MIND LIKE WATER
"The mind is like a mirror. It grasps nothing, it expects nothing. It refiects but does not hold. Therefore, one can act without fear."
Another important principle of the Art of Karate is called Mind Like Moon - Mind Like Water. It is a basic principle of all forms and styles of the Martial Arts and has more than one meaning.
Mind Like Moon
Perhaps you are trying to figure out what it's like to have a mind like the moon. If you picture a full moon on a dark night, you know that moonlight shines equally on everything within its range. If your mind shines equally on everything within its range, it will be open and aware of all things. In the art of self-defense, it is important that you are constantly aware of all your opponent's movements. With an open mind you can be immediately aware of an attack and you can react without thinking to get out of the way of someone who is trying to harm you. Clouds blocking the light of the moon are like distractions which interfere with the correct and accurate response needed to defend oneself. Do you understand now?
But "mind like moon" is much more than a way to avoid an opponent's attack. It means that you must see and understand violence - you must have an open mind to why one would want to do you harm, and you must look at what causes the violence.
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You would have to think about the hurt, fear, and anger that you feel when you are attacked. You would need to see the reasons why you yourself would want to hurt someone, and you must attempt to understand why you feel hurt. Once you begin to see why you feel hurt, you will begin to understand why someone else gets hurt and why that person might want to hurt back. Then you begin to see what hurt is and how it causes violence. By seeing the problem, you can respond with true understanding, so that you are not merely defending yourself against being attacked physically. Understanding all of this, you can respond with intelligence and choose a more nonviolent, creative way to handle your problem.
Mind Like Water
Now that you have an idea of what it means to have a mind like the moon, perhaps you can guess what it means to have a mind like water. In the self-defense aspect of Karate, "mind like water" is a calm mind like the surface of undisturbed water. Still water, like a mirror, reflects exactly what is there, without any distortion. This state of mind allows you to see an attack and, at the same time, respond to it immediately and accurately. If any distracting thought is allowed to enter the mind, it will be like throwing a stone into the water. The opponent's movements will not be clear and therefore the response will not be quick enough. If the mind is filled with thoughts of attack and defense, it will not correctly understand what the opponent is trying to do. Such unnecessary thought could bring harm to both you and your opponent.
There is an even deeper meaning to "mind like water."
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When the mind is like still water, or a mirror, it reflects what is there without judging it. If the mind is still, silent and deep, it sees exactly what is before it without thinking about what should or should not be, without being concerned whether something is right or wrong, or good or bad. Judging what you see is like stirring a stick in water -
it only makes the water
muddy. A mind that can understand and intelligently respond to the deeper causes of violence must be clear.
Once you achieve this clarity of a still mind, you are then capable of something very special called insight, which is the ability to see, understand and act immediately to handle a problem. In the physical aspect of Karate, this is the ability to act instantly to protect yourself when you are about to be physically attacked.
Here is a story about how Emily found her "mind like moon, mind like water."
Suddenly a fist struck Emily in the face and her eyes started to water. Her face stung with pain as the teacher stopped the match. It was a freestyle match in which fighting is controlled but real. Emily sat down wanting to cry but she fought back the tears.
"That must have hurt. I'm sorry," said John. The rest of the class at their Dojo (Karate school) was busy practicing Kata (the Karate forms) when the accident happened. Their teacher sat down next to Emily.
"Emily," her teacher asked, "what were you thinking of when you got hit?" Her teacher looked at her face and saw that there was no injury.
"How did you know that I was thinking about how good 33
John was at freestyling?" Emily responded in surprise.
"I didn't know what you were thinking. But I could see that you were distracted. You didn't block that punch. John didn't control his punch, either. Both of you seemed preoccu-pied with something other than what you were doing. Can you see what happens when you are not giving your attention to what is happening in the moment?"
John came over and sat down next to Emily and his teacher. "Sorry, Emily. I just lost it. I was trying too hard. I thought I wanted to really show how good I was and I forgot that you were there."
"Do you both remember the talk I gave to the class last month on Mind Like Moon -
Mind Like Water? Can you see
now how this accident happened?"
Emily thought back to that talk and remembered her teacher telling them about it.
"Mind Like Moon is being aware of all things equally like the moon shining on everything. When your mind is like the moon you are immediately aware of an attack and you can therefore react spontaneously to get out of the way. Thoughts of winning or losing are like clouds blocking the light of the moon.
They are distractions that interfere with the correct response to what is happening in the moment."
Emily also remembered how her teacher had talked about Mind Like Water, how water reflects exactly what is there and that the mind must be still, clear and calm like water and reflect without distortion. "Throwing a stone into clear water causes ripples. These ripples are like disturbing thoughts in the clear mind. You can be hurt if you let thoughts interfere with your action."
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Emily remembered how her teacher also mentioned that there were deeper parts to Mind Like Moon and Mind Like Water than just getting out of the way of an attack.
"When the mind is still and unclouded it can see to the depths of yourself and another. It can see where the attack comes from, it can see the hurt and anger just below the surface. Watch carefully and you will see the root of violence within. Just watch and do not be distracted by the ripple and the storm clouds."
Emily thanked her teacher and got up.
"May we begin again, Sensei (teacher)?" asked Emily as she bowed.
"Remember, Emily, there is only One Encounter - One Chance! W hen you become inattentive you are in danger."
John bowed to Emily. They both took their fighting stances.
"Kiai!" (a yell used in Karate to give strength to the technique) shouted Emily as her kick shot out, stopping just short of her target.
"Kiai!" shouted John as he jumped forward with a controlled punch to Emily's chest.
"Kiai!'' Emily swiftly blocked John's punch.
"Yami," called their teacher (which means "stop" in Japanese Karate).
"Good, you are now Mind Like Moon and Mind Like Water.
You have faced and met the challenge of One Encounter- One Chance. Be alert- always!"
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Here is a simple exercise you can do to help you understand Mind Like Moon -
Mind Like Water. Find a quiet place, at
home or in your Dojo. Sit on the floor or use a chair if sitting on the floor is not comfortable. Keep your back straight and your head up. Look down at the floor in front of you. Breathe naturally, counting each breath. One - inhale, 1\vo - exhale, and so on. Later, as you practice, you can count one for the total inhale/exhale. Count to ten and then begin over again at one. If you find that you've gone beyond ten just notice it and start over at one. Just watch your thoughts and be aware, but not distracted by the noises or movements around you.
As you do this for awhile you can stop counting your breaths and just sit. The object of this exercise is to let your thoughts calm down so that you are not distracted by them.
Sitting quietly observing your thoughts, you can learn a lot about them - where they come from and how they affect your life.
You can sit for as long as you like. Start with one minute and then work up to perhaps five minutes. See what happens when you sit like this. It might help you to keep a notebook to write down what you observe while sitting. It is best to do this right after you stop.
This is a very simple exercise but one that is very important for self-understanding. If your Karate class doesn't sit, ask your instructor if you can. Most Karate classes do sit at the beginning and end of class.
