Zanshin

With thanks to Richard Ward of Seishin Dojo, Melbourne, for sending me this picture taken during the National Seminar.

The engagement is almost over.  I ask myself if this is truly defeat.  Beaten by the jo’s counterattacks, is there one last technique I can use to salvage the situation?  The end of his weapon is threateningly close to my face and he’s watching me intently.  Unblinking.  If I attempt to cut him he’ll finish me off.

 I have no other course of action other than resign.

 Zanshin  

As with quite a few Japanese words there is no neat and single-word translation of the concept.  It more relates to an attitude of mind that boils down to “leftover spirit/continuing state of awareness/relaxed attention” once a combat (or kata) is over.  On an actual battlefield the person who relaxes his guard is the one who’s nominated himself as the next victim.  I find this frame of mind (and maintaining the mind-set) is the “icing on the combat cake”.  Utterly fascinating and compelling.

By the way, in his email, the abovementioned Richard Ward described me as the “fearsome looking Stuart”.  He’s wrong.  The moustache is fearsome and clearly the source of my zanshin….plus a few litres of dried beer, yesterday’s breakfast egg, a homeless family from Bangladesh……..