| > | | | | first place leads me to understand that each person |
| In Aikido we learn how to enter into a peak | | | | has at least two different selves that they experience |
| performance state that in the Japanese arts is known | | | | life through. One self is a rational/cognitive self with its |
| as "mushin." In Seishindo work we often call "mushin" a | | | | "headquarters" being just that, in the head. This is the |
| state of "embodied presence." "Mushin" is similar to the | | | | self that generates our internal dialogue and likes to |
| term "flow state" as used by many people to describe | | | | critique what we are doing. Our other self is an |
| the conditions for peak performance. For several | | | | emotional/somatic self with its command center being |
| years now I have been defining "embodied presence | | | | in the body. This appears to be the self that the |
| mushin" in the following manner: "When the structure of | | | | cognitive self is trying to inform via words. The |
| your body is balanced, and your thinking mind is fully | | | | problem is that the somatic self thinks in feelings and |
| present but not engaged in any form of internal | | | | not in words, so really the only thing it understands |
| dialogue, you will tend to release any extraneous | | | | from the verbal communication of the cognitive self is |
| thoughts or actions and enter into the flow state of | | | | the tone of voice, volume, and phrasing. Seem hard to |
| "mushin." Your thoughts, feelings, and actions occur | | | | believe? |
| simultaneously and spontaneously. Nothing comes | | | | If you have a dog bring it to a foreign country some |
| between your thoughts and your actions, and nothing is | | | | time and you will notice that it does quite well in |
| left over. When we embody such a state we greatly | | | | understanding the basic conversation directed towards |
| improve our ability to learn with grace and ease." | | | | it by the local populace. In Japanese they would say |
| At such times we have a pleasing sense of fullness | | | | "Kawaii! Kawaii!", and your dog would soon be wagging |
| and great potential. We do not attempt to eliminate or | | | | its tail. Either your dog is a heck of a lot better at |
| control our thoughts, feelings, or actions, but rather we | | | | learning foreign languages than you are (which is quite |
| move with our thoughts, and feel into our experience. | | | | possible if you are like many of my fellow Americans), |
| Breath, movement, action, and rest. Breath, movement, | | | | or, your dog is picking up the basic meaning of what is |
| action, and rest. So when I say above that I want to | | | | being said, via the tone of voice, volume, and phrasing. |
| talk about peak performance states and how we can | | | | Your rational self thinks with the aid of verbal language. |
| live our lives with a greater sense of ease, grace, and | | | | Your somatic self "thinks" like all other mammals, and |
| power, I am referring to how to enter into a special | | | | such thinking involves making meaning out of what is |
| learning state where our thoughts, actions, and feelings | | | | sensed, rather than distilling meaning from the spoken |
| occur simultaneously and spontaneously. | | | | word. When entering into a state of mushin we want |
| This state of "mushin" is one that we very much strive | | | | the feeling, intuitive, mammalian mind to come to the |
| to experience in Aikido (and in other Japanese arts as | | | | forefront, while the rational mind is encouraged to take |
| well) knowing full well that it is not a state that we will | | | | a bit of a holiday. |
| maintain throughout the course of our everyday life. | | | | When things are going well for us our two selves |
| Indeed, what we do when we find we are NOT in a | | | | seem to cooperate rather nicely and at such times it is |
| state of embodied presence and instead mired in a | | | | likely that we will not have internal dialogue. We easily |
| difficult situation, tells us much about our spirit and our | | | | reach this cooperative mushin state when walking in a |
| deeply held beliefs. Mushin is an ephemeral state that is | | | | beautiful mountain range area, playing with a young |
| to be experienced and released. An experience that is | | | | child, or perhaps when watching a compelling movie. In |
| meant to be lost and found a gain, many times over in | | | | my way of thinking, the three examples offered here |
| the course of our life. Please be certain that I consider | | | | are everyday examples of a peak performance state. |
| peak performance states to be an enjoyable quest | | | | The whole self is actively aware of, in touch with, and |
| and not just for some special few who are | | | | absorbed by, what is transpiring. There is no need to |
| professional performers of one sort or another. | | | | comment on what is occurring, because every part of |
| When we enter into mushin for even brief periods of | | | | you already "knows" what is going on. Your thoughts, |
| time we find that we receive what I call "a residue | | | | feelings, and actions occur simultaneously and |
| experience." By this I mean that even when we enter | | | | spontaneously. If you take a moment to think about it, |
| back into our everyday mind, we find ourself living our | | | | most any state that we find highly pleasurable could |
| life with a greater sense of vitality and well being. Our | | | | be defined as a peak performance state. Interesting to |
| relationships with others tend to be more heartfelt, | | | | think about how peak performance relates to pleasure. |
| compassionate, and aware. We find ourselves feeling | | | | On the other hand, when we get worried, frightened, or |
| more connected to our "self" and our everyday | | | | angry, we usually find our two selves (rational and |
| experience, while living our life with a greater sense of | | | | somatic) in conflict with each other. In fact what |
| meaning. | | | | becomes most obvious during times of stress, is the |
| If you are at all like most of the human beings I meet | | | | very different methods that your rational and somatic |
| every day, and the one that I meet in the mirror every | | | | selves have of processing and understanding what is |
| morning, during much of your life your thoughts, actions, | | | | occurring. When your rational self gets upset it uses |
| and feelings occur somewhat independently of each | | | | words to express what it is feeling. "What's the matter |
| other, and you lack a certain sense of spontaneity. To | | | | stupid? I thought you knew better!" might be a |
| some extent this is part of the human condition, and | | | | common complaint uttered by your rational self. Your |
| yet we can definitely also achieve from time to time, a | | | | somatic self on the other hand communicates that it is |
| much fuller way of learning and living. | | | | upset by releasing various enzymes that lead to an |
| One of the unique aspects of embodied presence is | | | | upset stomach, or by tensing up the muscles of the |
| that we do not have internal dialogue when we are | | | | body until you find yourself with a headache. What is |
| fully present in the moment. By "fully present in the | | | | important to note here is that both selves can be quite |
| moment" I mean remaining relaxed while fully engaging | | | | adept at communicating that something is wrong, but |
| in an activity, without internal dialogue taking up any of | | | | often the cognitive self delivers this message in the |
| our attention or awareness. | | | | form of self criticism rather than really helping you to |
| Mushin = Embodied presence | | | | note in a compassionate manner just what needs to |
| Embodied presence = Fully present in the moment | | | | be different. Your rational self is sort of like a scientist |
| Fully present in the moment = Michael Jordan during an | | | | or news commentator. It comments on what is being |
| NBA final; Tiger Woods at the Masters; My daughter | | | | felt, much more than actually feeling into the |
| watching her Saturday morning kids program. | | | | experience. |
| I think that being able to be free from internal dialogue | | | | One of the main tasks of entering into and maintaining |
| at times is quite an interesting phenomenon. One of the | | | | a mushin peak performance state is keeping your |
| main questions I always ponder in this regard is "Who | | | | rational self and your somatic self cooperating with |
| is talking to who?" during internal dialogue. Another | | | | each other and supporting each other. In most |
| thought that I often have is "Why in the world do I | | | | instances what we invariably find, is that instructions |
| need to tell myself what I am feeling? Why not just | | | | delivered by the rational mind via internal dialogue, |
| feel?" And of course asking myself such questions is | | | | almost always get in the way. |
| just another form of internal dialogue! | | | | What to do then? |
| To me, the fact that we have internal dialogue in the | | | | |