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.
If a man practices his kick 10,000 times with great technique, he will be
able to use that kick without any delay, whereas someone that only practices
it 1,000 times may have a bit of a delay comparatively.
But practicing technique is not the same as using it in a sparring match.
Using this in sparring requires them to go into a flow state by attacking
and defending, using their current techniques, from unique angles or
situations and interpreting them in milliseconds.
Afterward, they would have to be mindful again by analyzing the results of
this sparring. They do this by getting back into their conscious thoughts
and emotions to process the feedback of their techniques.
Like a computer doing a stress test, the end of the sparring session is the
test result. And similar to getting out of a trance or waking up from a
dream, they take back control of their mind in order to analyze and
interpret the results.
If any of their techniques had flaws in them, it would have been shown
during this flow-state or "Mushin" sparring.
Using Mushin for life
Mushin is not only used in combat but can also be used in daily life.
Getting into a flow state is a powerful tool for productivity,
child-rearing, business, and more. This is because it removes the human bias
of thoughts and emotions and focuses on action. It incorporates the current
techniques or data that is already available internally and uses it without
bias.
It does not use "fear of failure" as a paralyzing agent, which only serves
to prolong the inevitable, which then leads to procrastination or
precrastination.
Instead, it allows one to operate in an out-of-body way where their
subconscious draws out all the information and power within them to
accomplish their daily checklists. It is almost like doing a computer
"stress test".
Mushin Feedback (How YOU can use Mushin for life)
After accomplishing the daily checklists or "stress tests" using Mushin, you
can then set aside feedback time to see, interpret, and implement the
results.
By using the current techniques or methodologies, you ask yourself, "what
did you do right, and what did you do wrong?"
It's almost like waking up out of a dream or "trance" state and getting back
into your human thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Then, it is attempting to
analyze your results by taking back control of your consciousness.
For example, if you use Mushin for child-rearing, did you notice that your
child responded positively when you said "xyz?" and did they respond
negatively to "zyr?" If they responded negatively, what do you think you did
right or wrong? Then you would take this feedback and make the changes
required to make your techniques better.
You practice the changes, and then incorporate Mushin again.
Conclusion
Mushin is a great way to automate the technique you already have to
accomplish your daily checklists immediately and effectively without
delay.
It does so by removing the bias of personal thoughts or emotions (such as
fear of failure) to accomplish tasks in real-time by using all of the data
points and techniques within your arsenal, and in a flow state (without
being self-conscious about it).
Afterward, by setting a time block within your agenda, you see the results
of your Mushin flow state and practice analyzing what went right or wrong
with it.
As a result, you then make your current techniques or methodologies even
greater by implementing changes to them and practicing those techniques with
the improved changes.
After practicing them consciously, you can then use Mushin again to get into
a flow state to use your upgraded techniques.
Using Mushin in this way will serve to provide incredible productivity and
fulfillment in you and your family's lives.
Post a Comment