I was teaching one of my Aikido classes this morning. The students were performing the move I had just demonstrated well enough, but of the ten people in class, nine were giving a slight lean in at the very start. Not bad enough to ruin the technique, but also not the best way to preserve posture and power in the technique. They were starting the technique with their brain-Mind, and that is not the only option. I called for a pause and told them to start the motion with their Minds in their belly and immediately all of them improved their posture and initiated their techniques from under their partners.
My Sifu and I once had a discussion about one of the key differences he saw in Western versus Eastern practice of martial arts. In America (and most Western countries) when someone speaks about what they are thinking their hand will gesture toward their head. When a Westerner speaks about their feelings their hands move toward their heart. In China (and most Eastern countries up until very recently) when some one says, “You hurt my feelings!” they will point at their face in a strong motion. And, when a Eastern person says something like, “Well, if you want to know what I think…”, they point at their heart with their thumb. The seat of the thoughts and the feelings are reversed. Of course they really aren’t, but it is very interesting to note the difference in basic opinion about where our thoughts and feelings come from.

In the West we still preserve phrases which remind us that the Mind can be in different places for different uses. “That makes my head hurt.” “My gut tells me not to trust her.” “Follow your heart.” These different seats for the Mind are used for different types of activity.

In martial arts it is often a useful tool to “put your mind” into the focal point of a technique -

The Tool/Weapon Being Used – This can give a sharper motion and improve aim. Placing your Mind at the tip of your bokken during a strike makes your strike more complete and on target.

The Target – Putting you Mind into the target of your attack can literally draw your technique to it.

Your Head – Starting from the brain-Mind gives you sharper awareness and more intent.

Your Heart – This will sharpen posture by making your motion come from a lower place and will allow you to infuse the technique with feeling and compassion.

Your Belly – Moving with your Mind in the center of your being stabilizes the posture and unifies your foot work with the motion of your hands.

The Ground – Place your mind into the floor where you want your movement to end and that movement will be stronger.

These are some of the places you can place your Mind to play with technique and note the different effect. They are all very useful for training. The mistake I often see in my classes is my fellow students getting stuck in a habit of always placing the Mind a certain way.

Takaun Soho, in the collection of his letters to great swords masters titled The Unfettered Mind speaks more eloquently, and personally than I can of the ultimate goal. Put the Mind nowhere so that is instantly everywhere. Zanshin, the Mind-of-No-Mind. That is a lofty place to reside, and one we can all aim for. But, in the mean time we can at least keep our Minds mobile.

There is an old theory of the levels of the development of martial art skill in the Japanese martial arts. My specific understanding of it comes mostly through the filter of O’Sensei, founder of Aikido, who spoke on the theory. Basically the theory posits four levels of martial art mastery -

1. You attack me, I die – When the attack comes I collapse, and suffer the consequence of not putting up an effective defense.
2. You attack me, we both die – When the attack comes I respond in kind, and at the same level. Both the attacker, and myself, end up injured or dead.
3. You attack me, you die – When the attack comes I respond with superior skill and keep myself safe while defeating the situation by defeating the attacker; either injuring or killing them.
4. You attack me, we both live – When the attack comes I respond with superior skill and dissipate the attack. Both myself, and my attacker, are kept safe and unharmed.

There is a fifth level which O’Sensei described, and was capable of. The attack is considered, and rejected before it commences. The target already displays such composure and skill that the would-be attacker either never has the idea of attacking, or realizes the futility before the attack is initiated. This is the practice of having no openings, and being constantly in a state of alert repose as described by the martial concept of zanshin.

In the above levels there is obviously a lot of wiggle room, and subjectivity. For one thing, levels three and four assume I am more skilled than my attacker. This depends on the skill level of the attacker. But, despite the subjectivity these levels are very useful tools for considering the goals of our training, and where we are in the achieving of these goals.

The levels are linear and represent a progression. One of the mistakes I see some martial artist making, particularly in Aikido (the art I love), is the belief that one can insert into a chosen level of development without first passing through the proceeding levels. I do not believe this is possible. In my experience all levels must be honored, and passed through. We must first pass though level one, if only in realizing the truth of our fear of physical harm, before even stepping into the dojo. And once there we may need to stay with level one for some time. We may have lofty goals of level four, learning to eliminate conflict without either party being harmed. I salute this goal, and share it. But, we cannot get there immediately. We must spend some time in the other levels along the way. Fortunately we have, if we have chosen our school well, a supporting environment where our fellows on the path will lend us the use of their bodies and energy to practice with. We will, in turn, reciprocate. There will be pain in training, bumps and bruises along the way, but in the end we will smile and sweat with each other. We will achieve.

I have found, for me, that no matter what level I have gotten to it is immensely useful to return to the previous levels routinely to make sure the taste of them is still fresh. I also find that respecting, and celebrating, the ability to be at all the levels I can is necessary for my training and any progression the gods of the martial arts may see fit to allow. When I train, I train hard, and expect my partners to train hard with me as well. This does not always mean executing the attacks in a forceful manner, but it sometimes does. I have also found that it is very important for me to not assume that the person I am currently working with is working on the same level, or nuance of the training.

Just like any other goal in life – It is a good idea to have a handle on where you are in the progression toward that goal and beyond.