Mokuso

[Ted Bouck]

Greetings Kendo World Gang,

Cool mag., and the music is quite stimulating. Keep the verses comin.

Regarding mokuso, the article on this in the first issue, though historically very interesting, did not provide alot of specific info on how/what to be doing during this "meditation" period.

What is the best recommendation for doing with the mind during this period? Think on a kaon?, strive for a zazen condition?, percieve the world around you with your eyes closed?, etc.. [My Sensei is retired and not around much anymore, further, he speaks very little English and I speak less Japanese.]

Thanks for any advice,

Ted

[Alex]

Hi Ted,

Hmmmmm...Not really an easy question to answer. I think that Inoue sensei (the guy who wrote the article in the last magazine) was trying to say that many people go through the motion of mokuso without really knowing the origins. Hence, his article was an attempt to let people know that the act and the postures actually have a rich history.

Any way, as for you question about how to do mokuso properly...All I know is what I'm told by my sensei in the dojo I go to. Straight back, eyes narrowed but not shut, breathing in deeply through the nose, and out through the mouth. Don't try and think about 'nothing', but just try and get your breath back into a controlled rhythm, go with the flow, and chill out, basically...The fact of the matter is, more often than not, yame is called only after about 30 seconds, which leaves you no time to do anything really.

My level of kendo is by no means high enough to really understand what mokuso is supposed to achieve, but I do feel able to concentrate and focus before starting training, and it relaxes me considerably, and helps me regain a different perspective after. Having said that, my attitudes to mokuso have been constantly changing (dare I say maturing) over the years.


That's just my personal observation, and I think every body would have their own theories and experiences pertaining to mokuso. Probably none of them are more right or wrong than anybody elses opinions. At the end of the day, what you get out of mokuso depends on how far you want to pursue it. That, again was one of Inoue sensei's points.

Hope this has been of some help.

Alex

[supernils]

Hi all.
I've heard that the secret of mokuso breathing is to do an active exhale instead of inhale. What I mean is that you slowly exhale until you have almost nothing left in your lungs. Then when you relax, if you emptied them properly, air automatically flows back. Compare this to a normal relaxing sigh wich is opposite. It is easiest if you think of a tone or sound that you can pretend that you are saying for as long as you can. Anyway... the point is that we are stronger and physically more focused when we exhale. The rhythm of your heart also decreases on a controlled exhale.

Don't know if it makes sense but I hope you follow.

[sminki]

I think another key point in mokuso is that you breathe using your stomach and try to accumulate chi in your lower belly or what's called tanden. I think that this point also goes back to the point on "active exhale" that someone mentioned.

[Ted Bouck]

Thanks for the insight everyone. !!

Nils, good to hear from you. How goes It? I will be trying the breathing you recommend in exhale. :0)

Alex,
You said:

<<<<My level of kendo is by no means high enough to really understand what mokuso is supposed to achieve, but I do feel able to concentrate and focus before starting training, and it relaxes me considerably, and helps me regain a different perspective after. Having said that, my attitudes to mokuso have been constantly changing (dare I say maturing) over the years. >>>>

I would have to completely say that, that is exactly what I strive to obtain thru mokuso. Especially since the 30 is so short, and we go right into kirikaeshi. :0) I have found that The single most important item to increasing my everythings skill in kendo is being relaxed, and focused at the same time. Not an easy thing to attain w/o years and years of experiance.

I went to practice last Saturday feeling only 80-85% physically because of a cold I am recovering from. During keiko, I was very pleased to realize that my perception was greatly increased because I was relaxed and not trying to use to much energy until the right moment. This is definately the place I will be striving toward in the months to follow. I think proper mokuso would help me place myself in this place before I even start.

To me, that is much of what the mikkyo gestures would have done. [speculation] Thru the use of a gesture, I would place myself in a predetermined condition, so I could respond w/o fear/doubt and do what I must.

Respectfully

Ted

[A. Henriksson]

You really spend a lot of your time at forums don´t you Nils?
I seem to run into your name all the time.

Thanks for sending Mats up to us last month as well. Hopefully he (or you?) can come back sometime?

-Andreas Henriksson, Lule�Ekendo

By the way, why are the smilies blue?
Maybe they use indigo colored men?

[supernils]

Well... sleepless nights (and days). I'm trying to add some to the huge collective intellect of Kendo.

[hamish]

I just got some new bogu, so the dye is still running a bit, hence the blue smilies!

[Ted Bouck]

Nils,

I was near the end of an evening of very heavy "medieval style " combat that I also do, and had very little energy to continue. Remembering your advice on mokuso and exhale, I did some of this style breathing in between matches and it helped me regain center and vitality also.

Thanks again, Ted