Zanshin 残心 is the relaxed state of awareness visibly displayed by the practitioner’s posture at the end of the technique. Often instructors hide behind foreign lexicon to slather a mystic veneer on the martial arts. I am a pragmatic American and for me the terms need a better explanation and translation. I crib the title fromContinue reading “ZANSHIN AS THE PRESENTATION OF SELF”
Tag Archives: zanshin
MIYAMOTO MUSASHI
In an interview, Nishio sensei unapologetically labeled Musashi as “the lowest form of human being.” Understandable. Nishio looked at how little human emotion and human engagement Musashi exhibited; he never married, never started a family, and spent a life dueling to test his skill and mettle. Musashi manifested a coward’s response, by developing skill fromContinue reading “MIYAMOTO MUSASHI”
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WINNING
Part of the kuden – the oral history – of Aikido revolves around a story that during the US occupation of Japan some of O’Sensei’s students would test their progress through a practical application of the art – i.e., they would get into fights – (Sadateru) Arikawa comes to mind. O’Sensei would admonish them thatContinue reading “ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WINNING”
Protective Arts 