Mushin no Shin

Mushin is a mental state into which very highly trained martial artists are said to enter during combat. They also practice this mental state during everyday activities. The term is shortened from mushin no shin (無心の心), a Zen expression meaning the mind without mind and is also referred to as the state of “no-mindness“.

That is, a mind not fixed or occupied by thought or emotion and thus open to everything. Essentially it is what modern athletes call “the flow state”.

The flow state is essentially referred to as the Alpha state. We have 5 types of brain waves which refer to 5 different states of the mind. What are brainwaves? Brainwaves are a by-product of the normal electrical activity of the brain. We can measure them with an EEG machine (electroencephalography — just a fancy name for measuring brainwaves).

This can be analyzed by measuring brain wave activity using an EEG.

Different brain waves are associated with different states of mind.

Alpha brain waves are produced by our brains when we are in a high-performance state of mind.

Things that have been shown to increase the overall alpha brain wave activity of our brains include meditation, green tea, caffeine, neuro feedback and direct alpha stimulation.

Delta
When you’re deep in a state of dreamless sleep, your brain is producing delta waves, which are the slowest type of brainwave. They measure between 0.5 and 4 Hz.

Theta
When you’re sleeping more lightly or when you’re extremely relaxed, your brain may produce more theta waves. Theta waves measure between 4 and 8 Hz.

Alpha
As mentioned, alpha waves fall in the middle of the brain wave spectrum.
Your brain produces these waves when you’re not focusing too hard on anything in particular. Whatever you’re doing, you’re probably feeling relatively calm and relaxed. These waves measure between 8 and 12 Hz.
Think of a track athlete poised and ready just before the gun fires. Imagine a slow motion boxing scene — boxers in the zone, the crowd muted, the lights faded and all the attention is locked firmly on the opponent. Think of an academic consuming information — intuition leading the way, shifting his focus from point to point with ease and flow. These are the states of mind that create alpha brain waves. They are creative and performance states of mind where we absorb ourselves in the moment and indulge in the finer details. They are the places where we perform at our optimal and most innovative. It’s not to say we always want to be there, but those of us who want to spend greater amounts of time in an alpha state of mind can learn to do so at will.

Beta
With these kinds of brain waves, you’re wide awake, alert, and focused. You’re going about your activities of daily living and making decisions. This is when your brain produces higher-speed beta waves, which measure between about 12 and 35 Hz.

Gamma
Your brain produces the speediest of brain waves, the gamma waves, when you’re actively involved in processing information and learning. You’re concentrating and solving problems, and these brainwaves, which tend to measure upward of 35 Hz, are the proof.


kumablog.org/2014/07/07/mushin-no-intention/
無心, mushin (no intention, no thinking) is one of the many concepts we encounter when walking on the martial path.

I was reading recently a quote from Sensei where he explained that “During the times of the warring states in Japan, everyone was like a wild animal. Everyone would react to whatever you intended to do. So the only way to win was to have no intention”.*

Having no intention is quite a paradox when you imagine yourself being caught in a fight but becomes logical when you are actually fighting. The time to think is not available, chaos unfolds very rapidly and your reactions are only what remains from training your basics for many years.

You can know many techniques intellectually, the history of a given Ryûha, but nothing prepares you better than studying your basics thoroughly. Learn the taijutsu techniques, learn the weapons but trust yourself when it comes to survive. A book will never fight for you, you will.

This is why the bujinkan is so different from other martial art, it prepares you to survive not to collect waza. Sensei often says negatively that many teachers are “collectors”or “scholars”, and this is not what he is teaching. In fact we learn them to forget them. Staying at the collecting level is for “kindergartners” he said once in class.

If knowing the techniques is an important step in your progression, it is your 器, Ursula (ability) that makes the difference. And this ability can only come from the deep integration of basics within your mind and body.

Your sole intention should be to have no intention and to rely on Shingin Budō. Let the natural flow guide your actions.

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* Hatsumi Masaaki in “Understand? Good. Play!”