Technique of the Week (March 14th, 2010)
From Sensei
Lyle Kleusch Shihan,
Ueshiro Okinawan Karate Club (Hong Kong)
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Mindfulness/Empty
Mind
We often mention the terms “mindfulness” and “empty
mind” in passing while training on the deck. However, due
to the physical nature of our workouts, we don’t often
elaborate on these very important concepts. So, let’s take
a moment to delve deeper into their meanings and application.
In Buddhism, mindfulness is known as a calm awareness of one's
body functions, feelings and content of consciousness. It is
an awareness of your own body and mind without focus on any
particular item. In Shorin-Ryu karate, we expand this meaning
to include awareness of everything in our environment. There
are many levels of application for mindfulness, like the layers
of an onion, but the core application is to aid in meditation,
which leads to insight (wisdom).
In order to achieve true mindfulness, you MUST empty your mind.
Empty mind is the key to mindfulness. Empty mind leads to mindfulness.
They are not separate but inter-connected. Only when your thoughts
are NOT FOCUSED on specific internal or external phenomena can
you be truly mindful. So mindfulness is the fruition of empty
mind.
Discipline is our tool to develop concentration, which aids
us in emptying the mind of pre-conceptions.
Discipline à Concentration à Empty Mind à
Mindfulnessà Meditation à Insight
This is why we do kata over and over and over, each time striving
for perfection. It is our discipline. Our powers of concentration
are strengthened with each repetition. We learn to control the
thoughts of our mind, which becomes pure and calm. We become
masters of ourselves. Only then do we gain true mindfulness,
true selflessness. We become the kata.
A tamed, controlled mind is a powerful tool indeed. It can be
put into instant meditation in the middle of intense combat
in order to gain insight into victory. It can be used to truly
understand the motives and needs of others and used to develop
harmonious relationships with them. It is the gateway to the
ultimate knowledge and answers to any solution you seek. It
gives you the greatest power of all, the ability to become “selfless”
in any situation.
Summery:
1. Do thousands
of kata in order to develop discipline and concentration.
2. Practice concentration in everything you do.
3. Use your powers of concentration to empty your mind at chosen
times, on and off the deck. Practice this skill repeatedly,
in diverse situations when you want to achieve mindfulness.
If a specific thought arises, just let it pass. Do not dwell
on it, no matter if it is good or bad, happy or sad. Let it
go.
4. Mindfulness can then be used for meditative purposes or just
for “peace of mind”. (Meditation topics: A. complete
mindfulness. B. object meditation. {a specific weapon, kata
or concept.}There are many more but these are good for karate)
5. Insight, wisdom.
Domo Arigato Hanshi, Kyoshi, Sensei, Senpai and Deshi,
Lyle Kleusch
Shihan,
Ueshiro Okinawan Karate Club (Hong Kong)
