THE GOVERNING OF ONE’S SELF
Photo by Matheus Bertelli from Pexels
The Japanese concept of Mushin stands for “mind without mind,” or “no-mindness,” and can be achieved when we detach and free our mind of all thought, emotion, and ego. This freedom enhances our awareness and helps us see things.
Mushin is something every martial artist aspires to accomplish because it is when thought and action become one. Where we no longer have to think to block or punch because “IT” just happens. Similar to everything in life, we can create this level of instinct over time through high-volume repetition.
As children, we created many of our habits through experiencing both Remedial and Preventative Discipline with our parents and teachers. These lessons taught us that we no longer do something because someone told us to or because the outcome will be better. We do it because we know we should.
The governing of one’s self with discipline, also known as Self-Discipline, is similar to Mushin because “IT” just happens as well. It’s when we wake up and make our bed, brush our teeth, bathe, and take care of our hygiene without even thinking about it. These small activities that took conscious effort when we were younger are now executed unconsciously with Mushin every day.
“The bad poet is usually unconscious where he ought to be conscious, and conscious where he ought to be unconscious.” T.S. Eliot
By looking over the healthy habits within our Self-Discipline, we can find proof that anything we want is achievable through repetition. We all have multiple forms of Self-Discipline and Mushin in the personal habits we execute unconsciously every day. When we review these, we will find both the proof that we can do anything and the power to make it happen.
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