Without striking, be struck.
Without waiting to receive a strike, be struck.
Without avoiding being struck, be struck.
Don't use strength; be supple.
Be gentle and make good relations with your partner.
Maintain a beautiful posture.
Let your zanshin linger and persist.
- Moriji Mochida Kendo 10th Dan, Hanshi
A martial artist is never static. Even when a warrior is standing still, they are still in motion. In budo, this might be thought of as zanshin (残心) or the “remaining mind.” Zanshin is usually thought of as one’s posture and focus after the execution of the technique. In class, the teacher might say, “Don’t forget zanshin” when the student absentmindedly walks away from the ending of the technique. However, zanshin is actually an all the time thing because it is the junction where our minds meet our bodies or where focus meets form. To the uninitiated, zanshin just looks like we are posing, but what it really pertains to is the movement of our minds. Generally speaking, our bodies can never be static. Every cell, particle and molecule in our bodies is in constant dynamic motion. At any point, if any of these motions were to stop, then disease will fester and we will die. Our bodies may be hardwired to be constantly in motion, but our minds are not. The reason why we need to practice zanshin is because our minds are always seeking to be in a static state. Someone once said, “Life is simple, people are complicated.” Humans are complicated because our minds become static. Examples of static states of thinking are fear, judgement, anxiety, anger or jealousy. Static minds are just minds that have lost their zanshin. Things like fear tend to be static and rooted while things like love tend to be flowing and dynamic. After a certain point in our Aikido training, our movements and our minds are supposed to become dynamic and flowing. In zanshin, it is not that the mind remains but that our energy flows and our minds and bodies don’t become static. Having zanshin enables us to meet any confrontation with poise, a sense of calmness and the ability to have regard for all life. “Let your zanshin linger and persist.”
Today’s goal: When you find yourself becoming fearful or obsessive, close your eyes, take a breath and bring your mind back to zanshin.
Watch the Flow video below to learn more about flow or zanshin.
Watch the other video in Japanese to learn more about Moriji Mochida Sensei.