Ernest Cadorin
Intelligent Sparring vs. Mu no Kokoro
2020/02/01Reconciling the Paradox
As we become more advanced in karate, our sparring improves in more ways than just how well we block and strike. We strategize more. We become better at identifying our opponent’s weaknesses and adjusting our techniques to exploit those weaknesses. We even look for ways to use our environment to our advantage. In short, we spar more intelligently.
Outdoor Tactics: keep the sun in our opponent’s eyes and control the higher ground
At the same time, we strive for mu no kokoro when we spar. Mu no kokoro means “mind of emptiness,” or “mind without conscious thought,” which on the surface seems rather incompatible with the notion of intelligent sparring. How can we use our minds to strategize if they are supposed to be empty?
Fortunately, there is no real paradox here. Mu no kokoro means having a mind that is not trapped in thought. It can still be active, but it works fluidly (perhaps even subconsciously) and remains free of distractions. This is often referred to as flow*.
On a basic level, this means that simple combinations are executed without having to think about the elementary movements, and blocks happen automatically when our opponents attack. If we had to consciously think about executing an upper block in response to a head punch, we would never be able to block the punch in time.
On a higher level, mu no kokoro means putting aside any mental distractions and getting on with the task at hand. Sometimes, the very desire to win can be a distraction, and that obsession can compromise our performance. In fact, even the desire to execute a specific sparring technique can sometimes interfere with our flow. It’s one thing to experiment with a new technique and try to make it a part of our repertoire, but if the desire to use it is so strong that we execute it even if the target is covered, it will not be effective, and we will likely have opened ourselves to a counterattack. I often tell my students that sparring is a bit like chess, and indeed like life in general: we can often do what we want, but we must always do what the situation requires. If we ignore the requirements of the situation, we will fail.
When I wrote The Arrows of Zen, I included a short story called “The Woodsman”. The story’s dramatic ending features mu no kokoro in action, and I encourage you to get a copy of the book and check it out. (shameless self-promotion!)
But before you do that, here are two mu no kokoro moments from a couple of my favourite movies. Enjoy!
Too Many Distractions
The Last Samurai – “No mind.”
Trying Too Hard
The Matrix – “Stop trying to hit me, and hit me.”
* Flow was the subject of Dr. Burt Konzak’s 1994 Zen philosophy course.